Tell Them the Stories: Passing Faith to Children

Deuteronomy 4 calls Israel to “hearken” to statutes and judgments so they may live and “go in and possess” what God intends, which frames parenting as a handoff of dependence. Parenting, as the text implies, teaches children to move from dependence on parents to dependence on God and his word, because parents will not always be there, but God and his word will. The promised land, as the image shows, does not picture heaven; it pictures the will of God. The will of God, as the call makes plain, is not a riddle. It starts with “do the next right thing,” the known obedience that trains a conscience to recognize God’s ways.

Asaph in Psalm 78 opens his mouth in a parable and commands the fathers not to hide the stories, but to show the next generation “the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works.” This warning exposes a drift: if children hear more about degrees, jobs, and money than about God, their hope will slide toward secular humanism. Psalm 78 insists that stories of God’s works seed hope in God, not in human props. When parents stop bragging on God, children start betting on man.

Deuteronomy 4 first enforces the priority of truth: do not add to it and do not diminish from it. The text pushes parents to make Scripture normal at home, not just audible at church. Repentance and course-correction in the living room preach louder than rules on paper. Deuteronomy then presses the priority of testimony: obedience should make God look good, not the family look polished. Nations watch, and children do too; consistency at home clarifies the character of God.

Psalm 84:11 steadies the priority of trust. God does not withhold good from those who walk uprightly. If God can say yes, he does; when he says no, yes was not the right answer. Parents who mirror that pattern teach their children how to rest in God’s wisdom. Deuteronomy 4 finally adds an urgent caution: “take heed… lest thou forget.” Storytelling keeps memory warm. Regular rehearsal of “only God” moments trains hearts to set their hope in God and to pass on what God has taught, which is discipleship in action. Philippians 3:10 then sets the aim: know Christ, die to self, live to God, and tell the children the stories.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Parenting transfers dependence to God [21:52] Parents are temporary; God and his word remain. Good parenting steadily shifts a child’s functional trust from mom and dad to the Lord who will never leave. This handoff is not independence, but God-dependence that anchors choices beyond the reach of parental presence. A child who learns to lean on Scripture will not collapse when parents are gone. [21:52]
• 2. Do the next right thing [24:17] God’s will clarifies as obedience compounds. Children who practice known obedience learn how God directs in the unknown. The habit of doing what God wants right now trains discernment far better than chasing vague impressions. Obedience today becomes guidance tomorrow. [24:17]
• 3. Tell the stories of God’s works [33:36] Psalm 78 ties hope to testimony. When households rehearse “only God” moments, children learn where help really comes from and how to read providence. Silence about God’s interventions creates a vacuum that human pride will fill. Regular storytelling keeps memory bright and hope aimed at God. [33:36]
• 4. Prioritize truth, testimony, and trust [36:31] Deuteronomy 4 stacks the order: truth that is neither edited nor diluted, testimony that makes God look big, and trust that refuses to forget. Homes where Scripture actually changes patterns give kids a believable God. Consistency inside the house protects against a double life that confuses the next generation. Remembered mercies fuel future faith. [36:31]
• 5. God says yes when He can [43:04] Psalm 84:11 reframes prayer and parenting. If God can say yes, He does; when He says no, it means yes would not be good. Parents who imitate that cadence teach children to see no as protection, not punishment. That posture cultivates peace when God closes doors. [43:04]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [18:26] - Deuteronomy 4 and Psalm 78
• [19:22] - Tell them the stories
• [20:26] - Discipleship: receive and give truth
• [21:37] - Parenting: transfer dependence to God
• [23:24] - Promised land pictures God’s will
• [24:17] - Do the next right thing
• [27:21] - Only God: Baker College story
• [33:11] - Asaph’s charge to not hide
• [35:16] - Warning against secular humanism
• [36:31] - Priority of truth at home
• [40:42] - Priority of testimony before the nations
• [43:04] - When God says yes or no
• [49:52] - Priority of trust: lest you forget
• [55:16] - It all boils down to stories

Bible Reading
Deuteronomy 4:1-9 (ESV)
1 “And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. 2 You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you... 6 Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples... 9 Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children.”

Psalm 78:1-7 (ESV)
1 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! 2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, 3 things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done... 6 that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, 7 so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.”

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Observation Questions

1. What two specific commands does Deuteronomy 4:2 give about God’s Word, and why are they important for teaching children?
2. According to Psalm 78:4-7, what is the purpose of telling stories of God’s works to the next generation?
3. In the sermon, how does the example of the Baker College property illustrate an “only God” moment? [27:21]
4. What connection does Deuteronomy 4:9 make between remembering God’s works and teaching children?

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Interpretation Questions

1. Why is transferring a child’s dependence from parents to God (rather than fostering independence) critical for their spiritual growth? [21:52]
2. How might a parent’s failure to share stories of God’s faithfulness lead to a child’s hope shifting toward secular humanism? [35:16]
3. Psalm 84:11 says God “does not withhold good from those who walk uprightly.” How does this truth reframe a child’s (or adult’s) perspective when God answers prayer with “no”? [43:04]
4. Deuteronomy 4:9 warns against forgetting God’s works. What practical dangers arise when families neglect rehearsing these stories?

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Application Questions

1. What topics dominate conversations in your home (e.g., jobs, achievements, money)? How could you intentionally shift discussions toward God’s faithfulness this week? [34:44]
2. What “only God” moment from your life have you not shared with your children, grandchildren, or others? When will you tell it? [31:27]
3. Reflect on a time God said “no” to a request. How could you explain His “no” to a child or friend in a way that highlights His goodness? [45:07]
4. What daily or weekly habit could you start to keep God’s works “fresh” in your family’s memory (e.g., prayer journals, mealtime testimonies)? [49:52]
5. If your children were asked, “What matters most to your parents?” what would they say? How does your life need to better reflect the priority of truth and testimony? [37:42]
6. When have you prioritized making your family “look polished” over making “God look big”? What step will you take to model repentance or course-correction? [40:42]