The Blessing of Growing
Old with Christ!
Psalm 92:13-15
January 22nd
2012 AM
Pastor Craig
Ledbetter
I.
Introduction (Psalm
92:13-15)
A.
Humour
1.
There are three signs of old
age…
a.
The first is your loss of
memory.
b.
The other two I forget.
2.
You know you are growing old
when…
a.
You're sitting on a park bench
and a Boy Scout comes up and helps you cross your legs.
b.
When you do the "Hokey Pokey"
you put your left hip out... and it stays out.
c.
You look both ways before
crossing a room.
d.
You come to the conclusion
that your worst enemy is gravity.
e.
Eventually you will reach a
point when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it.
B.
People fear growing old. “Gerascophobia”
– the Fear of growing old. They don’t like to think about it or talk about it
much. And for good reason:
1.
More health problems
the older you get
a.
Sickness, pain, suffering.
b.
With old age comes increased
probability of sickness, decreased physical ability, medical conditions such as
dementia (Alzheimer’s disease), heart disease, cancer, etc.
c.
Old age arrives hand in hand
with pain and suffering usually.
2.
More aloneness
a.
The world races ahead, leaving
you in its dust
b.
People generally see old
people as a burden and they try to avoid them. For example, a grandmother is in
her 90s and she has over ten children. When it comes to taking care of her, all
of them will try to shift responsibility from one another, giving reasons like
they are too busy. Old age tends to bring solitude.
3.
More painful memories
a.
All of us have had goals and
dreams. When you were younger, you envisioned yourself being somewhere at a
certain age. It may be to earn a lot of money, achieve a certain amount of
success and have a family. But when you reach a certain age, you realize that
you aren’t what you thought you should have been. This can be quite painful.
b.
Too much thinking and
reminiscing
c.
Too many failures
d.
Too many burdens
e.
Too much guilt, sin, and
regrets
f.
All of that makes growing old
scary!
4.
Being undesirable.
a.
Most see face lines and
wrinkles, frown lines, laugh lines, sagging skin, brown spots, etc with a sense
of awfulness.
b.
These are all associated with
‘ugly’.
c.
This seems to apply to females
more often than not, thanks to marketers. They spend billions in advertising
every year to reinforce negativity in the notion looking old, so it leads to
continual sales for their anti-aging products. The anti-aging consumer goods
category continue to grow yearly.
5.
Death.
Ultimately, what’s the end of our physical existence? Death. People fear death.
Death means losing everything we have. Everything we have built. It also means
the end of our existence… Or does it?
C.
What if God designed us to
grow old with HIM at our side?
1.
For a Christian, the end of
THIS life is really nothing but the beginning of eternity! The world may not
believe it, but Jesus said heaven is wonderful! And the journey into it is worth
everything!
2.
Don’t miss out on enjoying
life to the very end! Life is not only good (at least for the Christian) from 16
until 30! No way! Life is good to the very end!
3.
Sadly, older folks, even
Christians only get harder, and more and more bitter, the older they get. They
are missing what God says is better than the start of life! Eccl 7:8
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof.
4.
A man once wrote, A person
must wait until the evening, to see how splendid the day has been!
D.
Rather than fear growing old;
rather than try to ignore it, I want to help us to look forward to the future,
and prepare for it to be the best time of our life!
II.
Background
A.
God Has a Great View of a Long
Life
1.
He Himself is eternal
2.
He was there when we were
conceived and born… (Isa 46:3)
3.
And he will carry us through
the last step into His presence (Isa 46:4)
B.
We were designed to live
forever
1.
A marvel of life
2.
We did NOT come with an
expiration date
3.
At first, Adam and Eve were
made ready to live young, healthy, perfect, forever
C.
Sin messes up everything
(Psalm 32:3)
1.
Not just our own sin, but the
sins of our parents, going all the way back to Adam and Eve
2.
Gradually shortened life
a.
Adam lived 930 years
b.
Methuselah 969
c.
Noah 950
d.
Abraham 175
e.
Isaac 180
f.
