92 Year Old Preacher

Commemoration of Noah
November 29, 2010

The Lord be with you

A member of my congregation sent me the following story. I have no idea whether or not it is true (and I certainly do not recommend watching worship services on TV instead of participating in a worship service with living breathing fellow believers) but the story makes a good point. One observation, there is a re-work of an old hymn at the end. The final verse in what I received took the focus of the hymn off Jesus and put is squarely on the person who is singing. The original hymn avoided this anthropocentric blunder and kept the hymn Christocentric throughout. To overcome this, I simply deleted the new final verse and repeated the new first verse. I also made some punctuation changes.

Blessings in Christ
Pastor John Rickert

92 Year Old Preacher

While watching a little TV on Sunday instead of going to church, I watched a church in Atlanta honoring one of its senior pastors who had been retired many years. He was 92 at that time and I wondered why the church even bothered to ask the old gentleman to preach at that age.

After a warm welcome, introduction of this speaker, and as the applause quieted down, he rose from his high back chair and walked slowly, with great effort and a sliding gait to the podium. Without a note or written paper of any kind he placed both hands on the pulpit to steady himself and then quietly and slowly he began to speak.

"When I was asked to come here today and talk to you, your pastor asked me to tell you what was the greatest lesson ever learned in my 50-odd years of preaching. I thought about it for a few days and boiled it down to just one thing that made the most difference in my life and sustained me through all my trials. . . The one thing that I could always rely on when tears and heartbreak and pain and fear and sorrow paralyzed me. . . the only thing that would comfort was this verse. . .

"Jesus loves me this I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong;
They are weak but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so."

When he finished, the church was quiet. You actually could hear his foot steps as he shuffled back to his chair. I don't believe I will ever forget it.

A pastor once stated, "I always noticed that it was the adults who chose the children's hymn 'Jesus Loves Me' (for the children of course) during a hymn sing, and it was the adults who sang the loudest because I could see they knew it the best."

"Senior version of Jesus Loves Me"

Here is a new version just for us who have white hair or no hair at all. For us over middle age (or even those almost there) and all you others, check out this newest version of Jesus Loves Me.

JESUS LOVES ME

Jesus loves me! this I know,
Though my hair is white as snow,
Though my sight is growing dim,
Still He bids me trust in Him.
(CHORUS)
YES, JESUS LOVES ME! YES, JESUS LOVES ME!
YES, JESUS LOVES ME! FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.

Though my steps are oh, so slow,
With my hand in His I'll go.
On through life, let come what may,
He'll be there to lead the way.
(CHORUS)

When the nights are dark and long,
In my heart He puts a song,
Telling me in words so clear,
"Have no fear, for I am near."
(CHORUS)

When my work on earth is done,
And life's victories have been won.
He will take me home above,
Then I'll understand His love.
(CHORUS)

Jesus loves me! This I know,
Though my hair is white as snow,
Though my sight is growing dim,
Still He bids me trust in Him.
(CHORUS)