Open—Josh Costron
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Second Samuel, chapter 19.
And we'll read from verse 31.
And Brazilia?
The Gileadite came down from Rogelum.
And went over Jordan with the king.
To conduct him over Jordan.
Now Brasilia was a very aged man.
Even 4 score years old.
And he had provided the king of sustenance.
While he lay at Mahanium, for he was a very great man. And the king said unto Barzilay, Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem, in Barzilia. I said unto the king, How long have I to live?
That I should go up.
With the King and to Jerusalem. I am this day Foursquare years old.
And can I discern between good and evil? Can I serve and taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any more of the voice of singing men and singing women? Wherefore then should thy servant be at a burden unto my Lord the King?
Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king. And why should the king recompense it? Me.
With such a reward.
Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in my own city, and be buried by the grave of my father and my mother.
But behold thy servant Jim Ham, let him go over with my Lord the King, and do to him what shall seem good unto thee.
And the king answered, Chim Ham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee, and whatsoever thou shalt require me, that will I do for thee. And all the people went over Jordan. And when the king was come over, the king kissed Barzilia and blessed him, and he returned unto his own place. And then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chim Ham went on with him. And all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half.
The people of Israel.
Well, I sure appreciate.
What my brothers have just shared.
And I just was thinking as they were speaking.
About the wonderful legacy that our dear older brethren.
Have left.
And continue to leave.
With us that are that are younger. I speak not as one who I think is young anymore as John and Jonathan and I were jesting a little, but certainly younger than many here and one who has.
I trust, perhaps in part at least, appreciated much of what my older brethren have passed along. You know, I was thinking of Barzillai. He's an old man, and he was eight years old.
He confessed here in this chapter to David just how much he was feeling the circumstances of age. Strength was leaving him, his body was breaking down. He felt as though he didn't have much left to give.
Says of Brazilian that he was a was a man.
That had substance.
He was a wealthy man.
And what he used his material wealth for was to support the king.
And his people.
He willingly laid it down.
For the service of God, you might say, and for the benefit of his younger brethren.
You know, men of wealth and scripture often speak to us.
In type of those who have spiritual riches that they can pass along to those who are younger.
And we are so indebted to our dear older brethren for your faithfulness.
Example of faith.
And, you know, for sharing something of the spiritual wealth that you've acquired.
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And I just would encourage you to dispense that wealth to those of us.
Who are poor?
And who are beggars?
To provide us with those years of wisdom and knowledge that you have acquired through your efforts and toil as you poured yourself over the Word of God and and mind out many, many gems and principles and instruction.
I would encourage you to share that with those of us who are younger because.
We hope to gain by that and pass that along too.
That's how the truth should be passed along from generation to generation, in the same purity in which it was originally received.
To faithful men.
And I'd like to see this in Barzilia a little bit, how this man old felt as though his age was getting the best of him, but yet he still was doing something that was productive.
And yet he points over to Chim Hem and he says take Chim Ham with you. I don't have the strength to go. I want to be buried.
In my land, where my mother and my father are. But take Chim Ham, you know, Chim Ham, I believe, speaks of this, and I think his name means something like longing with great desire.
You know, I think of this, this, can I say this legacy that our dear older brethren are leaving us and have left us. And if there's one thing that that we get from that, at least if I can speak personally, is a spark, a desire, an encouragement, a new motivation to carry on for the Lord.
And for his things, and to build up those around us, and to pass along the truth and carry on in it faithfully.
And so it's in a way Barzilia leaves this along as well, if I can apply it practically.
That he points him on to Chim Ham, this man who speaks of these things, a man who in type would, I think, point to us of longing with great desire for the things of God.
I am so indebted to my older brother and there's many who I could single out which I will not do, but those who have just fortified me in my faith. The Lord has used them various capacities in ways to just spur me on. Older sisters who have been a great help to me just by way of their own example in the assembly carrying on.
You know, some of us brothers were back there.
And we were talking in between meetings.
And a brother had made the comment of about a widowed sister who well into her latter years was just such a great example of faith. And she would just give little words of encouragement here and there. And and it was such a help, such an encouragement. You know, these, these little gems that our older brethren just kind of lay at our feet and these seeds that they plant.
You have no idea what it does, you know.
That it just might be that which.
Lights the fire.
Within a young person or a middle-aged person to carry on.
And so I think that while.
Might think if you're older that you have not much to give. I would say that you have much to give because you have much that we don't have.
And we need you.
Turn to.
Exodus.
Chapter 24.
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And I won't make much comment, I just want to notice a couple snippets.
Verse 13 And Moses rose up in his minister Joshua.
And Moses went up into the mount of God.
And over to chapter 33, I think it is.
Verse 11 And the Lord spake unto Moses, face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.
And he turned again into the camp, but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed, not out of the Tabernacle.
I'd like to speak to my younger brother now.
And I would like to encourage you to draw.
Close to your older brethren.
And keep step with them.
I think a comment was made by a brother at a conference recently and I could be misquoting it and I didn't listen to the meeting. I just heard a snippet, something to the effect that if we're just, I think he was speaking from the perspective of an older brother, and I appreciated this comment. He says if we're just slowing down and you can pass us, just pass us.
But I would like to say too that we need to draw near and keep step with you.
I think of Joshua, this younger man who.
Kept step with his older brother Moses.
You know, kept company with him.
The things he must have learned.
If you're a young person, I would encourage you to.
Spend time with the older ones in your assembly.
You know, there's moments, many moments at conferences like these, and I look back fondly when I was a young person.
Where there were a number of older brothers poring over the scriptures over the table after lunch, talking about some spiritual truth, and I remember just pulling up a chair and listening.
Kind of a family on the wall kind of thing.
And that was invaluable.
To hear what they had to say.
You will never regret getting to know your older brethren better, and I just want to encourage you that you would make that effort.
Keep step with them, hear what they have to say. They have wisdom, they have gems of truth that they can share with you that you may not get anywhere else, frankly.
And talk to them and spend time with them.
And you'll be the better for it, I promise you that.
So just a couple words of encouragement, both for the younger and for my dear older brethren.
All right, and let's see.
Sin can never come. Whose life our longest spirit leans from earth, where yes we will and can we call our home, our fathers house on high, the rest of God, our rest to come, our place of liberty.
Perhaps we can start singing from verse 3.
On to victory.
312.
Encouraged my life, blessed work with joy and follow me 312.
Lead on, almighty Lord.
We all live.
For me.
And God bless, all my life I celebrate.
Where God is reaching all of the beginning.
Technician period stop by.
Rise.
And turn off the screen.
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I'm not crying for no more, no more.