I want to talk to you about bearing fruit. You know, in our world, a lot of people work for decades with one goal in mind — retirement. They save, plan, and wait for the day they can walk away from their job. But here’s what I want you to think about — does the concept of “retirement” apply in the kingdom of God? Yes, I may step away from my secular job one day, but can I step away from serving the Lord?

Psalm 92 tells me that the righteous will still bear fruit in old age. That means there is no expiration date on my usefulness to God. I think about Moses and Aaron — 80 and 83 years old when God called them to lead Israel out of Egypt. Joshua led God’s people into Canaan in the last 30 years of his life. Caleb was in his 80s when he claimed his inheritance. Daniel was well into his 80s when he served in Babylon and faced the lion’s den. Zacharias and Elizabeth were “well advanced in years” when God used them to bring John the Baptist into the world. Simeon and Anna were elderly when they welcomed the infant Jesus at the temple. And Paul — even when he called himself “aged,” he was still writing letters, preaching, and traveling when he could.

God uses older people — and He expects me to keep serving Him no matter my age. Today, that might mean serving as an elder, as Peter described in 1 Peter 5 — shepherding the flock and being an example. It might mean older women, as Paul commanded in Titus 2, teaching the younger women how to love their families and live godly lives. And even if my health limits me, I can still encourage, send cards, pray, show hospitality, and proclaim God’s greatness to the next generation.

The truth is, the only thing that stops me from serving God is death itself. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4 that while the outer man is perishing, the inner man is renewed day by day. And in Philippians 3, he said, “I press toward the goal.” That tells me that no matter how old I am, I can still press forward in service to Christ.

So I have to ask myself — am I doing all I can for the Lord right now? Or have I retired from His work before my time? And if you’ve never obeyed the gospel, why not start today? Hear the truth of Jesus Christ, believe it, repent of your sins, confess His name, be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins — and then stay faithful until death.

Because one day, the Lord will return, and the question will be — will He find me bearing fruit, or sitting on the sidelines?