LOSING A GENERATION
BIBLE PASSAGE: PROVERBS 30:11-14
NOVEMBER 17, 2019
MEMORY VERSE
Train up a child
in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
INTRODUCTION:
If you were asked what
kind of generation your family would want to be, what would be your answer? Is
it a righteous generation or a wicked generation of family? Of course, all of
us would answer, a righteous generation of family but though we like that kind
of generation some of us or most of us would do nothing to achieve that desire
in our family.
If we just read and watch news on television,
we’ll see murders, blasphemers, idolatry at many more and this would be the
next generation. Recently, we have watched in the news that the Department of
Education put in their list the possibility to add GMRC subject in High Schools
and why they think of this? Is it because they want to impart the good morals
and attitude in high school students? We know for sure that this subject is not
enough to inculcate changes in students; they need Christ.
Today's proverb is a four-verse description of the hateful, wicked
man. The way this passage refers to, is with the phrase “There is a
generation”. When you have a generation of people who are like this - you
have a very difficult time coming upon the earth. It is an interesting
list of things that make for a wicked generation. Let us look at these and see
what generation describes in these verses and also helps us realize how we can
lose a generation if we are not careful.
LESSON OUTLINE:
1. CHILDREN DISHONOR THEIR PARENTS
(PRO.30:11)
“There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth
not bless their mother.”
Verse 11 describes the
first godless characteristic - which is having graceless, ungrateful children
who dishonor their parents. This generation curses their fathers and does
not bless their mothers. They disobey the one commandment with a promise
- Honor your father and mother (Ephesians 6:2). The bedrock of any
generation is their ability to learn from their parents. When the
family goes wrong there will be a basic disfunction and rebellion that
will pervade the entire structure of the society. The basic unit for
passing on wisdom is the family. Proverbs makes it clear again and again
in the first 9 chapters of this book that it is through a father and mother
that wisdom flows to the next generation. So, when they have basic disregard
for their parents that wisdom is lost to an entire generation. We watched
this in the late 1950's and 60's as almost an entire generation cast off the
morals and the wisdom of their parents and decided to start their own
revolution. They decided that theirs would be a generation of love and
peace. They tuned out on drugs, turned their ears from hearing and
honoring their parents, and did whatever they wanted. It was a disastrous
generation - and those who embraced this kind of lifestyle and living continue
to wreak chaos on society today.
You must obey and honor your parents, regardless of age (Pr 23:22), “Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not
thy mother when she is old”. Honor is broader than obedience, and it means treating them
with reverent care. Since they took care of you when you were helpless, you owe
the same to them in old age (I Tim 5:4). Do you treat your parents
totally different than the evil generation described?
You must also teach this wisdom to your children and enforce their obedience,
lest they destroy your peace and bring God’s curse on their dysfunctional lives
(Pr 13:24; 19:18; 22:6,15; 23:13-14; 29:15). God gave them to you totally
ignorant and morally depraved, and it is your duty to conform their will to
submit to His ordained authority. If you neglect this duty, you hate your
children and yourself (Pr 3:12; 10:1; 13:24; 17:21,25) http://www.letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/commentaries/30_11.php
A son took
his old father to a restaurant for an evening dinner. Father being very
old and weak, while eating, dropped food on his shirt and trousers. Other
diners watched him in disgust while his son was calm.
After he
finished eating, his son who was not at all embarrassed, quietly took him to
the washroom, wiped the food particles, removed the stains, combed his hair and
fitted his spectacles firmly. When they came out, the entire restaurant
was watching them in dead silence, not able to grasp how someone could
embarrass themselves publicly like that. The son settled the bill and
started walking out with his father.
At that time,
an old man amongst the diners called out to the son and asked him, “Don’t you
think you have left something behind?”.
The son replied, “No sir, I haven’t”.
The old man
retorted, “Yes, you have! You left a lesson for every son and hope for
every father”.
The restaurant went silent.
To care for those who once cared
for us is one of the highest honors. We all know, how our parents cared
for us for every little thing. Love them, respect them, and care for
them.
https://www.moralstories.org/evening-dinner-father/
2. CHILDREN OR GENERATION WHO ARE BLIND
TO THE TRUTH (PROVERBS 30:12)
“There is a generation that are pure in their own
eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.”
