So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting His glorious miracles and obeying His commands.

Transcription

1 MESSAGE FROM JANUARY 31, 201 So The Next Generation Might Know Psalm 78:5-7New Living Translation (NLT) 5 For he issued His laws to Jacob; He gave His instructions to Israel. He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them even the children not yet born and they in turn will teach their own children. 7 So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting His glorious miracles and obeying His commands. I would like to begin today the first of three messages which will culminate on Valentine s Day. The first I want to direct toward the family and it s importance to God. Next week we will be focused on the husband s role and being a dad. And the following week, Valentine s Day we will be looking at the high value placed on a Godly wife and mom. God is trying to raise up a standard against the seduction of Godlessness, and we are that standard The Christian Family. Sometimes that mantel gets a little blurry within our culture. Periodically we need to look at family using the Biblical mandate of Holy Scripture. In certain areas of life culture is attempting to distort if not destroy this vision of family through revisionism. Listen to the language adopted by the New Democratic Party government in Alberta, Canada, Teachers and school administrators are to use this language

2 when addressing the adults with whom students are living. It is no longer: "mother" and "father." But: "parent," "caregiver," "partner," whatever. And God help you if refer to one of the little ones as "him" or "her." Oh it spirals more The NDP government issued last week: School forms, websites, letters, and other communications use non-gendered and inclusive language (e.g., parents/guardians, caregivers, families, partners, student or their instead of Mr., Ms., Mrs., mother, father, him, her, etc.)." That means that the kids, no matter how young or how old, get to pick their own gender and force everyone else in the school to abide by their choice: It has to do with Self-identification. Some individuals may not feel included in the use of the pronouns he or she and may prefer alternate pronouns, such as ze, zir, hir, they or them, or might wish to express themselves or self-identify in other ways (e.g., Mx. instead or Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Miss, or no prefix at all) So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them. Do you see the theological significance? Genesis 1:27 New Living Translation (NLT) The family is the basic chord in society. The family existed long before even the church. It is the backbone, so it must be the light and the salt in culture. There are specific reasons why we guard our families. What one generation tolerates, the next generation will embrace. John Wesley Around 80 B.C. the prophet Isaiah called for watchmen on the wall to take their place.

3 Isaiah 2: New Living Translation (NLT) O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls; they will pray day and night, continually. Take no rest, all you who pray to the LORD. Watchmen watch for anything harmful, anything deceptive, and above all they are moms and dads, and grandparents who will commit to pray for children and grandchildren. We must have a clear vision for our children even one that is multigenerational. It s so we will be intentional every day to hand to our children the things of God. The clearer our vision, the better we will know what to do on a daily bases. With younger children in our home we want to ask: What do you want to say about your children when they are 30 years old? Most parents say: Want kids to be educated, good career, good citizens, happily married, things like that. So now let s change the question: What would cause you grief if you had to say this about your children when they turned 30. What would that sound like I would think most Christian parents would say: it grieves them that they are lost, not walking with God, they are not even interested in spiritual things. That would cause the most pain. We want our kids and our adult children, to be committed Christians. So when is the most opportune time to impact the answer to that question Before they are 12 years old. In our most basic relationships of Parent/Child we have to be intentional, with a target in mind. We are to teach our children Respect: of authority, of others, of God s authority, of God Himself. We are to teach our children all about Grace. How to respond with Grace when they are wronged. To view good things as coming from the Grace of God.

4 We are to teach our children the truth of God s Word. The Truth of God will inform our children s world view. They then will walk through life acting on the things of God. Responding as God would respond that stems from a Christian world view. This is why God is so adamant about teaching Biblical truth to our children and grandchildren now and daily. There is an enemy of our soul. The Apostle Peter describes the enemy as a roaring lion who is looking for a life to devourer, a life to destroy. So God has given every Christian home a specific responsibility. 5 He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them even the children not yet born and they in turn will teach their own children. 7 So each generation should set its hope anew on God, Psalm 78:5b-7a (NLT) Knowledge of God s Word is a Big Deal! Moses adds this instruction, he says: And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Deuteronomy :-7 (NLT) The Christian parent makes teaching God s truth to their children, part of their daily routine. If you believe in eternity, then you believe that leading your son/daughter to faith in Christ is the most important responsibility you have. Our goal being in children/youth ministry is to work alongside parents in helping the next generation establish a strong foundation to build their lives upon to develop a faith that will lead them into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

5 Nothing else takes precedence. Up until now we have focused on younger children and youth. For a minute I want to transition to adult children. Many are familiar with the story of the Prodigal son in Luke chapter 15: Can you imagine the pain the father felt as he watched his adult son pack his suitcases, head out of the house and down the lane, with too much money to spend, and no moral compass. Because the father saw his son headed for sin and heartache. Walking blindly without heeding his dad s counsel. Many Christian parents have experienced the same scene with their adult children. What to do? Pray sometimes through tears. But never never never... giving up. Our children are of such high value to God. And thank God He never gives up on us. Eternal Life is the Prize. To every Christian family working at being a Christ follower REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE AND TO WHOM YOU BELONG