Old, but Not Cold - Pastor Stacey Shiflett

Watch this message here:

Old, But Not Cold

Titus 2:1-5

Intro: I am amazed at how many messages we preach to the young people. I have learned one thing – the old people need preaching!!

What we need is a group of Senior Saints that are ON FIRE for God!!

They are OLD, but they are not COLD!!!

They are OLD, but they are SOLID GOLD!!

They might be old, but they are not TOO old to still make a difference!

They haven’t run out of gas – they’ve got the pedal to the metal!

If we consider this timeline, Paul would have been around 55–63 years old at the time of his death.

His dying testimony was:

He wrote letters from prison, encouraging the churches, and died a martyr.

·        2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 

Paul ended his life ON FIRE!!! – he went out in a BLAZE OF GLORY!!

The phrase "going out in a blaze of glory" means to leave or exit a situation in a dramatic, memorable, or heroic way, often with a final act that is bold, daring, or full of passion. It conveys the idea of making a significant impact or having a powerful, heroic ending, even if it’s at the cost of personal risk or destruction.

The phrase is often associated with individuals who do something extraordinary, whether in a battle, career, or other intense situations, and it leaves a lasting impression, often remembered by others for the courage or spectacle involved. The "blaze of glory" part refers to the intense, fiery visual of a glorious and dramatic end, symbolizing a powerful and impactful conclusion.

But there is one key truth that must be expounded; those aged men and aged women MUST BE SPIRITUAL!

There’s more to the criteria than just being old.

Being old doesn’t make you spiritual!

Some of the most bitter, cantankerous, unforgiving, self-centered people I know are old.

They are self-absorbed – they never ask you how you’re doing.

They just want to talk about them and theirs and their doctor visits.

They never praise God.

They never have anything positive to say.

They never win souls.

They are OLD and they are COLD.

Their love has grown cold. Their heart is cold. Their burden is cold. Their prayer closet is cold.

We need a church full of people that might be OLD, but they are NOT COLD!!

In our text, Paul was instructing Titus of some key leadership that needed to be implemented in the church.

And Paul stressed to Titus the FORMULA for producing spiritual aged men and women.

SEE Titus 2:1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:

The responsibility was laid on the YOUNG preacher to produce SPIRITUAL AGED church members.

The goal for the aged men was that they be: (vs. 2) be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.

The goal for the aged women was that they be: (vs. 3) in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women

We need the aged men and women in our churches to get off the bench and get back in the game.

·        They’ve got wisdom

·        they’ve got experience

·        they’ve got time

·        they’ve got money

·        they need to get plugged in!

They need to convey what they know to the next generation.

The example of the aged men and aged women are crucial.

Here are some examples of older saints of God in the Bible that were OLD, BUT NOT COLD!

Enoch – 365 years old – Not too old to Walk with God

Genesis 5

·        21 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:

·        22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

·        23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:

·        24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

Noah – 950 years old

Noah – 950 years old when he died. Genesis 9:28

He lived after the flood 350 years. Genesis 9:29

He was 500 years old when he had Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Genesis 5:32; 6:10)

It took him 120 years to build the ark. (Genesis 6:3)

He was 600 years old when the flood came. (Genesis 7:6; 11)

He started building the ark when he was 480 years old.

He worked on it for 20 years before his boys were born.

He worked on it another 15 to 20 years before they were any help to him.

He was old, but he wasn’t too old to:

·        find grace in the eyes of the Lord. 6:8

·        live a just life and to walk perfect in his generation. 6:9

·        raise boys that believed God. 7:7

·        teach his boys to lead their wife to believe God. 7:7

·        to build an altar and worship God. 8:20

Moses – 120 years old (Deut. 34:7)

He was old, but he wasn’t too old to:

·        write a song for the people of God – Deut.31:14; 19; 22

·        rebuke them about their rebellion – Deut. 25-30

·        preach one last message about the goodness of God and the sinfulness of man. Deut. 32:1-47

·        bless the people of God – Deut. 33:1-25

·        brag on God! Deut. 33:26

·        remind God’s people of the refuge of God’s everlasting arms. Deut. 33:27

·        stir up God’s people to be happy because they’ve been saved! Deut. 33:29

·        see what God had in store for the generation. Deut. 34:1-4

·        to lay hands on the leader for the next generation that was full of the spirit of wisdom. Deut. 34:9

·        know God face to face – Deut. 34:10

Joshua – 110 years old – (Joshua 24:29)

He was old, but he wasn’t too old to:

·        remind God’s people of what He had done – 24:1-13

·        command the people to fear God, serve him and put away their idols – vs. 14

·        serve the Lord with his house – vs. 15

·        make the people commit to serving God – vs. 19-24

·        write a book – vs. 26

·        make a memorial – vs. 26, 27

He died right after that at the age of 110.

Anna – (Luke 2:37)

She was of great age – she’d been a widow for 84 years.

She’s well over 100 years old, if she was married for seven years and a widow for 84.

She was not too old to…

·        depart not from the temple – vs. 37b (shut in at the church; not her house!)

·        serve God with fastings and prayers day night and day – vs. 37c

·        give thanks unto the Lord – vs. 38a

·        speak of him to all them that look for redemption in Jerusalem – vs. 38b

 Conclusion: We never get too old to be on fire for God!!!

We don’t sit back and watch the youth group burn – we show them how!!!