Telling the Next Generation
Psalm 78:1–4; Judges 2:6–10

Main Truth

Every generation must intentionally remember the Lord, faithfully live for Him, and deliberately tell the next generation about His greatness and His gospel.

Introduction

As America celebrates 250 years of independence and Grace Fellowship celebrates 22 years of God’s faithfulness, we naturally look back with gratitude. The nation’s founders sacrificed to secure liberty for future generations, and faithful believers sacrificed to establish a church that would proclaim Christ long after they were gone.

But gratitude alone is not enough.

The real question is not what kind of nation or church we inherited, but what kind of faith our children and grandchildren will inherit from us.

1. We Have a Responsibility to Tell the Next Generation (Psalm 78:1–4)

Psalm 78 is more than a history lesson. Asaph recounts Israel’s history so that future generations will know the faithfulness of God.

His declaration is unmistakable: “We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord.”

God’s mighty works were never intended to stop with one generation. They were to be passed on continually.

We must tell them:

God’s mighty works
God’s faithful character
God’s saving power
God’s Word
The gospel of Jesus Christ

Faith is always one generation away from being forgotten if it is not intentionally passed on.

2. Forgetting God Has Devastating Consequences (Judges 2:6–10)

After Joshua died, Scripture records one of the saddest statements in the Old Testament: “There arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel.”

Only a few decades after entering the Promised Land, an entire generation had lost its knowledge of God.

This did not happen overnight.

Parents stopped talking about God.
Families stopped remembering His works.
Faith became less central.
Children grew up without a biblical foundation.

The result was exactly what the Book of Judges describes: “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

When people no longer know God, they become their own authority.

3. Every Generation Must Choose Faithfulness

Our culture faces a similar challenge today.

Each generation has become less connected to the church than the one before it. Many young adults have little biblical knowledge and no meaningful church involvement.

This should not merely concern us—it should motivate us.

Passing on faith requires intentional living.

Parents and grandparents must:

Talk about the Lord regularly.
Share their testimony.
Read Scripture together.
Pray together.
Model repentance and forgiveness.
Serve Christ faithfully.
Make Christ more important than sports, hobbies, or possessions.

Children learn as much from what we consistently live as from what we occasionally say.

Application

Ask yourself:

Is Jesus a normal part of my conversations at home?
Do my children know how Christ changed my life?
Am I modeling a genuine walk with God?
What priorities am I teaching by the way I spend my time?
What spiritual legacy am I leaving behind?

No nation honors God by accident.

No church remains faithful by accident.

No family passes on biblical faith by accident.

We do not drift toward faithfulness—we drift away from it unless we intentionally pursue Christ.

Conclusion

Two anniversaries remind us of one important truth.

Two hundred fifty years ago, courageous men sacrificed so future generations could enjoy political freedom.

Twenty-two years ago, faithful believers established Grace Fellowship so future generations could hear the gospel and follow Christ.

Now the responsibility belongs to us.

May we refuse to hide God’s truth from the next generation. May our children and grandchildren know the Lord because we faithfully told them of His grace, His mighty works, and the saving power of Jesus Christ.

Key Takeaway:
Remember God’s faithfulness, live God’s truth, and intentionally tell the next generation so they will know the Lord and walk faithfully with Him.