Unto All Generations
Psalm 145
Intro: The subject today is the fact that what we believe, what we preach, what we have heard is timeless.
We are living in a day where everything we have ever been taught is being disputed.
I felt that this message was needful for this day and hour in which we live, but was also very appropriate for the special time to follow.
Today, I have the opportunity after the service to dedicate my first grandchild, James Landon Patton, to the Lord.
His parents asked to do this today. My son in law’s parents, Brother and Sister Patton are here from California.
My heart is so burdened for the next generation.
The world they are growing up in is so messed up – so cockeyed – so distorted from the world we grew up in.
ILLUSTRATION: I heard the song last week down in Tennessee, “Grandpa, Tell Me About the Good Old Days…” It came out in 1985. I couldn’t believe how much more relevant it was today. The thought of my grandson saying this to me brought tears to my eyes.
Verse 1 – Grandpa, Tell me ’bout the good old days, Sometimes it feels like This world’s gone crazy. Grandpa, take me back to yesterday, Where the line between right and wrong Didn’t seem so hazy.
Verse 2 – Grandpa, Everything is changing fast. We call it progress, But I just don’t know. And Grandpa, let’s wander back into the past, And paint me a picture of long ago.
Chorus – Did couples really fall in love to stay? Stand beside each other come what may?
Was a promise really something people kept, Not just something they would say and then forget?
Did families really bow their heads to pray, Did daddy’s really never go away?
Oh Grandpa, Tell me ’bout the good old days.
David made a list of things that are UNTO ALL GENERATIONS.
He used the phrase many, many times in his writings.
We are only going to look at a few of them by way of introduction.
I have broken then down into three sections. Let’s examine them:
A. His Precepts are for All Generations
- Psalms 33:11 The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
- Psalms 100:5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
- Psalms 117:2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.
Jesus said:
- Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Psalms 119:89
- 89For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
- 90 Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.
B. His Praiseworthiness is for All Generations
- Psalms 45:17 I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.
- Psalms 79:13 So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.
- Psalms 89:1 I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.
C. His Power is for All Generations
- Psalms 145:13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.
- Psalms 146:10 The LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD.
- Psalms 102:12 But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.
So how do we impact all generations?
I. A Life of Consistency – vs. 1, 2
- Psalms 145:2 Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.
We cannot impact the next generation being a weekend warrior.
We must be one that walks with God every day.
A life of consistency is a must!
According to verses 1 and 2, David:
- David extoled God every day. EXTOL: exalt; to lift high
- David allowed God to be his King every day. –
- David blessed His name – not just on the good days, but every day.
- David praised the greatness of the Lord every day.
- David searched out God’s greatness every day.
II. A Life of Communication – vs. 3-12
How important is telling the next generation about God?
Judges 2
- 8 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old.
- 9 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.
- 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.
This only happened because the generations before them never communicated it to them.
If they didn’t know God, or the works which he had done for Israel, somebody dropped the ball!
They found time to talk about everything under the sun except for God!
They found time to teach them about everything else, but failed to talk about what God had done!
It is imperative that we understand of testifying of God to ALL GENERATIONS!
TURN TO Psalm 78:1
- 1 Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
- 2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
- 3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
- 4 We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
- 5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
- 6 That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
- 7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
- 8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
If we are going to produce a generation that knows God, believes God, walks with God, we have to communicate!
III. A Life of Contentment – vs. 13-21
One of the reasons why many of the younger generation is looking over the fence is because their parents are!
Don’t be surprised parents, if you’re sitting on the fence, if your kids fall off the fence.
Look at Psalm 144:15 – Happy is that people, that is in such a case, yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.
A. Content with God’s Reign – David himself was a king, but He was not in competition with God!
- 13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.
B. Content with God’s Rescue
- 14 The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.
C. Content with God’s Resources
- 15 The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.
- 16 Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.
D. Content with God’s Righteousness
- 17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.
E. Content with God’s Response
- 18 The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
- 19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
F. Content with God’s Retribution – content to let God handle it!
- 20 The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.