When I was a child, I wanted to grow up and be a scientist/inventor who played professional baseball (and worked as an archaeologist on the side) with a family and a dark green Bonneville (I’m not joking).
Well, I got the family, but really nothing else in that list. I have somehow landed a life of teaching children about the Bible using juggling and other means of “edutainment.”
And I wouldn’t want it any other. I think science, ingenuity, baseball, and archaeology are all great. I still love to learn in all sorts of subjects. But I believe God has wired me to do what I now do – teach the Bible to children.
I came across a verse this morning that gave me comfort in what I do. I hope it challenges you to think about the importance of passing on the legacy of faith to children….
In Deuteronomy, Moses was reminiscing about when God spoke to him at Horeb. Here is what God told Moses: “Assemble the people before me to hear my words so that they may learn to revere me as long as they live in the land and may teach them to their children” (Deuteronomy 4:10, NIV).
Think about that for a moment. There are 3 imperatives to the people once they assemble before the Lord:
1. Hear God’s words.
2. Learn to revere God for as long as they live.
3. Teach God’s words to their children.
Todays church is pretty good at pursuing the first two (hearing God’s words and revering God for our entire lives), but what about number 3? How are we doing as Christians in terms of passing on God’s words to our children?
We should not shy away from this Biblical command, thinking that kids need to “learn for themselves.” No, God has given us the responsibility to pass on His Word rightly and boldly to the children around us. Let us do it with courage, relevance, and Biblical accuracy by the power of His Holy Spirit.
The band can now come to the stage as I close out my sermon 🙂
