Grace To Suffer for the Gospel of Christ
Believers must grow strong in grace so that they will be able to endure the suffering necessary to guard and pass on the precious deposit of the Gospel.
2 Timothy 2:1-7
A Father, A Son, and the Spirit
Paul writes to his spiritual son Timothy, fondly remembering his participation in the ancient faith and encouraging him to stir up the Spirit’s Presence and gifts.
2 Timothy 2:1–7
Ancient Present Future Faith
God’s people must have a faith that is rooted in the truths He has revealed in the ancient past, is experienced in a life of present trust and obedience, and that labors to build for the generations to come.
Psalm 78:1-7
The God of Generations
God is the God of generations and calls his people to pray and work to pass the faith from one generation to the next.
Deuteronomy 4:9
The Legacy of David
Because of grace, in spite of his many sins the legacy of David is that of a man after God’s own heart who should be honored.
1 Chronicles 29:26-30
Shema – Hear and Speak God’s Word
The Shema is the most important command in Scripture, and it teaches us that to love God with all our being we must hear and speak God’s Word regularly.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Guarding The Deposit Of The Faith
It is the responsibility of every Christian to know, understand, guard, and pass the faith down to the next generation of believers.
2 Timothy 1:13-14
Generational Discipleship – The Slones
Mike Slone, a missionary who works with Midshipmen at the Naval Academy through a group called the Navigators talks about John 17:18-21 and Generational Discipleship.
John 17:18-21
Another Link In the Chain
The church, strengthened by the grace of God, must make sure to pass the faith on from generation to generation.
2 Timothy 2:1-2
Holy People and Unholy Priests
The fundamental problem for all humans is our rejection of the reign of God, preferring to do what is right in our own eyes, which leads to chaos and curse rather than God’s blessing.
1 Samuel 2 (1 Samuel 2:11-18)
Enduring In A Transient World
We are called to live for that which endures – things which have been passed down for generations, and which should be passed on to generations to come. But we live in a world of perpetual novelty, which is dominated by the trendy and the trivial, and is often disdainful of that which has gone before.
Psalm 78:1-8
Called To Family
Christians are called to serve God in their families by loving and respecting their spouse, raising their children to love God and His kingdom, and honoring their parents, all with a view to being a blessing to the wider world.
Ephesians 5:22-6:4
Training Future Leaders
God calls the Church to train future leaders to guard the faith from error, spread the faith to others in their generation, and pass the faith on to future generations.
2 Timothy 2:1-2
Reaching Future Generations
God calls to us through the law and the Gospel to love Him with our entire being, and to raise future generations to turn to Christ so they can do the same thing.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Living with a Multi-Generational Perspective
God calls His people to live with a multi-generational perspective, focusing on how the faith will be passed on to the generations to come.
Psalm 78:1-8
A Godly Seed: Raising Our Children in the Lord
God desires that we raise children according to His Word so that they will love and follow him.
Ephesians 6:1-4
Vision 2006 – Running the Race, Passing on the Faith
We are called to a strong personal relationship to Christ, and to receive, guard, and pass the faith on to others unchanged.
2 Timothy 2:1-2
Late Fall and Winter – Our Later Years
Our later years are a time of celebration of past efforts and investment in the future, as the wisdom gleaned through the years is passed on to the next generations.
Proverbs 20:29
Late Summer and Early Fall – Adults
Our adult years are full of hard labor as we strive to love and serve God, our families, and others as we harvest all that has been sown into us in our earlier years.
1 Corinthians 13:11
Early Summer – Older Children and Young Adults
Older children and young adults should experience a greater measure of freedom, which they are to use to draw close to God, solidify the lessons learned in their early years, and prepare to serve God throughout life.
1 Corinthians 13:11
Spring – Young Children
Like unplowed ground, young children must have the soil of their hearts prepared through loving discipline and have the seeds of God’s Word planted through careful instruction.
Ephesians 6:1-4