THE GOLDEN YEARS
LUKE 12:15-21
Introduction: Is it right or wrong for one to plan and save for the future? What should our attitude be toward our golden years? What does God expect? The account of the prosperous farmer in Luke provides us some valuable lessons. Let us examine the rich man’s story.
I. The Rich Man’s Story
A. He was industrious
• This man had built a large farm and prosperous farm. It did not get that way without sweat and toil.
• Galatians 6:7 … For whatever a man sows, that he also will reap.
• Abraham Lincoln – Property is the fruit of labor; property is desirable; it is a positive good in the world. That some should be rich shows that others may become rich and, hence, is just encouragement to industry and enterprise.
• Gardens are not made by singing "Oh, how beautiful," and sitting in the shade. – Rudyard Kipling
• Proverbs 10:4-5 MKJV He who deals with a lazy hand becomes poor; but the hand of the hard worker makes rich. He who gathers in summer is a wise son; but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.
B. He had worldly foresight
• Proverbs 6:6-8 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: who having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provides her meat in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.
• Solomon gives an instruction to work, while persons are in health, and have youth on their side; that they may have not only a sufficiency for present use, but to lay up against a time of sickness and old age.
• 1 Corinthians 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
C. He overlooked God
• In all of his labor and planning he focused on the temporal and failed to consider the eternal.
• Luke 12:21 So is he that lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
• Man’s greatest possession is an unhindered relationship with God. I think of two friends who were passing a large tract of land that belonged to one of them. "What do you think this land and the buildings cost me?" asked the landowner. "I don’t know what they cost you in money," replied his friend, "but I think I know what they cost you otherwise." "What?" "They cost you your soul," was the sorrowful reply.
• Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?
• Making a life is more significant than making a living.
II. The World’s Concept of Golden Years of Retirement
A. Luke 12:19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
B. The Message paraphrases Luke 12:19, “I’ll say to myself, Self, you’ve done well! You’ve got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!”
C. The term, “retirement” is an interesting concept. By definition, retirement is “withdrawal from work, business, etc. because of age” [Webster’s Dictionary]. There is no biological basis for the retirement age of 65. According to research on the concept of social security, the history is that this age was arbitrarily chosen by the German chancellor, Otto Von Bismarck, because he calculated that, if the government chose this age to begin offering seniors’ financial assistance, most German citizens would already have died.
D. Life expectancy has increased dramatically. “In 1900, the average life expectancy at birth was 47 years; in 1991, it was 75...a net gain of 28 years.” At the turn of the century fewer than one person out of twenty-five reached 65 years of age
E. Genesis 3:19 In the sweat of your face shall you eat bread, till you return unto the ground; for out of it were you taken: for dust you art, and unto dust shall you return.
III. The Christian Concept of Golden Years of Service
A. Psalm 92:12-14 The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing,
B. Even though one may retire from one’s work (even "full-time" Christian ministry), he should never retire from serving the Lord. (The way that they serve Him may change).
C. One’s older years are NOT to be spent on the pursuit of pleasure.
D. 1 Timothy 5:5-6 But she being really a widow, and having been left alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day. But she who lives in self-pleasure has died while living.
E. Anna - Luke 2:36-37 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in many days, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity. And she was a widow of eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, serving God with fastings and prayers night and day.
F. Paul says that the widow who lives for pleasure is dead while she yet lives
G. Colossians 3:23, 17 What ever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of Jesus… And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men
H. 1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
I. Noah was 500 years old when God told him to build an ark to save himself and his family, his wife, three sons and three wives from the great flood He would send in judgment upon the earth. Evidently Noah was past the age of fertility for he had no children after that.
J. Abraham was 100 and Sarah 90, both past their child-bearing years, when God gave them their son Isaac. Abraham lived long enough to train this son of promise in God’s ways and make sure he got a good wife.
K. Caleb – at the age of 85 - Joshua 14:12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.
L. Joshua - when he is described as waxed old and stricken in age (feeble and decrepit) - Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
M. Samuel - 1 Samuel 7:15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
N. Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
O. John was still going strong for the Lord at 90, at which age he was exiled to the Isle of Patmos because of his activity for the Lord.