Jacob 130
3.
There is no easy way to die
a.
Yes we wear out
b.
But our bodies aren’t designed
to die
c.
We were designed by our
Creator to live forever!
D.
A Christian Should Desire to
Live as Long As God Will Allow
E.
There are Blessings That Only
Come to Old Age (Psalm 92:12-14)
1.
Grandchildren (Prov 17:6)!
2.
A beauty the world cannot fake
(Prov 20:29)!
3.
Wisdom (Job 12:12)! Having
something to say that matters! When you were younger you had ideas, and
opinions, and NOW you KNOW what you are talking about!
4.
A Testimony of God’s goodness
to you (Ps 37:25)
5.
Real friends and true love!
You discover those the older you get!
6.
God’s grace becomes greater
the weaker you get (2Cor 12:9)
F.
We WILL Honour Growing Old
Here!
1.
I believe the Lord is coming
again SOON! But until he does, we had better get ready have a bunch of old folks
here, loved, and honoured by all the new young’uns that will keep showing up!
2.
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.
3.
Eph 6:1-3 Children, obey your
parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother.
4.
Prov 23:22 Hearken unto thy
father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
III.
How to Enjoy Growing
Old – How to Live Long on this Earth
A.
Fear God! Not Death or Old
Age, or Anything Else (Psalm 128:1-6)
1.
We fear hospitals, doctors,
cancer treatments, needles, pain, and our enemies
2.
But we neglect to fear God!
3.
Do you want to live long? Fear
God – fear upsetting HIM!
B.
Honour and Obey Your
Parents, and Grandparents, and all older folks
(Eph 6:1-3; Ex 20:12; Proverbs 3:1,2; 3:13-16)
1.
You might be one one day – but
not if you don’t honour them!
2.
What does that mean?
a.
Listen to them (Prov 4:10)!
Quit ignoring the greatest gift God gave you besides Jesus Christ! Your parents
and grandparents!
1)
Consider everything they say
2)
Listen to the things they
DON’T say!
b.
Obey them! If it is not wrong
what they tell you, then you have to obey it – God promises you, that you will
live longer when you do!
c.
If you want to die early,
listen to all the rap singers! In the past 20+ years, over 50 murdered, or dead
from overdoses and heart attacks before they were 35!!!
d.
Your PARENTS are a whole lot
smarter than those STUPID guys (Eccl 7:5)!
e.
Ask THEIR opinion about what
you should do, who you should marry, etc (Dt 32:7)
f.
To honour means to thank them,
praise them, protect their feelings, treat them like royalty, not like dirt!
C.
Live Right
– Godly living lengthens your days (Psalm 34:11-14; 1Tim 4:8)
1.
It means that you just Do
Things God’s Way (1Kings 3:14) Stupid living strips years from your life
2.
But having a…
a.
Clean Conscience
b.
Godly thoughts – restrained
imagination
c.
Pure body – stay a virgin
until marriage, and then stay married to one person
d.
Will make for a long life
e.
Sinful thoughts take away from
your time on earth, just like cigarettes
f.
Hours and hours of wasted time
in front of sensual and filthy TV robs you not only of the hours you could have
been sleeping a good night’s sleep, but also hours and hours later in your life
when you will WISH you had that strength back – that you WASTED on the couch!
g.
Do any of you realise that all
those soaps actors, and movie actors get up at 4.30am and work out, and read and
study and then work for 10 hours a day, and do not get to just sit down in front
of the TV for 6 hours at a time???
3.
Take Care of Your Health (1Cor
3:17,18)
a.
You were given pretty good
health at first
b.
Then you abused it
1)
Smoking
2)
Late nights – no sleep
3)
Laziness
4)
Wrong foods – Chinese all the
time
c.
Start doing healthy things
1)
Loads of fruits
2)
Smaller portions
3)
Exercise
4)
IF YOU WANT TO LIVE LONG!
4.
Work Hard – best way to stay
healthy (Gen 3:19)
a.
This western world for the
past 60-70 years has sought to make life easier and easier for everybody
b.
