Retirement Plans

Dear Brethren,

Society is changing rapidly.  No longer do we need to be concerned about the elderly in their old age.  The government has social programs that oversee all the needs of its aged citizens.  Social Security, Medicare, pensions and retirement plans have now replaced the family responsibility to care for their elderly folks.  A box of cookies, a greeting card, and perhaps an occasional visit now fulfills the Christian duty to aged parents.  Or, does it?

All too often today, the elderly are emotionally neglected, virtually discarded, and in too many cases consigned to the forgotten isolation of nursing homes.  The sad thing is that too many in the Church of God wink at this treatment of what was once, its greatest resource.  Men and women who were the spiritual and financial backbone of the Church in the 1950’s and ‘60’s are all but forgotten by many of today’s church-goers.

Most of the members of the Church of God have been lulled into accepting this world’s way of dealing with the “old people” problem.  We need to ask ourselves if God is pleased with the way the elderly are shoved out of the family setting and onto the back burner of humanity.  Did God intend that we “throw away the key” on our aging parents, or that they remain a viable part of the families they worked and sacrificed to provide for?  God says that the aged members have much to contribute.

When Moses reiterated the Ten Commandments to Israel, just before they entered the Promised Land, he, once again stated God's revealed promise of long life to them.  “Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” (Deuteronomy 5:16, Exodus 20:12)

God had to create a special commandment for mankind so that they would be aware of their responsibility to their progenitors.  In western society, we have forgotten how to honor the old folks, and we have reverted to a reverence for a youth culture.  Youth, in its strength, beauty, health, productivity, and independence, is practically worshipped.  When the elderly become “useless,” they are often ignored, forgotten, and cast aside.  Man has forgotten that he has a duty to care for the senior citizens who gave him his start.

In abject selfishness, our society provides for itself, while neglecting the needs of the previous generation.  God gave us the fifth commandment to counter the egocentric bias of a thankless culture.   The grey-headed citizens have vital experience and indispensable wisdom to pass along to their offspring.  They are to be looked up to and respected, and not disdained or held in contempt.  Their benefit to the younger families far outweighs their being an encumbrance on the fun and mobility of the youthful set. 

Too much of the Church of God has bought into and accepted this world’s philosophy that disdains the elderly as being unproductive, weak, and useless.  Many members and ministers alike, expend more of their resources on providing for their own retirement plans than they apply on their aging parents.  This practice of providing for one’s own unforeseeable future, while at the same time neglecting the present needs of one’s own family, is inherently and morally reprehensible to God.

Jesus Christ vehemently condemned this tradition of neglecting parents, which was commonly practiced in His day, as well.  “God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curses father or mother, let him die the death.  But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me, I have given as an offering instead; And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.  Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, This people draws near unto me with their mouth, and honors me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me.  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”  (Matthew 15:4-9)

When the Kingdom of God is established over the earth, and Jesus Christ is reigning supreme, the elderly will not be relegated to a life of useless neglect.  Indeed, the elderly bring an added dimension to the structure of family life.  God’s way works better than man’s way – that should go without saying – but who believes it?  God’s way of life must be of the highest priority in our lives – the rest will take care of itself.  “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”  (Matthew 6:19-21)

We have to be careful not to accept the sinful behavior and attitude of this evil world toward the older generation in lieu of faith in God’s way.  God’s law of honoring the elderly is designed to teach us essential Godly principles.  Feathering a retirement nest, while neglecting parents is faithlessness. ...O ye of little faith?  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”  (Matthew 6:30-34)

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Sermon:  "Retirement Plans"

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