From Generation to Generation

Inter-Generational Communication

So, have you all noticed that sometimes it’s really hard to communicate between Generations? Each generation has had different events and cultural changes that have largely shaped us. This week, I saw a hilarious example of this. I’m not sure how many of you have interacted much with the youngest generation, Gen Alpha. If you’re wondering where the break is, Isaac is Gen Z and Abi is Gen Alpha. They both are on the line, kind of like how technically since I was born in 1981, I am a Millennial, but those few years are a bridge between Gen X and Millennials. Since we’re the oldest Millennials, some have called my micro-generation, “Geriatric Millennials,” which sure makes me feel young.

Anyway, so although, Abi is Gen Alpha, she can’t stand Gen Alpha slang like sus and rizz and sigma. No cap, I had to look all of this up on Google. All of the teens in the room just did an audible eye roll. Although Abi doesn’t like the slang, she has one friend in particular who uses Gen Alpha slang constantly in her chats. The other day, Abi burst out laughing and showed me her phone. She was texting with her friend, and Google on her phone asked if she wanted to translate the message into English. Sometimes communicating with other generations is hard.

But today, we’re going to consider that God’s Word tells us that it is absolutely essential to communicate God’s glory to each generation. Would you join me in Psalm 78?

Psalm 78:1–8 CSB

A Maskil of Asaph My people, hear my instruction; listen to the words from my mouth. I will declare wise sayings; I will speak mysteries from the past— things we have heard and known and that our ancestors have passed down to us. We will not hide them from their children, but will tell a future generation the praiseworthy acts of the Lord, his might, and the wondrous works he has performed. He established a testimony in Jacob and set up a law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach to their children so that a future generation— children yet to be born—might know. They were to rise and tell their children so that they might put their confidence in God and not forget God’s works, but keep his commands. Then they would not be like their ancestors, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not loyal and whose spirit was not faithful to God.

A Teaching Psalm

Typically, when we come to the Psalms as a book of songs, we see several different genres of Psalm in the book. There are Psalms of lament, imprecatory Psalms, and Psalms of praise. Psalm 78 is a teaching psalm. The idea of songs teaching us shouldn’t be new. Colossians 3:16 tells us: Colossians 3:16

Colossians 3:16 CSB

Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

Songs are not just musical content, but theological and historical content as well. The songs we listen to are formative for us. And so, with this song, Asaph is trying to teach the next generation about God’s glory and covenant faithfulness. Who was Asaph? In 1 Chronicles 6, it talks about the men that David put in charge of the music in the temple that would be built. 1 Chronicles 6:31-32

1 Chronicles 6:31–32 CSB

These are the men David put in charge of the music in the Lord’s temple after the ark came to rest there. They ministered with song in front of the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, until Solomon built the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem, and they performed their task according to the regulations given to them.

The first singer talked about is Heman, a Levite. And the second his his relative who stood at his right hand, Asaph, son of Berechiah, also a Levite. Asaph and Heman’s sons would later be set apart to prophesy accompanied by lyres, harps, and cymbals. They were placed under Asaph’s authority. This lineage would continue, with a line of musicians in Israel being called “The Sons of Asaph.”

So, Asaph is a worship leader, and the father of a line of worship leaders, and yet here we have a teaching Psalm. As a whole, Psalm 78 walks through a history of God’s covenant faithfulness, often in the face of Israel’s unfaithfulness, but this morning, I wanted to focus in specifically on Asaph’s stated purpose and call to pass on the story of God to the next generation.

Asaph talks about two kinds of information that needs to be passed on. The first is God’s revealed Word. He talks in verse 3 about things we have heard and known. While God reveals Himself through His creation, (Psalm 19 says the heavens declare the glory of God), God didn’t stop there but revealed Himself specifically through His Word. We don’t have to sit around and wonder and debate about who we think God might be. He has told us, right here (hold up Bible). So, Asaph is talking about telling the next generation about God’s Word, and Asaph talks about telling the next generation about God’s praiseworthy acts, His might, and the wondrous works He has performed. This is not just a God of empty promises, but a God of action!

And pulling this all together is the need to tell each new generation about these things. Asaph reminds that their ancestors were commanded to teach their children the testimony and law God set up. So, Asaph is looking back to his ancestors and then forward to a future generation of children yet to be born.

Each generation rising and telling the next generation to put their confidence in God and to not forget God’s works so that they don’t turn out to be a stubborn and rebellious generation. Notice the connection here between communicating between generations and the character of that generation.

