Impacting the Next Generation (Part 1)

Introduction|

Attention:

When I first moved here, my wife and I went for a drive at Warriors State Park. After driving through the park, we were headed out of the park when I noted the flashing lights behind me. So, I pulled over. I looked at my wife and said: “I know that I just didn’t get pulled over in the park.” By this time, the Park Ranger was at the window. So, I rolled down the window. At this point, the officer asked me if I knew how fast I was going. Of course, I responded with: “there is a speed limit in the park?” He said: “yes, the road is paved….so, it has a speed limit.” After handing him my license and registration, he returned to his car. After a few minutes, he returned with a warning ticket about driving 25 mph in a 15mph zone. By receiving that officers words and warning, I learned that the speed limit at Warriors State Park is 15 mph.

Need Element:

Sometimes, we need to learn by hearing the instruction of others. Instructional words and warnings help us to escape many pains and heartaches of disobedience. When we fail to listen to teaching, it can lead us to a place of brokenness and bitterness. Because of our love for others, we ought to take advantage of the opportunity to impact the future generations by teaching them about the way of righteousness.

Background:

After imparting the wisdom from the previous generation, Solomon urges his son to listen to his instruction and teaching concerning the way of righteousness.

Textual Idea:

Solomon seeks to impact the future of his son by teaching him to walk in the way of righteousness.

Big Idea:

We can impact the future generation by teaching them to walk in the ways of righteousness.

Interrogative:

How can we impact the future generations to walk in the ways of righteousness?

Outline|

I. We can impact them with our words of instruction (vv. 10-13)

Explanation:

In the previous section, Solomon imparted wisdom that he had received from his father to his children. Now, Solomon instructs his son to walk in the ways of righteousness by impacting him with his words and warnings.

Solomon says: “Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life” ().

The words hear and receive summon a response from the words of instruction. Throughout the Old Testament, obedience is closely connected with a long and prosperous life (). So, Solomon reminds his son that hearing and accepting his instruction would enable him to experience a long and useful life.

Solomon’s education focuses on two areas of importance: 1) the way of wisdom, and 2) the right paths.

The way of wisdom carries the idea of the way that leads to wisdom—teach them to fear and follow the Lord.

However, the right paths are straight and upright. However, Solomon’s instruction also comes with promises of protection—“our step will not be hampered. . . And you will not stumble” (, ESV).

At this point, Solomon summons his son to hold fast to [his] instruction. The phrase hold fast suggests taking hold or seizing something. He wants his instruction to make an impact on the life of his son. However, I want you to notice a vital phrase let her not go. The phrase let her not go means to make a choice to forsake or abandon the instruction of a father. Thus, the son has to choose to follow and guard the biblical teaching.

“When a child chooses a wrong path,” writes John Phillips, “it is a great comfort to the parent to know that his own conscience is clear—that he pointed the child to the right path[s].”

Illustration:

There is a story about a man who wanted to train his mule. The first thing he did was to pick up a big stick and hit the mule a resounding wallop between the ears. As the mule staggered about, someone said to him, “What is the matter? Why did you do that?” The man said, “To teach a mule, you must first get his attention.” That observation may or may not be true of mules, but there is a good deal of truth in it when applied to humans. Interest must be awakened before learning can occur.

Argumentation:

Why should we impact future generations with our words of instruction?

God tells his people to teach the future generation the word:

“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, 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. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (, ESV).

Application:

When teaching the future generation, we must impact them with our words of instruction.

First, we must teach them the way of wisdom.

According to the Book of Proverbs, the beginning of wisdom is to fear the Lord. Psalm 110:11 says: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding” (ESV).

First, we can teach them to fear the Lord with actions of reverence.

Secondly, we can teach them to fear with attitudes of reverence. Secondly, we must teach them to follow the Lord. The right paths are threefold: 1) salvation through the Way (); 2) sanctification through the word (); and 3) separation from the world (). We need to teach our children in the ways of God!

Secondly, we can teach them to fear with attitudes of reverence.

Secondly, we must teach them to follow the Lord.

