Investing Ourselves in the Next Generation
Psalm 78:1-8
Intro.:
A. Have you ever thought about the fact that the only time in your life that you are pleased about getting older is when you were a kid?
- Less than 12; you are so excited about aging that you think in fractions. I am 8 and 1/2.
- 12 or older; you begin to jump to the next age. Even if you are 12, you say - I am going to be 16. If you are 16, you say, I will soon be 18.
- Then YOU BECOME 21. But something happens after that point.
- You TURN 30,
- You PUSH 40
- You REACH 50
- You Make It to 60
- You HIT 70
- YOUR IN your 80’s
- When you are in your 90’s - it goes backwards. You are start counting in fractions again. You say things like; I’ve just turned 92.
B. Well, no matter how old or young you are, God loves you and has a great purpose for you. In fact, our passage today teaches us that part of God’s plan for us who are older is to Share the Lord with the Next Generation - vs’ 4-6
Other passages; Jesus taught us not to hinder the little ones from coming to Him. But He also set an example for a cross section of society to involved in ministry with His Disciples. The men he chose were a variety of ages and backgrounds. We also see the example of Moses investing in Joshua and passing on the torch of leadership to him.
C. We know that Jesus didn’t start his ministry until He was 30. We know that Jesus began His ministry at age 30. According to Biblical Culture there was a difference in those age 30 and those over 30.
Today there is something about those ages too. For sociologist reveal that there are many differences (in attitudes and views, and practices) with the different generations. Today what is known and called Buster and Millennial Generations or Gen. X and Y, we see a difference in such things as their attitudes toward life, authority careers, the future, etc As well as the place with technologies - this is a computer - visual oriented group of people. They highly value the use of technology as a means for communication, learning, as well as entertainment. They see things much more in a Global perspective than previous generations. They value change as they live a constant changing world. But one of the most important aspects in relation to our Subject today is just how important Relationships are to them.
Overall those under 30 value these things. And if we are going to Share our Faith with them, as the Bible Teaches us to, we need to understand this.
D. So What do we learn from this passage about Sharing our Faith in the Lord with the next generations?
Body:
A. We need to really Commit ourselves to Sharing our Faith with the next Generation. Why?
- Because God’s Word Calls us to do this.
- If we don’t, we will lose a generation to other competing forces that are not of God.
- We live in a society filled with half truths and false religions who are constantly competing for the soul of everybody - but especially our youth. When you win the youth - you win the generations to follow.
B. We need a Church wide effort to this Endeavor.
- Vs. 3-4; We will… "their children…" It is "WE" - God’s people collectively, which consist of individuals. It is not just about sharing our faith with our Children (As Dt. 6 teaches and other Scriptures teach us) but about other people’s children knowing - the Next Generation! Certainly this doesn’t negate the truth that we are to share our faith with our children but it becomes the church’s intention - purpose - responsibility to train us to do that and to help in the process. And the fact that there will be many in this generation whose parents don’t know the Lord or who don’t take their God - given responsibility to teach and share the Lord with their children. So we, as a Church must make it our priority and "We will …."
- Vs. 7-8 the church has an obligation - a Responsibility - and should make this a Priority so that the Next Generation will…
- Put their trust in the Lord.
- Not forget what God has done.
- Keep His commands
- Not be like their forefathers stubborn and rebellious.
- Their hearts would be loyal to God.
- Their spirits faithful to the Lord.
C. We need to Communicate the Lord to the Next Generation in a vital way. We know that our actions speak louder than words and so we must live Obediently and Openly for the Lord to the next Generation. This generation deals with Reality in their world everyday and they seek and listen to those who will be REAL: not pretentious or self righteous - but REAL! This is the generation of REAL TV and Life!
- We also need to Communicate with our WORDS. This is a verbal generation - just ask the parent of teens or those in their 20’s.
- And this Generation is a generation based on Relationship - more than any other. If there is no relationship, there is very little reason or effort put to listening. They very much live by the Motto; don’t just tell me you care - show me.
- We must Communicate: vs. 4b; The Praiseworthy deeds of he Lord; The Power of the Lord; and the Wonders of what the Lord has done. Which begs the question if we are going to Communicate the Lord to this Next Generation: What Praiseworthy - Wonder - Powerful deeds, has God done in your life recently. It can’t just be about what He has done in the past, but what He is doing in today as they seek Relevancy in Faith.
- Notice though in these verses, we are not How to Communicate these Praiseworthy, Powerful, Wonderful deeds of the Lord. We are told what to Communicate, but not how. How we communicate is important too. As Paul teaches us in 1Cor. 9 - that he becomes all things to all people in order to win some to Christ. Missionaries understand this biblical concept as they seek to understand the culture they are ministering in, yet here in the States, we often forget just how different each generation is from the next - especially today with our world changing so fast. We need to consider and take the time to get to know this Generation - and we have to be willing to CHANGE some of our Methods of Ministry in order to Communicate more Effectively to the Next Generation as we are called to!
- We often quote the verse about what shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet loses his soul? We could easily translate this verse to be: What shall it profit the Kingdom of God if we keep our methods of ministry and traditions and yet lose the soul of the next Generation?
Conclusion:
A. In the Great Awakening Revivals of the 18th and 19th Century one of the reasons was a new Focus on Winning the Youth the Next Generation, to Christ. Where more mature Believers in God prayed for young people and mentored them in the Faith. This focus by the Church produced such things as the Sunday School hour, the YMCA, other Youth ministries, etc.
B. As we consider this Youth Sunday - look around you. We are definitely a Multigenerational Church. We have babies and people upto their 90’s. But we don’t have a lot of those under 30 do we? Today God’s Word teaches us that we Need to be Committed to Sharing the Lord with Next Generation; We need the Entire CHURCH involved in the Endeavor; and We need to Communicate all that the Lord has done in our lives but it needs to be in Relationship.
What is our Priority and Commitment, as a Church to Reaching the Next Generation for Christ?
What changes would God call us to make in order to better Communicate the Lord with this Next Generation?
These are Questions that we have to be asking ourselves and that we need to constantly be Praying about in order to be Obedient to God’s Word!
C. Now, to those under 30, I want to say a quick Word to you today.
1. God Loves you - He really does!
2. We love you and care about you - very much. We really do. I am not saying there aren’t areas we can’t improve on to help Communicate the Truth of God and His Word to you - but we do care. It is our true desire that you will know the Lord, Trust Him, follow Him and even be more faithful to Him than we are at times.
ILL> there is not a youth event that goes by that a couple people in this church don’t ask me if there is someone they can help by contributing to finances so someone can go. We do care and Love you!
- God Wants to use you. in His Power He can use you for Eternal Purposes in life. Jesus had John Mark who was probably only around 16, David wasn’t that old when God used him; Timothy was young when God used him as a Pastor. So God can use you today as you seek and follow Him.
- Please remember that the choices you make today will affect your life in the future.
- And think about this: One day you will grow up and probably have children: don’t do anything you don’t want to have to explain to your children - because you will have to explain to them what you did when you were young.
- Lastly: know that we, as adults can learn from you. You remember my verse for you in Youth Group/ 1Tim. 4:12 - "Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, BUT set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."
