On Being 70

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On Being 70

• Psalm 9212-15

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Psalm 9212-15

• 12 The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
  He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 13 Those
  who are planted in the house of the Lord Shall
  flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They shall
  still bear fruit in old age They shall be fresh
  and flourishing, 15 To declare that the Lord is
  upright He is my rock, and there is no
  unrighteousness in Him.

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Introduction

• Tomorrow I will celebrate my 70th birthday.
• I started preaching one sermon a week in 1959
  54 years ago.
• I began full time preaching in 1966 47 years
  ago.
• But this sermon is not about me or how old I am.
• GOD CAN USE PEOPLE OF ANY AGE.

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God's Use of Older People

• Moses and Aaron 80 and 83
• Joshua and Caleb in their 80's
• Joshua lived to be 110.
• Caleb was 85 when he drove the giants out of
  Hebron.
• Daniel
• Taken to Babylon as a young man
• Served 70 years

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God's Use of Older People

• Zacharias Elizabeth
• Luke 17 advanced in years
• Simeon Anna
• Luke 2325-38
• Anna was at least 84
• Paul
• Philemon 9 yet for love's sake I rather appeal to
  you--being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now
  also a prisoner of Jesus Christ--

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God's Use of older people in the church today

• Congregations are overseen by elders
• Not just years lived
• By experience of life wisdom and maturity are
  gained.

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God's Use of older people in the church today

• Need older women Titus 23-5 3 the older women
  likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not
  slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of
  good things-- 4 that they admonish the young
  women to love their husbands, to love their
  children, 5 to be discreet, chaste, homemakers,
  good, obedient to their own husbands, that the
  word of God may not be blasphemed

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God's Use of older people in the church today

• Elderly can provide services
• Visit sick, hospitals, stay during surgery
• Nursing home visits
• Class room teachers
• Even the infirm can work
• Send cards, make phone calls
• Spend time in prayer
• Teach and encourage

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God uses people of ALL ages

• REQUIREMENTS
• Must be prepared
• Must be willing
• Must stretch beyond yourself (out of your comfort
  zone)
• The righteous can still bear fruit in old age.

10
Philippians 212-15

• 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always
  obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much
  more in my absence, work out your own salvation
  with fear and trembling 13 for it is God who
  works in you both to will and to do for His good
  pleasure. 14 Do all things without complaining
  and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless
  and harmless, children of God without fault in
  the midst of a crooked and perverse generation,
  among whom you shine as lights in the world,