Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Loritts: Passing on the Gospel

Crawford Loritts on "Passing on the Torch," using Psalm 78:5-7:
5 He established a testimony in Jacob
and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded our fathers
to teach to their children,
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.
The character of God and the content of Scripture must be poured into our lives. Don't ever get cute; don't ever wander away from it. Therefore Asaph reminded them of God's history in their lives.

1. a passion (for the character of God and the content of Scripture)
2. a process (looking to future generations, realizing it ain't about you)
3. a product. There are three outcomes ever succeeding generation needs:

(1) It will give them a sense of confidence, so that they will be "set their hope in God." (It's all about him, what he's doing).

(2) It will give them a sense of history. There's an absence today of strong leadership, lack of passion, lack of certainty--because the stories of God's faithfulness are missing.

(3) It will give them a will to obey, to "keep his commandments." We need not only theological accuracy, but also biblical transformation. The point of good theology is to give people a right vision of God.

  • What signature are you writing on the souls of future generations?
  • What's in your hands?
  • Is there a clear pathway that can be seen in how you approach ministry back to the character of God and the content of Scripture?
  • How are you thinking about what God has entrusted to you.