I Pass

all right, if you will take your Bibles in turn to 78 Psalm 78 Song. We're looking at the 1st 7 verses to start out today. Well, today is a special day to some, not a special data. Others. Yes, it is.

Super Bowl Sunday. You know, I used to earlier on in my ministry. Try not to pay too much attention to it. You know, when I was a young pastor, I I tried not to cancel Sunday Night service in my church and things like that, and I just realized that was one of those things I just eventually had to kind of give in on because it just just did.

And it's okay because we have those moments in time where we just like to do something like that. It's entertained. There's nothing wrong with that tonight. I don't know who you root for it. I'm not making any predictions, but I could tell you this.

If you know anything about football and you've watched football, it's gonna be the running game of the 40 Niners tonight against the passing game of the Chiefs. I like the chief's simply because I love the passing game I just love to see the ball down the field on Dhe.

They're very, very good at the passing game. In fact, my sermon title this morning as I pass. And if you ask Patrick Holmes, what do you do for living? He would say, I pass. That's what he does. There are other kinds of passes, though.

If you're playing family Feud, have you ever played family feeling I have actually in my home. We have it on the video thing where you can put it on the TV. You could play. You have a choice sometimes of whether you're gonna play or you're going to what pass and hope that the other family can't get all the answers and you can steal and get all the money out of that round.

We passed the torch to someone who's taking over for us in a job or some other situation. We passed the buck. Don't wait. Yes, we do. That means we pin the blame for something on someone else while trying to minimize our personal responsibility.

We passed the time. That's something we're gonna be doing this evening. Some of us that means we choose to be idle or do distracting entertaining things. So we passed the torch. We passed the buck. We pass the time until one day we pass away.

Life comes to an end as we know it. And then all of a sudden we're standing before the Lord and once we get there, we can no longer pass the torch and we definitely can't pass the buck. We cannot pass the time because we're dwelling in eternity.

Praise the Lord. There's no need for pass the time. And since we're Christians, we only die once. Once we're there, we never pass away again. Praise God, Maybe I sound a little like the Book of Ecclesiastes ease this morning.

I don't know, but life is not futile. And we replaced or transformed the feudal activities with or into godly works that accomplish a purpose. Jesus died on the cross, not just to save us from our sins, but to renew the purpose God had for us when he made us.

I think the objective of the Christian life is to honor God by passing him on. And we do that in different ways. First of all, I think we are here to pass on a legacy. We're here to pass on a legacy. This is something we do is individuals, and I think we should do it as a church.

As individuals, we pass on our legacy to our family and to our friends. As a church, we pass on a legacy by raising up the next generation to love and walk with God and making a way for them to have a future as members of the church.

So what do we pass along and why? And we find that here in the 78 song, starting with Verse one, Listen, Oh my people, to my instruction, inclined your ears. To the words of my mouth, I will open my mouth inoperable.

I will let her dark sayings of old which we have heard and known. And our fathers have told us we will not conceal them from their Children. But tell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord and his strength and his wondrous works that he has done for.

He has established the testimony and Jacob and appointed a law in Israel which he commanded our fathers, that they should teach them to their Children, that the generation to come might know even the Children yet to be born, that they may arise and tell them to their Children that they should put their confidence in God and not forget the works of God but keep his commandments.

What are we to pass on? And why are we to pass it on with the first thing I think we see in verse to? It's an interesting verse, but we're supposed to pass on the understanding off the word of God. It says I will open my mouth inoperable.

Now who does that make you think of Jesus? And many see that as this is an indication of Christ to come here, I will utter dark sayings of old. Now when you hear that phrase dark sayings of old, you might think who that shows like witchcraft.

No, it's not. It's things that need to be brought to the light things that were mysterious, that people didn't understand, that they just didn't quite grasp. And that's what Jesus did. He came and he shone light on on the word of God and brought it out in a way that helped us understand the true intention of God's word.

And so we're supposed to pass that on, and we do it verbally. You know, not everyone. They did it verbally. Not everyone had a scroll in that time, right? I mean, you didn't have household scrolls, and so you are to pass it on verbally, and we'll talk about that as we go further on in the sermon.

So we do this, and I think we don't do this just to our teaching ministry. But through our direct mentoring relationships, I think passing on the word of God and understand the word of God doesn't just come when I'm preaching or when Mike is teaching.

It comes as we live with each other and dwell with each other's Christians and help each other see how not only are we to know it, but how were to apply it in our lives, how it should shape and mold the decisions we make and our attitudes in the direction of our lives.

Last week I talked about how knowing the word is not enough to save us. It's not you can't you need it, but it's not enough. Saves course we need Jesus Christ, but it's also isn't enough to help us live the Christian life.

