Embracing Intergenerational Wisdom and Responsibility in Faith

Devotional

Day 1: The Role of the Older Generation

Older generations have a vital role in mentoring and guiding the younger ones. This is not just about age but about spiritual maturity and a relationship with God. They should share their life experiences through an eternal lens, providing godly wisdom and support. [16:18]

In Exodus 18:1-12, we see Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, offering wisdom and guidance to Moses. This story illustrates the importance of intergenerational relationships within the church and family. Older generations possess a wealth of life experiences and spiritual maturity that can greatly benefit younger generations. Their role is not to dominate or control but to mentor and disciple, sharing their insights and wisdom through the lens of their relationship with God. This requires humility and a genuine desire to see the younger generation grow in their faith.

Older generations should not see themselves as retired from their spiritual responsibilities. Instead, they should actively engage in the life of the church, offering support and guidance to those who are younger. This involves being present, listening, and providing godly counsel. By doing so, they help to build a strong, spiritually mature community that can withstand the challenges of the world.

Titus 2:2-3 (ESV): "Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good."

Reflection: Think of an older person in your life who has provided you with godly wisdom. How can you express your gratitude to them this week and seek their mentorship more intentionally?

Day 2: Generational Idolatry

Each generation has its own set of idols and challenges, from the pride and materialism of the Boomers to the entitlement and authority issues of Millennials. Recognizing and repenting from these idols is crucial for spiritual growth and unity within the church. [21:45]

Generational idolatry refers to the specific idols and challenges that each generation faces. For example, the Boomer generation may struggle with pride and materialism, while Millennials might deal with entitlement and authority issues. These idols can hinder spiritual growth and create divisions within the church. It is essential for each generation to recognize and repent from these idols, turning back to godly principles and seeking unity within the body of Christ.

Repentance involves acknowledging these idols, confessing them to God, and making a conscious effort to turn away from them. This process requires humility and a willingness to be accountable to others. By addressing generational idolatry, the church can become a more unified and spiritually mature community, better equipped to fulfill its mission.

Ezekiel 14:6 (ESV): "Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations."

Reflection: Identify a specific idol or challenge that your generation faces. How can you personally repent from this idol and encourage others in your generation to do the same?

Day 3: Humility and Accountability

True mentorship and leadership require humility and accountability. Older generations should not seek to fix the younger ones but to guide them towards God. This involves being accountable in their own lives and setting a godly example. [53:51]

Humility and accountability are essential qualities for effective mentorship and leadership. Older generations should approach their role with a humble heart, recognizing that their goal is not to fix the younger generation but to guide them towards a deeper relationship with God. This requires being accountable in their own lives, setting a godly example, and being open to learning and growing themselves.

Accountability involves being honest about one's own struggles and weaknesses, seeking support and guidance from others, and being willing to receive correction. By modeling humility and accountability, older generations can create a safe and supportive environment for younger generations to grow in their faith.

James 5:16 (ESV): "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."

Reflection: Reflect on an area of your life where you need to practice more humility and accountability. How can you seek support and guidance from others in this area?

Day 4: Intergenerational Relationships

Building strong intergenerational relationships is essential for the health of the church. This involves older generations actively engaging with younger ones, sharing their wisdom, and rejoicing in the Lord together. [52:18]

Intergenerational relationships are crucial for the health and vitality of the church. These relationships allow for the sharing of wisdom, experiences, and spiritual insights across different age groups. Older generations have much to offer in terms of guidance and support, while younger generations bring fresh perspectives and energy. By actively engaging with one another, both generations can grow and learn together, creating a more unified and spiritually mature community.

These relationships are built on mutual respect, love, and a shared commitment to following Christ. They involve spending time together, listening to one another, and rejoicing in the Lord together. By fostering strong intergenerational relationships, the church can become a more vibrant and supportive community, better equipped to fulfill its mission.

Psalm 145:4 (ESV): "One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts."

Reflection: Think of a younger person in your church or community. How can you reach out to them this week and begin to build a meaningful relationship?

Day 5: Call to Action

The sermon concluded with a call for everyone to seek accountability and mentorship, emphasizing that the mission of the church requires the collective effort of all generations. Older generations should not see themselves as retired from their spiritual responsibilities but should actively engage in the life of the church. [01:04:19]

The mission of the church requires the collective effort of all generations. Each generation has unique gifts, experiences, and perspectives that can contribute to the overall health and vitality of the church. Older generations, in particular, have a crucial role to play in mentoring and guiding younger generations. They should not see themselves as retired from their spiritual responsibilities but should actively engage in the life of the church, offering their wisdom and support.

