The Lost Generation

Judges 2, Deuteronomy 6

  • To really understand Samuel we must endeavor to understand the times in which he lived.
  • Samuel was born into a time in the history of his nation in which confusion reigned.
  • Just before Joshua died, Joshua had warned the people and challenged them to “fear the LORD” and “to serve Him in sincerity and truth” (Joshua 24:14).
  • Even more specifically he had exhorted them with these words: “and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD! (15) And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.”
  • Joshua concluded this very pointed message with a word of personal testimony regarding his own decision: “But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (v. 15b)
  • Though the children of Israel responded very positively to Joshua’s words and personal example they failed to follow through.

Judges 2 6 After Joshua had dismissed the Israelites, they went to take possession of the land, each to their own inheritance. 7 The people served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel. 8 Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten. 9 And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Heres in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. 10 After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. 11 Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. 12 They forsook the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them.

Time after Joshua

  • The good news - served during Joshua
  • The bad news was - after that generation had died out, another generation had come on the scene
  • The phrase describing this generation has to be understood in the sense of not acknowledging him.
  • It was not they were ignorant of God it was that they chose to ignore Him and his word.
  • It is more a case of indifference than one of ignorance.
  • WHY? (ideas?)
  • This generation was changed by the pagan culture that surrounded them, rather than reaching their pagan culture with the truth. (repeat)
  • Perhaps... Joshua’s generation did not pass on the religious heritage to their children.
  • Perhaps...hey did rehearse for their children all that God had done for them, they did not encourage their children to make their faith PERSONAL.
  • In only one generation the children of Israel went from serving and worshipping the one true God to be immersed in the pagan culture around them living lives of open sin.

How do we teach the next generation the importance of PERSONAL faith?

-Put them in their own little church bubble and hope their Sunday school teachers are through?

-Just teach the rules (Thou shalt nots...) and have them memorize the verses...

-There is something in “church talk” that people call the LOST GENERATION...have you heard of this...it’s My generation...the now 30sometings

-If you look back at church history something happened to this generation...and no it’s not about the prayer leaving schools (though maybe that contributed)

-around 50ish years ago Children’s church became a popular thing...studies came out that said children needed to be taught according to their age development, they were pulled out of “church” into a new bubble separate

-now the older generation did not have to be bothered by the noisy children...and theoretically the children were being taught and could be “trained” to go to big church once they hit the right age

-this...became a problem

Deuteronomy 6 4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[a] 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates... 20 In the future, when your son asks you, “What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the Lord our God has commanded you?” 21 tell him: “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 22 Before our eyes the Lord sent signs and wonders—great and terrible—on Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. 23 But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land he promised on oath to our ancestors. 24 The Lord commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the Lord our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. 25 And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.”

Moses’ instructions

  • The generation following Joshua’s has at best has a lukewarmness toward the things of God and perhaps a complete abandonment of the principles that guides the previous generation.
  • Moses was concerned this would happen.
  • He had witnessed the forgetfulness of the people
  • God had rescued them from slavery and they had built an idol
  • God provided food from nothing and they feared the giants in the land that had been promised to them!
  • Because of his concern he gives instructions!
  • He summarized all of the law into one simple sentence... Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength
  • Which could Jesus would restate and add in Love your Neighboor
  • Which Paull would summarize as this...the greatest of there is....LOVE
  • He gave them the true story of God’s salvation
  • He told them WHEN to tell it...
  • Talk about them when you sit at home - so ordinary time at home, sitting to eat or study, or just relax
  • and when you walk along the road – on the way to different places, as they traveled to the market or temple or just to visit a friend
  • when you lie down - last thing at night before sleep
  • and when you get up. - first thing in the morning
  • Moses also emphasized how well they should know it themselves so that their children could catch on
  • Tie them as symbols on your hands - what you DO should be motivated by your love for God
  • and bind them on your foreheads – What you THINK should be motivated by your love for God
  • Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates – your HOME and should be filled with God’s love
  • Why? Because Moses knew that this faith had to be PERSONAL in the great grandparents, grandparents and parents...or the children wouldn’t catch it

The Lost generation

-When children began to go into their own “children’s” bubble the time was filled with lost of fun and games and crafts and entertainment and fun visualized bible stories. For years that’s what they believe CHURCH is...and then they hit 12 and the bubble pops

-now church is listening to someone read from a book, talk for a half hour and sing songs they don’t know...

-So around 25-35ish years ago a generation kinda got lost because when they were asked to join into the “real church” they had to wonder...

-Wasn’t that church before?

-I don’t know these grown-ups

-I don’t know these songs

-I don’t want to just sit here...

-What’s here for me

-And sadly there wasn’t anything there for them, grownups who had gotten used to nice quiet services complained about hearing kids giggle or wiggle...

-Some churches solved this “problem” by creating another bubble on Sunday mornings for youth...maybe kids just needed longer in their bubble...but the bubble popped at 18 and the same problem arose...WHAT’S HERE FOR ME?

Conclusion:

  • Samuel “the Lord hears” was born into a lost generation
  • Israel had not done well in following Moses’ instruction and Joshua’s warning went unheeded
  • So the result was...Joshua’s generation – faithful, next generation – did not model and teach their children themselves, next generation – lost, worshiping idols
  • How could Samuel possibly turn this generation back?
  • How can we? - I have one idea, don’t make bubbles. Intergenerational worship. YOU meet our kids...see their faces
  • And one final thing... maybe your families' children or grandchildren (or great grandchildren) are among that lost generation...here is a word for you from the SPIRIT...

The LOST can be FOUND!