Our Generation, Our America, Our Burden

Our Generation - Matthew 11:16-19

Positives

Medical and Scientific advances

Unheard of access to information

Unprecedented access to the Word of God

Nearly infinite ways to spread the message

A desire for the authentic

Also like children

sober and straight laced has been tried

contextualized and contemporary has been tried

Asceticism has been tried

liberty and mingling has been tried

Balanced and blended

It has all been tried. It was in the 1st century. It was in subsequent centuries. It is now in our own, and this generation has responded no better than that of Jesus’ day. This generation is by and large lost religiously, not only unbelieving, but hostile and perhaps increasingly so to the precious gospel of Jesus.

Our America - Matthew 11:20-24

Positives

Unparalleled liberty

Historic access to government for change

Remarkable peace and prosperity

Amazing support and allowance for churches

Many historic periods of true revival

Will it be more tolerable?

How just are our courts?

How well do recent actions of legislation square with the wisdom shown us in Proverbs or the Law of God?

How godly are the lives and examples of our recent leaders?

Are the churches of Christ more and more blessed and enabled by our nation and state, or are they more and more maligned and inhibited?

Is the citizenry of these United States knowledgeable and confirming of the gospel of Jesus, or more ignorant of, absolutely opposed to, and ashamed to be associated with the historic churches of Jesus, the law and the Gospel?

Mighty works of grace HAVE been done here; in healings, in revivals, in the staying and destruction of our enemies, yet our America becomes more and more hostile to the message of Christ and His people every year.

How do we, as God’s people, rescue this generation?

How do we, as God’s people, rescue this nation?

Our Burden - Matthew 11:25-30

v25-26

God is in control

Jesus is Lord

We are as children, gifted this understanding

The light burden

It is not that of generational rescue

It is not that of national rescue (America is not the hope for the church)

The manner and fervor with which many Christians get wrapped up into and around the axle of American politics is but another method of distraction away from the true mission of the church; to follow and proclaim Christ

It is not that of evangelistic success

It is a light burden, because Jesus does the lifting

Simon of Cyrene lifted the cross that was too heavy for Jesus

We are instructed to take up our cross daily, yet we do nto carry them alone

It is to learn of the one who is gentle

There is another burden that you need not carry; that of your sin

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 ESV

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

John 1:29 ESV

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!