Yet we are the fattest,
sickest, most depressed group of people in all of history
c.
Work hard! The best workers in
any company should be Bible believers! Who want to live long!
d.
Not have stress, but good
effort!
D.
Stay Soft and Humble
(1Peter 5:5)
1.
A right attitude, and a joyful
heart is like the fountain of youth!
2.
But a hard heart grows old
quick! Most people just expect to grow old cranky! STOP IT!
3.
It is RIGHT to Have remorse,
but not regrets! Regrets kill you!
4.
How do you stay soft?
a.
Walk with the Lord Jesus
through-out every day
b.
Be willing to start over a
lot!
1)
Moses got saved at 80 –
started serving God
2)
Apostle Paul repented of his
self righteousness, and started completely over, even though he was one of the
most highly trained theologians for Judaism
c.
Strive to have a Meek and
Quiet Spirit – you have NO RIGHT to stay angry! Work HARD at controlling your
frustrations!! Jesus commanded us to! He is worth the effort!
d.
Show Kindness in the same way
God has been kind to you!
e.
Praise God More and More
(Psalm 104:33)
1)
A right attitude will restore
strength and health to you (Pr 17:22)
2)
Don’t take yourself and your
problems so seriously
3)
Trust God all through your
years (Ps 37:25; 71:9)
4)
Just thank God, and praise God
for everything – absolutely everything
5)
“You don’t stop laughing
because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing.” – Michael
Pritchard
f.
And you will live long!
E.
Love a
1.
Starts with a love for God
first and foremost (Psalm 91:14-16; Dt 30:20)
2.
Love especially your enemies
(Matthew 5:43-45; Rom 12:19-21)
3.
People in general
4.
There is too much hatred,
anger, bitterness – WAY TOO MUCH! It will kill you!
5.
The older you get, you NEED to
love more and more, knowing that the people around you probably have never known
love! Show it to them!
6.
If you want to outlive your
enemies, then love God, and love even your enemies!!!
F.
Discover the will of God,
and do it – no matter how old you are
1.
Moses was 80, Abraham 75,
Jacob was 96 when he got right with God
2.
Aimless Christians die young!
3.
To have gained the whole world
(Steve Jobs), and yet lose your own soul
4.
What could Steve Jobs have
done if he had known the Bible (not religions), and served the Lord Jesus
Christ?!
G.
Influence This Generation
(Psalm 71:18)
1.
Speak up! Don’t leave it to
Oprah
2.
Psa71:18 Now also when “I” am
old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until “I” have shewed thy strength
unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.
3.
We have such a responsibility
the older we get!
4.
So what if people think we are
old and cranky! We have something to say that will make the difference between
ruin and survival of this nation!
IV.
Conclusion
A.
Don’t miss out on the
blessings that are ahead for the Christian who lives long
B.
God designed us to grow old
with HIM at our side!
C.
Sadly, older folks, even
Christians only get harder, and more and more bitter, the older they get. They
are missing what God says is better than the start of life! Ecc 7:8 Better
is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof.
D.
There are Blessings That Only
Come to Old Age
1.
Grandchildren!
2.
A beauty the world cannot fake
3.
Wisdom! Having something to
say that matters! When you were younger you had ideas, and opinions, and NOW you
KNOW what you are talking about!
4.
A Testimony of God’s goodness
to you
5.
Real friends and true love!
You discover those the older you get!
6.
God’s grace becomes greater
the weaker you get
E.
How to Enjoy Growing
Old – How to Live Long on this Earth
1.
Fear God, not Death or Old
Age, or Anything Else (Psalm 128:1-6)
2.
Honour and Obey Your
Parents, and Grandparents, and all older folks
3.
Live Right
– Godly living lengthens your days (Psalm 34:11-14; 1Tim 4:8)
4.
Stay Soft and Humble
5.
Love a Lot
– especially God, and even your enemies
6.
Discover the will of God,
and do it – no matter how old you are
7.
Influence This Generation
(Psalm 71:18)