Flannelgraph Faith: Passing It On

2018-08-12
Pastor Jonathan Falwell
Key Verse: Acts 18:5 When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.

Today, we travel through a number of passages in the book of Acts and the letters to Timothy to see the importance of Passing It On. What is it? The mission that God has given to us. It’s not just ours alone, it is for all of us, and it is for all of us to share.

1. Changing Our World Must Include The Next Generation

– Paul understood the only way for us to complete the mission that God has for us is to bring others on board to help

– Paul gave us the great example of allowing others to serve with him, to encourage them in their walk and service

– Acts 16:3-5 Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek. 4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.
2. Trusting The Next Generation
– Acts 17:14 Then immediately the brethren sent Paul away, to go to the sea; but both Silas and Timothy remained there.
– Acts 18:5 When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.

– Including the next generation in our mission must also include trusting them, even if they do things a little bit differently than we do

– As long as they are grounded in the Gospel, in God’s Word, we must trust them to be about the mission

3. Commissioning The Next Generation
– Acts 19:22 So he sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, but he himself stayed in Asia for a time.
– Not only must we trust them when they are by our side, we must send them on

– To let them venture out on their own journeys that God has planned

– Believing that you have the only way to reach people will limit your ability to reach

4. Celebrating The Next Generation
– 2 Timothy 1:1-2 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, 2 To Timothy, a beloved son:

– Recognizing that their victories are just as important as our victories

– Rejoicing with the next generation as they impact the world is the greatest way to raise up the next generations to reach the world

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