We need the voice of the Holy Spirit in the encouragement or accountability of another Christian, along with the word of God. We need to be able to come together and take the word of God and put it out there and show exactly how it should impact our lives.

That's why we have church. That's why we don't just stay home on Sunday and just read the Bible on her own, because I might see something that you don't see or you might see something I don't see, because the Holy Spirit speaks to you through some experience in your life and teaches you something, and you need to pass that along to others.

It's called an experienced walk with God, and we are to share that with each other and experience that with each other. Verse three, he says, which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.

So we see that legacy here being shared with that the fathers have passed it along, and then a verse four. We see that not only to pass on, understand the word of God but were to pass on his praise worthy acts.

It says. We will not conceal them from their Children. But tell them the generation to come, the praises of the Lord and his strength and its wondrous works that he has done the things that we praise him for.

That's what we have a praise in a prayer time. The things that we praise him for are to encourage one another, build each other up, lift each other up every time somebody praises it, Lord, for an answered prayer.

It encourages you that maybe God's gonna answer your prayer. You see what I'm saying and we pass on his praise worthy acts. We tell the stories. What God has done is revealed in the Scriptures and what he's done in our lives.

Personally, this is something the Hebrew people did very, very, very well all the way up to the New Testament. When Jesus came, they were still telling their Children the story of the crossing of the Red Sea.

It's throughout the minor profits. It's woven in all through scripture over and over again. They passed it along, and I can guarantee if I was sitting in their living room just listening. I bet they would tell those young Children that story, and those Children would be so enthralled with that they'd almost think their mom and dad had group was really there when it happened.

It should be that really Christ should be that Realtor says. We're passing on the wondrous things he has done. You can tell it's right there with you in the room. Why do we pass it on when we pass it on? Because he commands it.

Look at Verse five, for he established a testimony, a Jacobin appointed law in Israel, which he commended our fathers that they should teach them to their Children. Now I realize it's very specific for the Hebrew people.

But is anybody in here want to object to the idea that this also applies to the church, that he clearly wants us to take these things and teach them to our kids, to our grandkids, to our great grandkids? Clearly he does.

We pass it on so they can pass it on verse six that the generation to come might know even the Children yet to be born. I won't get into abortion this morning, but that clearly is one of those verses you can use that God looks at Children yet to be born and still sees them as Children, by the way that they may arise and tell them to their Children again.

The history The Hebrew people was passed orally from parents to Children. That's where the main teaching was done, and we pass it on. So they're instructed specifically in the way of the Lord looking for seven, that they should put their confidence in God.

That's not a small statement there. When you stop and look at it because we put our confidence in a lot of things, we'll put our confidence and our money will put of confidence in our job will put confidence in our spouse.

But are we really putting our confidence in God? God spoke to you right now and said, I want you to quit your job. I want you to sell your house. I want you to go here and I want you to serve me. How many of you do that without going consulting about 10 or 15 different people and checking your account to see how much money how many would just do it? That's a good question, isn't it? And I can't say that I would.

So I'm not Consider tell you should, but we probably all should. I mean, when God speaks, we should go back right, because he's God. But I can't say that I wouldn't mind some things that do. We should have our confidence, God, and says and not forget the works of God.

How many of your journal I do a little bit with my quiet time, but I don't journal day long, but But I'll write some things down in my quiet time so that some down someday I can go back and I can look and see the time in my life where maybe God said something or did something where he addressed something very directly with me and I could go back and praise it all over again, for I won't forget it.

Don't forget what he's done, but then the last part is, but keep his commandments. We pass it on so that those that come after us will have their confidence in God. I believe, and understand what he can and cannot do with the will and will not do.

There's nothing cannot do, but what he will will not do. How he'll do things, what he's done in the past, and we can see his commandments and obey them and follow after them. Second Timothy, 15 Paul makes mention of how legacy of faith was passed along to Timothy from his family, said, For I am mindful and sincere faith within you, which first wealth and your grandmother, Lois and your mother units and I'm sure that it is in you as well.

You see, the passing along with their faith in God, made Timothy ready to place his faith in Jesus. When Paul shared the gospel with him, that faith was passed through the family. Timothy's grandmother Listen to me now.

Timothy's grandmother and mother didn't take him to the youth rabbi and let the youth rabbi teach him the things of the faith. They did it in the home, which is what we should do, because if faith isn't taught scene in the home, there is no youth pastor alive who can give them what they need for Lifetime.

Apart from the grace of God, Sometimes it happens. Yes, it does, but I'm going to tell you if you want them to have their confidence in God and God alone to obey his commands. They got to see it in you and may they gotta see it at home.

