What the Next Generation Needs From Us

Introduction

Thoughts – me-centered generation. The cost is the sacrificing of the next generation.

The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.

Ronald Reagan said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”

2 Timothy 2:2 AV

2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

1. Sound Doctrine

We must be committed to teaching the Word of God

1 Corinthians 14:8 AV

8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

36 times in the Bible, the importance of doctrine is emphasized. More than anything the next generation needs strong Biblical content.

2 Corinthians 4:5 AV

5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.

There’s a lot we can teach our kids - but the one, most important thing is the fundamental instruction and teaching from God’s Word.

2. Christian Unity

Philippians 1:27 AV

27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

There’s enough strife and division in the world - we don’t need any more among the church. Our families and our church have the same purpose - we are working together towards a common goal.

Christian unity based on our behavior. Our beliefs dictate our behavior. Doctrine will precede our attitudes about how we treat each other.

One spirit and one mind come from our belief system!

3. Biblical Balance

Proverbs 11:1 AV

1 A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.

The home needs balance from work to recreation. People need time for rest and recovery as well. America has a work till you die sort of mentality - work is good, and is right, but even God put time in the week for rest.

The church needs balance in edifying, preaching, and evangelizing. Too often people are coming to a church looking for their pet program or pet things - but a proper church AND family have balance.

4. Sincere and Approachable

Proverbs 13:10 AV

10 Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.

Proverbs 19:20 AV

20 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.

Be teachable, humble, and approachable. None of us know everything. All of us have more room to grow and learn.

‘Because I said so’ is not an adequate answer to our children.

In addition, we need sincere leadership - transparent leaders - parents, boss, church leaders.

We live in a day where people don’t trust leadership! But the next generation needs to see transparent, authentic, sincere, and approachable leadership.

5. Cultivate Hearts for God

Psalm 57:7 AV

7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.

The closest thing I can think to compare this point is sports. Now I enjoy sports a lot.

But have you ever seen a toddler dressed in a sports team uniform? Where’d they get that from? Mom and Dad. Well if we have no problem in giving our kids a heart for football, why is giving them a heart for God such an issue?

Give the next generation a hunger for God - tell them how great God is, how much He has done, the victories He has won in your life. Not just rigid lockstep obedience - that won’t cultivate anything.

6. Model Christian Living

Philippians 4:9 AV

9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

We need to ‘do’ what the Bible says, we need to live it and foster it in others.

Charles Barkley used to say, “I am not a role model.” Yes you are. You always were, you always are, and you always will be.

The next generation doesn’t just need to be told what to do, they need to be shown what to do. They need to see it in action…from us!

The next generation needs to step up, yes, I agree. But I think even more than that, they need us to step up, again, and again, and again.