Pass It On

TEXT: Joshua 24:14-18, 1 Kings 9:1-10, 1 Corinthians 11:1, 2 Corinthians 9:1-2, 1 Timothy 4:12, 2 Timothy 3:14-15, Hebrews 2:1-4, James 5:10-11

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Just as those who came before us were faithful to pass on to us a spiritual heritage, we want to be faithful to pass it on to the generations who will follow us, if the Lord tarries.

QUESTIONS

• According to 1 Corinthians 3:6-9, who is more important: the one who plants or the one who waters?
• Why is it important for believers to instruct and train the succeeding generations?
• What are some environments where instructions should take place?
• What are components of the Gospel that must be passed on?
• Is it the sole responsibility of parents and preachers to pass on the Gospel? Explain your answer.
• Name at least three ways we can pass on our spiritual heritage.
• What are steps we can take in our personal lives to be sure we will leave behind a godly legacy? (Depend upon God, verbalize your faith, set an example, embrace Biblical roles, teach the next generation diligently, control the “climate” of your home, pass on your values and vision.)
• Name some Biblical examples of people who passed their spiritual heritage on to succeeding generations. (Moses, Joshua, David, Timothy’s mother and grandmother, Paul.)
• What are hindrances to passing on a spiritual legacy? How can we counteract those hindrances?
  

EXTRA HELP FOR TEACHERS

“Passing It On” from Higher Way 94-6

POSSIBLE OPENER

Bring a blank will form to class. Have students fi ll it in, leaving to their “heirs” a spiritual rather than physical legacy.

ALTERNATIVE OPENER

Bring a nerf ball to class and toss it to one of your students. Point out that to pass it on, someone must throw the ball and someone must catch/receive. We have to “catch” before we can pass it on. What are we “catching”? How can we be sure we have “caught” the Gospel? What are the steps we take in “passing it on”?

ACTIVITY IDEAS

Use the “Challenge” given in the weekly handout as a class activity. Have your students draw a dot surrounded by a circle, and then a larger circle. Inside the first circle, write the names of your immediate family and of people you see every day. In the larger circle, write the names of people you see on a weekly basis. These represent your primary responsibility in passing it on. Now, evaluate how well you are doing in reaching out to them.

Read the following to your class: “A man by the name of James Lewis Pettigru passed away. His life was so exemplary that after his death the community erected a tombstone inscribed with these words: UNAWED BY OPINION, UNSEDUCED BY FLATTERY, UNDISMAYED BY DISASTER, HE CONFRONTED LIFE WITH COURAGE, AND DEATH WITH CHRISTIAN HOPE.” Then hand out drawings of a tombstone. Ask your class: What do you want to be remembered for? Have them write their own epitaph.

Play CD of song “Thank You for Giving to the Lord.”

Play the game “telephone” where the teacher tells a statement to the first student, and then it gets passed around the room. It almost always gets messed up! Point out that we must be very careful that as we pass on the Gospel, it stays just as it was given to us.

Create an acrostic using the word “spiritual legacy” as your starting point. Have students suggest words representing traits we would like to pass on that will fi t into the acrostic. For example, the word “selflessness” might build off the letter S.

Provide paper, markers, etc. for your students to draw a symbolic “life journey map” of their spiritual lives. Ask them to consider: What events have been significant to you? Why? Encourage them to incorporate graphic symbols—for instance, a heart outline might represent the heart purity that comes at sanctification. A flame might represent being baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire. Waves might represent water baptism. Encourage them to keep their maps as a reminder of the spiritual journey and as a way of showing others and passing on what God has done for them.