Otherwise they'll be double minded, unstable in all the ways. Proverbs 13 22 says a good man leaves an inheritance to his Children's Children. Now I realize that that more than likely it's Solomon saying Don't squander what you have so that it benefits future generations.

But isn't that more than wealth and possessions? Isn't what you really have? Isn't your greatest possession Jesus Christ? And isn't that the one that we should make sure that we pass on to our Children's Children? I know some of you, your kids are out of the house, and maybe you're looking back and you feel like I could have done some things differently.

It's OK. It's actually work on. His grandkids begin to share Christ for those grandkids when they climb up in your lap. Instead of reading the Lin Jin that could read about Jesus Christ, they could do anything.

Teach them the things of the Lord, share with them the word of God. Teach them about the faith and Noah in the faith of Abraham. Teach them those things as far as the church of concern. We have a responsibility.

Consider the future of our church and all we do every decision we make. It's our duty to think beyond ourselves and prepare the way for those who will come after us when we're gone. I think too many churches make the mistake.

I'm just doing for themselves in a moment and forgetting that somebody was before us, who did a whole lot of work, who didn't report a lot of love into Bolivia Baptist Church so that you and I could be here today carrying it all.

So it's not just for us. We also have to be thinking about them. We also have to be projecting for just a little bit. I don't get obsessed with it, but I'm saying we need to remember 30 40 years from now, when most of us are gone, there still will be people here.

I believe meeting. We've got to make sure that we're passing that on. We're doing everything we can to make sure that the legacy of God's work in Bolivia Baptist Church continues, so we have to reach the next generation.

We have to give them a place here. We have to make sure that we grow with them in mind way. Just have to realize and be thankful for those that came before us. Prepare a way for those who come after I personally just me personally.

One of my goals in ministry has always been one of my goals in life has always been, and I'm not making it about me. This is about Jesus because he is my legacy, that he is everything to me. I want to pass on a legacy through my family and through the church.

I pasture because it's really have the momentum of the gospel is maintained. I want somebody look back and say, Man, that crystal expand They had some momentum with the gospel going through their family.

He just failed to give his kids where they had some momentum going through that church, and then he just shut it down and just started preaching whatever he wanted, preach doing whatever he wanted to do and didn't care about the future of the church.

I'll ever would be that kind of guy. Always be looking at who's in front of me, but I also want to be looking at who's gonna be in these pews 30 40 years? And what are we doing to impact that and make sure that it's a wonderful thing for them? So we passed on the legacy.

Secondly, I just mentioned it to the momentum of the gospel. We passed on the Gospel. And or you could say the word of God turned on Matthew 28. We won't be coming back to to the Psalms. Matthew, 28 will be in the New Testament the rest of the time.

The Lord just blessed me and turn right to wear one of the get Matthew 28 18 through 20. It's the great commission. You're very familiar with it. If you've been in church for very long, Um, Jesus has died.

He has risen. He's appeared to his disciples. He's about to ascend into heaven. And these were his final words. His instructions for the church to his disciples, who would be the foundation of the church become apostles, found a church.

Verse 18. Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying All authority has been given to me in heaven on earth. Go go there for and make disciples of all the nations baptizing them in the name of the father and the son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you and lo.

I am with you always, even to the end of the age. The commanders to go as you go is what it really means to go and make disciples. Now making disciples require something's happening. Before that, it requires conversion.

We're talking about people becoming converts. You can't disciple somebody. It doesn't have the Holy Spirit inside. Can't disciple somebody doesn't have Jesus Christ, all right, because what your disciple him is something far less than the total commitment and a total surrender.

You have to get them totally surrendered and committed, converted, baptized and then make disciples. And that requires instruction. And what he tells them in Verse 20 teaching them deserve all that I commanded you.

It's not just teaching life lessons. That's not what we're supposed to be decidedly people on. It's not to teach people how to reason things out and figure things out for themselves. We are the disciple people and teach them the things of Christ.

God's goal is the perseverance of an overcoming church until the end of the church age And he said I am with you but you've got to be disciple. You've gotta walk rightly with me But I'm not going anywhere.

All power that you're gonna need is right here. All authority that you need is right here. You just need to abide in me. Walk with me, be with me. How do you know if your disciple, I was gonna ask you one question Because that's all it takes.

One question. Do you spend time alone with the Lord? That's what disciples do. It's what sets them apart from somebody that just goes to church. So are you disciple today? Because that's his goal free.

If it wasn't, then he wouldn't have said This is one of the last things he said to the founding fathers of the church. Make disciples don't just make converts. Just don't make church members make disciples This morning.

