Sermon Outline
How to Stay Young and Fruitful All Your Life
Charles F. Stanley
Scripture: Psalm 92:12-15
I. Introduction: The Lord desires that we serve Him for as long as we live. Even in old age, believers have the privilege of obeying God and ministering to other people. So let’s consider some attitudes and actions that keep Christians productive and young at heart.
II. What is a godly person like?
A. Psalm 92 compares a righteous person to two trees considered valuable in the Middle East.
- The date palm grows about 90 feet tall and produces abundant fruit.
- The cedar of Lebanon is resistant to weather and termite damage. This tree was used to build palaces and temples.
B. What else characterizes a godly person?
- They “flourish in the courts of our God” (Ps. 92:12). In other words, he or she enjoys a close relationship with the Father.
- The person “[yields] fruit in old age” (v. 14). Growing Christians serve the Lord all their days.
- “They shall be full of sap and very green” (v. 14). Believers should actively and creatively serve the Lord.
III. How do we stay young and fruitful all our lives?
A. Keep learning. Acquiring new skills or knowledge stimulates our minds. Most importantly, we should continue learning more about God through studying His Word.
B. Keep loving. We are to love the Lord and other people, especially believers (Deut. 6:5: John 3:34). Individuals who are in caring relationships—whether with a spouse, friends, or family—are more likely to stay young at heart.
C. Keep laughing. Laughter relaxes your body and helps release tension. A healthy sense of humor gives us a sense of vitality (Prov. 19:22).
D. Keep leaving. Once you confess a sin or give a burden to the Lord, leave it with Him (1 Peter 5:7). Painful events from the past may come to mind, but don’t dwell on them. Those who want to be youthful can’t carry around the weight of emotional baggage.
E. Keep longing. Christians should want to reach their potential. So never stop dreaming about what the Lord may want to do through you. Allow yourself to use your imagination while prayerfully determining biblical goals for your life.
F. Keep looking. Watch to see how God is working in you and in the lives of those around you. Read His Word and expect Him to reveal spiritual truth. Pay attention to the voice of the Holy Spirit as He guides you moment by moment.
G. Keep laboring. The pattern God set for the Hebrews was six days of labor and one day of rest (Ex. 20:9). Our Maker designed us to be active. Exercising our bodies—through manual labor and other physical activity—keeps them healthy.
H. Keep leaning on your heavenly Father. Turn every burden and worry over to God. Learn to depend more and more on Him. The Christian life is impossible apart from the strength of the Holy Spirit working through us.
I. Keep your language positive. What your mouth speaks, your ear hears, your brain registers, and your body responds. People with a positive, godly attitude and a desire to obey the Lord tend to avoid much of the stress that burdens so many today.
J. Keep listening to the Lord. When you pray, don’t do all the talking. Ask the Father to guide your life each day. He knows your hidden abilities and wants to help you reach your potential. Ignore ungodly counsel and choose to follow His wisdom instead.
IV. Conclusion: The Lord desires for us to be fun-loving, life-giving people that others enjoy knowing. We can choose to grow old early or remain youthful all our days. The secret is to listen to God’s voice and obey Him in every situation.
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