Set it Up! (Psalms 78.1-8)
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 22 viewsNotes
Transcript
Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings from of old,
things that we have heard and known,
that our ancestors have told us.
We will not hide them from their children;
we will tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
and the wonders that he has done.
He established a decree in Jacob,
and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded our ancestors
to teach to their children;
that the next generation might know them,
the children yet unborn,
and rise up and tell them to their children,
so that they should set their hope in God,
and not forget the works of God,
but keep his commandments;
and that they should not be like their ancestors,
a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation whose heart was not steadfast,
whose spirit was not faithful to God.
saying to the Israelites, “When your children ask their parents in time to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’
then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel crossed over the Jordan here on dry ground.’
Intro:
Freedom when I began to focus on what we should be doing with our Faith that we talked about on last week. God dropped the word Legacy in my spirit!
And what I began hearing was a question pounding in my eardrum, and echoing at a deeper inner level which simply asked,
“What are we leaving behind?”
(pause)
The bible says in Proverbs 13.22,
“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children”
(slight pause)
Barrel:
I was watching “I am Athlete” and a guest on the show “Adewale Ogunleye” made a statement that shook me......
He said,
“in the African Amereican community when we get money it goes up, but Legacy says it should go down!”
And in essence what he was saying to the room of retired NFL players was this,
“When we entered the NFL, we didn’t set up investment funds, and economic strategies for our children,
but because of economic hardships we were born into we had to get our parents, and everybody else straight!”
(pause)
And while there’s nothing wrong with being a blessing to the generation before us....
.......it should not be needed so much that we can’t focus on leaving something behind us to the next generation.
(pause)
And Freedom family,
I’m concerned that our Faith may be moving backwards at the same time we’re moving forward!
(pause)
Because we are not believing God in a way that passes anything on to the next generation......
And so I had to come back this week and make sure I told you what we need to be passing on from a legacy perspective......
(pause and expound)
Look at the text......
Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings from of old,
things that we have heard and known,
that our ancestors have told us.
The Psalmist starts pointing........
......and the psalmist is pointing to the ears and the hearts of the reader
.....because the psalmist understands that if anything is spoken before focus happens they wont pay attention enough to gain any benefit from what’s being said.
(pause)
So the Psalmist says,
“I’m getting ready to remind you of something that our ancestors told us”
“and what I’m getting ready to tell you is stuff we already heard,
and things we already know.”
And the Psalmist says,
“I’m going to do this by telling you a story with a meaning behind it”
(pause)
“And as I remind you of our past, I’m going to point out to you God’s guiding instructions.”
And this is where I found another question in the text which asks....
What are we pointing to in our past with our Faith?
(pause)
Because what I began to see in my spiritual imagination is that....
......its not enough to just tell our story.
But......
.......it’s necessary for us to tell our story by pointing out where God is in our story!
(pause and expound optional)
Look at it now......
We will not hide them from their children;
we will tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
and the wonders that he has done.
The Psalmist says....
“There’s something that we have to leave behind!”
“There’s something that we have to SAY
......that will be so POWERFUL that it shows our children
....and their children what FAITH is!
......and what FAITH does!
(pause)
And in my spiritual imagination I hear the author saying,
....this is not the time to play hide and seek
We don’t have time to force the next generation to figure out on their own what we are supposed to have already known and experienced!
They shouldn’t have to go through frustrating moments to discover what we already know.
They shouldn’t have to stumble around life with a misunderstanding of God’s power being present even in struggle
(pause)
The Psalmists says,
“We will tell the coming generation....
And that means....
“We will make a written record!”
And so what I hear the Psalmist saying is,
We should be explaining our God stories in writing so that when we are no longer here they will be able to go back and READ the record!
(pause)
And so here’s my next question Freedom......
What are you writing out for your grandchildren?
Are you writing out Financial plans that include a provisional God.
Because our grandchildren need to know how to keep a budget.....
.....and they also need to know how to spend what God blessed us with!
