Getting Closer To The Throne

At 7:12 PM EDT last night I officially became a sexagenarian which, if you don't know what the word means, isn't what it sounds like. And like anyone else reaching a milestone in their progress toward the Throne of Mercy I pondered and prayed a prayer of thanks for God's guidance in reaching that point. 

I don't have a problem with reaching 60 but King Solomon wasn’t all that enthusiastic about growing old. In fact he was really upset with his age. In Ecclesiastes 12 he says

1 

1 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come And the years approach of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; 2 before the sun is darkened and the light and the moon and the stars and the clouds return after the rain;

Then he goes on

6 Before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is broken, And the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the pulley is broken at the well, 7 And the dust returns to the earth as it once was,  and the life breath returns to God who gave it. 8 Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, all things are vanity!

He finally finishes up Ecclesiastes with the words For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. Solomon was very disheartened. He obviously was looking back on his life and realized where he fell short far too late. He had it all and squandered it all away in his pursuit of power. His selfish ambition lead to the division and fall of Israel, and as he neared the end he realized the folly of his actions.

But the majority of the bible paints aging in a more positive light and John MacArthur gave a sermon on the need for older folks in the church, his sermon was based on Titus 2:2-3 which addresses aging and the elderly in the church. I’d like to share a small part of that sermon;

2 that older men should be temperate, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, love, and endurance. 3 Similarly, older women should be reverent in their behavior, not slanderers, not addicted to drink, teaching what is good, (Titus 2:2-3)

And, you know, in the life of the church it's really very important to have people who are godly seniors.  And that's what Paul is saying to Titus.  Let's go back to Titus.  He's saying, you know, “As you look at your congregation, Titus, you need to start your instruction with the older people because they're so crucial.”  You know, there are a lot of churches today in our country, and I suppose in other places in the world, that are filled with young people.  

I really wouldn't want to be a part of one of those churches.  I think, I think that would be a very difficult place to minister because you need some people there who have been where all those young people are going who can help them evaluate what they think at this present time - may be valuable.  You need the hoary heads, you need the aged and the wise who have come and gone and been there to instruct the young, to show them the path of righteousness, to show them the path of goodness, to show them the proper priorities and values.  You need some people who can stand with the apostle Paul and say, “I've fought the good fight; I've kept the faith.” 

So the aging of Christians is a blessing.  I think churches today don't understand that.  I have heard a couple of comments from people who have gone over to Russia and the Ukraine and come back and said, "Well, we really can't work for the church over there; they're just a bunch of old people."  

That's a terrible, terrible insight into the shallowness of some people's thinking.  It's the aged people in the congregation that provide its strength, its stability and its wisdom.  Older believers, should they be in great numbers in the future in the church, are going to make the church a better place, a richer place.  The maturity of godliness will be a benediction to the body of Christ.  The aging of America means the aging of the church; the aging of the church could be a great, great blessing.

Certainly God has told us to revere those who are older than we are - those who are the aged, who have walked with Him.  Leviticus 19:32 says, "You shall rise up before the grayheaded and honor the aged."  Job 12:12, "Wisdom is with the aged...with long life is understanding."  

The gray head is a crown of glory if it be found in the way of righteousness.  Somebody old who has walked a long time in the path of righteousness is a treasure, a treasure of wisdom and a treasure of experience and a treasure of understanding, a triumphant Christian who has fought the battle over and over and over and been victorious; who has experienced everything that the young are waiting to experience, become a great treasure to the church.