And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. Exodus 1:6
One of the (few) benefits of getting old is the ability to compare the way things are now with the way they were more than a generation ago. And the comparisons are not always good. Another benefit is the memories of the people of those previous generations, memories that the young folk of today don’t have. The passing of one generation to another always brings changes as the impact those earlier people had fades away, and the ideas and plans of a new generation shape the world. What is true of the world in general is also true of the Lord’s people and God’s Assemblies.
Our text tells of the passing of all of the direct descendants of Jacob. Those men, especially Joseph, had shaped the character of their people, just as those men who planted and shepherded our Assemblies in their early years shaped the initial character of those Assemblies. But the original founders in most cases have died, and their places have been taken by men who have for the most part respected the character established in the early days. Sadly, that is changing, as men with no memory of our founders’ work and vision arise and bring their own agendas in among the Lord’s people.
What do you know about those who initially planted the Assembly that you form part of? And what about the men on the Assembly’s oversight in those early days? And the godly women who helped to build and support the Lord’s work? What challenges did these dear saints encounter and overcome? What sacrifices did they make, and what victories did they rejoice in as the Assembly matured and established itself as a lamp stand for Christ? Knowing all this will help us to resist the destructive changes that the devil wants to bring in among us. – Jim MacIntosh
Here is the link to the video of this message: https://youtu.be/YF62qG4WVRo