Leviticus 19:32 “ Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and Honor the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the Lord.”

Proverbs 16:31 “The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.” Proverbs 20:29 “The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the grey head.” Psalms 71:9 “Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.” Psalms 71:18. “Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.”

A natural process Youth is the valley Adulthood is the mountain side Old age is the top of the mountain “By the time you’re eighty years old you’ve learned everything. You only have to remember it.”

“But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.” Jas.2:9 Discrimination Racism - because or race or color Sexism - because of gender Ageism - because of age Indications of Ageism

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35. By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John13:34-35

Honor 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.” Hoary = gray or white headed Honour = show respect, be proud, to favor 1 Tim. 5:4 “…to repay their parents”

Provide Daily Needs Acts 6:1-6 = 7 people helping James 2:14-17 Brother or sister need daily food Faith + works = alive Psalms 71:9 “Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.” Matt. 25:40 “ye have done unto one of the least”

Use Their Experience Titus 2:1-4 Older men teach younger men and women Older women teach young women Older members teach gospel Older members healthier, educated, wealthy, time The Church = both young and old

Social Interaction James 1:27 “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” Visit = more than a friendly visit Involved with each other / help each other Galatians 6:2 “Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

Responsibilities of our older members Don’t lose your usefulness Keep active in the church Never retire from the church Use your talents “Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly [is] plenteous, but the labourers [are] few;” Matt. 9:37

Responsibilities of our older members Be Ready to Serve Prepared to impart fruit of experience Instruct Warn Young people will listen Elderly need to be needed

Responsibilities of our older members Keep on growing and learning You never stop learning Keep on reading and studying Never get tired of Bible study and teaching

Responsibilities of our older members Have a pleasant disposition Some are quarrelsome and have a bad temper Did not happen because they got older There’s nothing more beautiful than cheerfulness in an old face.

The closer we come to the end of this life …The closer we come to the beginning of a wonderful life Proverbs 16:31 “The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.” Revelation 14:13 “And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: …”

There is something very beautiful about a life that has been lived in God's way and comes toward harvest time. Job 5:26 “Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season.”

Psalms 92:12-15 NKJV “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.

Sermon by Arthur Pigman Evans Church of Christ 515 Gibbs Road Evans, Ga Sunday Morning July 15, 2012