Winning the Second Generation

When we share with our second-generation want to give you the first two where we are to communicate spiritual evidence in our lives. You want to understand God is real he is versatile. Medicare approached, I can imagine the drives, but the 2 1/2, and even earlier on in Joshua how they would build the authors and they would be symbols that God is alive, God is powerful. God can and that was the method the Old Testament book of Judges is the story of a nation gone mad with sin and rebellion.

One generation would serve God, but then the ones that immediately followed turn far from him that kept happening over and over what went wrong, why didn't the children follow the religion of their parents and what lessons can we learn from Israel's example that can help us today.

Find out now. Stephen begins this study of Israel's judges the book of Judges is a story of a nation gone mad in sin and rebellion. It will sound at times like a tale of our Western civilization. No one could deny that our country is facing. Even now in it an enormous moral and spiritual crisis and moral crisis where everyone is seeming to say, if it is right for you. It is right. If it is right for me it is right that is not a new philosophy of living.

By the way it goes all the way back to the children of Israel, a time of great immorality in the land. Basically, judges picks up after the death of Joshua Harkin of a guy, a college student to get a college student talking to a missionary in the garden. The missionaries unmistakably identified with the pith helmet in the shorts and the walking and got a college student saying to him alive and don't know I don't know how you do it you can take what you take what you do when you finally get so tired of superstition and the immorality and the violence in the missionary Bible simple like get on a plane.

I go back to the mission field we can get on a plane and leave God is called you and I to this generation in this country.

The question is how do we live in this kind of society that is gone mad without becoming like it. How do we impacted. I invite your attention to a forgotten book of the Old Testament that gives us the answers of how to live the book of Judges are not there already and I want to begin by taking you to the last chapter.

The last verse of the Bible book of the Bible because it's where God gives the diagnosis of the problem. Usually God gives the diagnosis and any deals with the symptoms.

Here he will give us the symptoms first and ultimately conclude with his spiritual diagnosis. It says the last phrase in verse 25 of chapter 21. Everyone did that which was right in his own eyes how American can the word be. There is one other key verse that I want you to know because it will not only serve as an explanation of the entire book, but it will be the focus of our study turned back to chapter 2 in verse 10° and all that generation also were gathered to their fathers, and there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord nor yet the work which he had done for Israel.

We could paraphrase this. They knew about the Lord. Obviously, but they did not know the Lord. Personally there are a lot of things that we discussed in the first two chapters of Judges. As I read and reread trying to discern with the spirit of God want us to study the thing that troubled me more than anything was that phrase that bothers me. Why is it that one generation can be so faithful to God, why is the second generation so often fail to follow in the footsteps of faith. The first generation go back and you look at great men of all look at the Spurgeon's the movies the composers, the Sundays whose children abandoned their father say look at institutions like Princeton and Harvard and Yale to begin is Bible college is the major study was the word of God. Every student had to take Greek. Every student had to account for an hour of personal devotions, what happened, why is it that the average church doesn't remain effective more than two or three generations. I recently read a survey that even change that's the leadership magazine I talked about the average church in America, evangelical or or whatever the average church reaches its peak of effectiveness of influence of energy of enthusiasm when you're 12 years old wise of the denominations and associations and mission boards begin with the fire of faith and passion of mission and evangelism and two or three generations later they muddle through the debate doubt judges will give us the answers and I want to start by giving you the negative things from these chapters.

Some of the negative things we can learn as to why this generation did not follow the God of the first generation and when they arose. They knew not Yahweh, nor of his work, let me suggest you some things and these are really putting clues together. There are some fundamental problems with being part of a second-generation space.

