Generation to Generation

1 O My people, listen to My instructions.

 Open your ears to what I am saying, 2  for I will speak to you in a parable. I will teach you hidden lessons from our past— 3  stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us. 4 We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about His power and His mighty wonders. 5 For He issued His laws to Jacob; He gave His instructions to Israel. He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, 6 so the next generation might know them— even the children not yet born— and they in turn will teach their own children. 7 So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting His glorious miracles and obeying His commands.

Psalm 78:1 - 7

The 37th General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church has come and gone, but the impact of this GA will stay with me forever (at least, that is my prayer).  The theme of this years GA was “Generation to Generation.”  The passage from Psalm 78 (above) issues us a challenge.  That challenge is to teaching our children the: Lessons, Stories, Truths, Wonders, and Deeds SO THAT they will in turn teach their children. That is truly Generation to Generation. The question is: How are we doing?  How are we doing individually?  How are we doing as a church?

At GA we heard from several different Generations of pastors in sermons.  Each one bringing a different and fresh perspective to presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ in today’s culture.  For example, one of our new church planters, who happens to be a Millennial, preached one morning for worship.  He has planted a new church in San Francisco.  The church is named: The Table.  His invitation to San Fran is to come to “The Table.” Their Mission Statement is: “Belonging to Believe.”  This is a town, as many of you know, where anything goes.  The pastor hits the streets to develop relationships (belonging) SO THAT Jesus can begin to infiltrate their lives.  The message never changes, but we may have to change how we reach the lost of this world.  An example, when someone comes to faith at The Table, they are not interested at all in membership.  But if you use the word “Partner With” then they are all over that.  They don’t like words like “Elders” or “Deacons”, but like the word “Leadership.”  “Belonging to Believe” is working in San Francisco!!!

God is so intentional in His command to teach our children, to teach Generation to Generation and this is a must for us folks.  Until He returns, His message for us is to go and tell, go and teach SO THAT this new Generation will “set its hope anew on God, not forgetting His glorious miracles and obeying His commands.”  (Ps. 78:7)

It is God who calls!  God who saves!  This is an Absolute!!!  But it was never more apparent in the messages of this GA that HE intends to use us to share His message of the Gospel and what He has done for us!  How important is this?  Well, how well we do with our children will impact how well they do with their children.  Yes, God’s church will never cease to exist, but we are to never stop proclaiming His praise as long as we live, Generation to Generation!

Psalm 22 is considered a Messianic text telling us of Jesus Christ and His grace and mercy to come.  The last two verses read:

30 Our children will also serve Him. Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord. 31 His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born. They will hear about everything He has done.  Psalm 22: 30 - 31

If God saw the importance of including these words in the Psalm about His Son, the Suffering Servant, then how important is it for us to proclaim His message of the Gospel with all we meet.  Generation to Generation!  Let us find a way to keep it rolling!

Blessings, 

Pastor Marty - Pastor, HOPE Church - Raleigh

Worship - Grow - Serve