I want assure you of something. The disciple making ministries are about to become a stronger part of Bolivia Baptist Church. This past week, I've already been writing materials for those who are really young in the faith rather than buying them.

I'm right. Him and Taylor making them to the people. I know that I'll be teaching and speaking with howto have a quiet time. How to pray, how to get in the word of God howto listen to the Holy Spirit how to bring all of that together to make Christ like decisions with your life, how to obey God rather than questioning God all the time.

It's okay to question God, but too often God says to do something. We sit back, we come with all these questions. What about this? And what about that? And what about this? Sometimes God just want you to say yes.

That's what Abraham did. What? No one did build a boat? Yes. God, I'll be about So we have a new classes for those who are new to the faith and gone through our pre membership course and and they're being developed and developing those that they can have a deeper walk with God.

I'm gonna start working on classes for a long time, Christians. It will go deeper into the word help instruct. Inform asses to howto let the life of Christ be seen in and through us. And Mike and I have sat down.

We've talked about that and it's our goal to have a couple of classes a year. Him doing one at one time of the year may doing wanted another time of the year. It might be a six week contained course. It might not be a study of the Book of the Bible.

I don't know what we're gonna do exactly, but we have both committed ourselves to Maur time teaching here in Bolivia, Baptist Church and evangelism training is also gonna be a part of that. Because if we're not reproducing, then we're being disobedient and it's time we start reproducing and bring other people of Christ.

All of these things were meant to ensure that we are people who pass on the good news of Jesus Christ, who have a deep enough walk with Christ that other people notice and want to see why we are how we are.

Want to know all of the house, got questions for us, and then we'll have answers for them. Once equipped, it's my prayer that will rely upon the Holy Spirit to give us the boldness to pass on what we know so that others may know.

Hey, man, cause that's what we're here for. We're not here to pass time, and it's time not to pass the buck anymore. All right, it's And that's includes May. Third thing we pass on is our abilities. We passed on our abilities.

This is gonna be in first. Timothy. Six. Just keep going through the New Testament to first Timothy six. If you're not sure where it's at its right before second Timothy, that was supposed to make you chuckle.

Some of you smile. That's okay. First, Timothy six. Every one of you in here who has accepted Jesus Christ as your lord and savior have a spiritual gift. Every one of you, the Bible tells us he gives at least one.

Everybody distributes it according to the will of the Holy Spirit. We all have talents. We all have abilities that God has given us to build up and edify the church right. When we use those abilities to do good when we share those abilities, then in a way as I'm gonna share, we pass them on.

Starting for 17 of first Timothy six. It struck those who are rich in this present world not to be conceded or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches. Don't say anything wrong with heaven. Well, I think I will talk about that Sunday school this morning.

Correct? Doesn't mean anything wrong with it. It just means that should not be what you've got your heart fixed on, but on God who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. The first thing we were to pass on here, in our abilities is our ability to see and know and walk with God as we talked about the world around us doesn't see God.

And when they hear of him, they want to drown it out. I don't know what here. No, no, no, no, no. You can't have a football coach. Pray. I mean, goodness gracious, you know. No, no, no, no, no. Don't hear that.

I got to get them a safe, safe space have been triggered by the name of Jesus. Oh, my goodness. They need to hear where they want to hear it or not. They were to pass it on, and And what we pass on is our ability to listen When you share with somebody, appraise, say Well, I just Thank God for that.

You're with somebody and I saw I can't remember if it was Thursday. It might've been Thursday was beautiful sunrise I've seen in a long time. I mean, it was miles of red sky from one side to the other, coming over the cloud coming over the trees.

If you're with somebody that's lost, you know how you pass on your ability because you're looking at that. You're seeing God. They're not. You have the ability to see. Got it because you have the Holy Spirit inside you saying That's a That's a wondrous piece of artwork by God, and you tell them that you pass on your ability to see God at work.

You pass on your ability to know him and to walk with him. But then there's something else. Verse 18. Instruct them to do good to be rich and good works to be generous and ready to share C were to pass on the virtue of doing good to others, pass on the evidence of our good works in the form of change, lives and circumstances.

Some of you in here recently helped with some of the work at Debbie's house construction work. Some of you have that gift you have that ability, and when you help someone with the project in their home, you have just left behind evidence of your ability and your Christ like heart.

And when people come into her home, you know what she's gonna tell him. People, my church, Help me with this. People who love Jesus help me with this. You see what that does when we pass on our abilities when we're Jenner's with our time and our gifts do the things that Lourdes equipped us to do.

It puts his name out there and just one other type of way verse 19 storing up for yourselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future so that they may take hold of that, which is life indeed. Pass it on because it's the way to true life.

