WHO WE ARE: A MULTIGENERATIONAL CHURCH
JOSHUA 4:20-24
REV. JOSHUA RYU
Introduction
We are in a series called Who We Are, where we are looking at the vision of our church. Our vision is to be a multi-generational, disciple-making church that moves with a Gospel-centered, missional spirituality.
Pastor John spent the past two weeks sharing what a disciple-making church looks like. Today, we are in the final segment of this series, and we are looking at the call to be a multigenerational church.
That word describes the people around us: children learning to pray, youth finding their voice, college students asking questions, young adults beginning careers, and people living through the responsibilities and changes of later life.
But what does it mean for all these people to belong to one church?
Think about someone here whose week looks very different from yours. Would they know that you care about them? Would they feel that their presence matters? Those questions help us move from talking about our vision to living it.
Church, every generation has a place among God's people. Together, we are called to make the kingdom of Jesus Christ visible. As people hear the Gospel and see how we live with one another, they should begin to understand something of the King we serve.
As a multigenerational church, we represent the kingdom of God here on earth. Together, we live under the authority of Jesus and bear witness to his grace.
Our main passage today comes from Joshua 4. The Lord has brought Israel through the Jordan River on dry ground. Now he commands them to take twelve stones from the river and establish a memorial.
Would you stand with me to receive God's Word? Joshua 4:20–24:
20 And those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal. 21 And he said to the people of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in times to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, 24 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”
Our passage today shows us two ways we are called to live together as a multigenerational church.
First, God's grace gives every generation a place among his people.
Notice where the story begins. The Lord has already made a way through the river. The stones are gathered after he has brought Israel through. Their life in the Promised Land begins with a gift they could never have provided for themselves.
They need to remember that. When later generations ask about these stones, the answer must direct them to the Lord.
Joshua 4:7
7 then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”
The Hebrew word translated memorial in V7 is זִכָּרוֹן and it means a reminder.
These stones will give people a reason to speak about God's goodness. A child sees them and asks a question. An adult has the responsibility and privilege of explaining what happened.
John Calvin, in his Commentary on the book of Joshua, describes this as “making the kindness of God known to their children.” [John Calvin, Commentary on Joshua]
That is a lovely description of something we should want throughout our congregation. We want people to know God's kindness, especially when they are struggling to understand their own lives.
Joshua's instructions also keep our testimonies grounded. He tells the people what happened and who acted. When we speak about God, we should be equally careful. Tell the truth about His work in your life. Open Scripture with the person who asks. Our aim is to help them trust the Lord whose promises stand beyond our own experience.
And notice the twelve stones. Read V5 it says,
5 And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel,
Here, Joshua explains that the 12 stones correspond to the twelve tribes. The whole people are represented in this memorial. Each tribe belongs within the account of the Lord's deliverance.
Church, in the same way, our own belonging must also begin with God's grace. Jesus came to people who could not save themselves. He lived in obedience to the Father, bore our sins at the cross, and died under the judgment we deserved. God raised him from the dead. Through faith in Christ, we receive forgiveness and life with God. This Gospel teaches us,
Our place in his family rests on what Christ has done. That is why we can approach one another with humility. An older Christian and a younger Christian both live by the mercy of the same Savior.
But Joshua goes further. He also connects the Jordan crossing with the Red Sea.
Nearly forty years had passed since God miraculously parted the Red Sea. All of the first generation of Israelites who had witnessed the mighty hand of God had died in the wilderness because of their unbelief and rebellion against Him.
But now, before a new generation, God displayed that same mighty power once again by parting the waters of the Jordan River. Just as He had made a way for their parents through the Red Sea, He was now making a way for this new generation to enter the Promised Land.
Different generations are learning to understand their lives through the Lord's continuing faithfulness. What happened before they were born still matters for who they are today.
Church, we need that sense of belonging. Those who have followed Christ for years can help us see His patience over time. Someone who has recently believed can remind us of the joy of receiving forgiveness. We have things to learn from one another.
The New Testament helps us see this more clearly. Paul describes the church as Christ's body. 1 Corinthians 12:18 says:
But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.
And he continues in v. 27, saying:
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
God gives the members their place. Different gifts serve the common good. Paul challenges people who look at another member and assume they have little need of them. He also speaks to those who feel that their differences mean they do not belong.
