The Responsibility of the Next Generation

Deut. 6:3-14

This is a good doctrinally sound church that has a lot of love for one another.  The older people of the church have proven over the years that they will stand for the truth of God's Holy Word.  The question is not what the older people will do, the question is, will the next generation stand for the truth of God's Holy Word, or will they compromise and let the truth slip from them.  It is not good to do religious service simply because that is the way we have always done it. It is good to do religious service because that is what  the Bible says.  And it is up to us to find out what the Bible says, never take another’s word for it.

Our Text:

Shall be in thine heart - not just in your mind, not just in your actions, but in your heart.  That is: where you live.

It is the parents responsibility to teach their own children. It is not my responsibility to teach your children.  It is the responsibility of others to teach your children, it is your responsibility.  Children often learn from us what we don’t want them to learn.  Adults often overlook our sinfulness and wandering, but children take that wandering from God as a sign of how they should live their lives.

Teaching - It is impossible for a person to teach what they don’t know.  It is as impossible to teach what you don’t know as it is to come back from where you haven’t been.

1.     How do you teach your children.

a.      Be right yourself - Verse 5 - Learn it for yourself.

b.     Verse 7 - teach your children.

c.      Verse 8,9 - Continue in the truth in such a way that your children will be able to see you.

d.     This is called setting the right example.

2.     Eph 6:4 states, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”  How do you bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord?

a.      as soon as they are capable,

b.     teach them in the knowledge of God, and of his commandments;

c.      that they are to love him, fear him, serve, and worship him

Be diligent - Try very hard.  The word means to sharpen, to whet the edge, to prick.  In other words to make them expert in the things of God.

Talk of these things:

1.     sittest in thine house,

2.     walkest by the way,

3.     when thou liest down,

4.     when they risest up.

Bind upon thine hand.

The Jews take this literally, (when they came out of Babylonian captivity) but in Matthew 23:3-7, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for a literal interpretation.  Deut. 11:18 is the proper way - it is first n the heart, then bound as a sign upon the hand - that it may be as frontlets for the eyes so the good of God can be seen by looking straight ahead and the evil all around and on the sides cannot be seen.

A Generation That Failed to Serve God

1.   Ex. 2:23-25 - Israel cried to God in Egypt.  He heard their cry and sent them Moses who lead them out of Egypt, but they failed to go into the promised land because of unbelief.  Numbers 14:1-10 - All Israel wept and cried, except Joshua and Caleb.  That generation died in the wilderness, except Joshua and Caleb, who eventually went into the promised land, and possessed their inheritance.  My question is: What will you do?  Will you weep and cry and moan and groan, saying with the world that it is impossible to serve God?  Or will you be like Joshua and Caleb, believing the promises of God and serve Him in a victorious Christian life?

2.   Joshua 24:14-16 - Joshua confronted Israel with their past and future, asking them whether they would serve God or not.  They declared they would serve God.  The generation that said they would serve God did serve God, but the next generation didn't, Joshua 24:29-31.

3.   John Mark.

a.   Acts 13:13.  On the first missionary journey, John left Paul and Barnabas, returning to Jerusalem.

b.   Acts 15:36-41.  Barnabas determined to take John Mark on the second missionary journey, but Paul didn't want to take him.

c.      II Tim. 4:11. Paul changed his mind about John Mark, stating that he was profitable for the ministry.

4.     Timothy.

a.      Many believe Timothy was struggling with stedfastness when Paul wrote him the two epistles.

b.     II Tim. 1:3-6 - He received his faith from his grandmother and mother.

c.      Hebrews 13:23 indicates that Timothy had been put in jail for the cause of Christ, but was now free.

A Generation That Served God

1.   Samuel

a.   I Sam. 1: - Hannah prayed for a son.

b.   I Sam. 2:22-28 - Hannah "lent" her son to the Lord.

c.   Samuel was faithful to God all his life, even to the point of risking his life - I Sam. 20:18.