Generational faith

Give into about who we are, where we have been, and what we plan to do.

I know that today is the countrywide election. We should be praying for the right people to be put into leadership. We should pray for our leaders even if we do not like them personally. We must remembers that leaders come and go. Counties even rise and fall, but 3 things will last for eternity: God, God’s word the Bible, and people’s souls. When you invest time in any of those three, you are investing in eternity. We will talk today about how to see an enduring legacy.

Generations of faith:

To start, I want to express thanks to this church. I have been to most of the CAMA Suriname churches by now and have experienced how God is working in each one. This church had a part in seeing most of those churches formed and with providing them the support they needed. Thank you for your investment in seeing the gospel go out into Paramaribo and other parts of Suriname! I would like to see that investment continue so today, would like to talk about passing on generations of faith.

There are two Bible passages I can think of that show this concept clearly

First, Moses gives the command from the Lord about the law and how it is to be taught in the family.

Deut 6:7-9

“Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

God’s word should be an important part of our lives and families. Personal time in pryer and in God’s word is necessary, but we need to take what we know and believe and to give that to others whom we love.

Thinking about generations of faith, even the great missionary Paul gives credit to the mother of Timothy demonstrating the value of generational faith.

2 Timothy 1:5 NKJV

“5 when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.”

Generational faith starts in the home. It starts with the father and mother. It starts with the way that you model a prayer life. How you show that reading your Bible is important. How you love and respect your husband or wife. How you faithfully serve in your church and how you make church attendance a priority. It has been said that actions speak louder than words. This is also true in your role as a father or mother. More than simply telling our children to love Jesus and to serve him, you need to show your spouse and children that your love for Jesus and your faith in action is more important than anything else. Your actions are powerful.

Make your home a household of faith. You are the example of how to faithfully read God’s word the Bible and how to pray. Be willing to invest in your children to help them grow to become godly men and women of faith. Godly faith is not passed through the genes like good hair or pretty eyes. Faith is modeled and deepened through intentional teaching and following you as a role model. God has given us our children as a gift to grow them into disciples of Jesus. It is our job to be the shepherd of our children to be followers of Jesus. Also, Be dedicated to a godly and healthy marriage. Love each other and be faithful to each other the way that God is loving and faithful to you. God designed you to be in a faithful marriage. When we have godly households of faith, lives are changed. When others see our homes and families, they will also be faced with God’s truth and love in the words and actions that come from your homes.

Next, love your neighbor. Be willing to help your neighbors and friends when they need you. Christians should be the friend that everyone wants to have. We should not view people as projects for us to fix but individuals for us to show the love of Jesus to and to share God’s truth with. Serve your neighbors and friends. Your service will show your love and dedication to them. Love them enough that you will also tell them how your life has been changed by Jesus. Tell them the truth that comes from God’s word the Bible. Help them see how much God loved them that he gave his son Jesus as a sacrifice for sin and that if anybody believes upon the name of Jesus for forgiveness of sin, they will not be separated from God forever but will have eternal life. You have a role as an individual to help people have new spiritual life through Jesus.

You as a church and you as individuals have a role in bringing spiritual life to others. Jesus told his disciples in John 4:35 “look to the fields, they are ripe and ready for harvest.” I want to give you the same challenge today. God wants to use you to share the life-giving truth of the gospel with others. Suriname has many churches, but God is looking for believers and churches that are on mission for Him. This church has a great history of planting other churches. Are you content to allow that to be a part of your past, or do you want to have a part of God’s mission into the future? Is this church ready to raise up the next generation of church leaders? Is this church ready to bring the truth of the gospel message to our neighbors and to our community? Do not wait any longer. Start today!

The next layer of accountability I would like to encourage you with is your role with the other CAMA churches. This church has been considered the mother church. Just like our own mothers, you as a church had a role in the past and still has a role now in the life that you gave to the other CAMA Suriname churches. You also to have a role in seeing them grow and be strong. The work of a mother does not end at birth. Even as adults, our mothers provide us with encouragement, prayers, and support. You are no longer financially accountable to support those churches, but that may be one way you can help from time to time. These churches are independent now. But like a good father and mother, pray for your brothers and sisters in the Lord at these churches. Offer advice and support. Be a friend and an advocate for them. When they experience trouble, offer them help and encouragement. As these churches seek to plant other ones, support them in that effort. In that sense, this church has become a grandparent. Embrace that! I would like to encourage this church to be a good parent and grandparent in a spiritual sense.

Generational faith starts with your personal walk with our Lord Jesus. You have a role in leading your family as a household of faith. The Christian family is the building block of a healthy church and a community that has been changed by the gospel. Next, you have a role as an individual and as a church to disciple other believers in your church about the Bible and Christian living and to be sharing the gospel message with your community that needs to hear about Jesus. Everyone in this church has great accomplishments in your life, buisiness, and family but only the things done for Christ will truly last for eternity.

{{C.T Studd (missionary to several places including China, India, and America)

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(last stanza)

Only one life, yes only one, Now let me say, “Thy will be done”; And when at last I’ll hear the call, I know I’ll say ’twas worth it all”; Only one life,’ twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.}}

Finally, make sure that you are investing in your brothers and sisters in the Lord. Make your passion for evangelism and church planting be a current part of your church ministry and not just a part of your past. You have a role now to pass on the legacy of faith and gospel ministry to the next generation in this church and to the next generation in our sister churches. God wants to see a legacy of faith being passed down to your children, in your families and in our local churches. I hope and pray that your life and this church will have a legacy that endures.

-Let’s pray

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