Paul also says something we should hear carefully. 1 Corinthians 12:22 reads:
On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
We can be quick to notice the confident speaker or the person who can organize everything well at church. But Paul asks us to look again at those we might overlook.
Their place in the body comes from God. That should change how we speak about a child who needs patient attention, an elderly member who needs help, or someone whose illness limits what they can do. Their needs give us an opportunity to love them, and their presence belongs within the life we share in this church.
We should let that teaching shape how we receive every generation here.
Children belong within the covenant family of the church. Their baptism calls us, not just their parents, to teach them, pray for them, and help them grow toward a personal profession of faith in Christ. They should hear us speak to them with affection and take their questions seriously.
Youth, your life matters to this congregation now. We want to know what you are facing. As you learn to follow Jesus, your obedience and your questions can encourage adults to think more carefully about their own faith.
College students, even if your years here are a short season, we want you to be known. Bring your concerns about studies, friendships, relationships, and the future into this family. There are people here who need your friendship too.
For those beginning careers, church can become something fitted around an increasingly busy week. Let someone share that week with you. Talk about the decisions you are making. Ask older saints how they learned to follow Christ at work, and listen to the struggles they still face.
And older members, your place among us remains precious. We want your voice in our conversations and your presence in our shared life. When health or mobility changes, our responsibility to you continues.
This also changes what we expect from relationships. An older person may have much to teach, but they can still receive encouragement from someone younger. A student may need advice, but they may also notice a lonely person everyone else has missed.
We should come to these friendships ready to receive. Ask someone what they are learning from Scripture. Let them pray for you. When we listen this way, we begin to discover gifts God has given us through people we might otherwise have passed by.
A person's worth in this church is never measured by how many tasks they can complete. Someone who needs care for a long time still belongs. Paul teaches us to give particular honor to members we might easily overlook.
Every generation belongs in this visible expression of God's kingdom. A child's place, a student's place, and an elderly member's place all matter because Christ has gathered us into one people. Even when someone can no longer serve as they once did, they remain part of the church's witness to our King.
So, Church, how do we live this out?
Begin by learning the name of someone from another generation. Ask a real question about their life, and give them time to answer. You may discover a concern you would never have guessed from seeing them just on Sunday.
Parents, let your children hear you depend on Christ. When you speak harshly, ask forgiveness. When you are worried, pray with them. They need to see what it looks like to live by grace.
For the rest of us, make room for a relationship that goes beyond a greeting. Invite someone to lunch. Remember what they shared and ask about it the following week. If you are struggling, let another member pray with you instead of carrying everything alone.
Imagine a young man who attends regularly but leaves quickly because everyone seems to have their own circle. An older member noticed the quick exit during Sunday worship. So this older member intentionally learns the name of the young man, asks about his week, and invites him to lunch. A few weeks later, that young man knows whom to call when a difficult decision comes.
Eventually, the young man notices someone else standing alone and offers the same welcome. Church, this is how care can spread through a generation. A simple invitation becomes part of someone's experience of belonging.
And belonging becomes clear through these ordinary acts. Over time, someone begins to know that they will be missed, listened to, and cared for. This is how a church learns to receive the people Christ has gathered.
2. Second, our life together should make Christ's kingdom visible.
Look again at the end of Joshua 4. V24
24 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.
God wants the peoples of the earth to know His mighty hand, and He wants Israel to fear Him. The memorial points outward to the nations while calling God's people to worship and obedience.
Their rescue has a purpose beyond their own experience. The Lord intends his greatness to be known.
That gives us a searching question: When people encounter our church, what do they learn about Jesus?
They should hear the Gospel clearly. They should also see people whose lives are being changed by it. As the visible church, we are called to represent our King together. Church, every generation shares in that calling.
1 Peter 2:9–10 says:
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
[1 Peter 2:9–10, ESV]
Peter is speaking to the whole church. These believers belong to God, and they have received a calling to proclaim his goodness. Their common life begins with mercy.
Earlier in his letter, Peter describes believers as living stones being built into a spiritual house, with Christ as the cornerstone. Their worship is acceptable to God through Jesus. That is important for our message today.
The church's life holds together around Christ. He gives us access to the Father and receives the worship we bring in faith. When we gather under his Word, every generation learns to look to him. The child listening, the student seeking understanding, and the older saints returning to a familiar promise share in a church being formed by the same Lord.
That matters when we speak about representing God's kingdom.
