This document summarizes a sermon given at First Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi on June 11, 2017. The sermon discusses teaching the next generation about God based on passages from Psalms 78 and other Old and New Testament verses. It notes that Psalms 78 instructs passing down God's deeds and mercy to future generations through storytelling. The sermon also examines whether Southern Baptists have effectively taught the next generation about God based on metrics like baptism rates, church attendance, and membership that have declined in recent decades from their peaks in the 1970s.

1. Psalm 78:1-8; 32; 38-39; 72
The Past
“Tell The Coming Generation”
June 11, 2017
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA

2. What’s the number one thing?
https://www.allenschool.edu/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/number-1.jpg

3. The Glory of God!
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4. 1 Corinthians 10:31
31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do
it all to the glory of God.

5. June Memory Verse
John 15:7
7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask
whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

6. Why study the Old Testament and History?
Romans 15:4
4 For whatever was written in former days was written
for our instruction, that through endurance and
through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might
have hope.

7. References
• The ESV Study Bible, (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Publishing,
2011).
• Unless otherwise stated, scriptures are quoted from the ESV.
• Allen, Jason K, The SBC and the 21st Century (Nashville, TN,
B & H Academic (2016).
• Morgan, Robert J. 100 Bible Verses (B & H Publishing,
Nashville, TN) 2010.
• Durant, Will and Ariel, The Lessons of History (Simon &
Shuster, New York)1968.

8. Goals of Lesson Today
•How do you teach children the lessons of God’s
provisions according to Psalm 78?
•What are the important elements of a relationship
with God?
•How are Southern Baptists doing with the instructions
given in Psalm 78?

9. Introduction to Psalm 78
•Considered a “historical psalm” because it tells events
of Israel’s exodus out of Egypt.
•Written during the time of Hosea in the final days of
the northern kingdom (8th Century B.C).
•King David’s reign was during 10th Century BC.
•Written to encourage the passing down to the next
generation the deeds of God and his mercy.

10. Psalm 78 “A Maskil of Asaph”
•Maskil – Hebrew word for “instructions for godliness”
or a “contemplation”.
• 12 of the Psalms are titled as a Maskil.
•Asaph – leader of one of David’s Levitical choirs from
Tribe of Levi.
• Descendants of Asaph wrote the later Psalms.

11. Psalm 78:1-3
1 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
2 I will open my mouth in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings from of old,
3 things that we have heard and known,
that our fathers have told us.

12. “Parables and dark sayings (riddles, obscure
sayings)”
•Tools of wisdom teachers that require imagination to
unlock their meanings.
•Stories with everyday elements that are used to
illustrate a spiritual truth.
•Jesus taught in parables – 30 recorded in the 3
Synoptic Gospels (common view).
•Jesus explained the meaning of some parables.

13. Psalm 78:4
4 We will not hide them from their children,
but tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
and the wonders that he has done.

14. Psalm 78:5-6
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,

15. Psalm 78:7-8
7 so that they should set their hope in God
and not forget the works of God,
but keep his commandments;
8 and that they should not be like their fathers,
a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation whose heart was not steadfast,
whose spirit was not faithful to God.

16. How do you teach children?
•Incline your ears.
•Teach in parables.
•Tell the whole story.
•Involve the grandparents and older leaders.

17. What do you teach the children about God?
Psalm 78:7a&b
7a&b so that they should set their hope in God
and not forget the works of God,
• Children need to be taught about faith.
• How do you teach children to have faith?
• Psalm 78 indicates that it begins by remembering and
teaching what God has done us.

18. New Testament Approach to Faith
Galatians 2:20
20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who
live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in
the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me
and gave himself for me.
• The relinquished life = crucified with Christ.
• The exchanged life = Christ lives in me.
• The trusting life = I live by faith.

19. What do you teach the children about God?
Psalm 78:7b&c
7b&c and not forget the works of God,
but keep his commandments;
• Children need to be taught about obedience to God.
• How do you teach obedience?
• Does it begin in the home?
• Does this begin with teaching children to obey their parents
and respect authority?

20. Getting on my Soapbox

21. Dr. John Rosemond – Parenting by Psychology:
A Slow Train Wreck
•The paradigm shift from “authoritative parenting” to
“friendly parenting”.
•Parents are trying to be their “child’s friend” and
negotiate the child to be happy.
•Focus is on the child’s happiness and not on teaching
respect and responsibility.

22. John Rosemond on teaching self-esteem to
children (Not All Agree!!!!)
•Self-esteem = Subjective emotional evaluation of
one’s own self-worth.
•The higher regard for self, the lower regard for others.
•People tested who have very high self-esteem are
usually incarcerated because they believe they have
rights or are entitled to other’s possessions.

23. Deuteronomy 6 - teaching children about God.
Deuteronomy 6:4-6
4 "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these
words that I command you today shall be on your
heart.

24. Deuteronomy 6 - teaching children about God.
Deuteronomy 6:7-9
7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and
shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and
when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and
when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your
hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house
and on your gates.

25. The encouragement in Proverbs 22.
Proverbs 22:6
6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when
he is old he will not depart from it.

26. Summary of Psalm 78:9-31
•God brought you out of Egypt and slavery.
•You witnessed many miracles, but you still doubted
God.
•You sinned even more as you wondered in the
wilderness.
•God is still merciful to you.

27. Psalm 78:32
32 In spite of all this, they still sinned;
despite his wonders, they did not believe.

28. Psalm 78:38-39
38 Yet he, being compassionate,
atoned for their iniquity
and did not destroy them;
he restrained his anger often
and did not stir up all his wrath.
39 He remembered that they were but flesh,
a wind that passes and comes not again.