Did yall catch that.......
I said they need to know how to SPEND what God blessed US with!
(pause)
Because when Faith moves.......
It does not only PROVIDE in one generation.......
........but it should PROVIDE through generations!
(pause and expound)
ii. Are you writing out FAITH maneuvers that prove God’s faithfulness?
Because the Psalmist says,
God has done some glorious things in our lives!
In other words....
......there’s some praise worthy things in our lives where God has proven to be mighty!
There are some LIFE POINTS where God has shown AMAZING strength!
(pause)
Some places where you cried out.....
Lord ..........“You are my strength like no other”
(pause)
And Freedom what I hear the Psalmist saying is that,
We need to show our next generation......
......how to give God the glory!!
.......how to tell Jesus Christ thank you!!
(pause and expound)
Joshua says in.....
saying to the Israelites, “When your children ask their parents in time to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’
then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel crossed over the Jordan here on dry ground.’
And in my spiritual imagination I hear Joshua saying,
“One day your grandchildren are going to have some questions....”
Tell them....
God never gave up on us
(pause)
“One day your grandchildren are going to have some questions......
Tell them.....
God taught us who we were
(pause)
“One day your grandchildren are going to have some questions........
Tell them....
God set us Free..........and helped us to Cross over
(pause and expound)
And watch this.......
Joshua didn’t say that our grandchildren would be asking us the questions..
He said,
“One day your children will ask their parents”
Meaning.....
You got to “SET it UP” for your children........
......so they can “SET it UP” for their children
(pause)
Freedom........
We got to LEAVE a LEGACY!!
And so I hope you’re paying attention.......
I hope you’re watching......
I hope you’re writing the story........
.....I hope you’re documenting the plan and the promise!!
(pause)
Because a day is coming when everything coming after you..........
........is going to have some questions that need awnsering
And the good news is that..........
.......if we “SET IT UP” right
all they have to do is GRAB what we left behind
(pause)
And I don’t know about you Freedom......
But I refuse to leave the next generation empty handed!!!
(pause)
........We have been authored, or created by God to “SET IT UP!”
(pause)
Do yall want me to show you........
Here it is......
God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”
Now Freedom........
this is how you know we are in position to “SET IT UP!”
Watch this.......
....because in the first three words of this verse the bible says,
“God blessed them!”
(pause)
And I don’t know who you are..........
But God told this bald head preacher to give you a message
Because you didn’t know you were blessed.......
And you’ve been living life like you don’t have nothing........
(pause)
But I came to show you the stones!
And even if you have never heard it before..........
HEAR ME!!!
God says,
“I have already BLESSED YOU!”
(Pause)
And now that I have blessed you........
“Set it UP!”
Be Fruitful
Multiply
Fill the earth
Subdue the earth
Have dominion over the fish of the sea
Have dominion over the birds of the air
Have dominion over every living thing that moves on the earth
(pause)
Freedom.........
It would be a shame........
To be BLESSED by God to do all of this.......
........and not leave a LEGACY that tells the next generation
God has filled you with strength
To Increase
To become Powerful
Fill up new territory
To Overcome
To take Possession
(pause)
And so Freedom
.....this is how we use our Faith!
....this is how we move with our Faith!
And when we start moving like this.......
Instead of digging graves.......
......we begin digging foundations!
Because everything that’s coming behind us.......
.......needs to have something to STAND ON!
(pause)
And so Freedom......
“Let’s SET it UP!”
(slight pause)
If our God has really given us strength........
Not only should we USE the strength..........
(pause)
But I believe that FAITH says.....
Leave a LEGACY!!
(pause)
And so Freedom.....
Let’s Do something that confirms........
What we believe......
........is bigger than us!!!!
Too BIG........
.......for us to USE it ALL!!!
Too BIG........
.........to STOP with us.......
Freedom.......
LET’s ORGANIZE the DESTINY of our NEXT generation!!!!
So that they can........
STAND on what we SET UP!
...........EXPOUND...............and CLOSE................