When I first started learning to play the guitar (way back last century), great songwriters were beginning to pen what we called “musicals” for youth groups.  That whole genre of what would come to be called “contemporary Christian music” shaped the trajectory of my lifelong ministry journey.  One of the first compositions was called “Tell it Like it Is” which was produced by Kurt Kaiser and a few of his rowdy, talented friends.  One of the anchor songs in that hour long program was called, “Pass it On.”  I still remember the guitar chords and lyrics to the song.

Kaiser shared that he was enjoying the fireplace in his den when he got the idea for the song…it only takes a spark to get a fire going and soon all those around can warm up with its glowing.   He was writing a song about sharing the love of God.  As I began to study to write this lesson preview for our teachers, that song lyric kept spinning around in my head:  you share His love with everyone, and you WANT to pass it on.

We have been looking at how to build our lives on the Word of God.  First, we realized how much we need it as we navigate daily life.  Then we explored how to hear it, study it, meditate on it and obey its teachings.  This final lesson of the unit nails down the importance of communicating the Word to our generation. 

It is very important to pass on the love of God through sharing the Word of God.  The picture in my mind is the Olympic torch being faithfully and carefully carried and successfully handed off to the next runner.  We do that by sharing the faith torch of the Word and by living it out in our daily pilgrimage.  We are NOT HOME ALONE on this earth and we are NOT HOME.  An old country gospel song declares that we are “just a-passing thru” headed to where “our treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.”  

Our passage of scripture comes from Deuteronomy 6:1-9.  Moses and the people of God are about to cross the river Jordan and move into the land of promise after being at Mount Sinai for a year of teaching (See Exodus and Leviticus).  Then they have spent forty years in the wilderness as wandering, grumbling, disobedient knot heads (See Numbers).  Moses knows his days are numbered because of his own disobedience.  Joshua is standing in the wings, called, anointed, commissioned, and prepared to take the reins as leader.  Moses takes pen in hand to repeat God’s instruction to the people.  That’s Deuteronomy. 

This passage contains what I love to call the Eleventh Commandment.  In obedience to this word, all ten of the others would easily be kept!  Jesus quotes this timeless mandate in Mark 12:29-30.  “Hear, O Israel!  The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!  You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” 

Old Testament Jews referred to this passage as the SHEMA.  That Hebrew word means to listen and hear with the intent of responding in obedience.  They wore that scripture in leather boxes on their foreheads and wrists and placed them in decorative boxes at the entrances to their front tent flaps to read as they departed and returned home. 

The lesson truth comes further down the page.  The old man Moses at age 120 is doing his best to pass on the torch of faith.  Verse six and following:  Keep these words on your hearts.  Teach them to your children.  Talk of them in every teachable moment at home, on your daily walks together, before bed, in morning devotional times of daily commitment. 

Bind these truths in your heart. Let your doorposts and gates declare them.  In all walks and weathers, tell of the wonders of the love of God and the Word of God. Receive what you have learned.  Live it and share it.  Complete a successful hand-off of the FAITH torch.  PASS IT ON!!!

I sing this. 

I say this. 

I pray to LIVE this every day until my own race is done.