Faith For The Future

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Judges 2:10 “All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel.”

“What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others” - Perciles

Introduction

God’s intention is for faith to persist throughout the generations.

God’s intention is that faith never dies out in one generation, but makes its way to the next.

Ephesians 3:21 “to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.”

For this to happen there must be intentional steps taken to ensure that those that come after us are connected to God like we are.

This makes it clear that every generations needs to think about the next. What can I do for them? How can I connect with them to ensure my experience with God doesn’t die with me?

What can I deposit? What am I depositing right now?

(The second is a more sobering question)

Why is this necessary?

This is needed so that the work of reconciliation can continue even when we are gone.

Judges 2:10 “All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel.” [(comp. Josh 24:31)

The word know can mean - To have in one’s possession]

#1 - Death Is Coming

Joshua had faced many opposing forces during his time as the leader of Israel.

There was one foe coming that he could not defeat: DEATH

This is not the first time we see a leader fo God’s people instructing God’s people before he leaves

1 Chronicles 28:9 ““As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.”

2 Peter 1:13 “I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder,”

Who can forget Paul and Jesus?

While I cannot have faith for someone else I can influence which direction someone’s faith goes by the faith that I have

2 Timothy 1:5 “For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.”

Lois made a deposit in Eunice, who then made a deposit in Timothy.

Paul later told Timothy “be thou an example of those who believe” (1 Tim 4:12)

There was now a faith in Timothy that had a flavour of the faith from his mother and grandmother

We must realize that DEATH will come - What’s going to die with me?

Can I use my experience with God to call others to God?

#2 - Next Gen Is Coming

Judges 2:10 “All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel.”

How do we see those younger than us?

How do we see those older than us?

It is good to have a multigenerational congregation, it’s even better to have an intergenerational one!

Are we connected?

This raises the stakes. It causes urgency because I may not have the time I think I have

[Analogy: the murder that was solved because someone saved the DNA evidence trusting that the next gen will develop the technology to do it]

God always thinks in generations

Genesis 17:7 ““I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you.”

Exodus 3:15 “God, furthermore, said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations.”

Exodus 12:14 “‘Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance.”

The victory you got was not just for you it was for the generations

The breakthrough you recieved was for the generations

The development you went through was for the generations

Part of our thinking needs to be for the generations

On a Panco Lane level

Are you connected to anyone older than you?

Are you connected to anyone younger than you?

#3 - Will Faith Be Coming with them?

Judges 2:10 “All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel.”

The word “know” can be understood in two (2) ways:

They did not acknowledge God (rebellion)

They did not possess knowledge of God (teaching)

I will make a case for both

Firstly, God emphasized teaching the next gen

Deuteronomy 6:4–9 ““Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

This was to guard them in the land.

Secondly, God punish rebellion

Jeremiah 7:24 ““Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward.”

Will faith come with them?

One of the ways we can make sure this happens, is that we get into the lives of those around us and leave something from our walk with God

READ Ps 78:1-7. Give the next gen confidence.

READ Tit 2:1-7. (Notice the verse doesn’t start with younger folks, it starts with those that are older)

When they look at us, do they see a God to run away from. . . or a God to run closer to

Ephesians 3:21 “to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.”

This is missional, redemptive, reconciliative - this is why we need to do it

If the world is getting worse and worse, then it’s even more urgent to pass on what we know of God.