TEACH FAITHFULLY

We Must Teach Our Children From an Early Age

2 Timothy 2:2

Introduction — Faith Must Be Passed On

2 Timothy 2:2 “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”

Church, today I want to speak about something that is not only important for the church — it is important for the next generation.

The title of this message is:

“TEACH FAITHFULLY”

Paul says to Timothy:

“The same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”

Notice the progression:

Paul → Timothy → Faithful People → Others

Paul understood something very important:

What God has taught us must not stop with us.

We are not called simply to receive the Word of God.

We are called to pass it on.

And one of the greatest responsibilities God has given us is to teach our children.

We cannot assume that because children attend church, they automatically understand the Gospel.

We must teach them.

1. Faith Is a Responsibility of Every Generation

Paul tells Timothy to take what he has learned and teach others.

This is God's pattern:

ONE GENERATION TEACHES THE NEXT GENERATION.

2 Timothy 1:5 NASB For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.
Psalm 78:4 “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.”

What a powerful statement:

“We will not hide them from our children.”

Our children need to hear what God has done.

They need to know the stories of the Bible.

They need to know who Jesus is.

They need to understand sin, forgiveness, grace, prayer, faith and salvation.

They need to know that God is not simply a character in a Bible story.

God is real.

And Jesus is not simply someone we talk about on Sunday.

Jesus is Lord.

2. Start Early

Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Proverbs 3:16 NTLH Wisdom offers a long life, as well as riches and honor.
2 Timothy 2:2 He was taught from early childhood.

Teaching children about God should not begin when they become teenagers.

IT SHOULD BEGIN WHILE THEY ARE YOUNG.

Ecclesiastes 12 NIV 12 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them”—

Before the world teaches them what to believe, we should be teaching them God's truth.

Teach Them:

  • “You were created by God.”
  • “Your life has purpose because God created you.”
  • “God's Word gives us wisdom.”
  • “God is with you.”
  • “You can choose what is right.”

Children are never too young to learn about God.

They may not understand everything immediately.

But we are not responsible for making them understand everything in one day.

We are responsible for faithfully teaching them.

3. Don't Just Teach the Children — Show Them

There is something very important about teaching children:

THEY DON'T ONLY LISTEN TO WHAT WE SAY. THEY WATCH WHAT WE DO.

We can tell a child:

“Pray.”

But if they never see us pray, the lesson becomes weak.

“Read your Bible.”

But if they never see us opening God's Word, our example contradicts our teaching.

“Forgive others.”

But if they constantly see anger and unforgiveness in us, they will remember the example more than the words.

Children learn from what they hear.

But they also learn from what they see.

OUR WORDS AND OUR LIVES MUST AGREE.

4. Children Are Not Just the Church of Tomorrow

Sometimes we say:

“The children are the church of tomorrow.”

But I want to change that.

CHILDREN ARE PART OF THE CHURCH TODAY.

They can pray today.

They can worship today.

They can learn the Bible today.

They can serve today.

They can encourage others today.

They can tell their friends about Jesus today.

Matthew 19:14 “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me.”

Jesus welcomed children.

Therefore, the church must welcome children.

We must create an environment where children can learn about Jesus, ask questions, grow in faith and understand God's Word.

5. Teach Them the Word — Not Just Religion

There is a difference between teaching children religion and teaching children Jesus.

We don't want children simply to learn:

“Go to church.”

We want them to understand:

“I CAN HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS AND HAVE LIFE? Yes the word say this:.”

John 6:63 (KJV) — “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” Jesus is saying that His words give spiritual life and come from the Spirit.
A related verse is Proverbs 4:22: “For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.”

We don't want them simply to memorise Bible verses.

We want God's Word to become part of their lives.

We don't want them to pray only because somebody told them to.

We want them to discover:

“I CAN TALK TO GOD.”

We don't want them to behave well simply because adults are watching.

We want them to understand:

“God sees my heart, and I want to honour Him.”

OUR GOAL IS TO HELP RAISE A GENERATION THAT KNOWS CHRIST.

6. 2 Timothy 2:2 Is a Picture of Multiplication

2 Timothy 2:2 “The same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”

Paul didn't say:

“Keep it to yourself.”

He said:

PASS IT ON.

Imagine if Timothy had received the Gospel but never taught anyone else.

