Why Old People Should Love Revival

Six reasons from Jonathan Edwards why the elderly should love and long for and celebrate revival, from a brief summer 1741 message to a small private gathering of elderly people. Remember that mid-1741 was the height of the Great Awakening. I'm paraphrasing Edwards.

1. Since they're older, their hearts should be all the better prepared for Christ when he visits his church, having had a lifetime to grow in love for him.

2. Their longer lives means they have more reasons stacked up to see their need for Christ to come in revival.

3. They not only see more reasons in themselves for Christ to fall on the church (#2 above) but also in the church and the world.

4. They are the spiritual dads and moms and grandfathers and grandmothers of other believers and should therefore have a corresponding paternal and maternal concern for the health and life of the church.

5. They've been waiting longer for revival than anyone else.

6. They're going to be dead soon. So they should get used to the presence of Christ here as much as they can. 

--Jonathan Edwards, "Aged Men and Women Joyfully Receiving Christ," in The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. 25: Sermons and Discourses, 1739-1742, 459