A Number
I fear that the modern church has a preoccupation with physical age. I can’t tell you how many times at conventions and conversations I have heard people ask “how many young families are in your church” or received church advertisements about “making the church more attractive to the new generation”. I spent a good portion of my life doing youth ministry. Believe me, I understand the importance of reaching out to and providing for the spiritual growth of our children.
But what about the 70 year old children?
What about the senior in high school who is actually a senior in the church?
Curious as to what I mean?
Here is a quote I have been chewing on for a little while:
In the Church of God there are children who are 70 years old. Yes, little children displaying all the infirmities of declining years! It is not a pleasant sight to see gray-headed babies, yet I must confess I have seen such and I have even been glad that I could dare to go the length of hoping that they were babies in Christ! One would not like to say of a man of 80 that he had scarcely cut his wisdom teeth—and yet there are such—scarcely out of the nurse’s arms at 60 years of age, needing just as much care and comfort as sucklings at the breast! On the other hand, there are fathers in the Church of God—wise, stable, instructed—who are comparatively young men. The Lord can cause His people to grow rapidly and far outstrip their years. David, as a lad, was more of a father in God than Eli in his old age. Growth in Grace is not a time growth. In eternal matters, years count for little. The Lord gives subtlety to the simple and to the young men knowledge and discretion. – Charles Spurgeon
In the church it is important to remember that with age does not necessarily come spiritual wisdom. When we gather the person sitting next to you could be a far older spiritually than they appear. That individual who has years of experience in life may be quite new in the faith. As a church we have been called to both. Which leads me to what I want you to ponder if we are simply settling.
Am I ok with a simple childlike faith (Matthew 18:1-5)?
Am I content with a mustard seed of faith (Matthew 17:20)?
Jesus encourages us to have a child’s dependence and curiosity. A child asks on average 73 questions a day.
Jesus says a mustard seed of faith is all that is required to move mountains…but put it in context…the disciples were asking why they failed.
Paul encourage the church to grow. To want more. To ask.
He tells the Corinthians (1st Cor 3 NIV): Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly
The author of Hebrews says (Hebrews 5:12 NIV): In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!
Baptism is not graduation. It is a beginning
The only hill you can be over is now holds and empty grave because Christ is living.
Are you still learning? What Scripture have you studied today? Would you like to know more? That is the purpose of Bible study. Perhaps I could recommend our Sunday Bible study or Wednesday night service.
Growing old is a product of sin.
Growing in in the Scripture is a product of grace
Age is more than a number; see you at Study.
-Pastor Dan