The second godless
characteristic of this generation is that they are pure in their own
eyes. The Bible considered this particular sin one that is very
damaging. Those who consider themselves pure in their own eyes are blind
to the truth that they are fallen and sinful. They will justify
themselves no matter who disgusting and disobedient their behavior becomes. It is as if they are
deaf to anything God says - and decide that whatever their flesh wants is true
and good. Those who fall into this trap will find themselves hopelessly
bound in their sin and wickedness - and will only be delivered by the sovereign
goodness of God as He draws them and illumines them to truth that is outside of
themselves. The Word tells us that even though they are pure in their own
eyes, they are still unwashed from their filthiness. Just because we
decide we are going to redefine sin in our own minds does not mean that we are
not guilty of it in God's sight. No matter how many times the world tries
to redefine sin, God's Word stands as ultimate and absolute truth. When
the wicked disobey God's Word - and decide that their own thinking is what
defines pure - they still wind up standing before God as sinners. But the
world in which they live is upside down - and as such it is a difficult place
for believers and those who desire to lead holy lives to live.
There are so many things blind people in this world
especially the family. After so many sermons we have heard from the past years
from our pastor, we see that the ultimate goal of the enemy is to destroy the
family. Parents nowadays, see that the foundation of a strong family is
knowledge of this world. We see new couples reading books on how family sticks
together, and they think money is the key to make things successful. There are
lot of parents think more on their kids on to get a higher education without
thinking the spiritual nourishment of their child. Sometimes this desire makes
them compromise; it’s okay for them to see their child not involving in church
activities as long as their child studies well. Parents should be aware that
there’s possibility in the future that their children would take control of all
the decisions and they could no longer intervene. Some parents would answer, “My children will
not come to that point because I have raised them good” but let’s accept the
fact that no matter how good our children are, they are still possibility that
they are out of God’s will. The Bible says, “Except the Lord build the house, they
labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the
watchman waketh but in vain” (Psalms 127:1). The
Lord Jesus Christ should be the foundation because if you allow the Lord to
build the house, things will follow in the family; their obedience to parents
is not asked, they’ll do it in their own will.
As a man was
passing the elephants, he suddenly stopped, confused by the fact that these
huge creatures were being held by only a small rope tied to their front leg. No
chains, no cages. It was obvious that the elephants could, at any time can
break away from their bonds but for some reason, they did not.
He saw a
trainer nearby and asked why these animals just stood there and made no attempt
to get away. “Well,” trainer said, “when they are very young and much smaller,
we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it’s enough to hold
them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away.
They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free.”
The man was
amazed. These animals could at any time break free from their bonds but because
they believed they couldn’t, they were stuck right where they were.
Trainers are
like parents who train their kids. The parents are responsible for the beliefs
they inculcate to the minds of their children.
Like the
elephants, how many of us go through life hanging onto a belief that we cannot
get out of the bond of sin. GOD IS THE KEY; HE CAN DO ALL THINGS.
3. CHILDREN OR GENERATION WHO ARE
ARROGANT (PROVERBS 30:13)
“There is a generation, O how lofty are their
eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.”
The third evil characteristic is
that they are arrogant. This is described as having "lofty"
eyes. This simply means that they look down upon everyone else.
They consider themselves awesome and wonderful, while everyone else is lower
than them. This makes them arrogant. Arrogance is defined in the
Bible as primarily a sin against God. Psalm 119:21 speaks of the arrogant as
those who wander from God's commandments. They ignore and look down upon
God Himself - and therefore think far higher of themselves and what they want
to do than they do of the commandments of God. Proverbs says this makes
them embrace sin and be careless (Prov 14:16) as well as those who stir up strife (Prov 28:25). An arrogant heart
ultimately disregards God. Such a generation will exalt their own
thinking and reasoning above God's. If anyone tries to instruct them or
correct them - up will go their eyes and eyelids as they look down on the poor
fool who has decided to oppose their perfect wisdom. Problem is the fool
is the one whose eyelids are lifted in arrogance against God and against those
who walk in His wisdom.
