Sermons
Will My Children and Grandchildren Be Christians? Part 2
2Will My Children and Grandchildren Be Christians?
Deut. 6:10-25
Introduction:
1. All of us are concerned that our children and grandchildren be Christians.
2. I know of no research studies that are particularly focused on us. However, there are studies that indicate that more and more in America are identifying themselves as “Nones.” That is, they are identifying themselves as nonreligious. Some have described this as the “dechurching of America.”
3. This is particularly evident in younger adults.
4. Of course, we are concerned about this. But our primary concern is about our own family, our own children and grandchildren.
5. What can we do to help them believe in the God of the Bible?
6. God is the Father of His children. What kind of things does He do to facilitate faith?
7. Last week we considered Deut. 6:1-9 and the importance that God gave to communicating His commandment, statutes and judgments intergenerationally. We learned that we are to listen to the Lord, and we are to love Him, that it may go well with us and that we might experience all the good that God wants to give us.
8. Thus, His words are to be on our hearts, and we are to teach them diligently to our children and our grandchildren. His words are to permeate our identity.
9. But there is more . . . there are challenges. It is about one of these that we want to think in this lesson.
10. Read Deut. 6:10-15. I hope that you will see what is said here in its context. God is instructing His children about the importance of communicating Him intergenerationally. Read 6:16-25.
Discussion:
I. God is going to bring them into the promised land, but there is a challenge. Economic prosperity will challenge us (10-15).
A. There is nothing inherently wrong with economic prosperity.
1. Indeed, this is what God wants them/us to have. He is the one giving them
cities, houses and all these good things.
2. But good things tempt us to be lead away from the Lord.
a. Consider Lot who chose to pitch his tent toward Sodom (Gen. 13; 2 Pet.
2:7-8).
b. It diverts our attention (1 Tim. 6:17-19).
3. We tend to forget where we came from. And this is not just an individual
problem. The forgetting is complicated by time from one generation to the
other. If I cross the Red Sea on dry ground, I will never forget that, but my
grandson did not cross the Red Sea on dry ground. If I do not impress it on
his heart he will not get it. This gradual diminishing over time results in real
problems.
B. The problem is further complicated by the fact that there are other influencers
(13-14). Israel would be among people who worshiped other gods. These
outside influences were problematic.
1. If children and grandchildren are going to be Christians it is not just about us.
2. It is about them, those outside influences.
3. We have observed that people recognize this problem. Ex. Shakers, Amish,
Mennonites, Christian schools, home schooling, etc.
4. The problem is how to control these influences on young people that are
innocent and unaware? They are still in the process of defining their identity
and easily accept the identity of the people that they are in association with.
5. Difficult questions face us. How do I control these influences? Do I try to
remove my children from these influences? Isolate them from the world? Do
I try to put them in a Christian school? Do I home school? Do I attempt to
control their friendships? How intense do I need to be in this?
6. It is observed . . .
a. For the first generation, Christianity is a part of their identity.
b. For the second, it is an inconvenience.
c. For the third, it is an annoyance.
C. It is a serious situation (14-15).
1. Economic prosperity tempts us away from the Lord.
2. Outside influences tempt us away from the Lord.
3. The Lord wants our exclusive devotion. And if we want the blessings
associated with our relationship with Him we need to be exclusive. This
demands separation. A theme seen in Genesis (ex. Abraham left Ur.
Separated from Lot. Practiced circumcision. Exodus: Left Egypt. 2 Cor.
6:14ff; James 4.
II. Doubts arise to challenge us (6:16-19).
A. You shall not put the Lord to the test.
1. What does that mean?
2. It is a reference to the events of Ex. 17:7.
3. Israel questioned, “Is God among us or not?”
B. “He may have been with us to escape Egypt. He may have led us through the
Red Sea. But where is He now? Is He among us or not?”
C. And this is a problem for us especially when He seems to not be communicating
to us directly or seems to not be acting in our immediate situation.
D. Faith involves trusting in God to act in His time.
1. We must keep His word (17).
2. We must do what is right (18)
3. We must create separation from the enemies (19).
E. None of this is easy!!! It is not convenient!!! It is long term and requires
endurance and magnificent commitment. This is not walking by sight, but by
faith.
III. Our children challenge us (6:20-25).
A. “What do the testimonies and the statutes, and the judgments mean which the
Lord commanded you?”
1. “That the Lord commanded you?” Not us????
2. Is there some hesitancy evidenced here in accepting the teaching??
B. How are we to respond to young people who do not understand? We are to
teach them (21-25). NOT, “Do this because I say so!!!” An authoritarian
approach may seem easier at the time, but gentle persuasion is what wins the
heart. “Just how strong do I need to be? How gentle?” Good question! You
don’t want to be so strong that you push them away. You don’t want to be so
gentle that you diminish the seriousness of the situation. And this is different
with each individual.
C. These things are “for our good always, for our survival. It will be righteousness
for us.”
Conclusion:
1. Riches challenge us. Doubts challenge us. Children challenge us.
2. The task is clear.
3. It is not an easy one.
4. The answers to the question, “How do I get this job done?” are not so clear. The answers are delicate and the outside influences powerful. Young people are all different. And those people who think they have all the answers rarely do!
5. Even under God’s Fatherly guidance not all His children are faithful. But the situation is not hopeless. We must apply ourselves diligently to the task!!!
