✝ Daily Encouragement (8/1/23) "An Old Disciple"
Published: Tue, 08/01/23
A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber.
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Tuesday, August 1, 2023
Hallmark Cards Headquarters in Crown Center in Kansas City,
Mo
"An Old
Disciple"
Message
summary:
Do you know some old disciples? I hope so! Let them know you appreciate them and invite their input in your life.
Are you an “old disciple?” God’s not finished using you on this side, not till He takes you to your eternal home. And even then the life you lived continues to inspire others for their life span toward faithfulness until their earthly journey is over. That should make us want to stay
faithful and even desire the title of "old disciple" (which we will all have if we stay alive)!
Listen to our message on your audio player. “I was young and now I am old” (Psalm 37:25). “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” (Acts 21:16). “I then, as Paul–an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus” (Philemon 1:9b).
Last Saturday we had about an hour before we needed to leave for the airport
so we walked around Independence Center, one of the last malls still open in the Kansas City area. It opened in 1974 after I left high school. Now it's just hanging on with two of the three anchor stores closed as well as many of the smaller stores. Being old we remember when malls were the "in" thing and buzzing with people! As we were walking along we recalled shopping at this mall when I purchased Brooksyne's engagement ring in
1975.
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Then he elaborated. He had worked for Hallmark from 1970-1976. His life
unraveled with alcohol and drug abuse and womanizing (his words). He landed in the United States Penitentiary in Leavenworth.
In 1978 he was born again while in prison (he shared the exact date with me)
and became a changed man. When he was released from prison a door opened for him to return to Hallmark Cards in 1980 where he worked till his retirement in 2016. When I met him he was walking around the mall carrying tracts looking for an opportunity to witness. (He's also holding his Hallmark cards retirement
card!)
What a blessing to visit with an old disciple demonstrating the authenticity
and perseverance of a genuinely changed life from 45 years ago.
Throughout our Christian journey we have been enriched by the variety of
people God has brought into our lives. We've met a lot of people of all ages, with different backgrounds, from various locales and each has a story, although some may have more dramatic stories than others.
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All through the history of the church there are those who stay
faithful through the course of life and thus become like Mnason in our second text, who is described as an “old disciple” although it's probably more gracious to call him a mature disciple! Its sobering to recognize how quickly life passes, but it is also a great reminder to become pillars of the faith, which is especially evident in our service to the local church.
Mnason barely made it into the Scriptural record. His name only appears once in the Bible, here in the daily text. I’m intrigued by the phrase “old disciple”. Luke felt it fitting to call our attention to his age. (He would have a hard time as a journalist in America with such an “insensitive” description! We like to use more sensitive terms such as senior citizen, elderly, older.) But the KJV is blunt and accurately describes him. (The Greek word for “old” is archaios from which we get the English “archaic”). Mnason's name means “remembering” and the older you are the more you have to remember while at the same time finding it harder to remember! He hosted Paul during his final trip to Jerusalem in 60 A.D. We have no idea of his spiritual background, but he was from Cyprus where Paul had earlier done missionary work and perhaps they had met then. We need to honor and value "old disciples". Each generation has them and our lives are richer and fuller because of them. They have a great deal to “remember” as they’ve experienced so many of life’s trials and God’s providential care along the way. They teach us as we observe the challenges they have encountered and their response to them. Speaking of life’s trials Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4 (NLT), "We serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be obvious in our dying bodies". As humans we recognize that we all live in "jars of clay" that physically weaken over the years, but our spirit grows stronger as it is being renewed daily by the resurrected power of Christ. I have a feeling that Paul and his associates benefited from the time they stayed with Mnason as he was “remembering” with Paul the times God had done great works in his life. After all, passing on the oral tradition is a great way to teach and inspire others in their work of spreading the Gospel. What about you today? Do you know any old disciples? I hope so! Let them know you appreciate them and invite their input in your life. Are you an “old disciple?” God’s not finished using you on this side, not till He takes you to your eternal home. And even then the life you lived continues to inspire others toward faithfulness until their earthly journey is over. That should make us all want to stay faithful and even desire the title of "old disciple" (which we will all have if we stay alive)!
Be encouraged today, (
Hebrews
3:13)
Stephen & Brooksyne
Weber
![]()
(Prayer adapted from 2 Corinthians
4:7,10,16,17)
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"The Longer I Serve Him"
Click to watch on YouTube
Bill Gaither
![]()
Kansas City is known as the "city of fountains" with over 200 fountains throughout the city. Video
![]()
The iconic shuttlecocks in the lawn at the Kansas City Art Gallery. It would take a mighty wide net, a gigantic badminton racket, and herculean muscles to get this birdie over the
net!
![]()
One wing of the Independence Center Mall in Independence, MO. Brooksyne used to work at Dillards in Tulsa and Springfield so she walked through the third level for memory's sake. Her millinery department has been out of commission for
probably 43 years since hats and wigs aren't sold in department stores anymore.
Finally
today:
Speaking of an adventuresome old (mature) disciple, our friend Nick Nichols (80+) took a walking tour
of the catwalk underneath the New River Bridge in West
Virginia.
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
717-823-0592
Daily Encouragement Net
https://www.dailyencouragement.net
Mail service provider is aweber.com
495 Kraybill Church Rd
Mount Joy PA 17552
USA
Unsubscribe | Change Subscriber Options