Act 21:16 There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.
Only the Word of God could use a simple phrase from an obscure verse to teach unending lessons and powerful truths. While reading this verse two words spring to life; old disciple.
Our world, with its never-ending fight against aging and its perpetual quest for the fountain of youth, certainly does not value the old. Even the very mention of the word conjures up images of decrepit things; an old car, dented and rusty, burning more oil than gas; an old house, with a leaking roof and weathered siding, that has long since become a bottomless money-pit; or maybe an old computer; with its out-dated technology demonstrated by memory measured in kilobytes and containing a floppy drive. However, in God’s economy old never means decrepit and worn out; it means time-tested, valued, seasoned and so much more.
Our culture worships the new; be it a new car, a new philosophy, new hair or, a new mate. And lest we should point our finger at society, the Christian church has not fared much differently; we seem to always want the new as well. We want new songs with new instruments because the old ones were those of our parents. We want new books with bright new covers because the old ones were much too plain. We want new ambiance complete with modern lighting and decor because the old just wasn’t attracting others to our assembly. Don’t misunderstand me, I do believe that methods and tools need to be updated but new for the sake of new is not wise. Many years ago I read a quote from G. K. Chesterton which went something like this; ‘Weak things must boast of being new, but strong things can boast of being old’.
In the light of that quote, our man named Mnason, wasn’t simply an old disciple, he was vastly more, he was a strong disciple. He was old and strong like the tree with roots reaching deep into the soil, absorbing the much-needed nutrients while simultaneously maintaining stability and ensuring permanence. He was old and strong like the river whose waters bring life to every living thing while carving and shaping a path for succeeding generations to follow. He was old and strong like the buildings and bridges which were constructed in times past; built to last using materials that were proven to weather the harsh storms of life and stand upright and tall as a testimony to the Architect.
Scholars tell us that this word old in the Greek language means original and according to several commentators this could very well imply that Mnason was one of the original disciples who lived as a contemporary of Jesus. We can imagine the possibility of him being one of the many who sat and listened to the life-changing truths contained in the Sermon on the Mount. Maybe he was there that day as the woman pushed through the crowd and touched the garment of Jesus receiving healing and restoration of dignity and purpose, or perhaps he was present when the outcast leper came and asked for the touch of Christ and was mercifully cured and reunited with family and friends. If only we had eyes that were opened to see the old disciples, like Mnason, sitting among us; what stories we might hear, what lessons we might learn, what impact we might experience.
Not only is our brother said to be old but he is noted also as a disciple. An old disciple. Some people simply grow old but they do not do it gracefully. Many times they grow old and bitter, or old and despondent, or old and more prejudiced than ever. We value long life but we don’t want to simply live for a long time, we want to continue on the path of a disciple. We have many believers in Christ but relatively few disciples of Christ. A disciple is a student; one who remains engaged and active, continually learning, perpetually growing, consistently giving. The outward man is perishing and aging but the inward man need not diminish but can be renewed daily.
Paul, himself an old disciple, wrote to Titus and instructed him to speak to the older men and women of Crete, reminding them to finish strong. Wisdom is cumulative and spiritual power can actually amass as we walk with the Lord through our youth and into our fifties, sixties and seventies. Experienced disciples become extremely valuable to God and others; hence the exhortation to the older ones. We all need to respectfully remind the older generation, encouraging them to not forget how valuable they are as they age. We are not to take our identity from what the world says about us, we must get our identity from God; we must remember who we are; remember whose we are, and remember who is looking toward us for hope and support. The world may forget our seniors but God does not and wise people also do not. The idea of retirement is basically a new and Western concept but the truth is that in the kingdom of God there is no such thing as retirement; our roles and responsibilities will surely change as we age but the fact that we have a responsible role will never change. It is interesting too, that we sometimes think that if we just have enough time we will become mature and we will have attained a certain level of spirituality, however, this is not true. Time is a necessary element of growth but time, by itself alone, does not bring maturity, which is why we see some men who are well into their seventies yet still acting very foolishly, they may be old but they are not a disciple.
Can we look afresh and see that an old disciple, like Mnason, is a seasoned warrior, a tempered weapon, an experienced intercessor, a veteran of church and family life, can we see, indeed, that each one is a priceless treasure?
No comments:
Post a Comment