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MULTI-GENERATIONAL MINDSET

THERE IS A COMMON MENTALITY IN AMERICA THAT SOUNDS AND FEELS A BIT LIKE THIS:

  • PICK YOURSELF UP BY YOUR OWN BOOTSTRAPS
  • BLAZE YOUR OWN TRAIL
  • TAKE THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED

THIS OFTEN LEADS TO MEN:

  • REJECTING THEIR FATHER'S TRADE
  • NOT RECEIVING ANYTHING FROM THEIR PARENTS
  • NOT PASSING ALONG ANYTHING TO THEIR KIDS

IN THIS FRAMEWORK, EVERY GENERATION IS EXPECTED TO START FRESH FROM GROUND ZERO.

HOWEVER, OTHER CULTURES TAKE A MULTI-GENERATIONAL APPROACH TO WORK.

  • THEY PASS ON AND RECEIVE A TRADE FROM THEIR PARENTS
  • THEY WORK TOWARDS LEAVING AN INHERITANCE
  • THEY ANTICIPATE RECEIVING, GROWING, AND PASSING ALONG THAT INHERITANCE TO THEIR KIDS

IN OTHER WORDS, THEY LIVE, WORK, AND MAKE DECISIONS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE NEXT GENERATION - TO SERVE THE NEXT GENERATION.

SOMETHING SIMILAR IS HAPPENING IN 1 PETER.

1 PETER 1:12

WHEN PETER IS TALKING ABOUT THIS GREAT LIVING HOPE THEY HAVE, HE MENTIONS THE PROPHETS, AND HE SAYS:

"12 IT WAS REVEALED TO THEM THAT THEY WERE SERVING NOT THEMSELVES BUT YOU, IN THE THINGS THAT HAVE NOW BEEN ANNOUNCED TO YOU THROUGH THOSE WHO PREACHED THE GOOD NEWS TO YOU BY THE HOLY SPIRIT SENT FROM HEAVEN, THINGS INTO WHICH ANGELS LONG TO LOOK."

PETER NOTES THAT MULTI-GENERATIONAL WORK THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY OF FAITH.

THE PROPHETS GOT A REVELATION NOT FOR THEIR BENEFIT (AND NOT EVEN FOR THE BENEFIT OF THEIR IMMEDIATE COMMUNITY), BUT INSTEAD FOR THE BENEFIT OF FUTURE GENERATIONS. IN TURN, THE APOSTLES/REGIONAL PASTORS OF THE TIME PROCLAIMED THE GOOD NEWS THAT THE WORK AND REVELATION OF THE PROPHET WAS NOW BEARING FRUIT IN THESE FIRST-CENTURY, SPIRIT-FILLED CHURCHES.

SERVING YOU

THIS IS SUCH A GREAT IDEA AND THOUGHT.

THE PROPHETS, THE SCRIPTURES, THE LEGACY OF FAITH PASSED DOWN THROUGH THE CHURCH HAS BEEN TO SERVE YOU, US, THE 21ST CENTURY CHURCH. THEIR REVELATION, THEIR WORK, THE "SEED-SOWING" WAS TO BE HARVESTED BY FUTURE GENERATIONS. THIS MEANS A FEW THINGS:

  1. WE SHOULD ANTICIPATE RECEIVING A HARVEST IN THIS GENERATION FROM THE WORK AND LABOR OF THE FAITHFULNESS OF THE PREVIOUS GENERATIONS.
  2. WE SHOULD ANTICIPATE WORKING AND LABORING IN THIS GENERATION FOR THE PURPOSE GIVING A HARVEST TO THE NEXT GENERATION. THIS IS WHY MULTI-GENERATIONAL-NESS IS SO IMPORTANT.
    • MULTI-GENERATIONAL HOMES
    • MULTI-GENERATIONAL (HOME) SCHOOLS
    • MULTI-GENERATIONAL CHURCHES

IT'S ONLY IN MULTI-GENERATIONAL CONTEXT CAN WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE A GREAT HARVEST AND ALSO TO PLANT SEEDS THAT WILL BE HARVESTED IN THE FUTURE.