Tell the Children: Passing Down the Story of Salvation
Text: Exodus 12:24–28
In Exodus 12:24–28, we find God giving His people a crucial command—not just to keep the Passover as a memorial, but to teach it. This was not a private ceremony to be kept in silence or secrecy. It was a divine appointment for storytelling, for legacy, for instruction. It was about remembrance—but even more than that—it was about transmission.
Let’s read the passage:
“Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants. When you enter the land that the Lord will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’ Then the people bowed down and worshiped. The Israelites did just what the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron.” (Ex. 12:24–28, NIV)
Parents Are the First Teachers of Faith
Notice who God places at the center of the instruction process: the parents. “When your children ask you…” This wasn’t the job of a Levite or priest or professional teacher—it was the responsibility of every mother and father. In Hebrew culture, education began at home. And especially in matters of faith, the home was the classroom and the parents were the teachers.
This principle remains true today. Parents, you are not just raising children—you are raising disciples. Your table is an altar, and your stories are sermons. Your children learn most not from your lectures, but from your lived-out faith, your daily trust in God, and your retelling of His faithfulness.
The Importance of Handing Down History
God commanded the Israelites to remember, to rehearse, and to retell the story of their deliverance from Egypt. This was not about nostalgia. This was about identity. To forget the story would be to forget who they were and whose they were.
History is not dead when it is told with living faith. It becomes a powerful bridge between generations. That’s why Passover was celebrated year after year—it engraved the memory of God's mighty salvation into the hearts of His people.
Christians today must also value history—biblical history, Church history, and personal testimony. We are not the first generation to walk with God, and we won’t be the last. The younger ones need to know the God who parted the sea, who fed the prophets, who raised the dead—and who saved you.
Pass Down Your Own Story of Salvation and Miracles
It's not enough to teach theology. We must also teach testimony.
What has God done for you? How has He delivered you, provided for you, healed you, or redeemed you from sin? These are the stories that make the truth personal and powerful.
When your children ask about your faith, don’t just tell them what the Bible says—tell them how you’ve lived it. Don’t let them grow up thinking miracles are only ancient stories. Let them know how God answered your prayers, rescued you from despair, or changed your life.
Your testimony is a flame that can ignite faith in others—especially in the next generation.
Bow and Obey
Verse 27 says, “Then the people bowed down and worshiped.” When God’s people understood the weight of this command—to remember and to teach—they worshiped. True worship follows true understanding. And verse 28 ends with this: “The Israelites did just what the Lord commanded.”
That’s the goal. Not just to hear, not just to remember, but to act. Passover wasn’t preserved because it was a beautiful ceremony; it was preserved because faithful people obeyed and passed it on.
So today, let’s recommit ourselves—not only to living the faith—but to telling it. Tell your children. Tell your grandchildren. Tell your church. Tell your neighbors. Tell the story—of the Lamb, of the blood, of the deliverance, of your Savior. And watch as that testimony shapes the next generation. Amen.
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