This call to action involves seeking accountability and mentorship, both giving and receiving it. By doing so, individuals can grow in their faith and contribute to the spiritual growth of others. The church becomes a more unified and spiritually mature community, better equipped to fulfill its mission and impact the world for Christ.

1 Peter 4:10 (ESV): "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace."

Reflection: Consider how you can actively engage in the life of the church this week. What steps can you take to seek accountability and mentorship, both giving and receiving it?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

In today's sermon, we delved into Exodus 18:1-12, focusing on the role of the older generation within the church and family. We explored how Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, provided wisdom and guidance to Moses, illustrating the importance of intergenerational relationships. The sermon emphasized that older generations have a crucial role in mentoring, discipling, and providing godly wisdom to younger generations. This is not just a matter of age but of spiritual maturity and a relationship with God.

We also examined the historical context of different generations in America, from the Builder Generation to Generation Alpha, highlighting how each has contributed to the current state of the church and society. Each generation has its own set of idols and challenges, from the pride and materialism of the Boomers to the entitlement and authority issues of Millennials. The sermon called for repentance from generational idolatry and a return to godly principles.

The key message was that older generations should not see themselves as retired from their spiritual responsibilities. Instead, they should actively engage in mentoring and guiding the younger generations, sharing their life experiences through an eternal lens. This involves humility, accountability, and a genuine relationship with God. The sermon concluded with a call to action for everyone to seek accountability and mentorship, emphasizing that the mission of the church requires the collective effort of all generations.

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Key Takeaways

1. 7qtLsS0I&t=978s'>[16:18]
2. Generational Idolatry: Each generation has its own set of idols and challenges, from the pride and materialism of the Boomers to the entitlement and authority issues of Millennials. Recognizing and repenting from these idols is crucial for spiritual growth and unity within the church.

3. Humility and Accountability: True mentorship and leadership require humility and accountability. Older generations should not seek to fix the younger ones but to guide them towards God. This involves being accountable in their own lives and setting a godly example.

4. Intergenerational Relationships: Building strong intergenerational relationships is essential for the health of the church. This involves older generations actively engaging with younger ones, sharing their wisdom, and rejoicing in the Lord together.

5. Call to Action: The sermon concluded with a call for everyone to seek accountability and mentorship, emphasizing that the mission of the church requires the collective effort of all generations. Older generations should not see themselves as retired from their spiritual responsibilities but should actively engage in the life of the church.

### [16:18]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[13:54] - Scripture Reading: Exodus 18:1-12
[16:18] - The Role of the Older Generation
[17:56] - Misconceptions About the Older Generation
[19:28] - Historical Context of Generations
[21:45] - Generational Idolatry
[24:32] - The Builder Generation
[27:53] - The Boomer Generation
[32:21] - Generation X
[38:26] - The Millennial Generation
[43:15] - Generation Z
[46:49] - The Alpha Generation
[48:19] - Identifying and Repenting from Idolatry
[49:00] - Structuring the Nation of Israel
[50:05] - The Importance of Godly Wisdom
[52:18] - Rejoicing and Worshiping Together
[53:51] - The Need for Genuine Mentorship
[55:14] - Seeking Accountability and Mentorship
[56:29] - The Role of the Older Generation in Discipleship
[57:27] - Humility in Mentorship
[58:33] - The Importance of Godly Guidance
[61:26] - Jethro's Advice to Moses
[64:19] - Call to Action: Repent and Engage
[65:07] - Final Scripture and Closing Remarks

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What role did Jethro play in Moses' life according to Exodus 18:1-12?
How did Jethro respond to the news of what God had done for Israel? ([15:17])
What actions did Jethro take to show his reverence and gratitude to God? ([15:44])
How did Moses and Jethro interact when they first met in the wilderness? ([14:48])

Interpretation Questions

Why is it significant that Jethro, an older and spiritually mature figure, provided guidance to Moses? ([16:18])
How does the concept of generational idolatry manifest in different generations, and why is it important to recognize and repent from it? ([21:45])
What does the sermon suggest about the importance of humility and accountability in mentorship and leadership? ([53:51])
How can building strong intergenerational relationships contribute to the health of the church? ([52:18])