It's the way people's attention we get their attention to help them see God. Now I know we're all busy with their own lives, and when you think about it, that's probably the root of most of our problems.

Is it? We're busy with our lives. The fact that we're trying to separate our lives from our life and Christ means where what I said a while ago were double minded and unstable in all our ways. God, it's something we acknowledge.

Church, maybe. God, it's something knowledge over meal. Maybe before we go to bed, sometimes other times with the rest of time. He's far from our minds. That could be the way it is. We need to live one life, the prioritizes, the things of Christ and does his work his way.

Even we were at work at home, wherever we might be. I know that our business makes us tired unless willing to do good works. I know that I know that because I'm starting to get a little older myself, and I'm starting to feel that.

And I understand Paul knew that, too. He knew it, and that could be tiring and even frustrating. Trying to help so many people who needs so much, I mean, is a pastor, you know, I see it. It's like I feel like there's so many people that need help and we can't help them all.

And it's tempting to just withdrawn help Nobody. I think about it. Sometimes you feel that way. How could I possibly choose between this and that and this and that with my time, it's hard to make that choice.

Well, it all comes back to the Holy Spirit. Let him make the choice. I'll have to make it. He makes it. But in Galatians 69 through 10 Paul says Theis onscreen, let us not lose heart and doing good for in due time we will reap.

If we do not grow weary, let me just stop there. How do we not grow weary by fighting in him? What is impossible with men is possible with God. Even when you're at your most tired, he is there, he said.

I'm with you all the way to the end of the age, right? He's got the strength we need. So then, while we have opportunity, let's do good to all people, especially those who are the household of faith. He also says in Titus 3 14 Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs so they will not be unfruitful.

We also found these words in Hebrews 13 16. Just listen to these do not neglect doing good and sharing for with such sacrifices, God is pleased. Pass on your abilities. There was a man. He was a captain in the Salvation Army.

His last name was Shaw, and he got sent to India and they were taking over a leper colony there. And so he was there to take care of. He was a medical missionary, and he was there to take care of medical issues there in this leper colony, and they brought him three men who needed some attention, and they were shackled at their feet and shackled at their wrists with chains because they were criminals.

Captain Shaw said, I want you to turn him loose, and the guard said, No, no, no. These guys are dangerous criminal side that they're lepers, he said. I will be responsible for them. So they turn him loose, turn them loose, and he treated their wrists and treated their ankles, dress their wounds.

A couple of weeks later, Captain Shaw had to go away, make an overnight trip, and he was a little nervous about leaving his wife and child alone. And he thought about what that guards the guards had said about these guys being dangerous criminals.

But he knew that God had put him there for this purpose and So he left and he left his wife and child behind because l Christ comes first. The next morning, his wife got up and looked out the front door, and these three men were laying on the front porch and one of them got up and said to her, We know he went away.

We have been here all night to protect you. You see, because Captain Shaw passed on his abilities, they did what they could do. It taught them to pass on theirs, to do good instead of to do the evil that they had done with their lives.

When we pass on our abilities, we leave behind the evidence of Christ on those whose lives we touch. And they may be transformed to do the same saying It's time for the people of God. That's us. Stop passing the book and stop just passing time before we pass away.

We must pass on the legacy of Christ by sharing the gospel of Christ and using our abilities to reveal the goodness of Christ. Church is not our country club to enjoy it is our ministry to pass on. Amen.

If our hearts are right, then we will allow him to transform us from self centered church self centered lives. Let's be honest looking in the mirror too. All right. To an outward ministry that honors his name.

What he did on the cross for all people, not just Father. We come to you this morning thankful that we have been saved. We have been born again that we have been converted and that in you we have a legacy that can be passed on God, if we're here today and we could honestly answer the question.

No, I'm not having time alone with you, and I never have. So therefore, I must not be a disciple If we could honestly answer that The God, the classes we talked about this morning's for that person. And so I pray that you would bring each one that's in that situation under conviction, to want to, with their time toward growing in you and developing those things in their life that will honor you.

God, we thank you for our salvation. We thank you for telling us and making it very clear to us that it was not just something to keep to ourselves. God forgive us when we do thank you for the gifts and abilities.

You've given us guidance to places and situations that we could use them and give you the glory and doing so so other people can come to know you. As a result of the gifts you've given us, Lord May the mantra of our lives.

B I pass. I pass on that which has been passed on to me. Meg known that which has been made known to me God plant this deep in our hearts that it might grow and they're free. You, Lord, might be lifted up in glorified in all things innocent through its we pray in Jesus name.

Amen. Be ignite that into the bonfire that he's always meant it to be.