Some Things To Show Before We Go

We're over the hill but don't feel sad

This side of the hill ain't all that bad.

So give us "five" and then a smile

To us who have been here for awhile.

With by-pass pain and mended hip

And plumbing fixtures prone to drip;

We all may seem a sorry lot,

But we rejoice for what we've got.

We have each day and what it brings

And on our pensions live like kings.

We've paid our share for unused knowledge

As the kids are now all done with college.

We complain to them about our health

As they worry about our dwindling wealth.

And though our wardrobes may be plain

We'll suffer no more labor or pain.

Now it's with cane we do our strut

And if we can't drive - we still can putt.

We're mean and tough, meet all demands,

Why!, M&M's melt in our hands.

Yes, we're still here, and it does delight us

That you join our fight against arthritis.

But we ask you to make a pledge today

That you'll be careful what you say.

We have to spread "Over the Hill" fear

Or we'll have those young folks over here.

But there are others who do not see growing old as cheerfully.

Illus: Someone said, “How do I know that my youth is all spent? Well, my get up and go has got up and went. But in spite of it all I am able to grin, when I recall where my get up has been. I get up each morning, and dust off my wits, pick up my paper and read the "obits". If my name is missing, I know I'm not dead, so I eat a good breakfast and go back to bed.”

While we poke fun at getting old, we are told to respect those who are IN CHRIST and are UP IN AGE.

Lev. 19:32 “Thou shalt RISE UP before the hoary head, and HONOUR the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.”

While the Word of God exalts the elderly, the television industry is constantly putting the elderly down.

Illus: In December of 2002, the Dell Computer company had an advertisement that they ran on television to help promote the sale of their computers for Christmas. The commercial shows a dad in a shopping mall. He is confused and frustrated and he calls his son to tell him what a hard time he is having trying to buy a computer. But the son is pictured as relaxed and very much in control, and he tells his dad not to worry, he would take care of it.

Commercials like this make the elderly look like idiots, and they make the youth of this nation appear smart. But this is contrary to what the Word of God teaches.

There are all kinds of waste in this country, but one of the biggest wastes is the waste of the elderly. They have all these years of experience and knowledge, and many of them are not doing anything with it.

Senior Saints should have a great ministry of leadership and teaching in God’s church. There is much to be passed on, and if that duty is neglected, the church of tomorrow will not be AWESOME, it will be AWFUL.

David recognized that there were SOME THINGS WE ARE TO SHOW BEFORE WE GO. Look at Psalm 71:18, look at these words, “Until I have shewed”

The elderly in this congregation are GOING TO BE GOING SOON. Statistically we know that our time is very limited. But before we GO, we, like David, must show our children some things.

WHAT CAN WE SHOW THOSE LOVED ONES WHO WILL BE LEFT BEHIND?

I. THERE ARE SOME NATURAL THINGS

A. COMMITMENT TO WORK

Working on a job may not seem spiritual, but actually it is spiritual.

• Many Christians spend more time on their jobs than they do anywhere else

• It is important that Christians represent the Lord on their jobs, as much as it is important to represent Him in church

The apostle Paul saw work on secular jobs as a spiritual matter, and he did not hesitate to preach on it.

Look at 2 Thess. 3:10, “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.”

Paul knew that God had no pity on the lazy man.

Illus: In Santa Monica, California, in November of 2002, the Fox News Channel was showing that we have a major problem with the homeless. Years ago, the liberals in charge of this beautiful city began to make it known how sorry they felt for those poor p-i-t-i-f-u-l homeless people.

But now, many are beginning to change their minds, because the word got out among these TRIFLING, HEALTHY MEN AND WOMEN who do not want to work, that they can come there and get free clothing, food and shelter. With their healthy bodies, they stand in line with their hands out, wanting the freebies offered to them by the city and various churches.