Consider the Days of Old

Presented to:

Bethel Chapel Pentecostal Church

Auditorium Sunday School Class

Granite City, IL

19 November 2017

Updated: November 18, 2017

By:

Boyce Belt

Consider the Days of Old

Opening:

• Happy Thanksgiving
• Prayer

Text:

Deuteronomy 32:7 (KJV)

Remember the days of old,

consider the years of many generations:

ask thy father, and he will shew thee;

thy elders, and they will tell thee.

Psalms 44:1 (KJV)

We have heard with our ears, O God,

our fathers have told us,

what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.

Introduction:

The Bible’s revelation of God’s work in the past provides an informative and exciting panorama of centuries of divine activity toward man.^[1]

1. The Experience of Our Past

1. Salvation

1. Give Your Testimony
2. Never underestimate the power of personal testimony in persuading men to take bolder steps in faith.^[2]
3. The Apostle Paul gave his personal testimony numerous times in the New Testament.

2. Help in Distress

1. Psalms 143:5 (KJV) I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.
2. Testify to God’s mighty workings among His people in order to encourage them and build their faith.^[3]
3. Psalm 143 was written when David was fleeing from Absalom.^[4]

3. Rehearse  the Word — Faith is increased by rehearsing the Word, which recalls previous divine encounters.^[5]  Romans 10:17 (KJV) So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

1. Read
2. Memorize
3. Meditate — An excellent antidote for an overwhelmed spirit and desolate heart is to meditate on all the wonderful works of God in creation and in the days of old.^[6]

2. The Faith of Our Fathers

1. Learn from Mistakes

1. Psalms 78:1-4 (KJV) 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.
2. This song warns to learn from the spiritual failures of their forefathers.^[7]

2. Maintain Their Instruction

1. Pray through daily
2. A church is not built on Sunday morning crowd

3. Honor Previous Generations

1. Proverbs 27:10 (KJV) Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.
2. Seek Advice
3. Make Friendships

3. The Works of Our God

1. Divine Revelation — Scripture educates us in truths unknowable apart from divine revelation.  It answers man’s most basic questions: “Who am I?” and “Where did I come from?”^[8]
2. Historical Evidence — The Bible sets forth a significant body of historical evidence for the truth and validity of the Christian faith.  This includes fulfilled prophecy, miracles of Christ, and Christ’s death and resurrection.  Faith is grounded in historical events and is much more than just a leap in the dark.^[9]
3. Real-Life Examples — 1 Corinthians 10:11 (KJV) Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
4. Encouragement

1. Psalms 77:5-6 (KJV) I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.  6 I call to remembrance my song in the night I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.
2. Psalms 77:10-12 (KJV) And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. 11 I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.  12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.

4. The Future of Our Children

1. Past Victories Motivate Present and Future

1. Psalms 78:1-4 (KJV) 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.
2. Psalm 78 is the second longest of all the psalms, recounting God’s miraculous deliverances in the past as an incentive to serve Him in the present and future.^[10]

2. Passing the Faith Along

1. Deuteronomy 6:6-9 (KJV) And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
2. The only way the Israelites could maintain the land they were going to possess was to make sure that the faith would be passed on to each succeeding generation.^[11]

3. A Ready Answer

1. 1 Peter 3:15 (KJV) But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
2. The answer to the Israelite child’s question would include four components:^[12]

1. We were slaves in Egypt.
2. The Lord brought us out with a mighty hand.
3. He gave us land.
4. We have a challenge to responsible action.

3. This is a powerful tool that applies to all Christians^[13]

1. We were slaves to sin.
2. The Lord Jesus brought us out with a mighty hand.
3. He has given us a Kingdom.
4. We have a challenge to responsible action.

Conclusion:

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (KJV) For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

Next Week: Consider the End of Life

Prayer