Many of you represent a second-generation of godly heritage problems built in the being that kind of position number one only give you the first the second generation is influence by the partial obedience of the first generation. Let's just clear the air right now by saying that this generation the follow Joshua in was not perfect, and if you are trying to start godly heritage in your home if you want to be a first generation believer, you need understand right away you fail, you will make mistakes. The problem is the second generation seems so sensitive that partial obedience or disobey the work occurs in Scripture. Look at chapter 1 verse four troubling what happens here and Judah went up and the Lord gave the Canaanites and the parasites into their hands and they defeated 10,000 men at Baeza and they found Adam nine basic Academy remember the name of God or the Lord of Baeza in. They secondly fought against this king and the defeat of the Canaanites and the parasites, but plays like flat and they pursued him and caught him and cut off his and his big toes finally was the ancient method of ending the military career of the King because without a bomb he couldn't grasp the sword until he couldn't stand study for hand-to-hand, and this was a figurative thing, but also very literal and that they would cut these, they would dismember these conquered kings as a sign that these men could no longer fight no longer a threat. The problem is this was the pagan way.

Besides, that God did not want to torture he had ordered them to execute put to death the idolaters in the land and you can see how Judah is obeying and yet working with the ways of the pagan warrior troubling versus verse 19 look there. The Lord was with Judah, and they took possession of the hill country, but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had iron chariots logical Judah weaponry that the Canaanites had here is interesting in chapter 4 that a lady judged by the name of Deborah will lead the Israelites against an army of 900 iron chariots and they will problem is not a lack of power on Judah's part. The problem is a lack of faith in a powerful God. So these are little things that surface in the text. There are actually seven references in all of partial obedience is in effect disobedience.

Verse 27 on your horse and follow here but Manasseh did not take possession of Beth Sheen and its villages last phrase in verse so the Canaanites persisted in living in that way. In verse 28 and it came about when Israel became strong that they put the Canaanites to forced labor. But they did not drive them out completely. Verse 29.

Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites were living in gaze heirs of the Canaanites living. These are among them. Verse 30 Zebulun Did Not Dr. out the inhabitants of keep Toronto the inhabitants of the household so the Canaanites lived among them and became subject to forced labor, which was not God's idea that only slaves verse 31 a sure did not drive out the inhabitants gets verse 32.

So the Azure rights lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, for they did not drive them out. You get the picture. Picture Judges 1 gives us is that there is control all but not total conquest. There is victory and there is a visible sign of obedience to God. But there is still a nagging obedience next-generation picked up on something that's sensitive in the life of a second-generation follow people who are known for their faith another fundamental problem is this number to the second generation can become isolated from past experiences of faith back to chapter 2 verse eight, and Joshua the son of nun, the servant of the Lord died at the age of modern sin and they buried him in the territory of his inheritance to verse 10 and all the generation also regather their fathers and arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord. No notice nor yet the work which he had done for Israel. That's that's the old time religion there over here got a look at mom and dad like well that's great for them. The problem is it hasn't been incorporated into their life. They have been told to come to church. They have been given their belief system but they have not been shared within the matter of conviction and look at what God did for a while and go back into the Scriptures and and the two and half tribes were so concerned that their children understand the work of God but they built that memorial was going to be a teaching tool whereby they could share with and everything that got it done in their lives that it wouldn't be just something that God did them, but it would impact them as well. Second-generation so often I watch his mom and dad, your father's agreement of faith he is. I see him every once in a while and I think you're right. Three. Suggest one more. They can become ignorant second-generation that is of the practical preeminence of God explained that first by reading verse 11. Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they served the veils verse 12 and they forsook the Lord, the God of their fathers, so they forsook the Lord and serve Vail and Lee asked Starkey's plural form of ash. Toronto was a goddess that was bad enough that they would turn away from the living God, and by the way God did it was something way over there.

So the next step is.

Now that they turn their back on him, but it's even worse they put into they put in God's place foreign deities like they'll only insert an understanding of who Bill was. He was the God in charge of storms and fertility. Vail obviously is a got a fertility would have a consort mistress.

She was ash tart what you think God's response is going to be when he sees the second-generation doing that well, you win some you lose some.

The way the cookie crumbles 14 chapter 2 and the anger of the Lord burned against Israel. This is not the petty anger and hurt feelings a little math.