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you received wisdom from an older, spiritually mature person. How did it impact your life and faith journey? ([16:18])
Identify any generational idols you might be holding onto. What steps can you take to repent and realign your values with godly principles? ([21:45])
In what ways can you demonstrate humility and seek accountability in your own life? How can this influence your role in mentoring others? ([53:51])
Think about the intergenerational relationships in your life. How can you actively engage with and learn from both older and younger generations in your church community? ([52:18])
How can you encourage older members of your church to see their value and role in mentoring and guiding younger generations? ([16:18])
What practical steps can you take this week to seek out a mentor or become a mentor to someone else in your church? ([55:14])
How can you ensure that your life experiences are shared through an eternal lens, providing godly wisdom and support to others? ([51:05])

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "The American dream we're actually going to call the dream of the world. Ed, I'm going to tell you the American dream is really the path straight to hell. We also see a deep root of pride began to grow in our country during this time. Pride, spoiler alert, pride is the core root and the deep root of pride is the core root of the American dream." [24:32] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "The downfall of each generation every generation seems to believe that they have it right forgetting we are all corrupt and depraved and the only one who really has it right is God. You see the builder generation was building something for themselves and not God but they like Christianity they like the morals they like the structure and this is where one of the biggest slippery slopes in our country began." [24:32] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Faith became a good thing to do not a godly thing to do. It was good to take your kids to church it was good to show them the morals in the Bible that's what a good family does but they were doing it for their own benefit not for the glory of God the majority wanted to do it for themselves they weren't taking their families to church because of the conviction and the need for a savior." [25:04] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "The world wants to create this perception that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but a child of God never stops growing and working to better themselves. We need you guys. Really what we need is Christ within you. We need men willing to disciple men and women willing to disciple women. A humble heart is key to discipleship. It's key to being a mentor." [57:27] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Older generation, it's not your job to fix. God does not need you to fix the generation below you. God needs you to put him before them. There may be some of you saying, well, I haven't lived a good life. I've come from a lot of brokenness. Guess what? We still need you. Sometimes we need people to come from a humble place and say, I've been there. I've done that. And it caused havoc inside of my life." [58:33] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "Church, the last three weeks we've taken a break from 2 Peter and we've been focusing on the home and the family we've covered several topics and today I want to cover another one I think is extremely important in regard to the family and the church and honestly I think it's overlooked a lot this is the role of the older generation to the younger within the church and family I also want to touch on a couple different subjects generational idolatry deception discipleship accountability and mentorship so we've got a lot to cover this morning so we're going to get to it." [16:18] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Church, we need older people that are willing to stand up and protect the things of God within the church we need older people that are willing to take their life experiences and view them through an eternal lens that's really key to this view them through an eternal lens and share godly wisdom throughout the church we need older people that have been around the block once or twice that are willing to humbly and that's another key word humbly share godly wisdom with the younger generation." [50:42] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Church, if you're willing to humble yourself, there are people out there that are willing to sit down and pour into you. Now, there is discernment that has to happen here. There is a process to how this looks like. I want to preface, not everyone always has your best interest at heart, and we got to be careful who we're looking to for mentorship. If you're looking, for accountability in your life, this is what I suggest. I suggest you come to church leadership and we will help guide you in that process and match you with someone appropriate." [55:14] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Jethro humbly pulls Moses. He puts Moses aside and says, look, brother, you're going to wear yourself out to death if you continue down this path. And church, I think this is a really good example of how the older generation is supposed to come along church leadership. We can't do this alone. It was never meant for just me or Josh or Justin to handle the church. It's a community. It is a community. There is a proper way to do it. There's a healthy way to do it. But we need you guys. It was never intended for us to do it alone." [01:02:27] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Church, you have to come from a place and understand that you were broken without Christ. And we all get it wrong without him. Jethro is not giving his advice. He's giving God's advice. And there is a lot of families in this room. They're in the middle of some really big battles. There is a lot of families in this room that are dealing with sicknesses and big family situations. And something that could really change the tide is an older person with an outside perspective that's not in the middle of the fight. That can come alongside them and speak some godly wisdom in the situation." [01:03:15] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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Transcript

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