A Mission for Every Mother (Parent)(Psalm 78:4-8)

Children's Lesson (click here)

I. One Mother, One Grandmother

When you think of the New Testament (NT), and the young man mentioned there named Timothy, it wouldn't at all be surprising if, when asked to name one person who was spiritually influential in his life, you answered, “Paul”. Of course, that's a wonderfully biblical answer, and in it's shown to be true in so many places throughout the NT, from the book of Acts, to the two letters written by the Apostle to Timothy.

But there are two other answers that would be just as biblical: the names “Eunice” and “Lois”. Who were these women? Eunice was Timothy's mom, and Lois was his grandmother. Paul mentions them in 2 Timothy 1:5, where he writes...

I am reminded [Timothy] of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.

And a couple of chapters later, in 2 Timothy 3:14–15, Paul speak again, not only about his own impact, but also the impact of these two women. He writes...

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it [15] and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

One of the ways by which God prepared Timothy to make a significant impact for Christ, was, from the outset, significantly impacting his life through his mother and his grandmother.

II. The Passage: “That They Should Set Their Hope in God” (78:4-8)

In light of that beautiful truth, my hope this morning is to encourage every mother and grand-mother... in fact, to encourage every parent (and grandparent)... by studying and appreciating together what God's word reveals to us about our divinely-appointed, spiritual mission to our kids. And I stress spiritual because most parents understand and embrace the non-spiritual mission of parenting. Provide. Protect. Guide. Teach them to brush their teeth; to make their beds. You know, prepare them for adulthood. And so much more! But from infancy until we take our final breath, no matter how old our children are, are we just as committed to God's spiritual mission?

What exactly is that mission? Well, one of the passages Lois and Eunice would certainly have been inspired by is Psalm 78:4-8. Listen to what the Spirit-directed psalmist, a man named Asaph, tells us about this divine mission...

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. [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; [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.

There's so much in these five verses, but let's start with how they reveal to God's people about four aspects of that divinely-appointed mission to our children:

First, our mission is to help our kids know the truth about God. What does the psalmist have in mind in terms of “the truth about God”? He begins with (v. 4) “the glorious deeds of Yahweh”, which includes (v. 4) “the wonders that he has done”. Later, in verse 7, these are called “the works of God”. These deeds, these wonders, these works, are part of (v. 5) the “testimony” that God has established among his people. But this truth also includes (v. 5) the “law” he appointed for the sake of his people. Let me ask you this, has God established a testimony in your household? Whether your kids are younger or older, whether you even have kids, has God established a testimony in your sphere of life; a testimony of his deeds in terms of biblical history, and a testimony of his deeds in terms of your personal history? Are they known, and are they known to be glorious? Absolutely glorious?

Second, our mission is to encourage our kids to hope-fully (not hopefully) embrace God. When true knowledge is combined with genuine faith, God goes from being a powerful idea to being our ever-present hope. Everything a mother... and a father (and even grandparents, to whatever extent they can), everything we do with our kids should be inspired by the goal in verse 7: “so that they [our kids] should set their hope in God”. The “glorious deeds” of God's power, of both his might and his mercy, are meant to persuade our children that God can do the same in their lives today... even in their darkest hour; even at their lowest point; we're talking about real hope when everything seems hopeless.

Third, our mission is to call our kids to faithful obedience to God. Verse 7 again: “that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments”. Our prayer for our children is not that they simply grow to be knowledgeable, but that they grow to be faithful... and fruitful. And that's what genuine hope does. It inspires a life of perseverance on the path of God. A P.O.W. in WW2 who has genuine hope that the Allies will come and set him and his fellow soldiers free is not likely to defect and start living like a Nazi. From day to day he will certainly struggle with that hope. Sadly, he will even choose the path of compromise at times. But ultimately, overall, genuine hope will inspire a life of perseverance on the path.

Fourth, our mission is to warn our kids about a heart opposed to God. Our passage ends in verse 8 on what some might label a 'downer'. Some today might want to emphasize all of the positives we find in these verses, and I think overall, that's exactly where we want to place the emphasis. But God's word also contains warnings, very serious warnings, about life 'off the path'; about life on a very different path; a path of spiritual stubbornness and rebelliousness. God's word on one hand reveals the “glorious deeds” of God and the glorious possibility of genuine hope. But on the other hand, it also reveals the poisonous deeds of sinners and the terrifying possibility of eternal judgment. Our testimony as parents must include both of these categories as well. Such warnings are meant to sober the hearer, so that he or she might clearly see God's greatness and goodness and grace.

