THINGS PASSED ON TO THE NEXT GENERATION
J. Speirs
Joshua 4: 4–8; Psalm 48: 8, 12–14
We are glad to see so many here this evening, the young ones and the older ones. What a range of ages there is here tonight—I suppose about eighty years between the youngest and the oldest. We are all part of a generation. As boys or girls, quite young, perhaps at school; or maybe we are in the generation of parents; or grandparents; or maybe great-grandparents; we all are part of a generation. I was impressed, further to what has been said about respect and about the need to bind on humility, that there is something that is to be passed on from one generation to the next. We are all recipients of great blessing, we have been brought into so many good things, so many good things have been given to us. But that means also that we have a great deal of responsibility, because whatever we have been given from God is not just ours to keep for ourselves, it is to be passed on so as to be treasured and valued by the generations that are following.
The good things I refer to are not the natural things of this world that will be left behind when we leave this scene. These are spiritual things, things concerning Jesus. Perhaps you will remember something that has been said tonight about Jesus and it will have an effect on you, it may have made you think more about Him. That is one of the precious things that God desires will stay with you, and perhaps you will learn more about it as you pray and rely on the Spirit. Then you may be able to pass it on one day to the next generation. What a wonderful treasure has been left to us. I think of those who are older here—perhaps you are the oldest here. There is always someone who has to be the oldest. What have they got? It must include things that were passed on to them from a previous generation, things they have valued and treasured, and that they are now passing on to us. How much are we valuing it?
These people in Joshua 4 had a real experience. They went into the midst of Jordan. We have been taught that the Jordan speaks typically of the place where Christ went into death and completely overcame its power. Jordan was a powerful river, but it fled when the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water, speaking typically of the Lord Jesus going into death. What a wonderful way has been opened up so that we can come into blessing. The children of Israel had already passed through the Red Sea, also speaking of Christ’s death for the people, so that they should escape from the Egyptians following them.
But at the Jordan there is blessing opening up so that the people could go into the land. The Lord Jesus went into death to make that possible. It says “lift up each of you a stone and put it upon his shoulder”. It had to be carried individually, it was not something that happened automatically, there was effort involved. If we are going to receive impressions and be able to pass them on there is going to be effort involved. It is not natural effort—some persons may have good natural minds—but what we need is a spiritual mind and a humble mind, as we have been encouraged to see tonight already. So let us be exercised to be occupied with the things of Christ and realise that He has gone into death, typified here in the Jordan, so that this way of blessing may be opened up to us.
Then it says, “when your children ask hereafter, saying, What mean ye by these stones?” It appears that it was almost certain that there were going to be questions. It is a test to me now that there is a generation coming on after me. When a young person asks a question, how can I answer it? We so appreciate the generation ahead of us who have answered our questions.
But I appeal to those of a similar age to myself and perhaps a little younger or older, to appreciate that one day, if we are left here, there is not going to be a generation ahead of us. What are we going to be able to say if someone asks a question? What are we going to be able to impart that we have received from Christ? If we are left here, that will be a test to us.
And too, I appeal to the children to ask questions. Although there is a responsibility on older ones who might be asked a question, it is also good for the younger ones to ask questions because that is how we learn. It always affects me that the Lord Jesus asked questions. You might think that as the perfect Man He did not need to ask questions. But He learned in a way that was perfect and suitable and appropriate to each stage of His life. Let us not hesitate to ask questions. But let us ask them with a desire to learn, and let us ask them also in a right spirit. I feel the test of this myself.
The answer that was to be given was—“That the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of Jehovah; when it went through the Jordan”. Let us be ready to tell the younger ones about the fact that Jesus has gone into death and has gone through. He has completely overcome its power and there is so much available to you on the other side of death. Not only have your sins been forgiven but there is so much for your enjoyment and for your spiritual blessing on the other side of death.
I read in Psalm 48 because there I think we see certain things—“As we have heard, so have we seen”. We can look around the older brethren and we can certainly say this—“As we have heard, so have we seen”. Not only have we heard persons speaking about spiritual things, but we have seen something in them. That is a test to me—what is there in me that others younger than me can see and be attracted to? Is there something to make them want to find out more about Christ for themselves, more about what the older persons are enjoying? How much do you desire to go in for it? We may have heard wonderful things but if they are to continue we must first make them our own. We have not to be selfish, we are to pass things on. And it is not a matter of simply passing things on that we have heard or taken on mentally, because that will not have much effect, it must be something that has come as a result of deep exercise and contemplation, so it becomes part of us and then we can impart it.
It says, “Walk about Zion”. Think of God’s wonderful sovereign plans and wonderful mercy.
Think of what God has chosen. Think of the wonderful truth of the assembly. How much do we appreciate that? How much have we walked about Zion? Have we gone round about her, and counted the towers thereof? Have we understood and appreciated the principles that are there? We are to have a complete appreciation of what is there in the assembly, not just one aspect of it, or one aspect of the truth. We are intended to have a complete appreciation of what God has purposed for us. “Mark ye well her bulwarks” would mean having an appreciation of what is holding things for God now. These things have been said before but let us appreciate households too.
We rejoiced in a household baptism recently, and we know that households are going to hold what is for God’s pleasure until the Lord comes. So let us value our households, and let those of us who are heads of households be responsible for what is in our houses and what is said in our houses. Let us encourage questions in
our houses too, and seek by the Spirit to be able to answer them—not by natural means—“that ye may tell it to the generation following”. I feel tested and measured by these things, but let us have a greater appreciation of what the generation ahead of us has handed down, and then let us also be conscious of the responsibility to pass on spiritual impressions, impressions of Christ, things that are worth passing on, to the generation that is following.
And those of us of a younger generation, let us be ready to ask questions and receive things that we might enjoy them for ourselves. May it be so, for His name’s sake.
Word in meeting for ministry, Grangemouth
25 July 2006