2nd Generation Christianity

 

Judges 2:10–12 

10 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.

11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:

12 And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.

The Israelites in the chapter above are the second generation in the promised land. These people had not been through Egypt and the trying wilderness. They had not been through all the hardships of the generation before.

These were the second-generation Christians. And sadly they fell to worshipping other gods. In the same way, second-generation Christians can fall to sin as well. Those that have lived all of their lives under the church and God's word. They, if not careful, can make the exact failures of those in Judges 2. Today I will be talking about the failures of second-generation Christians.

1. They never made the Lord theirs.

"which knew not the LORD,"

This second generation failed in making God personal. They failed in knowing who God was. And the key problem for these second-generation Israelites is in verse 12: They referred to God as the God of our fathers.

If the second-generation Christian wants to make it for Christ, you have to change it from being the God of my parents or my church to being my God.

Being raised in church is not enough. Having Godly parents is not enough. Serving in church is not enough. There has to be a moment in your life where God becomes yours—where Jesus is truly the dearest friend you ever had. Where the doctrines and standards of your family become yours. Where you know the Lord. As the song says, “He is mine.” Have you made the Lord yours?

2. Didn't know their heritage.

"Nor yet the works which he had done for Israel."

This failure can also be stated for the first generation of Israelites. These second-generation Christians did not know the wonderful things the Lord had done for them. They did not know of the miracles of God providing in the wilderness nor God's great power over Egypt to deliver them from cruel slavery. They didn't know. And because of this, God's delivering power and wonderful blessings seemed distant.

In the same way, second-generation Christians sometimes do not know the wonderful blessings that God gave the first-generation Christians.

Some do not truly understand the cost that it took for them to be raised in a Christian home. They don't know how cruel sin was and what the harsh effects of sin were because they escaped it by being raised a Christian. When the works of God are not intentionally passed down, testified, and lived out, the second generation's view of God becomes shallow.

They did not know all God had done for them in the past and, as a result, made the failure in point 3.

3. Took for granted God's blessings.

And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD and served Baalim:

The next critical failure of these second-generation Christians was that they took for granted God's blessings. If you think about it, second-generation Christians have truly been blessed by God. They are raised under God's word and church and so many godly people around them. God spared them from a life of sin and ruin. God let them be born in a family of Christians so they can further carry the torch of Jesus. 

But sadly, many take all that God has done for them and throw it out the window. They turn their back on God and live for themselves, a vain pursuit.

But leaving Christianity when you become an adult isn't the only way you can take for granted God.

A. Not thanking the Lord for all he has done for you.

B. Not concerned with building a relationship with Jesus.

C. Become uninterested in winning lost souls because you have better things to do.

D. Come to church out of habit and not desire.

E. You treat church as an event on the calendar and not a sacred time to meet with God.

F. You refuse to let the preaching affect you like it should.

G. You love your own personal desires more than Godly things.

These are all examples of taking God for granted. Never let it be said that the second-generation Christians who are so blessed by God are the ones that are the most ungrateful in their thoughts and actions.

4. God wasn't enough.

"of the gods of the people that were round about them,"

These people lastly made the failure of following the gods that were around them.

It didn't matter to them all God had done for them; at the end of the day, God wasn't enough for their carnal souls.

In the same way, we can become dissatisfied with God. How would one know when that happens?

When whatever is around you becomes more important than God.

In Judges 2, the false gods became more important.

In our day, it may be sin.

It may be that God was never enough and we, too, carnally make a god of sin, letting it shape our lives.

It could be that social media becomes more time-consuming than our time with God.

It could be sports that tries to take all of our time.

It could be a job that tempts you to skip your time with God for sleep.

Is there anything in your life where something around you takes more priority than God?

Today, let's strive to be everything we need to be for God.

A. To make the Lord ours.

B. To know our Godly heritage.

C. To never take for granted God's blessings.

D. To let God be our everything.