PRESERVING OUR ETERNAL HERITAGE

TOPIC: PRESERVING OUR ETERNAL HERITAGE.

TEXT: 2 Timothy 2:1–2

“You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

Teacher: Rev. Samson Adeyiga

According to the scripture read, receiving heritage, living in heritage and passing heritage faithfully to the Next Generation must not be compromised.

INTRODUCTION: Every generation receives something from the generation before it. We receive names, families, properties, traditions, knowledge, values, and material possessions. But there is something far more valuable than earthly possessions: our spiritual and eternal heritage in Christ. Whatsoever is received without being passed on will die naturally. An inheritance can be lost when it is not properly preserved. A family can lose its property. A nation can lose its culture. A generation can forget its history. And, spiritually, believers can fail to transmit the truth of God's Word to those coming after them. Our faith is not meant to stop with us.

WHAT IS OUR ETERNAL HERITAGE?

Our eternal heritage includes:

• The knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:5. Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.
• The salvation we have received through Jesus Christ. Psalms 62:1. Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation.
• The truth of God's Word. Psalms 119:160A. The entirety of Your word is truth...
• The gospel of Jesus Christ.
• The values of holiness, faith, obedience, love, and righteousness.
• The testimony of God's faithfulness in our lives. I Corinthians 1:9. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
• The responsibility to make disciples. Matthew 28:19a. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations. Psalm 78:4. “We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.”

HOW TO PRESERVE OUR HERITAGE.

• Intentionally strengthened by the Holy Spirit. Zechariah 4:6 “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.” We preserve the heritage by remaining strong in Christ. The Christian life is not sustained by human strength.

1. There will be pressure to compromise.
2. There will be temptation to abandon biblical values.
3. There will be cultural pressure to change the message of Scripture.
4. There will be discouragement
5. There will be persecution.
6. There will be distractions.
7. Therefore, those who carry the heritage must be spiritually strong.

• Maximizing grace reliance. II Timothy 2:11-12 NKJV. This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. [12] If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.
• Titus teaches that God's grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly, righteously, and godly.
• Grace is not permission to become careless. Grace empowers us to live for God. So, if we want to preserve our spiritual heritage, we must not only talk about Christ; we must live for Christ. The next generation needs more than our sermons; they are after reliance on grace to show and be seen in:

1. Our prayer life.
2. Our integrity.
3. Our love.
4. Our forgiveness.
5. Our faithfulness.
6. Our commitment to God's Word.
7. Our obedience.

DETERMINATION TO TEACH OTHERS

2 Timothy 2:2 — 5. Paul said: “And the things that you have heard from me…” This tells us that spiritual heritage must be intentionally thought through and effectively communicated. Paul had invested in Timothy. Timothy did not simply stumble into his faith. He had been taught. His mother and grandmother had also played an important role.

2 Timothy 1:5 says: “When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice…”

Look at this beautiful spiritual chain: Lois → Eunice → Timothy → others.

What started in one generation continues into another. This teaches us that parents and grandparents are custodians of spiritual heritage. Grandparents should not say: “Let the church teach them.” Parents should not say: “Let the pastor teach them.” The church has a responsibility, but the home also has a responsibility. Deuteronomy 6:6–7 says: “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children…” The home is one of God's greatest classrooms.

GENERATIONAL PRINCIPLE OF PRESERVATION.

II Timothy 2:2-3 NKJV [2] And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. [3] You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. One of the most powerful things in this verse is the four-generation picture:

• Generation 1: Paul
• Generation 2: Timothy
• Generation 3: Faithful men
• Generation 4: Others who will be taught
• Paul was thinking beyond himself. He was thinking about people he might never meet. That is spiritual legacy.

PROPER PASSING OF HERITAGE

• Abraham passing faith to his household. God said concerning Abraham in Genesis 18:19: “For I have known him, so that he may command his children and his household after him…” Abraham was thinking generationally. He understood that God's covenant was not merely about himself. Lesson: Your relationship with God should influence those who come after you.
• Hannah — Giving Samuel back to God. Hannah prayed for a child and promised to dedicate him to God. When Samuel was born, she did not treat him merely as personal property. She understood that he belonged to God. 1 Samuel 1:27–28 says: “For this child I prayed… therefore I also have lent him to the LORD…” Samuel eventually became a major prophetic leader in Israel. Lesson: What God gives us should be raised and developed for His purpose. Parents should not only ask: “What career will my child have?” They should also ask: “How will my child serve God's purpose?”

Let us intentionally determine to wholeheartedly pass good things across generations by showcasing Jesus Christ inside out, with the fullness of eternal heritage as our priority.