The right paths are threefold: 1) salvation through the Way (); 2) sanctification through the word (); and 3) separation from the world (). We need to teach our children in the ways of God!

II. We can impact them with our warnings of instruction (vv. 14-19)

Explanation:

Not only can we change them with our words, but we must also influence them with our warnings! Solomon issues several warnings to his son in the form of several fundamental prohibitions.

Solomon says: “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble” ().

First, Solomon warns his son about the influence of the ungodly (vv. 14-17).

The words path and way suggest one’s behavior or course of conduct. Thus, the lifestyle of the wicked can negatively influence others. Therefore, Solomon instructs his son to “Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way. Turn away and keep moving” (, NLT). The reason for avoiding their influence is: 1) they are motived by doing wrong, and 2) they are motived by causing harm to others.

Secondly, Solomon warns his son about the self-deception of the ungodly (vv. 18-19).

I want you to notice the contrast: “but the righteous is like the light of the dawn….the way of the wicked is like deep darkness.” We have the cosmological difference of light vs. dark. The light of righteousness displaces and dispels the deception of darkness. It provides direction and protection. However, the dark of wickedness hides and hinders the destructive things on the path of life. Thus, Solomon says: “they do not know over what they stumble” (, ESV).

Illustration:

“In 1969, in Pass Christian, Mississippi, a group of people was preparing to have a “hurricane party” in the face of a storm named Camille. The wind was howling outside the posh Richelieu Apartments when Police Chief Jerry Peralta pulled up sometime after dark. A man with a drink in his hand came out to the second-floor balcony and waved. Peralta yelled up, “You all need to clear out of here as quickly as you can. The storm’s getting worse.” But as others joined the man on the balcony, they just laughed at Peralta’s order to leave. “This is my land,” one of them yelled back. “If you want me off, you’ll have to arrest me.” Peralta didn’t arrest anyone, but he wasn’t able to persuade them to leave either. He wrote down the names of the next of kin of the twenty or so people who gathered there to party through the storm. They laughed as he took their names. They had been warned, but they had no intention of leaving. It was 10:15 p.m. when the front wall of the storm came ashore. Scientists clocked Camille’s wind speed at more than 205 miles-per-hour, the strongest on record. Raindrops hit with the force of bullets, and waves off the Gulf Coast crested between twenty-two and twenty-eight feet high. News reports later showed that the worst damage came at the little settlement of motels, and gambling houses known as Pass Christian, Mississippi, where some twenty people were killed at a hurricane party in the Richelieu Apartments. Nothing was left of that three-story structure but the foundation; the only survivor was a five-year-old boy found clinging to a mattress the following day.”

Argumentation:

Why are instructional warnings important?

Instructional warnings are important for several reasons: 1) they help us to escape certain pains; 2) they help us escape periods of brokenness, and 3) they make the reality of pain personal and volitional.

Application:

We can provide two types of instructional warnings to the future generation.

First, we can give personal warnings—been there done that.

An experiential warning is based upon personal experience. So, you impact others by sharing the dangers of a specific sin. For example, a formal alcoholic warns another person about the risks of alcohol, a former arrogant person warning another person about the dangers of pride, a former bitter person warning about the dangers of bitterness, or a former pornography addict warning others about the destructive nature of pornography.

Second, you can provide biblical warnings.

Biblical advice is based upon the precepts of God’s word. Often times, the Bible uses conditional causes to relay these types of warnings.

Conclusion/Application|

Reiteration:

We can impact the future generation by teaching them about the way of righteousness. We can impact them with our: words of instruction (vv. 10-13) and the warnings of instruction (vv. 14-19).

Action:

First, we can impact the next generation by teaching them with our words.

It might be taking someone to lunch and teaching them to fear and follow the Lord. Following the Lord involves 1) salvation through the Way (); 2) sanctification through the word (); and 3) separation from the world (). We need to teach our children in the ways of God!

Secondly, we can impact the next generation by teaching them with our warnings.

It might be sharing a personal example of a past failure that brought you to the point of brokenness— An experiential warning. However, it might be a Biblical warning that is based upon the precepts and principles of Scripture.

Appeal:

Would you make the decision to impact the next generation with your words and warnings?