What is your generation known for?

Your generation...

We love to find generational identifiers. I was a teenager in the eighties, so I'm often drawn to reminisce by things like big band hair, passing notes, cassette tapes, Member's Only jackets, Cabbage Patch Kids (which in my case really caused me to be interested in Garbage Pail Kids stickers), "The Breakfast Club", scratch and sniff stickers, the always-wanted-but-never-had Trapper Keeper, Air Jordan or Reeboks pumps, Mustangs and Camaros, and a host of other too-typical things to pass up.

Do you ever think of your generation in terms of their spiritual bent? Can your generation be generally thought of as receptive to God or unreceptive?

In the Apostle Peter's Pentecost sermon, he said, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation." (Acts 2:40b ESV) Instead of "crooked", the King James Version uses the word "untoward". The New American Standard Bible chooses to translate that word as "perverse". The Holman Christian Standard Bible uses the word "corrupt".

All those words are fair. That generation was crooked because they were not on the path to God through Jesus. That generation was untoward because they were not moving toward God through Jesus. That generation was perverse because they were seeking a way to God NOT through Jesus. Because that generation was refusing to come to God through Jesus, they were corrupt in their religion.

When that crowd heard Peter preach the exclusivity and necessity of Jesus, some cried out "What must we do to be saved?" (see verse 37).

Peter's answer: "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself." (Acts 2:38-39 ESV)

It is my humble opinion that my generation can be characterized as generally refusing Jesus. My generation is not toward Him. It is my general observation that the generation before mine, if not the two, and every generation since, and most before have been, by that standard, corrupt, untoward, crooked and perverse.

I would humbly say to each and EVERY generation, seek Jesus; save yourselves from your crooked generation. Repent, and believe the gospel in the name of Jesus Christ and be forgiven of our sins.

Go the straight way.
Go the pure way.
Go the direct way.
Go the right way.
Run to God through Jesus, the Christ.

Whatever fond memories of our generation we may hold, if those fond memories are not primarily connected to Jesus, we haven't been toward Him. Friends, let us save ourselves from these untoward generations and turn to Jesus.