We will not hide them from their children

Service Notes

Baby Dedication for Daisy Criss

Sing: Jesus Loves the Little Children

Jesus loves the little children, All the children of the world.

Every color, every race, all are covered by His grace.

Jesus loves the little children of the world.

Sermon Introduction

Psalm 78:1–6 (KJV)

See the 5 references to children.

Notice the 4 generations mentioned in v.5-6

Title comes from v.4 We will not hide them from their children

Second chance at a Father’s day message

This week and every week by God’s grace we will do what is commanded in this passage..

We are going to teach Scriptures to children, especially in the form of stories so that will be able to share with the next generation.

We will make much of Jesus and teach our children how to do the same.

We will work and pray to provide an opportunity for all the children of the world to know, trust, and obey God.

1 Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:

3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.

4 We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.

5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers (1), that they should make them known to their children: (2)

6 That the generation to come might know them (3), even the children which should be born; (4) who should arise and declare them to their children.

We are to make sure the Gospel is not hid from the children

The thought of the Gospel being hid runs througout Scripture. 2 Corinthians 4:3 “3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:”

They way and reason it is list is by the gods of this world. Namely, the work of the Devil. 2 Corinthians 4:4 “4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

I understand that I may sound antiquity to you when I speak of the Devil or Satan. As the one who hates God and seeks our destruction he would be very pleased with us forgetting the influence he has in this world.

The gods of this world promote the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. 1 John 1:15

Through a insatiable desire for comfort, through always reaching for more way to be entertained, by living as we have accomplished all their is to accomplish in this life while not knowing the first thing about eternity the Gospel is hidden from those who not believe.

Graham and Olivia have a responsibility to Lyla. But we also know they should be intentional in ministry to children in Nigeria. Why? Because that is to be their mission in life to make Christ known, that is the reason they are there, that is what God gave them resources for.. Though I cannot tell you that God would have you in Nigeria. I can tell you that you have the same responsibilities to the next generation around you.

We have been blessed by people who knew their car was for more than just driving their kids to VBS

Thursday we heard about Deacon Republic who carried the Jesus Film in the trunk of his car

Thought of a text from Sam Wilson / You mentioned filling the car with kids for VBS. I first heard the Gospel when a nice lady named Nina Wolfe invited an unchurched family (the Wilson kids) to VBS at Westerville Bible Church in Westerville, Ohio, in 1965 - Sam Wilson [Picture]

Before slide how many here today are above 65, between 46-64.. etc [slide one at a time]

How are we doing?

We all know that it is our responsibility to pass to the next generation. Not just in our homes but through our homes.

More money and resources have been invested in youth and kids ministry than anytime in history. / As a YP I would go to luncheons with dozens of fulltime, vocational works from churches and parachurch organizations.

Midst of second baby boom. More children to reach than we have experienced before. Schools and parks popping up everywhere.

From the 2023 "Intentional Discipleship and the State of the Evangelical Church in America" by Thom Rainer Research Group

Go through slides one at a time. Last slide show how many are unbelieving.

Over 65 years old. 65%

From 46-64 years old: 35%

From 34-45 years old: 15%

From 16-33 years old: 4%

Danger of stats. You might reject the numbers from your life experience and in so doing ignore the trend.

We must face reality

We must acknowledge that new methods is not the answer.

Power of the Gospel cannot be replaced with new methods, more programs, better curriculum, or more vocational ministers with cooler personalities.

Our methods don’t empower the gospel. The gospel empowers our methods.

Problem: Pendulum swing elevate the church to exclusion of the church. Elevate the home to the exclusion of the church.

The church is made up of Christians. The family is made up of believing and non-believing people.

The family has a vital role in the Great Commission but the GC was given to the church as our responsibility.

Which means the conversation we are having today belongs here and around your kitchen table.

We are not just talking about passing the gospel onto just our kids.

