Living as Seasoned Christians: Maintaining Your Influence and Effectiveness

Join Reagan as he explores what it means to live as a seasoned Christian without losing your 'salt' or influence. In this video, Reagan shares insights from Matthew 5:13-14 and Psalm 71, discussing the importance of maintaining faith and usefulness in older age. He emphasizes the continued responsibilities older Christians have in teaching, leading, and being an example to younger generations. Through references to scripture, Reagan encourages seasoned believers to stay steadfast in their faith and to actively contribute to their communities. Whether you are young or seasoned, this lesson offers valuable perspectives on the importance of spiritual growth and perseverance.

00:00 Introduction and Opening Scriptures
00:43 Respect and Aging
01:40 Living as Seasoned Christians
02:36 The Fear of Old Age
04:01 The Role of Older Christians
04:26 The Importance of Retaining Saltiness
07:23 Instructions for Older and Younger Christians
09:45 The Role of Older Women
12:30 The Importance of Sound Doctrine
14:11 Teaching and Leading by Example
16:24 The Relationship Between Church and Home
21:47 Continued Growth and Perseverance
26:11 Conclusion and Call to Action

En Español

Transcript

Good afternoon. If you have your Bible with you, would you take it out please and turn to Matthew chapter five. Matthew chapter five. We'll be reading verses 13 and 14 here in just a moment. And if you'd also like to turn in your Old Testament to Psalm 71, the 71st Psalm we'll be looking at those two openings at the onset of our lesson.

Here in just a moment. Psalm 71 in verse nine, and then Matthew chapter five and verse 13. If you'll turn to those two places, you'll be ready to go for our lesson this evening. I couldn't help but notice the way Gman referred to the people who are going to be leading us in worship tonight. He talked about Mr.

Lindsay and Mr. Beman and then Wade Pen and rants, trusts. Why did he do that? Well, because he is a polite young gentleman and he's trying to give respect to those who are a little bit older. You know, some images to describe getting older are better than others, right? Vintage is probably better than antique.

I like the golden years better than the sunset years. Maybe you disagree with me, but being on the back nine is certainly better than being over the hill. A lion and winter, I would suggest is better than being no spring chicken. But one of my favorites is the idea of being seasoned because it has almost universally positive associations.

And so I want us to think for a little bit about this idea of living as seasoned Christians. That's what we want, right? We want well-seasoned food. You don't want an unseasoned cast iron pan, but one that's been perfectly seasoned through the years. You would love to have a seasoned veteran on your favorite sports team, and certainly you would want your officer to be seasoned if you're going.

Into battle. Seasoned travelers know their way around, and that's the kind of person that you want to travel with, and I like that because old age is supposed to be a good thing, at least for the one who's following after the things of God. Proverbs 16, in verse 31 says, gray hair is a crown of glory. It is gained in a righteous life.

I don't know if that applies to beard hair, but hopefully that's a good thing we gain from living a righteous life. At the same time, there is a fear of old age ailments, loss of independence, and for the follower of God, perhaps more than anything, there is the fear of a, a lack of usefulness to the Lord.

How am I gonna serve the Lord in my older years? And in Psalm 71, it seems as though the Psalmist struggles with this idea as he talks about his old age. Notice in verse one of Psalm 71, excuse me, verse nine of Psalm 71. He says to God, do not cast me off in time of old age. Do not forsake me. When my strength fails.

God continue to be with me as he continues to to be with God. You drop down to verse 17, oh God, you have taught me from my youth and to this day, I declare your wondrous works. Now also, when I am old and gray headed, oh God, do not forsake me. Until I declare your strength to this generation, your power to everyone who is to come.

For the Christian, as it was for the Psalmist, the idea of outliving your usefulness is simply not true. There are things that need to be done at all ages of life, and I thought today, in this afternoon would be an appropriate time. We have lots of lessons for the youth. And tonight I want us to think about living as seasoned as a seasoned Christian without losing your salt.

Now, the AV guys said this was too long of a title. I don't care. That's the idea I'm trying to get across tonight, that we all need to live in these different seasons and stages of life. Without losing our influence and effectiveness for the Lord. So if you've turned to Matthew chapter five let's read verses 13 and 14.

As Jesus describes, what I would suggest is one of the primary purposes for a citizen of his kingdom. He says, you y'all Christians, those who are kingdom citizens are the salt of the earth. If the fault loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It isnt good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden, and we generally, or at least in my preaching, I've probably focused more on the second image of this idea of us being the light of the world. The idea of being the salt of the earth is a powerful image as well. Salt is beneficial in a myriad of ways, and commentators are always fighting over which benefit of salt Jesus really had in mind.

