Every Christian in every generation has a duty to disciple others in the faith. Our factory setting is a three-part cycle: listen-obey-teach. As Christians we should do all three!
When I set our dishwasher on “Normal,” it does three things: washes, rinses, dries. If it doesn’t do all three, that means it’s broken and needs to be fixed. And the button my daughter might push doesn’t say “super-cycle” or “crazyclean” or “awesomewash.” It just says, “Normal.”
So, it is with Christians. The listen-obeyteach button should be your normal setting. It’s the button God pressed when he saved you. The setting is not called “pastor.” It’s not called “professor.” It’s not called “parent.” It’s called “Christian.” It’s called “believer.” The factory setting of every Christian believer is supposed to be listen- obey-teach. We are called to commit our days to discipleship.
Our first challenge— if we want to invest the legacy of Scripture into our families for the next generation—is to listen to that generation with a teachable heart. Then the second challenge is to commit our days to the duty of discipleship.
What exactly is that duty? It is to teach to develop a future Godly generation.
Psalm 78:6-8 tells us to teach “so the next generation might know them—even the children not yet born—and they in turn will ARISE and TELL their own children. So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting His glorious miracles and obeying His commands. Then they will not be like their ancestors—stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God.”
Those ancestors the psalmist deplores were the stubborn, rebellious, unfaithful Israelites. We might be tempted to hide difficult past issues from our children so as not to expose what really happened in our ugly history. But the psalmist here wants to tell the truth about Israel’s past so that the next generation can learn from what truly happened— both sin and grace.
There’s a gospel logic for us in this. We’re not slaves to our past mistakes, but we can testify about our faithlessness and God’s faithfulness. We can testify about our sin and His amazing grace! If we are forgiven as the Israelites were, we can use these examples to teach others about obedience in Christ.
Parents and grandparents are rich in stories. Your family needs to hear about your trials and temptations, about your sin and God’s grace. They need to hear about the hardest lessons you’ve learned along the way, about the Scriptures that have sustained you, and about the friends that God has brought into your life. When you share these things, you are discipling!
At LECC at 414987 Highway 9, Eufaula, we know every wave of discipleship shapes the shores of future generations. A pebble may be small, but its ripples run far and wide.
Come to small group Bible study at 10 a.m., worship at 11 a.m. and/ or Wednesday night all-age activities at 6:30 p.m.
Please Join us in passing on our Christian faith to the next generation.
God Bless You!
Jeremy Little, Minister