IV. The Contribution Senior Adults can make to the Kingdom of Christ.
A. Far too many Christians have retired from serving Christ and His church. These Christians have lived commendable lives and have been a powerful witness to others about them. They have served on church commissions and taught Sunday school. However, at some point, people believe that they have done their religious duty and that they can sit back and rest on their laurels. Too many Christians have given up on their commitments and have stopped running the race as they should. Instead of striving for an excellent life with excellent service, Christians have become quite content with mediocrity. In the end, these Christians do not attain all that God had for them and at the end of their life they look back at wasted years and wonder what went wrong when things started out so well. – Adapted from Time, Talent, and Treasure by Mike Stine, © 1999-2004 Spreading Light Ministries
B. Senior Adults possess valuable life experiences that can be of great benefit to young believers.
• Titus 2:1-5 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becomes holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
C. Senior Adults can be examples of God’s sustaining grace through the hardships and trials of life’s journey. – James 5:10
D. Senior Adults can be a source of encouragement and support for each other as they face physical and emotional trials as they mature. – Galatians 6:2
E. Being freed from the constraints of secular employment ought to provide more time to be employed in kingdom work – utilizing time and talent for Christ.
CONCLUSION: Everything hit Ruth Clevenger at once when she was 74. She lost both her husband and son in that year. Seven months after her son died, she suffered a stroke. After recovering from the stroke, she fell and hurt her hip. One day she tuned in to a local Christian television program where counselors took prayer requests over the telephone. Ruth called in and asked for prayer concerning her hip. As she listened to that program that day and subsequent days, she heard people testify to how the Lord had saved them and transformed their lives. She heard the old gospel story that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, that God had sent His Son to die for sinners, and that a person had to receive Jesus Christ as Savior in order to be forgiven and have eternal life. Ruth had always thought she was a good Christian. Her father had been an evangelist, the pastor of a church. She had always tried to live a good life. And she had gone forward during a revival twelve years ago. But as she listened to those testimonies, she realized that she didn’t have what those people had. On the third day after calling in for prayer, Ruth realized her hip was feeling much better. When she sat down to eat her supper, she bowed her head humbly and said, "Lord, I’ve seen and heard so much that I know you are alive! Forgive my sins. I want Jesus to come into my heart. Just take me as I am!" Joy filled her heart! Getting out some hymnals, she started singing every old gospel song - and they all had new meaning for her. She knew she was a new person in Christ. She started telling neighbors and others about how the Lord had saved and healed her. While talking to one backslidden neighbor about the Lord, she encouraged her to look at the Christian television program. The neighbor tuned in and rededicated her life to Christ. Every night after that Ruth would pray and say, "I know there’s something more I can do for you, Lord, and want you to show me." One night as Ruth watched her favorite Christian television minister said, "You know, people get saved, and then they just go home and sit down. Everyone has a talent, and some people have several. They ought to be using their talents for the Lord." "Amen, Lord!" Ruth exclaimed. "Open the door!" The next day Ruth visited her daughter, Nelia, a nurse. "Mother," Nelia said, "the nursing home where I work would like you to start coming in to do some volunteer work with the patients. Would you like to do that?" "Praise the Lord!" Ruth exclaimed. "God has answered my prayers!" Ruth started going to the home several times a week. Another volunteer began picking her up before breakfast, so that she could eat with the patients and spend all morning visiting with them. Besides sharing with the patients how the Lord had saved and healed her, she soon found other ways to help and brighten their days. She found joy in playing ’"by ear" for them old favorite hymns on the piano, and the patients found joy in joining her in singing. They also liked her to play and sing while they ate lunch. "We can eat better and enjoy our food more," many have told Ruth. She has brightened the days of many by talking with them, reading the Bible and newspaper to them and comforting and praying with them. "I have shared with most of them about my salvation experience," she told me, "so that if they are like I was, thinking they are Christians and yet they are not, they might realize they need to receive Christ and know Him personally, too. I pray daily for them." One woman Ruth visited with was operated on for a tumor of the brain. She was very depressed and couldn’t sleep at night. When Ruth visited with her a second time in her room, she said, "You know, I slept so good last night. I feel so much better since talking to you!" Ruth’s doctor, who also treated the patients at the nursing home, said to her, "I can tell a big difference in you, Mrs. Clevenger, since you started doing this volunteer work. And I can see a difference in my patients at the nursing home, too!" (Salvation and Service in the Seventies, Dr. Muriel Larson) At 74, Ruth realized she had religion but not Christ. Do you know Christ? Is He your Savior and Lord? At 74, Ruth realized that Christ saved her and gave her talents to serve, not to sit. Are you using your talents, your time and treasure in service of your King, Jesus Christ?