Now, when Asaph is talking about generations, he’s talking about whole groups. So, if we were to talk, we might talk about the Greatest Generation communicating to the Baby Boomers or something like that. We’re speaking primarily here about groups of people. So, in verse 8, he’s not talking about a couple people here and there, but the failure of a whole generation. Now, were there faithful people in the midst of that stubborn and rebellious generation? Absolutely. But the generation as a whole had not caught the call to put their confidence in God and not forget God’s works.

As Pastor Bill says often, the church is only one generation away from extinction or irrelevance. So, what is my point here? Well, this is the first Sunday of our annual Partner month when we spend each Sunday of January focused on God’s heart for the nations, and our partnerships with various people and organizations working to spread the Gospel around the world.

An emphasis on Global Partnerships is one of our core values at Grace, and the church has a long history going back to its founding as a church that values missions. But, just because Grace has a history as a church dialed into God’s heart for the nations doesn’t automatically mean that it always will. Instead, we need to heed Asaph’s call to tell the coming generation. And at Grace, that doesn’t just mean age generations. Because of our location in Manhattan with Kansas State and Fort Riley, Grace has always been a highly transient church. Yes, there is a core group of townies that have been here many years, but lots of folks are here for four or five years during school or their posting before they move on. We are constantly saying goodbye to dear friends and welcoming in new ones.

So, to illustrate this, would you all please humor me and stand up if you are able.

If you first visited Grace within the last two years, would you please sit down. Okay, so all of these folks are still wrapping their heads around all of the language that Grace uses. What is Faith Promise? Why do we keep talking about partners. To be fair, we only transitioned from calling them missionaries to calling them partners a couple years ago, so we’re all still wrapping our heads around that one.

If you first visited Grace less than three years ago, please sit down. At this point, you all have had an opportunity to see almost all of our partners on a Sunday morning in an interview, or in a Bible Hour during Partner Month or in some way. Hopefully, you’re starting to catch the vision. However, the last time that the Perspectives class was offered in Manhattan was during the Spring of 2023. So, if you’re sitting down, you likely haven’t actually had the opportunity to take Perspectives, a class that helps you see God’s heart for the nations.

Also, those that are standing, all but one or two of the people who are involved in prayer promise and signal groups are standing up right now. Okay, let’s keep moving along. If you first attended Grace after the pandemic, please sit down. Except for the one class in 2023, the pandemic pretty much killed the Perspectives class. Missing it in 2021 and 2022 lost momentum, and now there no longer is a person mothering the Persepectives baby. And while there are a few people sitting down now who are connected into our partner prayer ministries, the vast majority are still standing. Looking at the lists, I would say the average attendance time of people in prayer promise and Signal have been at Grace for 10-15 years. Some have been here less time, and some of you much much longer.

Okay, we’ll keep going. Those that started attending after 2012 please sit down. So, you all still standing have seen a lot of changes at Grace, including in the scope of the missions program. 2012 is the first year that Pastor Bill came to Grace. During those first 5 years he was here, the missions budget more than doubled. In 2010, the budget was $175,000, then in the mid 180,000 range for 2011, 2012 and 2013, and then it jumped to $265,000 in 2014, then $317,000 in 2015, and $370,000 in 2016. This was also about the time we started partnering with multiple organizations. We started with Helping International Students, but we later added a partnership with the Ethopia Kale Hewot Church, and then with DBI and Gypsy Roma.

If you started attending since 2008, please sit down. That’s just when I came to Grace.

Okay, the rest is just curiosity. Anyone since 2005 sit down. That’s 20 years. How about 1997? That was the 50th anniversary of the church and also when this sanctuary was finished. So, everyone sitting down has worshiped in here, and everyone standing worshiped at one point in what is now the Fellowship Hall.

Stay standing if you’ve been here longer than 30 years.

40 years? (and so on and so on until all are seated)

So, one of the beautiful things about Grace is that we are a multi-generational church. Not only do we have multiple age generations represented here, but we also have multiple attendance generations. So, when we look around at the people gathered here this morning, we have two responsibilities. A responsibility to tell the next age generation about God’s amazing work in the nations, and we also need to constantly be telling those who are new here about God’s amazing work among the nations. That’s what this Partner month is all about.

Something that Asaph hopefully made clear is that tradition isn’t enough, but deliberate communication is required. One of the questions I’m constantly asking is “Why are we doing this thing?” Can I suggest that, “because we always have” is rarely a sufficient answer? No, people need to hear the why. So, why do we put so much emphasis on missions here at Grace? Because God puts so much emphasis on reaching the world!

God’s Heart for the Nations in His Word

So, to give you a taste, just as Asaph focused in on God’s Word and His works, I want to just spend some time focused in on God’s Word about reaching the nations, and God’s work that we have seen here at Grace as He has been reaching the nations with the Gospel.

