A popular home feature in 1800 was an outhouse. On one family farm, a son detested it, because the outhouse was hot in the summer, cold in the winter, and the stench was always unbearable.
The outhouse sat on the edge of the creek, so their teenage son determined that one day he would push that outhouse into the creek. It happened, on a spring day that the creek flooded, so he decided to help the outhouse into the creek. He took a large branch and slid the outhouse into the swollen creek and it started floating away. But that night his father confronted him and said, “Someone pushed the outhouse into the creek today. It was you, wasn’t it, son?”
“Yes,” his son answered.
Then he thought a moment and said, “Dad, I read in school that George Washington chopped down a cherry tree and didn’t get into trouble because he told the truth.”
The father replied, “Well son, George Washington’s younger brother wasn’t in that cherry tree.” (Randy Frazee, The Heart of the Story, Zondervan, 2011, pp. 111-112; www.PreachingToday.com)
Raising children and grandchildren is a challenge that we must approach with grace if want to help them to walk by faith. Every believing parent desires to pass on their faith to the next generation, but there are times when some parents wonder if that really will happen.
However, there’s no guarantee that people of faith will raise children of faith. But there is no excuse for failing to create an atmosphere, a context, where our children and grandchildren will be able to walk by faith on their own.
The question is: How do you pass your faith on to the next generation? How do you create an atmosphere for faith in your children? I believe that in Hebrews 11:17-22 we can see how Abraham lived which affected his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. What was one of the most important things Abraham did…
BY FAITH, WE MUST OBEY EVERY DETAIL OF GOD’S WORD.
Hebrews 11:17-18 “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,”
God had promised Abraham that he would have many descendants through Isaac. And yet God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac as a burnt offering, which Abraham nearly did before God stopped Him.
This was a difficult test and Abraham had a lot of time to change his decision because the spot designated for the sacrifice, Mount Moriah, was some distance away. Yet Abraham stayed faithful, in Genesis we read that, “Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his [donkey], and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and [cut] wood for the burnt-offering.” (Genesis 22:3-4)
“Martin Luther once read this story for family devotions. When he had finished, Katie [his wife] said, ‘I do not believe it. God would not have him treat his son like that.’” “‘But, Katie,’ answered Luther, ‘he did.’” (Martin Luther in “Martin Luther – The Later Years and Legacy,” Christian History, no. 39; www.PreachingToday.com)
God did not spare His own Son, Jesus, who died on a cross for our sins. But God did spare Abraham’s son, because it was a test for Abraham! Abraham nearly sacrificed his son in obedience to God, but how could he do it? How could Abraham offer his son to God like that? It’s because of what Abraham believed about God…
Hebrews 11:19 “He considered that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.”
Don’t let that phrase “figurative sense” bother you. It means that in a figurative sense Abraham received Isaac when he and Sarah were beyond the age of birthing children, so in a figurative sense they were dead, uncapable to bring forth a life yet God did!
The main point is that Abraham trusted God that he would receive Isaac back from the dead because of God’s promise that Isaac would bring forth his heirs.
Abraham was able to offer his son to the Lord, because he believed God. Abraham believed in the power and promise of God and radically obeyed God.
From Abraham’s example, we must see that when we are tempted to go an opposite direction than faith in GOD because it seems right or better, we must radically obey God’s Word. What kind of message do we tell our children when we disobey God’s word for our convenience? It tells them that we are not trusting in God when it really matters. Abraham lived by faith not by his feelings.
By faith, Abraham followed through with a difficult task for God. If we want to create an atmosphere of faith in our children and grandchildren, we must submit and trust GOD’S WORD for our future and for our children’s future.
How can we expect our children to obey God if we don’t obey HIS WORD especially when it’s tough to do so? Our children don’t need to see us rationalize every difficult situation that tempts us to disobey His Word. They need to see us trust Him and find that God is faithful.
How do you pass your faith on to the next generation? How do you create an atmosphere for faith in your children? Notice the way Abraham’s descendants walked by faith.
BY FAITH, WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE OUR CHILDREN WITH GOD’S PROMISES FOR THEIR FUTURE.
