Back to school. The newspapers are full of it. It’s the top news story on the radio stations. Police warn drivers about stopping for buses, speeding in school zones and there is debate about all day kindergarten. The first day back at school is news.
It’s a good time to remind ourselves, especially those of us who are parents , that God has given us the job of passing the truth of the Gospel on to the next generation. The Scriptures that tell us this are numerous.
One of the most amazing is Genesis 18
[17] The LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, [18] seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? [19] For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him. (Genesis 18:17-19 ESV)
The stunning thing about this is that God had promised Abraham that he would be the father of a great nation and all the nations of the world through him would be blessed. The fulfilment of that great promise is ultimately accomplished through the work of Jesus Christ in His death and resurrection. But the Gospel of Jesus Christ, promised to Abraham, will be fulfilled through believers faithfully passing it on to their children.
This incredible thought is reaffirmed in Psalm 78.
[78:1] Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
[2] I will open my mouth in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings from of old,
[3] things that we have heard and known,
that our fathers have told us.
[4] We will not hide them from their children,
but tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might,
and the wonders that he has done.
[5] He established a testimony in Jacob
and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded our fathers
to teach to their children,
[6] that the next generation might know them,
the children yet unborn,
and arise and tell them to their children,
[7] so that they should set their hope in God
and not forget the works of God,
but keep his commandments;
The fathers (note it well) have been commanded to pass on the truths of the great works of God to the succeeding generations.
There is never a back-to-school event in the Christian home or the Christian church. There is never a time that all believers should not be striving, with all their might, to learn the Scriptures, grow in grace, be stronger spiritually and know God more intimately. And we are not growing if we do not seek to pass on to the next generation the things that God is showing us in the Scriptures.
If you are a parent, your first field of evangelism and Christian indoctrination is your own children. If you are not a parent you need to be passing on to the next generation in your church, the things of God. In word and deed we need to be showing younger people that the Scriptures are real and that it is better to know it and live it out than not to. We need to say to the young –
“follow me as I follow Christ” (I Corinthians 11:1).
And hear this word form God to us as spoken through Paul to the Thessalonians
[11] For you know how, like a father with his children, [12] we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 ESV)
Pray this in. God is calling us to live and speak the faith to the generations coming after us.
Who has God called you to influence for Him? To whom can you demonstrate the teachings of the Word of God? There is someone. Pray to know who it is and pray to be able to go at it in a manner that pleases Him. Have a great school year.
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