This is a sovereign holy God, recognizing that his people are prostituting themselves with foreign God that the amazing thing is I reread these chapters several times this chapter to the next verse downer verse 16 the grace of God is incredible. Look at it. Then the Lord raised up judges who delivered them from the hands of those who plundered them.

Thus, the book of Judges is the story ladies and gentlemen of the cycle of Israel falling in the sin and slavery and despair and repentance and didn't sin and slavery and despair and repentance. And God would use men and women called judges to bring them back to himself now. It's kind of an overview and it's also the negative things that I picked up reading these chapters. What is the positives, what can we learn to keep this generation right next to the first generation experiencing the faith of their fathers as their own personal faith. How do we do it, let me suggest two major ways with some points underneath each one. The first major way to do this I believe is the number one development cooperation with the second-generation doing two ways. Number one, physically chapter 1 verse 12 of this passage is easy to overlook it. We could spend an hour on it just the lawn and Caleb said member Caleb now took on the giants of panic. The one who attacks curiosity, fear, and captures it, I will give my daughter takes off for a wife.

A lot of this is my kind of dad daughters about to get married. He wants to make sure that the guy you gets hers were that you know and he's probably wondering if there is anybody worthy of his daughter know the feeling what he wants to make sure that this guy is a first generation man so he says here's a test you go take this city and if you can trust God and God does the fighting for you. If you have the entire relationship with God and you conquer the city you're good enough for my little legs up now.

The lines had been drawn.

Evidently this point in time, and who could marry her because it's interesting that the one who steps is Caleb younger brother and he evidently doesn't look at verse 14 Vinnie came about when she came to him, that is Caleb doubt that she persuaded him to ask her father for the field and she alighted from her donkey and Caleb said to her, what do you want and she said to him give me a blessing since you have given me the land of the negative, give me also springs of water, just like your father or father years ago in the Joshua and said hey give me room now her daughter went to the lake so you know I can just see her now.

She gets off her don't think she's his dad. We got enough property but I want some spring water to what she really say she isn't asking for something that is going to inherit her walk down and enjoy she's asking for more land to conquer and to maintain evidently way back there would Caleb was involved.

He somehow communicated to her his faith, and you find her now physically involved in the action of faith, which makes her first generation ever wonder why missionary kids grow up, go right back to the field where their parents are for decades because they had a high involvement in the life and ministry of the parents they went way over there.

They were right here. The second way to develop cooperation is not just physically but prayerfully you have a problem involves the entire family and praying about it, especially the younger children and I think that will amaze you as you have shared with me already on occasion their passion for transparent prayer and also it's a little frightening because they expect to get an answer relationship with the Lord is wonderful to there is transparency there with kids that is amazing to watch involve them.

So when you're discipling another just a teenager college student problem pull that second-generation aside and said hey I need you to pray for me little intimidating and quite a first-class example that I came home it was 12 stories. The counselor will my wife up and I proceeded to tell her the whole story close to 1 o'clock and she very patiently listen to me sympathize with me in our pace back and forth in that room and she reminded me of the sovereignty of God, and I did want to hear that, but she also did something else. Next morning the children to school, she told the story and she said you need to pray for your daddy away a second I went praying with them, but is rather odd that your children praying for you.

I got all strengthen you and very frankly daddy's little upset.

I come home from work that knowing this is going on walk into the house.

I get the hugs you know which is unfortunately standard and I noticed it, looking at me, just staring at me and I said the know what's going on.

While my wife told me later that she told him to pray and they were seeing me in an entirely different light. He needs help. But maybe there picking up the fact that human we have the misconception that the first generation is to be a perfect model. As a result, we do not share our struggles. Teenagers often say I just wish my parents would talk to me for the survey recently that the average father spends less than five minutes a week talking to his children you involved in prayerfully, not just to ask. But the thing we don't thank God because it makes God feel good. Thank God because it does us good teaches our children the second-generation with the cycle at the source of power and grace. Don't let me give you one other main idea. Not only should we develop cooperation with them physically and prayerfully. Let me suggest that we develop communication with the second-generation following on the heels of what I just suggested, and I want to tell you to do important things to talk about were not just talking for talk say what you want is this generation to pick up your passion, your vision, your mission you want them to understand that God is real he is personal and chairs he can be approached and there are important things that we talked about with them and let me give you the first two where we are to communicate spiritual events in our lives. I can imagine the tribes, especially the 2 1/2, and even earlier on in Joshua how they would build the authors and they would be symbols that God is alive, God is powerful. God can be trusted.