29. Psalm 78:72
72 With upright heart he shepherded them
and guided them with his skillful hand.

30. Psalm 103:17-18
17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from
everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children's children,
18 to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.

31. Are we effectively teaching the next
generation about God?

32. What has been the unifying theme of
Southern Baptists since 1845?
Matthew 28:19-20
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have
commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the
end of the age.”
• Fulfilling the Great Commission.
• SBC membership in 2016 was 15.2 Million people.

33. Is there a correlation to acceptance of liberal
theology and denominational decline?
•Dean Kelly (Sociology of Religion).
•“If a church does not believe in the full truthfulness of
Scripture, the exclusivity of the Gospel and the
realities of heaven and hell, it feels no urgency to
evangelize.”
•Denominational decline always follows doctrinal
decline.

34. Thom Rainer – CEO of Lifeway Christian
Resources
•In 1845 there were 4,126 SBC Churches.
•Reported 23,222 baptisms.
•Ratio of one baptism per year for every 15 members.

35. The Silent Era for New Churches 1920-1950
• In 1920 there were 27,444 SBC Churches.
• In 1949 there were 27,285 SCB Churches.
• No growth in number of churches (-159).
• However, baptisms increased 93%.
• Church membership increased 114%.
• Resources depleted after WWI (1914-1918), Great
Depression (1929-1939), WWII (1939-1945).

36. Baptisms as a Measure of Growth
•1950 SBC had one baptism for every 18 members.
•2014 SBC had one baptism for every 51 members.
•2016 SBC had one baptism for every 54 members.

37. Baptisms as a Measure of Growth
•1972 SBC had a total of 445,725 baptisms.
•2014 SBC had a total of 305,301 baptisms.
•2016 SBC had a total of 280,773 baptisms.

38. Thom Rainer – Reasons for Decline in Baptisms
1. Decline in “cultural baptisms” – join the church for
social and political reasons.
2. Greater economic affluence – less dependence on God.
3. Failure of programmatic evangelism – Programs
targeting evangelism have not been successful.
4. Busyness of churches – Focus on other programs.

39. Thom Rainer – Reasons for Decline in Baptisms
5. Busyness of church members – priorities of life.
6. Unbiblical concepts of church membership – what
have you done for me lately?
7. Dissension and conflict – disunity in churches.
8. Prayer deficits – Church members not praying for
the lost.

40. Baptists believe in “Regenerate Church
Membership”
•Every member makes a clear profession of faith.
•Baptism by immersion.
•Church discipline for restoration of members.

41. Baptists believe in “Regenerate Church
Membership”
• Personal commitment to regularly attend Sunday
School, Worship Service and support the church
financially.
•A congregation of believers who live under the
“Lordship of Christ”.

42. Sunday School Attendance
•1920 to 1950 Sunday School attendance grew from 1
million to 7 million.
•Sunday School attendance lost its influence around
1970.
•1972 – 2016 average attendance has remained around
3.6 million to 4.1 million.

43. The Influence of Affluence
•Sociologically, religions tend to weaken as wealth
increases among its adherents.
•However, the average amount given per member has
more than doubled from 1968 to 2014.
•The level of giving per member has been flat for the
last 10 years after adjusting for inflation.

44. Reference

45. Lessons from History – Will and Ariel Durant
•Puritanism and paganism alternate in mutual reaction
in history.
•Religion prevails in periods when the laws are feeble
and morals must bear the burden of maintaining
social order.
•Paganism progresses as the power of government
permits the decline of the church, family and morality.

46. Thom Rainer – Where do we go from here?
•The SBC has 50,000 churches and missions.
•We do not need an improved denomination.
•We need healthier churches.
•How do we accomplish that reality?

47. Four Characteristics of Healthy Churches
1. A strong biblical foundation – believe in the inerrancy
and infallibility of the Scriptures.
2. Intentional in evangelism – sharing the gospel.
3. Getting members in to small groups – Sunday School.
4. Vibrantly intentional about prayer – pray for everyone,
even those we don’t like.

48. Six marks of “Great Commission Baptists”
1. Keeping focused on the most important things amid
many good things.
2. An awareness that introducing the nations to Jesus is
an act of worship to God.
3. Being Christ centered and boasting only in Him.

49. Six marks of “Great Commission Baptists”
4. Never losing sight of the centrality and nature of the
gospel.
5. Being consumed with the gospel reaching those who
have never heard the name of Jesus.
6. Each person does his or her part to see the mission
completed.
• Charles Spurgeon said, “Every Christian is either a
missionary or an imposter.”

50. Prayer Request
•Southern Baptist Convention meets June 13-14, 2017
in Phoenix.

51. Prayer for the Church
Romans 15:5-7
5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant
you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord
with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one
voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ. 7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has
welcomed you, for the glory of God.

52. Next Sunday
Psalm 23
“The Shepherd”
Dr. Bill Boteler
June 18, 2017
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA

53. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
John 3:16
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that
whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal
life.”
John 14:6
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.”

54. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
Romans 3:23
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23a
23a For the wages of sin is death,
• Death in this life (the first death) is 100%.
• Even Jesus, the only one who doesn’t deserve death, died in this life
to pay the penalty for our sins.
• The death referred to in Romans 6:23a is the second death
explained in Revelation 21:8.

55. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
Revelation 21:8
8 “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for
murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars,
their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur,
which is the second death.”
Romans 5:8
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.

56. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
Romans 6:23b
23b but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Revelation 21:7
7 “The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his
God and he will be my son.”
• Romans 10:9-10 explains to us how to be conquers.

57. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
Romans 10:9-10
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is
justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Romans 10:13
13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be
saved.”

58. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
If you have questions or would like to know more, Please,
contact First Baptist Church Jackson at 601-949-1900 or
http://firstbaptistjackson.org/contact/