Greg come up. Let’s stand for a moment as Greg will introduce you to the Next Generation Discipleship Team and pray for us. “It is you. You will teach the kids who will teach their kids.” It cannot be me I was never given to me. It was given to the church to encourage and equip the families. The Great Commission belongs to us and it includes all the children of the world.”

1. We are going to teach Scriptures to children, especially in the form of stories so that will be able to share with the next generation.

Call to give your attention to God

Psalm 78:1 “1 Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.”

Starts with a call to give attention to the teaching of the Word.

[Slide] Discipleship: A personal and intentional process in which one or more Christians guide unbelievers or less-mature believers to embrace and apply the gospel in every part of their lives. (1) / Sounds like parenting or it should. / We don’t have the Next Steps Table at our house. I think Beau does give out the Done book every morning to his kids.

We are to teach them diligently. Deuteronomy 6:7 “7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”

This week we are calling upon children to “incline their ears!”

We are to be PRO-ACTIVE in inviting children to hear the stories of God’ grace we are going to tell.

No room for neutrality in regards to our influence upon children.

Only Two options given; Hide or Shew

If we do not hide the truth from them. Psalm 78:7 “7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:”

Set their hope - Personal trust in God

Forget not the works - Informed, humble, Biblical thinking

Keep commandments - Be obedient to His commandments

If we live in a way that hides the truth from them. Psalm 78:8 “8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.”

Wrong paths are set by wrong hearts

Direction of our hearts greatly influences the direction of the feet of our children.

This means that my biggest, ongoing problem as a dad is not my children, it’s me. My children don’t cause me to do and say what I do and say. No, the cause of my actions is found inside my own heart. My children are simply the occasion where my heart reveals itself in words and actions. So I need much more than just rescue and relief from my children; I need rescue from me. This is why Jesus came, to provide us with the rescue that we all need but that we cannot provide for ourselves. - Paul David Tripp

We are to teach the Scriptures

We teach children who God is. Psalm 78:4 “4 We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.”

We don’t teach children convenient rules to obey, and religious rituals to follow, and life skills to know.

We teach them God. We teach the next generation who God is.

We teach children what God has done. Psalm 78:4 “4 We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.”

The psalmist says..

Tell them about the plagues.

Tell them about God’s provision of manna from heaven, quail falling from the sky.

Tell them how God has faithfully and powerfully provided for His people from generation to generation.

Teach them who God is. Teach them what God has done.

We should have our own manna stories to tell.

We teach children what God has said. Psalm 78:5 “5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:”

If God has spoken, then what else is more important for us to tell our children?

We should help kids learn at a young age to delight in God’s law.

Kids can know the Scriptures. 2 Timothy 3:15 “15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

More than an argument concerning their intellect. / Greg as a middle schooler gave me a lecture on Chernobyl when I asked what he knew about it.

All the promises of the Holy Spirit concerning understanding of Scripture applies to children as well.

We should be looking for ever opportunity to teach. Deuteronomy 6:6–9“6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.”

It will take the entirety of our lives.

Sitting and walking , Standing or lying down, it encompasses every area of life.

When your church has a jungle VBS theme and when your home unintentionally has a jungle theme

You probably often ask your children “what did you learn in SS today?” It would be only fair if the SS teacher asked your kid what did you learn the other 6 days this week about God when you were with your family. --- Let’s take a step further. What about the kids who run your neighborhood? Is the Gospel hidden away in your home or are you being intentional about them having access to the Gospel.

Story telling is God’s prescribed manner of education for the next generation.

Psalm 78:3 “3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.”

We really want to be able to tell some of the most wonderful stories in the world to you and your kids. Stories are powerful.

When we tell stories we are doing the same thing that families have done for thousands of years; at the Holleybrook Subdivision, in a Hebrew Home, and a African Hut

The Bible is certainly more than a book of stories, but it is not less

Genesis 1:1“1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”

Job 1:1 “1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.”

Luke 2:1 “1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.”

John 1:6 “6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.”