In this passage salt does everything from seasoning and preserving food to. Making sure you don't slip when it's icy outside. And so I think this idea of all of the benefits of salt may be what Jesus was intending, that being a Christian in this world, on this earth is beneficial to those who are around us.

In a ton of different ways. Not one particular way, but in lots and lots of ways. Having Christians in a, in a state, Christians in a community, Christians in a country, is gonna make that area that place better because of their presence. But that's only true. These places are only better. The world is only a better place if we retain that seasoning.

That salt that God intends for us to have. So let's think about that from maybe a little bit more of a negative perspective and then a little more of a positive perspective. The, the two points that I want to get across this evening are, number one, that living as a seasoned Christian without losing your salt means that older Christians must fight against this idea of losing their seasoning.

Older Christians are not exempt to the requirements of Christianity. In fact, it seems as though if. You look through Old and New Testament, they have their own temptations. They have their own pitfalls. They have their own things that they must fight against. And while it likely is somewhat different than the things of youth, it's still something that older Christians must fight against, against.

Don't lose your seasoning, as Jesus says here in Matthew five. Losing that, losing that seasoning. Means that you and I could be good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. Certainly that's not the place where we want to find ourselves. So what does that look like? Well turn to Titus chapter two.

You probably saw that on the title side, and that's our other primary passage tonight, Titus chapter two, beginning in verse one, Titus chapter two, beginning in verse one. Just as Paul often addresses different groups with different relationships, you know, husbands and wives, parents and children, servants and masters like we talked about this morning here in Titus chapter two, he, he addresses different age groups, older and younger, both men and women.

Begin reading with me in verse one of Titus chapter two, but as you Titus speak, the things which are proper for sound doctrine. The ESV says, teach what? Accords with sound doctrine. That the older men be sober, reverent, temperate sound in faith, in love, in steadfastness. Maybe your translation says patience.

I like that idea of steadfastness. They're solid. They can be dependent on. The older women, likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine teachers of good things, that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands that the word of God may not be blaspheme.

And just to finish off the context of these verses, let's keep reading verses six through eight. Likewise exhort the young men to be sober minded. Now that's interesting. We'll come back to that. He says, sober minded for young men and sober for old men. In verse two, in all things, showing yourself to be a pattern of good works and doctrine, showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility sound, speech that cannot be condemned.

One who is an opponent may be ashamed having nothing evil to say of you. So just as young people are encouraged to flee, also youthful lusts, the older are called in this message to be reverent and temperate. That is dignified and self controlled, indicating a focus on the spiritual things. Rather than being distracted by the inevitable physical problems or sufferings that might come about in older, older years, they are to be steadfast in many things, steadfast in faith, steadfast in love, not losing heart at the end of the race, and specifically older women are instructed by Paul or instructed by Titus as he was instructed by Paul in this local church, not to be slanderous.

Maybe that calls to mind the temptation of gossip with extra time leading them to become idle, busy boss bodies as specified in one Timothy chapter five with some of the widows there. There are temptations in old age as well as youth or middle age, and we need to be alert. We need to be aware of them and we need to walk circumspectly for the being aware of the temptations of the devil.

But again, I want you to, to think to yourself and look at these qualities that, that they should have and then the things that they should avoid, and how many of these things apply across the board. I notated specifically this idea of being sober or sober minded. Those, that concept certainly applies to all Christians, whether you're young or middle aged, or someone who is well seasoned.

So while certainly there is this idea of certain temptations for those who are older, there are not a different set of rules in old age requirements of Christianity do remain the same. And essentially everything that applied in younger years in terms of what you should be doing in service to God and others still applies.

Again, think about this idea of being sober and it's equivalent that's applied to all ages. Everyone is supposed to be sober minded. Christianity is serious business, and so we think about young people and maybe young people are tossed to and fro by fads and every wind of doctrine and pet issues. But the same thing can happen with those who should be seasoned.

We don't need to become too soft or too hard on every issue because, well, I'm set in my ways and this is just the way I am. There shouldn't be a drift that occurs in later years. No, we need to be serious and use common sense and not be flippant about God's requirements. Perhaps the olders, the older have to be our pillars.

Our stakes driven deeply in the ground of sound doctrine to keep us tethered to the truth. But it is a requirement of all of us, no matter our age, to be sober minded in our approach to spiritual things. And we can't become flippant about those things just because, well, I've been doing this same thing for 50, 60, or 70 years, so much of the Christian life, applies to everyone and everyone is required to follow to the best of their abilities. Another example maybe would be Colossians chapter four in verse six. Using this idea of being seasoned, let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt. It's interesting how things change sometimes when people get older.