Now, we can't miss this about the context: that after verse 8, the psalmist goes on to do all these things; these very things, these four things...for sixty-three more verses. He declares the truth about God, especially God's “glorious deeds” in redeeming Israel. And in doing this, he provides the reader with countless reasons to put his or her hope in God, countless reasons to obey God, and countless reasons to soberly reject the example of those who were and are gripped by spiritual stubbornness; those driven by doubts and not faith. Psalm 78 is more than a call to testify and encourage and urge. It is a testimony, a powerful testimony to the next generation.

Finally, looking over these four aspects of our divinely-appointed mission to our children, it's so critical that we also stop and consider the heart, the kind of heart, we hear so clearly in verses 4-8. What kind of people are these? Who says, “we will not hide”, “but [we will] tell”? Who desires that not only their children, but also their children's children, would “set their hope in God” and “not be like their [stubborn and rebellious] fathers”? Surely it's people who themselves see the deeds of Yahweh as “glorious”, right? It's people who themselves recognize His “wonders”. It's people who themselves have “set their hope in God” and desire to “keep his commandments”, right? People who themselves understand the painful consequences of spiritual stubbornness and rebellion. When Paul reminds Timothy to hold fast to what he believes, “knowing from whom you learned it”, he's directing Timothy back, not only to the content of what he learned “from childhood”, but also the character of those who taught him. Undoubtedly, his mother and his grandmother had this kind of heart; just as Paul himself reminded Timothy, “You... have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings...” Parents, brothers and sisters, may our spiritual mission as parents always flow from a spiritual life that is lived out before their eyes, day by day.

III. Reaching Children as Children

So where should these verses lead us? Well, hopefully they lead us to thoughtful and prayerful application within our own families... that we would be doers of the word, not simply hearers. And may our generational witness be strong, no matter how old our children are. Amen? And if you don't have children, then these verses should inform our prayers, inspire our hearts, and instruct our mouths for any all children that God has placed within your circle of ministry; that we would pray for kids inside and outside this church; that we would pray for a flourishing ministry to children and parents; that we would serve; that we would give; that we would take the time to love these children and their families.

But before any of that happens, these verses need to lead us in the direction that the psalmist himself is pointing us. What exactly do I mean by that? Well, what I mean is that this psalm won-derfully highlights the amazing grace of God toward sinners like us. We find here indictment after indictment; God's people forgot him (v. 11); they “tested” him (vs. 18, 41, 56); they provoked him (vs. 41, 56); they “grieved” him (v. 40); they “refused” him (v. 10); they “lied” to him (v. 36); they “turned away”, they “acted treacherously” (v. 57); they “spoke against” him (v. 19); they “rebelled” against him (vs. 17, 40, 56); they “sinned” against him (vs. 17, 32). How did God respond? Yes, there was judgment. But time and time again, there was grace. 78:37–38 sum it up well: “Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant. 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.” And in His compassion he provided for them, over and over again.

And when we look at the final verses of the Psalm (vs. 67-72), we see the provision of a king, of a leader, like David (a man after God's own heart). Why end the psalm with David? Because God's promise was to raise up another David for the people, a shepherd who could help God's people experience the fullness of God's amazing grace. Brothers and sisters, friends, I ask again, “Where should Psalm 78:4-8 lead us?” It should lead us to Jesus, the Son of David; to Jesus, the Promised One. The one who, through His death and resurrection, makes it possible for us to become children of God. To fulfill God's mission to our children, we must be filled with God's Spirit, as children ourselves... children of God. Only as we trust in the sufficiency and authority of Christ, can we experience this. Only through Jesus can stubborn and rebellious sinners like us become men and women who set our hope in God, and... call our children to do the very same thing. For what deed of Yahweh is more glorious than the victory of Jesus over sin and death? What wonder more wonderful than eternal life? Let us testify, all of us, “that the next generation might know [these gospel wonders]... and arise and tell them to their children."