Hebrews 11:20-22 “By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.”
Abraham and now Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph all believed in God’s promise for their descendants – a promise of land, offspring, and God’s blessing. That’s why they could encourage their children with a vision of a glorious future even in difficult times.
Each of the descendants of Abraham faced difficult tests of faith much like Abraham. Isaac was still a stranger in the land that God had given his family. Jacob and Joseph lay dying in Egypt far away from the Promised Land. And yet, their faith in God’s word assured them of God’s good plan for their descendants, a plan which they shared with their children. By faith, they trusted God’s word and encouraged their children with God’s promise for their future.
And by faith, we need to do the same thing. God has given promises to everyone who puts their trust in Christ.
2 Corinthians 1:20 says, “All the promises of God find their yes in Him.”
- The promise of God’s presence (Hebrews 13:5 “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”),
- The promise of God’s provision (Philippians 4:19 God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.),
- The promise of God’s power (Ephesians 1:19-20 the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.)
Romans 8:28-30 outlines God’s plan for every believer. It says, “We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified.”
God knew and loved you even before you were born. That’s when He determined that He would make you like Jesus, His Son. So, He called you into a relationship with Himself, declared you righteous when you trusted His Son with your life; and He will glorify you. I.e., He will make you shine with the radiance of Christ someday. It’s so certain in God’s mind that it is expressed in the past tense: “Those whom He justified He also GLORIFIED.”
This is God’s sure and certain promise for every believer; and if you want to create an atmosphere of faith for your children, you can assure them with this promise; you can encourage them with this vision of God’s wonderful plan for their lives no matter how hard things are.
The son of pastor and author John Piper, Abraham Piper ,was age 19 when he walked away from his Christian faith. For the next four years, in his words, he “just wanted to drink gallons of cheap liquor and sleep around.” Of course, his parents were “brokenhearted and baffled.” After four years of living as a prodigal son, Abraham returned to the Lord and reunited with his parents. Based on his experience, he offers the following advice to mothers and fathers of wayward children:
Don’t expect them to be Christlike. If your son is not a Christian, he won’t act like one, and it is hypocrisy if he does… His most dangerous problem is unbelief – not partying. No matter how your child’s behavior proves his unbelief, always be sure to focus more on his heart’s sickness than its symptoms.
Welcome them home. If he has any inkling to be with you, don’t make it hard for him… Obviously there are instances when parents must give ultimatums: “Don’t come to this house, if you are…” But these will be rare… [In most cases], if your daughter smells like weed or alcohol, spray her jacket with Febreze and change the sheets when she leaves, but let her come home. If you find out she’s pregnant, then buy her prenatal vitamins, take her to her 20-week ultrasound, protect her from Planned Parenthood, and by all means let her come home. If your son is broke because he spent all the money you lent him chasing sinful passions and liquor, then forgive his debt as you’ve been forgiven, don’t give him any more money – and let him come home. If he hasn’t been around for a week and a half because he’s been staying at his girlfriend’s – or boyfriend’s – apartment, urge him not to go back, and let him come home.
Point them to Christ. Your rebellious child’s real problem is not drugs or sex, smoking or porn or laziness or crime or cussing or slovenliness or homosexuality or being in a punk band. The real problem is that your child doesn’t see Jesus clearly… [Jesus] will replace the money, or the praise of man, or the high, or the affairs that they are staking their eternities on right now. Only His grace can draw them from their perilous pursuits and bind them safely to Him – captive but satisfied. (Abraham Piper, “12 Ways to Love Your Wayward Child,” desiringGod.com, 5-9-07; www.PreachingToday.com)
If we want to pass faith onto our children and grandchildren, we must trust the Lord to lead them by our obedient walk by faith.
If we want to pass faith onto our children, we must encourage our sons and daughters with a vision of what God wants to do for them and through them.
We need to inspire our children and grandchildren with the assurance of God’s wonderful plan for their lives. That’s what these personal examples of faith in Hebrews chapter 11 did.
