Does This Mean I Can Retire?

Feb 15th, 2014 Does This Mean I Can Retire?

Today’s Passage – Numbers 3 – 4 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click hereto view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Acts 4 – 6; Proverbs 15; Psalms 76 – 80)

Scripture Memorization for February – Missions

Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Psalm 55:17

Read the “0215 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Read “Ten Ways to Extend Grace to Hurting People” by Pastor Paul Chappell

“All those that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the chief of Israel numbered, after their families, and after the house of their fathers, From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that came to do the service of the ministry, and the service of the burden in the tabernacle of the congregation, Even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore. According to the commandment of the LORD they were numbered by the hand of Moses, every one according to his service, and according to his burden: thus were they numbered of him, as the LORD commanded Moses.” (Numbers 4:46-49)

Good morning. I am 60 and 4 days old today. I like it that way: each day brings me closer to my going to be with the Lord. In our text, God told Moses that those from thirty years old to fifty years old are to do the service of the ministry. Does this mean I can retire? No. I’ll retire when the Lord takes me home. There are dangers to quitting. Here are a few verses to consider…

“For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” (Romans 11:29)

Since the gifts God gives us are to edify others, we both suffer if you quit. And if God’s calling is without repentance (He will not change His mind), well, just look at Jonah and watch out for great fishes…

1) Quitting not only affects you, but others also.

“Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” (John 15:8)

“There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.” (John 21:2-3)

Peter, and those who followed him, went fishing and caught nothing…

2) Quitting does not glorify God.

“And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time. And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.” (1Kings 19:1-4)

“And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.” (2Kings 2:9-14)

3) Quitting could end in an untimely demise.

What if? Let me give you this ‘what if’ here. What if Elijah would have kept going, and the Lord performed a few more miracles through Elijah, say five more. Elisha saw Elijah depart, and Elisha did get his request granted and performed twice as many miracles as Elijah. This would mean that there would have been ten more miracles done by Elisha. Considering quitting? Consider the consequences it will have on you and on others.

Peace. (Luke 22:41-44)