On Sunday, June 11, 2017, Greg Skipper, Executive Director of the Calvary Home for Children in Anderson, South Carolina, served Eastside Presbyterian Church as “substitute teacher.” If you would like to read my summary of Greg’s excellent message, “We will Tell,” please read on. . . .
“We Will Tell”
By Greg Skipper, Executive Director, Calvary Home for Children, Anderson
Eastside Presbyterian Church
Greenville, South Carolina
Sunday, June 11, 2017
Text: Psalm 78:1-8
1 My people, hear my teaching;
listen to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth with a parable;
I will utter hidden things, things from of old—
3 things we have heard and known,
things our ancestors have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their descendants;
we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
his power, and the wonders he has done.
5 He decreed statutes for Jacob
and established the law in Israel,
which he commanded our ancestors
to teach their children,
6 so the next generation would know them,
even the children yet to be born,
and they in turn would tell their children.
7 Then they would put their trust in God
and would not forget his deeds
but would keep his commands.
8 They would not be like their ancestors—
a stubborn and rebellious generation,
whose hearts were not loyal to God,
whose spirits were not faithful to him.
Summary of Bob Stouffer
I pray that God’s angels will guard you in all of His ways.
Where did that prayer come from?
Whitney and I were nearly engaged when the nightmare happened. We had just finished worshipping in church. She was mad. She wanted to talk. I was mad, and I wanted to leave. We were headed back to Clemson. We were in two cars. I looked back and noticed Whitney was not behind me. She’s doing this on purpose, I thought. I looked again. In the rear view mirror, I saw Whitney collide with another car. I turned my car in super hero mode and landed squarely in the ditch. I ran to see if she were alive. As I ran, I prayed for God’s angels to guard Whitney in all of His ways. Where did that prayer come from?
When our son David was handed to us, he seemed a little cold. A neo-natal emergency team came to intubate him. I asked for God to command his angels to protect my son in all of His ways. Where did the prayer come from?
I was enjoying fresh steak as a kindergartener or first grader, and I started choking. My Mom commanded God’s angels to minister to me in all of His ways. That prayer I had prayed for my wife and my son came from my Mom’s prayer. The Word of God was my Mom’s prayer, and it became mine.
By God’s mercy, Whitney and David were just fine.
What impact are you having on the next generation?
Perhaps you’re thinking you don’t have children and this message is not for you. But I say to you that this message IS for you. The Psalmist addresses his audience as “O, my people.” He could have addressed fathers, but he didn’t. Could the Psalmist have addressed mothers? Yes, but he didn’t. He didn’t address parents. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he addressed “O, my people.”
The African proverb is for the village to raise children, but don’t let the village raise children. It takes the church — God’s people — to raise the next generation of Christ.
The address is to me.
The command is to me.
What are we doing?
The Scripture says we are not to hide what we have heard and known. So how do we hide these things from the next generation?
Sometimes, we don’t think we have enough information to tell the world about God — or we don’t have the knowledge. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know, but I’ll find out.”
Sometimes, we hide our light, rather than allowing the light to stand.
We sometimes hide God’s character and commands when we do not tell the world about our personal devotions. One of my friends in North Carolina likes to mention what she reads in God’s Word, which causes the children in her church to ask her question upon question. She has had golden opportunities to share the importance of God’s Word with children.
We also hide God’s character and commands when we don’t share our struggles with the next generation. When you share your struggles with this next generation, you are being one thing this generation needs; you’re being authentic. You are modeling authentic Christianity.
We also don’t tell of God’s wonderful grace and power. When is the last time that you shared God’s testimony with others?
We must train our children to worship God with reverence for and awe of Him. When you fall asleep in church, or choose not to sing, or choose not to give when the offering plate comes by, you are training the next generation to fall asleep, not to sing, and not to give.
We must not hide God’s character and commands.
What are we to tell the next generation?
Let’s first look at the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord. God is merciful. He teaches. He applies the history of His people. He warns them not to commit the sins of past generations. We should not feel inadequate to teach God’s Word. Tell the Bible stories. Talk about them. Talk about God’s character. Talk about your own sin. Ask for forgiveness. Warn your children not to commit the same sins, under the power of the Holy Spirit. Tell of the amazing grace of God.
We must teach God’s Word. We live in a maze of moral and spiritual confusion. God’s Word allows us to navigate this maze. Come over to our house sometime. In a shadow box, we have collected several items which remind us of the stories related to those objects and our family. I tell of the great faithfulness of God.
We are also told to tell the law of God. Instruction comes in the form of positive instruction, example, and negative results. Turn with me to Deuteronomy 6. We’ll look at verses 4 through 9. This passage beautifully summarizes the commands of the Lord.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Do you see where the training of the next generation begins? It begins with you and me. These truths are to be impressed on children all of the time. What are the results by God’s grace? Jesus captures our hearts, and then we can truly instruct the next generation. The commands are up to me. The results are up to God.
Because you’ve been shown mercy and grace — given salvation through Jesus Christ — we reach and teach the next generation.
The first result of this reaching into and teaching the next generation is knowledge. The next generation will know God’s character and commands. They will grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The second result is for the next generation to impart that knowledge to the subsequent generation.
The third result is that the next generation will put their trust in God. We are to trust in the Lord with all of our hearts, to lean not into your own understanding, to acknowledge God — and, then, He will make our paths straight.
The fourth result is that we will not forget God’s deeds. The next generation will be humble servants as a result of God’s deeds and grace in their own lives.
The fifth result is that the next generation will keep God’s commands. We respond by God’s power through loving obedience. True obedience to God’s law is always motivated by God’s grace.
The sixth result is that there will be a marked difference in the next generation. They will not be unfaithful. Around 70% of professions of faith are made by the age of 18. Are we praying for a bountiful harvest of young people? Are we teaching this next generation? The results are up to God.
Mary was a girl who loved VBS, church, and Sunday school. She lit up the room. Her family struggled with divorce. Most kids would have turned their backs on Jesus. But not her. She grew in God’s grace. She was ministered to by so many people in the church. She remembered God’s character and commands. She put together a Top Ten list of ways that the church family has influenced her.
- God is good all the time. All the time God is good.
- There is not an area of life that God does not touch.
- Salvation is through the grace of God alone.
- The Word is inerrant.
- Look up the verse for truth. Don’t blindly trust the teacher or preacher.
- Give God thanks for all things.
- I don’t have what it takes within me to be a missionary, but the Holy Spirit has the power.
- Love God’s people, the church.
- Prayer is commanded.
- Victory comes through Jesus Christ.
Eastside Presbyterian Church has many stories like Mary’s.
Let us persist in teaching and training and shepherding the next generation of Christ, so they, in turn, will do the same.
drbobinc 