And yes, there is some truth to the idea that you can get away with saying more when you're a little older, maybe. There's some older people that I know. I won't call them out by name. They're not in the room. These people are not in the room with us, but they think now they're just, you know, kind of able to flirt with every person that they're around and you know, to a certain degree, maybe that's kind of cute sometimes, and sometimes it's creepy, right?

And sometimes it's just creepy. And so we think about this idea of, well, I can just get away with saying and doing whatever I want to do. That's, that's not the Christian attitude. Let your speech. Always be, not sometimes be or be until you reach a certain age. You can say whatever you want. Let it always be with grace and let it always be seasoned with salt.

We should weigh our words carefully. At every age we're seasoned and so should our words be as we get a little older. Now, maybe that's kind of a negative way of looking at these things. So the second point, I would, I would put it in this way. Older Christians must continue to be salt to the earth, and by that I mean there are specific roles that are intended for older Christians, most notably this idea of an example.

To those who are younger, a teacher to those who are younger and a leader for those who are younger. That's exactly what David talked about in Psalm 71, right? I wanna declare you to the next generation. I want others to see and know what it is to be a follower of God. And so we ask the question, I think well be an example, teach and lead on what?

Well, maybe there's specific positions in mind, like one who is an elder perhaps, but. I wanna point out two specific ways that seasoned Christians should continue to be salt should continue to make the world a better place, but even more specifically, the church Timberland drive a better place because you're here.

I remember going and seeing James Adams when he was in assisted living and James was in his. Late nineties, mid to late nineties. When I moved here, still very, very sharp. I remember I would go and I'd talk to him and especially if Dean Bullock was there at the same time, they'd get to start.

Harold knows the same thing. They would start talking about meetings that they had held. And, you know, in, in 1954, I held a meeting in. Springfield, Missouri. And brother so and so was there, and I stayed with him. And we had aunt Pete's delight for dessert one evening. And I preached the meeting on such and such and he'd go through all this stuff and I'm just, it just blows my mind.

But, but there was some discouragement there. There's a discouragement there because he even expressed to me a couple of times, Reagan, why am I still here? Why, why has the Lord not taken me yet? And I think Harold and I both spoke to him some about, well, maybe because there's still some things that you need to be teaching others.

This idea of example and teaching and leading becomes the primary role of someone who is seasoned active teaching and continued growth. And I would specify active teaching, especially active teaching on the home. And I specify that because the New Testament specifies that. God's word teaches all about the home, the proper relationship between a husband and a wife, parent and children of youth and aged.

So when the church in its collective function upholds Bible teaching, it encourages God approved homes, the lack of understanding or lack of faith on the spiritual and eternal goals of the church in some places, and it sometimes has perverted this emphasis. Many churches, including those called churches of Christ, have, have sometimes diverted their money and energy to social and domestic activities, adopting home-like functions from the old battles that were fought over, church sponsored orphan homes to modern daycares or mother day mother's day out, and church sponsored recreational opportunities for family building, whether that's basketball leagues or movie nights or picnics or camping.

And the idea is we're supporting the home by doing all of those things. But I would suggest that has that really improved homes with this different focus over the last 40 years or so? Or are homes generally worse off now than what they were before? This different emphasis for the church. The church is not a substitute for the home.

Instead, it's supposed to be a place where you can come and be with others who provide example and teaching and leadership on what the home is supposed to look like. Homes do not spring from local church programs. In many ways, it's the other way around. Firmly established and successful local churches are most likely to come from homes that are firmly planted on divine principles.

The home and the family is the basic unit of society and any worthwhile culture throughout history has been developed and sustained through the influence and strength of good and solid and stable families. I'm, I'm so excited about all of these young people getting married. I'm excited for the future of the homes that they are starting, the families that they are beginning so that they might be the kind of example.

As they continue to grow, but I would tell all of those who are getting married that you need to look, you need to look to those who are seasoned and find those and say that I want to have a home like that. I want have a marriage like that. I want to have a relationship with my kids like that. Then go and actively seek the kind of teaching that you might find in those kinds of homes.

This relationship between the church and the home, I think seen pretty clearly in one Timothy chapter three in the qualifications of overseers, elders, overseers, shepherds, however, we want to refer to them in First Timothy chapter three in describing this person who's an overseer. He is not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous.

Now notice verses four, five, and six one who rules his own house? Well, having his children in submission with all reverence wine for, if man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God? And then verse six, not a novice, not a new convert. Less being puffed up with pride.

He fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Good leadership begins in the home and sound churches in many ways begin in the home. And that means that teaching on the home needs to be taking place among our members personal relationships, where the Bible is used as the guide for the older women to teach the younger women, the older men, to teach the younger men.