The message would have stopped with Timothy.

But Timothy taught others.

Those people taught others.

And generation after generation continued.

This is the power of faithful teaching.

ONE PERSON TEACHES ANOTHER.

Then that person teaches another.

And another.

And another.

This is spiritual multiplication.

One of the greatest things we can do for our children is to give them something they can pass on to their children one day.

7. What Should We Teach Our Children?

Teach Them the Gospel

  • God created them.
  • Sin separates us from God.
  • Jesus came to save us.
  • Jesus died and rose again.
  • Jesus offers forgiveness and new life.

Teach Them the Importance of:

  • Prayer
  • The Bible
  • Faith
  • Obedience
  • Forgiveness
  • Love
  • Compassion
  • Serving others

Teach them that following Jesus does not mean life will always be easy.

There will be difficult days.

There will be questions.

There will be disappointments.

But they can learn:

“I CAN TRUST GOD EVEN WHEN I DON'T UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING.”

8. Parents, Grandparents, Teachers and Church — We All Have a Part

Deuteronomy 6:6–7 “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children…”

Notice the words:

“TEACH THEM DILIGENTLY.”

Not occasionally.

Not only when there is a special event.

Not only on Sunday.

Diligently.

Faith is built through repetition.

Teach them.

Remind them.

Pray with them.

Answer their questions.

Encourage them.

Bring them back to God's Word.

And when they fall, don't give up on them.

KEEP TEACHING.

9. We Are Building Something We May Never See

One of the most beautiful things about teaching children is that we may never see the full result.

You may teach a child a Bible verse today.

Years later, that verse may come back to their mind during a difficult moment.

You may teach them to pray today.

Years later, they may become a person who leads others in prayer.

You may teach them about Jesus today.

Years later, they may teach their own children about Jesus.

A SEED LOOKS SMALL, BUT IT CAN BECOME A TREE.

A lesson may seem small.

A prayer may seem small.

A Bible verse may seem small.

But God can use what we plant today for generations to come.

Conclusion — What Will We Pass On?

Church, one day our children will grow up.

They will make their own decisions.

They will face their own challenges.

They will live in a world that will constantly compete for their attention.

So the question is:

WHAT ARE WE PUTTING INTO THEM TODAY?

What are we teaching them?

What are we showing them?

What are we passing on?

2 Timothy 2:2 “The same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”

That's our calling.

RECEIVE THE WORD.
LIVE THE WORD.
TEACH THE WORD.
PASS IT ON.

And especially:

TEACH OUR CHILDREN FROM AN EARLY AGE.

Don't wait until they are older.

Don't wait until they understand everything.

Don't wait until they ask all the right questions.

START NOW.

Tell them about Jesus.

Pray with them.

Read God's Word with them.

Bring them to church.

Answer their questions.

Love them.

Guide them.

And most importantly:

SHOW THEM WHAT IT MEANS TO FAITHFULLY FOLLOW CHRIST.

Because we are not simply raising children.

WE ARE HELPING PREPARE THE NEXT GENERATION TO KNOW GOD AND MAKE HIM KNOWN.

Final Challenge

1. What am I teaching the next generation?
2. What am I showing them by my life?
3. What am I passing on that will continue after me?

May we be able to say:

“I RECEIVED THE GOSPEL FAITHFULLY,
I LIVED IT FAITHFULLY,
AND I TAUGHT IT FAITHFULLY.”

And may the next generation take what we have taught them and teach the generation after them.

Paul taught Timothy.
Timothy taught others.
Others taught another generation.

AND NOW IT IS OUR TURN.

Teach faithfully.
Teach early.
Teach Jesus.
And pass the faith on.

AMEN.

Closing Prayer

Father,


Thank You for the children and young people You have placed in our lives.

Give us wisdom to teach them Your Word faithfully.

Help parents, grandparents, teachers, pastors and the whole church to be godly examples.

Help us not to underestimate what You can do through a child who learns to trust You.

Give our children a love for Your Word, a heart for prayer and a desire to follow Jesus.

Help us to pass the Gospel from one generation to another.

May what we teach today continue tomorrow.

And may our children become faithful people who will teach others also.


In Jesus' name, Amen.

TEACH FAITHFULLY • TEACH EARLY • TEACH JESUS • PASS IT ON