Evening Service for 10/17/2004
What Really Matters?
Seasoned with Time Series
Introduction:
The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn’t already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to find a winkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being. She said, “Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I’m 86 years old. Can I give you a hug?” I laughed and responded, “Of course you may!” and she gave me a big squeeze. “Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?” I asked. She replied, “I’m here to find a rich man, get married, have a couple of children, and then retire and travel.” “No seriously,” I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age. “I always dreamed of having a college education and now I’m getting one!” she told me. After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake. We became friends. Every day for the next 3 months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this time machine as she shared her wisdom and experience. Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.
At the years end Rose finished her college degree she had began many years before. One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep. Over 2,000 college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it’s never too late to be all you can possibly be.
WBTU:
A. We must take seriously Revelation 2:10, be faithful unto death. If we believe faithfulness is important throughout life, then ministry must be structured to value faithfulness in all people regardless of age.
B. What Really Matters?
Thesis: For the church and for those seasoned with time, it’s a matter of 6 things.
For instances:
1. It’s a matter of sharing
A. The church is a passenger ship transporting Christians through this world to be with God for eternity. On a ship, certain people are at the front viewing where they are going. Others are at the rear viewing where they have been. Young people usually gravitate to the front and older people to the rear.
B. Older people have precious memories to cherish and priceless wisdom to share. Job 12- Is not wisdom found among the aged?
C. The church must value this perspective. The question is not whether vision for the future or wisdom from the past is most important. Both are!
D. Of greater importance is the number of people boarding the boat and being saved. Noah and his family worked as a team, lived harmoniously on the ark, and were saved. God wants His church family to follow that example today.
E. In salvation both are needed. In Ecclesiastes Solomon looked back on his life and the futility of a lot of his pursuits and he came to this conclusion. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. Look back at our past and how much we have failed.
F. Look to the future. Repent and come to Christ and your future will be bright.
G. The future of the church depends on people looking ahead. However, we must value those things that are behind and learn from them.
H. We need each other. The young have abundant energy and want to do but they are stupid. Those seasoned with time have limited energy and want to slow down but they are full of wisdom and experiences.
2. It’s a matter of reassignment
A. Retirement can be detrimental to spiritual health!
B. Some retirees grab their pensions and drift away from the Father into the far country indulging in what they believe they deserve and have earned. How foolish and sinful to squander resources God could use!
C. We need to teach that retirement from Christian service is not an option.
D. Those seasoned with time do not have more time but they have more control over their time.
E. Think about what older Christian can do with their time. More time to pray. More time to get involved in community activities (Yokefellow, the hospital). Time to spend with youth (after all they go home). Time to spend doing what they enjoy in Christian service.
F. If you came to Southeast Christian Church during the week, you’d be inspired by many retired people who perform invaluable service to this church. Every Monday morning, one of our older Sunday school classes, the Friendship Class, comes in and clean the sanctuary. They pick up gum wrappers, straighten up the books, work in the yard, and do maintenance on vehicles, set up chairs. Many of our greeters are over the age of 65.
F. Study done and examined the lives of 400 outstanding achievers, those who accomplished a lot. It was found that persons between the ages of 60 and 70 produced 35% of the world’s great achievements. 23% were produced by persons between 70 and 80. The most outstanding finding of this study was that 64% of the great achievements were made by persons who had passed their 60th birthday. They have been released from an oppressive work schedule. There is no longer a ringing alarm, no hectic rush to punch the time clock, and no imposed regimen of activity. You can achieve more for Christ in your future than you ever have in the past. There are still many things for you to do.
F. The church should enlist older adults in a wide variety of volunteer opportunities. It’s a time for reassignment, not retirement!
3. It’s a matter of serving
A. Jesus settled an argument among His disciples by equating greatness with service. His mission was not to be served but to serve.
B. Great churches avoid self-serving programs and maximize potential for service.
C. Some leaders assume older adults are people to be served and categorize them as care-taking liabilities who drain ministerial time and resources. Leadership decisions often communicate older church members are not needed.
D. Not much return for the effort! They have been this way and they will not change. Evangelism is difficult among this group. Those who have gone to church for years and have never gotten involved will always be this way.
E. Maybe never had an opportunity to get involved. If we push them away, we are throwing away God’s treasures.
F. Healthy churches value the growth potential and productivity of older adults. Learning can and should continue. Many times seasoned with time saints are shepherds to the younger generation. We need to feed the shepherds. If we don’t feed the shepherds, the lambs will go away.
G. Titus 2:1-6
H. We must not neglect the frail elderly but we must also not coddle older adults with token ministry. Let’s just let them play bingo and have fellowships and that is all. No encouragement to serve. No stimulus to get involved.
I. This is not babysitting for the elderly. It is the same with the youth. We need to teach and challenge them to be the best they can be for Christ. A person’s greatest need is to be needed.
4. It’s a matter of attitude
A. The desire of older people is to press on. They do not want to rust out they want to wear out.
B. Caleb- Here I am today, 85 years old! I am still strong now give me the hill country- Joshua 14.
C. Caleb did not view himself as too old for productive service. Also, Joshua and the others valued his service.
D. We err in today’s church and in society when we establish chronological age distinctions determining one’s capability or effectiveness. How much better to avoid the stereotypes and nurture positive attitudes about aging!
E. Let your attitude be the same as Christ Jesus.
5. It’s a matter of embracing change
A. Change is at the core of Christianity. Not that God changes, he is the same. But we must change. Acceptance of Christ means a change of heart.
B. This world is not our home; we are just a passing through. I want it to be the same in the church and in my life. Let me say we are all going to experience a big change as long as the Lord tarries. We are going to die. Do we not want to leave this place?
C. 2 Corinthians 4:18- We fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, what is unseen is eternal.
D. We like things the same. We desire comforts and securities. However, if we keep our focus on what is important, the eternal things, we realize that many of our hang-ups are so temporary. This world is going to change whether we do or not.
E. Conflict over change occurs when too much emphasis is place upon the here and now. When churches prioritize the unchanging truths of God, heated debates are cooled, and Christ’s mission is accomplished.
F. A church had a change in music. An elderly man was asked if he like the music. “No, I don’t. But when I see all of the young people and when I see my own grandchildren praising the Lord, this is what really matters and then the music doesn’t mean that much to me.”
6. It’s a matter of the future
A. An 80 year old Christian man gazed at the church building under construction and remarked, “I may not live long enough to worship in that building but I support this project with all my heart. I know long after I’m gone, many people will come to know Christ here. I’m grateful to God I’m able to help a little while I can.”
B. Psalm 145:4-5 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise. One generation will commend your works to another.
C. Are we effectively passing the baton of faith to the next generation? The answer to that Question is what really matters.
D. How to promote the youth ministry to the senior’s ministry? Simple. The seniors are soon going to be leaving and what are we going to leave behind. Need grandchildren and children and the next generation giving their allegiance to Christ.
E. We are soon going to be gone and who is going to take our place? This was a big problem with Israel.
F. Judges 2- The people served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel. After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel.
G. This cycle, whose fault was it? The younger generations, oh yes. The older generation probably had a part to play as well.