We are people who have received mercy from the King. Under his Word, we learn to turn from sin, forgive one another, and seek the good of those around us.
Church, the congregation does this together:
When we welcome children patiently, listen to youth, include College students, and remain close to older saints, we show something of Christ's care. When a person living alone finds friendship among us, the family language we use in church begins to have substance in one’s life.
Each member has a part in this witness. A child learning to pray can remind us to depend on God. A youth choosing honesty can encourage others to obey Christ. A young professional refusing to take advantage of a coworker shows that Jesus has authority over their work.
An adult member who asks forgiveness gives someone a picture of repentance. An older believer who keeps trusting Christ through uncertainty helps us see the hope of his promises.
These are ordinary ways God's reign becomes visible among his people. Together, these lives show what it means to belong to the same King. As a multigenerational church, we represent God's kingdom here on earth through the life we share in Christ.
And we need the Holy Spirit for this. At Pentecost, Peter explains what God is doing by quoting Joel's promise in the OT. Acts 2:17 says:
And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
Young and old are included in the promised outpouring. The dreams and visions here concern God's revelation; Peter is explaining Pentecost—the coming of the Holy Spirit. But pay attention to the people named. The gracious work of the Spirit embraces different generations.
Peter goes on to explain that Jesus has risen and been exalted at God's right hand. The risen Lord has poured out the Spirit. Our hope for a loving church rests in this living Savior, who continues to work among his people.
Preaching on this verse, John Piper told his congregation, “My deep desire is to see the old and the young united in vision and in ministry at Bethlehem.”
[John Piper, Old and Young Shall Dream Together, September 10, 1989, introduction, second paragraph.]
We should desire that kind of shared life here in NHF. Older and younger believers can pray for the same people, serve together, and help one another understand what obedience to Christ requires.
We will find this difficult at times. Different generations bring different experiences and preferences. Someone may speak in a way you find unfamiliar. Someone may misunderstand a concern that feels obvious to you.
Before deciding what they mean, ask. Listen long enough to understand. Bring the issue under Scripture, and be willing to acknowledge where you have been unfair. Sometimes the next step toward a more united church is a sincere apology.
God's kingdom becomes visible as his Word changes our actual choices. This may mean giving up some time you had kept for yourself. It may mean learning someone's name again because you forgot it. It may mean staying in a difficult conversation with patience. Such acts rarely attract much attention. Yet, through them, people encounter a church taking the commands of Jesus seriously. And when we fail, we can return to the cross, confess our sin, and begin again with the help of his Spirit.
Our treatment of one another is part of our witness. A visitor to our church should be able to see that our welcome reaches beyond people whose age and experience resemble our own. They should find a church learning to love because Christ has loved all of us.
Here is one practical step. Invite someone from another generation to join you in serving another person. Visit a member who cannot get to church. Prepare a meal for a household under pressure. Welcome a newcomer and include them in the conversation afterward.
Our planning should reflect that shared belonging. Before assuming what an age group needs, speak with the people themselves.
Ask youth what helps them understand the sermon. Ask working adults what makes participation difficult. Find out whether an older member needs a ride or someone to visit. Listen to people living alone as well as those caring for families. We will not solve every difficulty immediately. But listening carefully and making thoughtful changes tells people that their place among us matters.
As you serve, pray together. Ask God for an opportunity to speak about Jesus. Christian love should lead people toward the Savior whose mercy makes that love possible.
And if you are wondering where you stand with him today, hear the invitation of the Gospel. Christ died for sinners and rose again. Turn to him and trust him. Church attendance and family connections cannot take the place of faith. We would be glad to pray with you and help you understand his Word.
New Hope, the child, the youth, the college student, the young professional, the adult, parents, and the elderly member all have a place within our church's life. Each should be known and valued. Together, we are called to show that Jesus is King.
So receive the people he has placed beside you. Learn from them. Make room for them in your week. The grace that brought us to Christ is teaching us how to belong to one another.
Reflection and prayer
Church, before we move on, let us give some attention to what we have heard. Ask the Lord to bring a particular person or relationship to mind. You do not need to settle everything now. Begin by speaking honestly with him.
Where have I received God’s care through someone from another generation? Thank him for that person.
Is there someone whose place in our church I have overlooked or whose needs I have dismissed?
Where do I need to receive help, ask forgiveness, or make room for a new relationship?
What specific step can I take this week so that someone experiences Christ’s care through our church?