A pastor named Ray Ortlund, talked about the Bible his dad and mom gave him [over] 50 years ago. It was his senior year in high school, the first week of two-a-day football practices, and he crawled home that day, bone tired. Mom made a special dinner for [him], since it was [his] birthday, and dad gave him a Bible with the following inscription:
“Bud, nothing could be greater than to have a son – a son who loves the Lord and walks with him. Your mother and I have found this Book our dearest treasure. We give it to you and in doing so can give nothing greater. Be a student of the Bible and your life will be full of blessing.” He signed it, “We love you. Dad”, with a reference to Philippians 1:6, which says, “I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Ray Ortlund said, “As I read these wonderful words from over fifty years ago, it never occurred to me to think, ‘Dad doesn’t really believe that. It’s just religious talk.’ I knew he meant it, because I watched him live it. He was a student of the Bible, and his life was full of blessing, and I wanted what he had. It took me a few more years to get clarity in some ways, not surprisingly. But on [that] day so long ago my dad said words to me that left a deep impression. It moved me then, and it moves me now.” (Ray Ortlund, “Fifty Years Ago Today,” Gospel Coalition blog, 9-7-16; www.PreachingToday.com)
Ray Ortlund’s dad encouraged his son with God’s promise for his future, and we must do the same for our children and grandchildren. No matter what we’re going through right now with them, look beyond the temporary to the eternal matters. We must literally take God’s Word to heart and encourage them. Based on the promises of God, assure them that they will grow to be all that God wants them to be; assure them that God loves them, and He will use them for His glory if they walk with Him.
If we want to create an atmosphere of faith for our children and grandchildren, we must radically trust God, and encourage our children to walk with the Lord and remind them of His promise for their future.
The small island of Igloolik, in Canada is a bewildering place in the winter. The average temperature hovers at about 20 degrees below zero, thick sheets of sea ice cover the surrounding waters, and the sun is rarely seen. Despite the brutal conditions, Inuit hunters have for some 4,000 years ventured out from their homes on the island and traveled across miles of ice and tundra to search for food. The hunters’ ability to navigate vast stretches of the barren Arctic terrain, where landmarks are few, snow and ice formations are in constant flux, and trails disappear overnight, has amazed explorers and scientists for centuries. The Inuit’s extraordinary [sense of direction did not come from technology] – they never used maps and compasses. [Instead, it comes from] a profound understanding of winds, snowdrift patterns, animal behavior, stars, and tides.
[Recently, though,] the Igloolik hunters have begun to rely on computer-generated maps to get around, especially younger Inuit members. The ease and convenience of a GPS makes the traditional Inuit techniques seem archaic and cumbersome. [Yet], as GPS devices have proliferated on Igloolik, reports of serious accidents during hunts have spread. A hunter who hasn’t developed way-finding skills can easily become lost, particularly if his GPS receiver fails. The routes plotted on satellite maps can also give hunters tunnel vision, leading them onto thin ice or into other hazards a skilled navigator would avoid.A local anthropologist, who has been studying Inuit hunters for more than 15 years, notes that while satellite navigation has some advantages, its use also leads to a deterioration in way-finding abilities and a weakened feel for the land. An Inuit on a GPS-equipped snowmobile… loses sight of the surroundings and travels “blindfolded.” A unique talent that has distinguished a people for centuries may evaporate in a generation. (Nicholas Carr, “All Can Be Lost: The Risk of Putting Our Knowledge in the Hands of Machines,” The Atlantic, November 2013; www.PreachingToday.com)
Likewise, the way of God’s Word might seem outdated but faith in Jesus is anything but so. God’s promises are ever true and never will lead any astray. We need to be found radically obedient in our faith, so our heritage will know there is no other way to live than by faith.
Abraham’s faith was:
Characterized by the certitude faith. v.1 now faith is being aware of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Grounded in the power of God. v. 3 Understood that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what was seen was not made out of what was visible.
Resting upon the greatness of God. v.6 He believed that God exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
Understood God is a living God. God could bring forth the living out of nothing. v.12 his body was as good as dead when he fathered Isaac.
This New Year let’s be families of Faith. That is what Hebrews chapter 11 verse 1-2 states.
Hebrews 11:1-2 “Now faith (trust in God) is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.”