Lessons for Real Life
“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 He has done. He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children…” Psalm 78:4-6
“…it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; they shall come and proclaim His righteousness to a people yet unborn, that He has done it.” Psalm 22:30b-31
Sunday school for starts this month for the children of Zion! Kids will hear Bible stories, learn to confess their faith in the Apostles’ Creed, and practice praying with and for each other.
But why bother?
Why invest the time and energy it takes to get the kids packed in the car and headed to church first thing Sunday morning?
Consider why any parents school their kids at all: they want their kids to learn so that they will succeed. To succeed at what? At life—at living. You want them to be able to take care of themselves. They need to know how to brush their teeth and how to balance a checkbook, how to put food on the table and how to raise a family. You want them to know all these things because you won’t be able to take care of them forever. You want to prepare them for everything the world will throw at them. You want them to know about real life. You want them to live.
But parents know that math, science and English class aren’t enough to keep their kids alive. The world is already throwing more at them than just word problems. They’ll be confronted with all kinds of evil. They’ll get hurt, and they’ll hurt others. They’ll face depression and anxiety, hatred and self-loathing. They’ll question the purpose of their lives. They will question their salvation. They will doubt their God. Is God good? Does He hear me? Does He care about me? Did Jesus really save me? How do I know? Does God really exist at all? And they won’t find the answers they desperately need on Wikipedia. They need to hear how the Word speaks to their problems.
Parents know what their kids will endure because it’s what we all go through. We all struggle with these same fundamental life questions. And if you don’t know the answers, you won’t succeed at life. In fact, you won’t live at all. Apart from the Truth who answers these questions, there is no Life.
The only place you’ll find these questions answered, the only place you’ll learn about Life is at the pierced feet of Jesus, who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6) Only at Jesus feet do we learn that God is good, that He hears us and cares for us and has saved us—the mortal wounds of the living Jesus, God is human flesh are our proof. Only Jesus has all the answers you will need for Life, our present and eternal Life. And Jesus is always teaching them. He teaches you from the altar and from the pulpit. He teaches you His Word in Bible study and in daily devotions and in Sunday School.
Our human flesh is weak and forgetful. Throughout the week the world is throwing at us more than we can handle, and the same doubts and questions creep back into our minds and hearts. Jesus knows your questions. He knows your kid’s questions. So come and bring them, time and again, to hear. Bring yourself to Bible Study so that you are fed and equipped yourself. Come, sit at our Great Teacher’s feet, and learn about your real Life.
+Pastor Heath