Sometimes arrogance is caused by our
achievements but let’s remember that your achievements and estate are so
small, no one will remember you two weeks after you are buried (Ps 49:10-13). Low class men are obviously nothing;
upper class men are a lie; combined together they are less than nothing (Ps 62:9). Sometimes we say, “I’m so proud of what I have
done”.
Consider the rich and wise king that wrote most of the book of Proverbs.
Solomon was a very favored child – favored by God and men. He had the genes,
the opportunities, and the successes. He was the son of David (Pr 1:1). But even as king over a very
prosperous nation, he said, “I am but a little child: I know not how to go out
or come in” (I Kgs 3:7).
Are you humble? It is easy to tell. Do you love to be corrected, or would you
rather correct others? Do you commend and praise others easily and often? Are
you anxious to serve, or be served? Do you fully submit without resentment to
those God has put over you? If a woman, do you know you are the weaker vessel
and created to help one man?
Are you thankful for blessings or advantages of another, or are you envious? Do
you truly get excited at another’s success? When others offend you, do you get
angry, or do you quickly forgive them? Do you stay in the background and listen
to others? Are you a better hearer or teacher? Do you listen most and talk
less, or talk most and listen less?
How could pride will not stay in our hearts and in the next generation? Let
God’s word rules and it will start in the family. God has no use for a man or
woman thinking he or she is something. He will bless and help the man with a
poor and contrite spirit, who trembles at His word (Is 66:1-2; 57:15). First, humble yourself before God and obey His
every word. Second, humble yourself before men and serve them. The greatest in
God’s kingdom are servants, not rulers.
4. CHILDREN OR GENERATION WHICH THEIR
MOUTHS ARE OUT OF CONTROL (PROVERBS 30:14)
“There is a
generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour
the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.”
Disregard for parents,
purity in our own eyes, and arrogance will lead to a society where gentility is
gone. The last of these four evil characteristics is that this generation
is one where their mouths are out of control. Their teeth are like swords
- their jaw teeth are like knives - to
devour the needy and afflicted among men. They have no regard for the
poor and needy. They only see them as someone to exploit for their own
ends. There is a complete lack of civility because there was never other
characteristics built into their lives
to encourage it. They do not regard parents - who would have taught them
obedience and selflessness. They do not see anything as sin - because
they justify their own actions - and would even justify treating the afflicted
and needy badly. Finally, they are
arrogant - and view all others as beneath themselves. This makes
it far easier to have little
or no conscience at all as long as they get what they want in the end.
It is the duty of every parent to teach their children to be
merciful, lest they grow into the selfish tyrants condemned here. Since most
let their hair down at home, it is a great place to teach and require
compassion and mercy in all dealings. Sibling rivalries, oppressive parenting,
irreverent responses, and other such relational problems should be corrected
before a monster is formed by a dysfunctional home allowing cruelty of any
sort.
In contrast to these wicked men describe in these verses, you may cast all your
cares upon the God of heaven, for He cares for those who put their trust in Him
(I Pet 5:7). Even if your mother and
father forsake you, which is contrary to nature, then the LORD will take you up
(Ps 27:10). His mercy is everlasting, and
you can trust Him even for forgiveness of heinous sins. Though He has power to
condemn and punish, He will forgive those who confess (I Jn 1:9).
CONCLUSION:
There is a generation
that lives this way. Before you think I am going to refer to a specific
generation - think about what the Bible says about the heart condition of
mankind. This is actually
what happens in every generation of men. It happens because of the fall
of man into sin. It happens because we are in rebellion against
God - and want to do our own thing. The generation of
which Solomon speaks is any generation from the fall to the end of the age. Unless God
intervenes with the gospel and the saving of mankind by His grace - we would
all eventually gravitate in these four directions. These verses teach us
wisdom by helping us to understand where the sinful nature and the flesh
will take us. If anything, these
verses should make us very open to running to God for his grace and His
transformation. Because if we don't - this is most likely what life
will look like. A world filled with a disregard for parents, filth
being called purity, arrogance, and a society
filled with harmful and vicious words. This is a generation to be
avoided at all costs. But the only way out is through the gospel of Jesus
Christ - and the regeneration in Him that changes us from the inside
out.