Some might be under the impression that the Old Testament is about God and the Israelites, and the rest of the world is sort of ancillary, but that misses the purpose of God calling out a people for Himself. The purpose of God calling out a people was to bless the whole world.

In Genesis 12, God calls Abram, and lays out a promise to him.

Genesis 12:1–3 CSB

The Lord said to Abram: Go from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.

Do you see God is going to make a great nation from Abram, but why? Because all the peoples, where? on earth will be blessed through Abram. This call isn’t a blessing for one nation, but for the whole world. In Exodus, after God has rescued His people from Egypt, he says that they are going to be His kingdom of priests.

Exodus 19:4–6 CSB

‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you will carefully listen to me and keep my covenant, you will be my own possession out of all the peoples, although the whole earth is mine, and you will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites.”

So, as the Levites are the priestly house in Israel, so Israel is meant to be the priestly kingdom to the world. The world is supposed to worship, and Israel is supposed to lead them!

Nowhere in the Old Testament do we see God’s heart for the nations clearer than in Psalm 67 which says,

Psalm 67:1 CSB

May God be gracious to us and bless us; may he make his face shine upon us Selah

Why? Why should God be gracious to us and bless us?

Psalm 67:2 CSB

so that your way may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.

Be gracious and bless us, SO THAT your way may be known on earth.

Psalm 67 continues:

Psalm 67:3–7 CSB

Let the peoples praise you, God; let all the peoples praise you. Let the nations rejoice and shout for joy, for you judge the peoples with fairness and lead the nations on earth. Selah Let the peoples praise you, God, let all the peoples praise you. The earth has produced its harvest; God, our God, blesses us. God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him.

Let all the peoples praise you. Not just all the Israelites, but all peoples, everywhere.

And we see the fulfilment of this blessing to all nations come with Jesus Christ. John 3:16 says:

John 3:16 CSB

For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

God loved who in sending His Son? The World. The word John uses there is Kosmos, the whole world. All nations. Why?

John 3:17 CSB

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Now, for some of you this morning, you have not been saved. You have yet to trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Maybe you think that Christ was sent for other people, but I tell you that Christ was sent because God loves you. God loves every one of us in this room, and in this state, and nation, and in the world. He loved us so much that he sent his Son Jesus Christ to earth, to live a perfect life, and to die a horrible death on a cross to pay the punishment for your sin. He wants you to be saved. All you must do is turn from your sin and a life lived for selfish pleasure, and turn instead to put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ. And in following Him, you become a new person, a child of God. If you have never placed your faith in Christ this morning, don’t leave today without taking that step. If you want to know more about what that means, you can come up and talk to me or Pastor Bill after the service, or one of our elders, Dan Strom will be over by the organ after the service, he would love to visit with you about what it means to follow Christ.

And this is the message that we must take to the whole world! How will they hear if no one goes to tell them? So, God calls us to tell the world this Gospel. Will you join in that work? One day, Christ will come again, and the work will be complete, because as it says Philippians:

Philippians 2:9–11 CSB

For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow— in heaven and on earth and under the earth— and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

God’s Faithfulness in Our Stories

So, that’s what God’s Word says about His heart for the nations. What about His works? The people in Israel saw some pretty amazing things through the generations, didn’t they? You’ve all heard the phrase, “Seeing is believing.” Well, apparently not. In Psalm 78, Asaph details the many ways that God was gracious and faithful to the Israelites, even when the Israelites weren’t so faithful. Let’s be blunt folks, as you look back on your lives in the faith, there are a lot of failures in there, but through it all, God has been faithful. But the next generation will never know those things if you don’t tell them. Tell your stories. Talk about the amazing things God has done. How God has done an amazing work, sometimes through your ministry, sometimes in spite of you.

So, older generations, you need to tell the coming generation. And newer generations, you should listen! As I mentioned at the beginning with Gen Alpha, sometimes we don’t all speak the same languages. Missions strategies, and even the very nature of the work might change. When the Prestons went to Irian Jaya, communication with Kansas took some time and work. We have some friends that went to minister to a different tribe in Papua New Guinea in the early 2000s, and we did a satellite phone call with them in our church services in Iowa. Now, you can be in a Signal group, and get instant communication and prayer needs from our partners, and you can let them know right now that you’re praying for them. Things look different, but the Gospel has not changed. The call to the nations has not changed.

That’s what this partner month is all about, telling and hearing the stories of God’s Faithfulness from Generation to Generation. Each of the speakers you will hear from in sermons and Bible Hour this month has some kind of multi-generational connection to missions at Grace. Pete, who will share this morning in Bible Hour is married to Esther, who is the daughter of Wayne and Elena, who are our retired partners with Wycliffe that we’ve supported since 1974.

