Generational Impact

And when in time to come your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' you shall say to him, 'By a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery.

Exodus 13:14

God was leading a generation of slaves to become a new nation in a new land. And His plans involved much more than just the present generation. God wanted them to pass on a vibrant faith to another generation, and He used the mechanism of tradition and practice to instill in Israel the generational memory of the Exodus.

First God gives Israel the instruction on the Feast of Unleavened Bread to remember the swiftness of the Passover and deliverance. And Exodus 13:8 informs them to do this so that the next generation will know what God did for these former slaves. Then God instructs the people to offer to Him the firstborn of every livestock, and to redeem the firstborn child with a lamb, instituting a commitment to redemption, a remembrance of the more difficult aspects of the Passover, and teaching a strong commitment to having a life dedicated to the Lord.

God was interested in more than one generation. He always loves the world. I believe and know this. That is why the span of the Bible covers thousands of years of history. That is why it is still a living message for us today. The truth of God’s love for this present generation is shown in the availability of the gospel and Jesus’ mandate to His followers to proclaim the gospel in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) until the end of the age.

I am committed to this. My biggest passion in ministry right now is to develop the relationships and hand over ministry to the next generation of believers. I want to see the local church thrive. I want to see the teaching of God’s Word thrive. I want to see the gospel go forward. I want to see a new generation of 20-somethings and 30-somethings reach the world with the gospel. I want my kids to have a vibrant faith. I am convinced that this is the most vital, practical, and wisest use of my time and energy right now. I want to preach and minister the gospel in a way that involves myself in where the next generation is going with God’s leadership. I want them to know, appreciate and pass on the truth that God has always had a strong hand to deliver His people!

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Continuity

All these are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what their father said to them as he blessed them, blessing each with the blessing suitable to him.
Genesis 49:28

One generation carries on after another. This is a recurring theme in Genesis where a repeating refrain is "these are the generations of...". This passage expands upon that theme with some specific blessings that Jacob gives to each of his sons, prophetically describing how each tribe will later come to function in the future nation of Israel.

From one couple, God populated the world. From human sins and choices, God has made Himself known, provided for access to Him, and graciously redeemed people to Himself. All of that is in Genesis. And it is told in the context of families. From Adam and Eve, to Noah and his sons, from Abraham and Sarai, on to Jacob and his sons. In all the story of human history told in the book, the clear denominator is family and home as relating to God and His grace and revelation.

So despite the vast cultural differences separating me from the patriarchs, I can identify with that common theme. I have a family and I relate to family. I am called to come to God in the context of my life and that includes family. And so I will trust and follow Him, while caring for the needs of those whom God has called me to love and need first -- family!

Technorati Tags: Generations,Family,Jacob