Our Responsibility to the Next Generation

Pastor mentioned Sunday in a plea for Nursery workers that we are having a constant stream of babies being born and many children running around. This is great! But what is our responsibility towards these children, toward the next generation?

Generation: A group of people living at the same time (approximately 30 years)

Generation names: https://www.cnn.com/2013/11/06/us/baby-boomer-generation-fast-facts/index.html

Over the last 100 Years

The Greatest Generation (or GI Generation) Born in 1924 or earlier.

The Silent Generation Born 1925-1945

Baby Boomers Born 1946-1964

Generation X Born 1965-1980

Millennials Born 1981-1996

Generation Z or Gen Z (sometimes called post-millennials) Born 1997-current

We are all pretty familiar with the fact that there are generations and their general descriptions. Many of us even recognize that there is a generation gap between many generations. But what do we do with this information.? What should it motivate us to do?

The Bible speaks of our Responsibility to the next generation

We will look today at 2 aspects of our responsibility to the next generation and hopefully next week look at a negative example.

I. Tell the Next Generation

Psalm 78:1–8 KJV 1900

Give ear, O my people, to my law: Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us. 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. 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: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; Who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep his commandments: 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.

This passage is a call to teach and tell following generations what God has done and what He expects from his people. All throughout Scripture we see this principle of teaching the next generation. This is how God intends for His people to continue. This principle continues to apply to the church today. We are to teach the next generation.

A. Remember what our fathers taught us

B. Relay what we learned to the generation to come

1. Not hiding the truth from our children

2. Telling the next generation about God

3. Telling the next generation about God’s works

4. Telling the next generation what God expects

C. The Reasons for telling the next generation

1. So they will know God and His Word

2. So they will have a personal relationship with God

3. So they will not make the same mistakes as previous generations

*Other passages that speak of telling the next generation: Deuteronomy 4:9; 6:7; 11:19; Joel 1:3

Deuteronomy 4:9 KJV 1900

Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons;

Deuteronomy 6:7 KJV 1900

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.

Deuteronomy 11:19 KJV 1900

And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

Joel 1:3 KJV 1900

Tell ye your children of it, And let your children tell their children, And their children another generation.

II. Train the Next Generation

Acts 16:1–15 KJV 1900

Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek. And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily. Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis; And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days. And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

After they accept Christ, the younger generation needs training. This goes beyond simply telling them the things of God. That is important but we must be willing to take the next step. Part of that is done here in our Sunday School classes and Wednesday night ministries and such but ultimately, it is up to individual believers.

We must be training the next generation to serve God (not necessarily in full-time ministry)

Let’s look at Paul’s example here with Timothy

A. Be alert for those you can train

Verse 1

Paul was doing his work when he came across this young man- Timothy

Tradition states that Paul was the one who led him to the Lord. Whether this is so or not, Paul meets this young man who is now a believer and wants to take him under his wing

B. Characteristics of those to train

1. A good reputation among believers

Verse 2

2. Willing to do the hard work

Verse 3

Left home to travel with Paul

Was circumcised for the sake of the Gospel

Timothy witnessed the hard times that Paul faced

C. Areas of Training

1. Everyday work

Verses 4-5

2. Following the leading of the Holy Spirit

Verses 6-10

3. The work of the ministry

Verses 11-15

4. Response to difficult circumstances

Verses 16-40

D. Result of Training

1. A life of service

1 Corinthians 4:17 KJV 1900

For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

1 Timothy 1:3 KJV 1900

As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

2. A life of faithfulness to God

2 Timothy 1:5 KJV 1900

When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

Application

Parents

First and foremost, this applies to parents. Parents are the main disciplers, and trainers of their children. We see this in the life of Timothy. He learned the faith from his grandmother and his mother.

Parents must be teaching their children and training them what it looks like to live a life that is pleasing to God.

Ephesians 6:4 KJV 1900

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Older Generations

This responsibility goes beyond just parents. It can apply to Grandparents. You may have an opportunity to teach your grandchildren what it means to live for God to either support what their parents are teaching or if the parents are not taking the responsibility the kids can still learn God’s Word.

Younger Generations

Are you willing to do the hard work of following God? Are you willing to let someone from an older generation teach and train you. Implied in this teaching and training is someone who is willing to listen and be trained.

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