That was the message of Joshua we share with our second-generation sure Jesus Christ with a coworker or neighbor tells him about it.

Tell them what you said hello and how they responded. Tell them what you wish you would said share spiritual events and I realized my own life that I was failing in this, and maybe I thought they were too young, but I recognize the problem because I have a kid hanging onto my legs saying don't go to another meeting, something like, I realize I was not communicating the mission every Wednesday night I go out on evangelism explosion or EE and I would tell my kids I'm going to a meeting bothered him so I are recognized that I needed to share with them what I was doing and where I was going so I began telling them that is going to tell people about Jesus Christ. Oh, you are important in people don't know the Lord and so I want to share with them that were you going yes all the difference in the world. So often the second-generation doesn't hear was happening in our lives sure so over. Time to become more and more and more isolated.

What happens in our lives, so we need to communicate spiritual events and owner. I would suggest that this is a wonderful way of sharing your convictions with your children to listen serve you go to you go to that party, your clients put on any lot of politeness and you get there you have to politely refused to drink with the boys are drinking or laugh at the stories the boys are telling and refuse the offer to dance with the pretty office secretaries and how you felt your member on a stick in the mud following a holy Joe fuddy-duddy have you ever thought how powerful that would be if you communicated that your teenager college aged one is already a career look at you like you don't understand peer pressure world is no protective from that kind of thing how powerful it would be to share that with them.

Tell them how you feel what God is doing in helping you remain distinctive in the arena got displaced you suggest one more week adequate. Secondly, communicate your spiritual dreams for their lives to tragic misconception of parents and older Christians alike that somehow the second-generation is to pick it up by osmosis.

We think God has a special plan for their lives. They cannot read our minds. Smalley and Trent put out a book that was rather interesting. Call the blessing. It talks about the need for parents and children to bless family members that is with meaningful touch with words. Tell them that God has something unique for that we can't predict and by the way, godly parents have ungodly children who will use the follow. We cannot guarantee that they will obey. We cannot guarantee that they will adopt the values and the faith, but whether they do or not the responsibility is still hours to share it.

One of the ways we can is the poor little Johnny aside, or that when you're discipling a new believer and say you know I want you to know I appreciate you and these things that I observe in your life can use a wonderful way using this put you together wired you. I noticed this and this and this and what God can do with that. This way You close the question, are you first generation or you second-generation drifting further and further apart.

I trust that we are all in the first chair even though we may be second third fourth fifth sixth generation. I trust that we are sharing the passion and the vision that this will challenge us because a generation will follow Esposito know that God is alive, God is powerful. God can be trusted. That was a lesson called winning the second-generation. It's from our vintage wisdom series from the book of Judges Stephen Davies is our Bible teacher, and he's the pastor of the shepherd's church in Cary, North Carolina. If you have a comment or question, or would like more information you can send us an email if you address it to info@wisdomonline.org is a special place on our website were Stephen answers questions that have come in from listeners like you. If you come across the passage that's confusing or encounter a teaching that you need to have clarified send that question to info@wisdomonline.org once Stephen is answered it will add it to the collection. Of course you can also use that email address. If you have a question or comments about our ministry as well. In addition to equipping you with these daily Bible messages.

We also have a magazine that we publish monthly. We said heart-to-heart magazine to all of our wisdom partners but we be happy to send you the next three issues. If you'd like to see it for yourself.

You can sign up for it on our website or you can call us today our number is 86 648 Bible 866-482-4253. Call today. Look forward to having you back with us next time you run wisdom for the heart