That requires a couple of things. The older being willing to teach and the younger being willing to listen, find and nurture these relationships and try and nurture those relationships with people who are not in your own age bracket. In a broader sense thinking about the church and actively teaching in the church.

I've, I've heard it said in times past, oh, I did that. But let the younger ladies have their turn in teaching and, and their turn is fine. But I wanna encourage all of you to continue to take your turn too, as long as you're able, because those who are younger wherever I fall in that now, we, we don't have the same wealth of experience.

And also we're at a point in our lives where we have a bunch of kids vying for our attention as well. And so you're needed for this teaching. Those who are seasoned Christians. You need to continue to be sought by your example and teaching and leading, and I would suggest, especially on the home, but secondly, be an example and teach and lead by your continued growth and perseverance in the faith.

I, I talk to young people a good bit about the kind of impact that they can have on people of all ages and how when you're young people look at you and I. I think maybe it's always been this way, but especially in this day and age, right, with so many temptations, with so many things, vying for your attention with the devil, having so many tools at his disposal to see young people who are trying to do what's right, who are living, faithful and godly lives can be such an encouragement to people of all ages.

But may I say that that is almost just as true with those who are older. That when you choose to continue to work for the Lord, when you choose to continue to grow in your faith and in your understanding, when you choose not to just rest on your laurels of where you've already been, but you choose to continue to be an active part in growing, in growing the local church and growing in yourself as a Christian, that perseverance in your faith.

Is an example to people of all ages, and if those who are younger, those young people that I talked about before, look to you and see that you are still nurturing relationships with people of all ages, that you're still growing in your faith, that you're still active in your service to God and to others.

That's an encouragement to them to be active in those things as well. What's good for the goose is good for the candor on that. We are supposed to be an example and an encouragement to one another. Continued growth and perseverance in the faith is described back there in Timothy. If you wanna, and Titus, if you wanna turn back there to Titus chapter two

as being what Accords with sound doctrine. Sound is defined as free from damage or defect. Good condition. And so we think about someone who has a sound mind or is of sound mind, that means they can reason, right? They're not insane or ignorant or given to flights of fancy. They have a sound mind, a sound horse, or a sound animal.

One that's not, that can walk properly and perform its duties. A, a sound sailing vessel is one that's not gonna sink. And what's interesting is with all of those things, they can be old. They're still effective. As long as there's still sound, an old sound mind still works. An old sound horse still works.

An old sound sailing vessel still sails. This idea of soundness is is vitally important to the idea of continued growth and perseverance in your faith and in the faith. Your understanding of the scriptures in your love. For others, you need to be sound. That means, if I might say that, you're the kind of person, younger people love to come to and seek sound wisdom from.

Not the grumpy old lady or the mean old man who is unapproachable. Not that we have any of those people here. Not the one who's always complaining or selfish thinking only of themselves and what they can do for themselves, but the one who is gracious with their time. Gracious and generous with their money and quick to help those who are in need and whatever need that might be, especially those who are younger.

You need to be sound in your steadfastness and patience and endurance. Fighting the good fight of faith despite opposition and health or family or peers or whatever it might be. And if this continued growth and preservation, perseverance of faith is found in those who are seasoned, then you're gonna continue to grow.

No matter how long you might be on this earth, it is the duty of every Christian, no matter the age to continue to mature. Turn to one final passage. That's Hebrews chapter five. You'll turn there with me please. Hebrews chapter five.

If, as I suggest, there is a specific role intended for older Christians, that they're an example in teaching and leading continued growth, then if you aren't growing as you should, you're failing in this role that, that God intended for you. And there was clearly, there were clearly some failing to those.

To which the Hebrew writer was writing, as he says in verse 12 of chapter five, for though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the Oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who protects only of milk as unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.

Solid food belongs to those who are of full age. Maybe that's another good euphemism, right? That is those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil by reason of use. You, you fear this life out pretty well. You know what is good and evil and how to accomplish what is good and avoid what is evil.

Who better to apply this to than the one who is the seasoned Christian? So this is all self-identification, I suppose. Are you a seasoned Christian? If so, how well seasoned are you? This church is made better. Because you're here, because you're working, because you're leading, because you're teaching. And so I admonish you to continue in those roles because there is no doubt that there are some that have fought the good fight and finished the course and kept the faith and have gone on to their reward.

That, that we miss dearly. We miss that leadership that they once provided. So it's your turn to step into that gap and to lead as God has called you. Are you continuing to be the salt of the earth? I believe that you are. And maybe sometimes it's not just that we need, maybe sometimes you need the rest of us too.

And if so, if you need us even tonight and if we can help you in some way, come now together, we stand and while we sing.