Luke 10:30 “30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.”

Human beings are story-shaped creatures.

We are born into stories, raised in stories, and live and die in stories.

We are part of a story that started a long time ago.

Stories remind us we are not the center of the universe. Too many kids only hear us tell stories where they are at the center.

Whenever we have to answer a big question — who am I, why am I here, what should I do, what happens to me when I die? — we tell a story.

Powerful stories change us. Let us not be the generation that doesn’t pass on the stories.

Transitional Statement: We are going to teach Scriptures to children, especially in the form of stories.

2. We will make much of Jesus and teach our children how to do the same.

We have the best story to tell.

To understand our need of a Savior we must see our sinfulness.

Psalm 78 tells he story of Israel failure and God responding to their failure with grace. Psalm 78:17–18 “17 And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness. 18 And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.”

We see our sinful self in the stories of Scripture. 1 Corinthians 10:6 “6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.”

We read these stories in the Scriptures and realize: the same thing could happen to you.

We have good news to share.

We tell the next generation about God’s mercy toward His people.

We will tell those who have yet to believe we too rebelled against this God. We have done exactly what we read about in this Psalm. Psalm 78:10–11 “10 They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law; 11 And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.”

The good news, the rest of the story, is that God has not left us alone in our rebellion.

This God has come to us. God in the flesh, Jesus Christ has come to us, and He has lived a life that we could never live, a life of perfect obedience to God, perfect worship of God

We are not just told to tell, but to teach them how to tell others.

Prepare them to rise and declare these stories. Psalm 78:6 “6 That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:”

We aren’t just teaching students, we are teaching teachers.

Practical Application: You give them opportunities in the home and we give them opportunities in the church.

3. We will pray that all children will know, trust, and obey God.

Kids love to ask why? Isn’t that wonderful?

Deuteronomy 6:20“20 And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD our God hath commanded you?”

There is a purpose in..

Teaching Scriptures to children, especially in the form of stories so that will be able to share with the next generation.

Make much of Jesus and teach our children how to do the same.

It is that our children and the children of the world will..

Know God in their minds

Trust God in their hearts

Obey God with their lives (3)

Children will know God in their minds

Psalm 78:5–6 “5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: 6 That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:”

I cannot determine what will happen in their hearts but I can help make sure the stores of God come into their mind.

How will they ever trust a God they do not even know about?

Children will trust God in their hearts

Psalm 78:7 “7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:”

We want the children to know God and not just know about Him.

This is what we will put all of our stock into. Jeremiah 9:23 “23 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:”

Children will obey God in their lives

Psalm 78:7–8 “7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: 8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.”

We are not just teaching for information but for transformation.

Obedience is the fruit of true faith.

Remember Anything times Zero equals Zero. Faith without works is a dead or false faith.

Conclusion

Determine response to God’s Word today.

We are going to teach Scriptures to children, especially in the form of stories so that will be able to share with the next generation.

We will make much of Jesus and teach our children how to do the same.

We will work and pray to provide an opportunity for all the children of the world to know, trust, and obey God.

Let’s look at a number before we pray. [Slide]

54,077 students

Forsyth County Schools is a top rated, public school district located in CUMMING, GA. It has 54,077 students in grades PK, K-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 20 to 1.

Nearly 3000 teachers. The County has invested your money/time into the education of these kids. But is he gospel hid from them?

This is how many children that God is allowing us to share the story of God’s grace with! What an honor.

Let us covenant together to do all that we can to make sure the Gospel is not hid from the children of this community!

1. Timothy P. Jones, Family Ministry Field Guide: How Your Church Can Equip Parents to Make Disciples (Indianapolis: Wesleyan Publishing, 2011), 17.

2. Charles H. Spurgeon, Alister McGrath, and J. I. Packer, Psalms, vol. 1, The Crossway Classic Commentaries (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1993), 329.

3. Derek Kidner, Psalms 73-150, Kidner Classic Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2014), 312.