Next week, we’ll hear from Jabe Barker, whose parents Jared and Marilee were sent out to the Philippines in 1959. Jabe continues to serve in the Philippines now, and his daughter is one of our supported partners in North Africa. The third week, you’ll hear from one of our partners, Brent, whose parents, Charles and Bernita, were sent to Irian Jaya to minister to the cannibal Asmot tribe. In addition to preaching, Brent will be sharing stories in Bible Hour. If you haven’t heard, trust me, you really want to come hear about their ministry.

The final week, we will hear from Tesmegen Sahle, whose father is with the Ethiopian Kale Hewot Church, a ministry in Ethiopia that we partner with. Charles and Kay Bascom went in 1964 to minister in Ethiopia, but were forced to leave the country after Ethiopia’s Marxist Revolution. When the country reopened in the 90s, the Gospel had spread, and EKHC is one of the churches continuing the work of spreading the Gospel in Africa and throughout the world. We’ll hear from Kay, and her son Nat, who also ministered in Africa at the Partner banquet the evening of the final Sunday of January. If you follow the QR code, you can find a link to get signed up to come and join us for that. Also sharing that Sunday in Bible Hour will be Rich, who was one of our partners in Indonesia, and his son Andy, who is currently one of our partners in Malaysia. I hope you’ll take the opportunity to hear their stories.

Participate in Global Partnerships

So, let’s talk about some of the ways that you can participate in the many global partnerships that Grace has.

The first way you can participate is by pledging to Faith Promise. If you’re fairly new here at Grace, you may not know what faith promise is. Here at Grace, our missions Partner giving and budget is completely separate from our general giving and budget. In the church I grew up in the faith at, they designated a percentage of every offering given to go to missions. That’s not the way it works at Grace. Each year, in January, we ask you to prayerfully consider what the Lord would have you pledge to give to global partnerships in the coming fiscal year starting in May 2026 and ending in April 2027. Then as you all pledge to give to global partnerships, the partner committee uses the total pledges at the end of January to draft the budget for the coming year. Then, starting May 1, you can start giving by designating Faith Promise. You don’t need to have pledged to give to global partnerships, but we do set our budget based on those pledges.

The second way for you to participate in global partnerships is by praying. Here at Grace, there are two pathways to get connected to our partners in prayer. The first is by signing up for prayer promise. Much like faith promise, this is a commitment to pray for a specific partner or several partners for the coming fiscal year. Signing up for prayer promise will mean that you will get that partner’s updates, usually monthly, on how you can be praying for them. Also, as opportunities arise to connect here at Grace with those partners, like the prayer luncheons, the office will connect with you to let you know that those opportunities are coming up.

If you are one the people who is new here at Grace, and you look at that long list of partners on the prayer promise side of these cards and just feel overwhelmed, I would encourage you to take a look at a part of the world the Lord has laid on your heart, and commit to pray for one of our partners in that area of the world. Or, you can chat with me or Angela, and ask what partners don’t have as many prayer partners, and you can encourage one of those partners by joining them in prayer.

The second pay to get involved in prayer at Grace is through our Signal groups. If you think of Prayer Promise as scheduled, organized, prayer communication and opportunities to connect, Signal is a way for you to be praying for our partners actively in real time. Many of our partners will send out requests as they come up throughout the week. You also can communicate to partners directly that you are praying for them as you pray. You can join a Signal group for a partner by scanning the QR code under their name on the banner in the foyer.

Now, while signing up for prayer promise or Signal will get you connected and praying for a partner, really it is ideal to get connected to both so you can get a fuller picture of their ministry to know how to pray.

Another way you can participate in global partnerships is to catch the vision of God’s heart for the nations. Earlier, I mentioned that it has been a couple of years since Perspectives has happened. While our Bible Hour classes aren’t long enough to offer a full Perspectives class on Sunday mornings, Stan Freyenberger and I have been working on what I’m calling A Taste of Perspectives Class for Bible Hour this Spring, as a sort of pared down Perspectives class. I would just invite you to come and be a part of that class. Also, if you are one of the many people who Perspectives profoundly impacted over the years, and you have a large chunk of time on your hands, it would really be wonderful to get Perspectives in Manhattan happening regularly again, and the missing piece is someone to help organize and champion it in the community.

Another way you can learn is by participating this month. Come and hear from our partners about the amazing work God has done in the nations. You have an opportunity to hear about people like the Barkers and the Prestons, whose families have partnered with Grace throughout almost its entire history. Lean in, and learn!

Finally, as you hear all of these stories this month, and as you learn about God’s heart for the nations, you might start feeling God tug your heart that He might have you go. If so, let’s explore that more, because maybe God is calling you to the nations too.

Let’s pray.