May 25, 2008
Morning Service

Graduation day – Memorial Day – Weddings - Summer vacations coming on, a very busy time of the year.

 

Memorial day:  THE FIRST MEMORIAL DAY.; GEN. JOHN A. LOGAN'S ORDER TO THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC IN 1868.  New York Times May 30, 1887, Wednesday  Page 5, 527 words

Nineteen years ago Gen. John A. Logan as Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic issued the following order setting apart May 30 as Memorial Day:

Today, 230 years later, our prayers, and a special thank you goes out to all our Military, present, past, and future.  To all the Mothers, and Fathers who have lost sons, and daughters in the service of our great country, we say thank you, and may God richly bless you for your sacrifice.

 

As Christians we look forward to the day when there will be no more wars, no more crying for lost loved ones, even no more death, for the old things will have passed away, and God is going to make all things new, and wonderful.   John says it like this in the Revelation.

Rev 21:1-7 KJVR  And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.  (2)  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  (3)  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.  (4)  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.  (5)  And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.  (6)  And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.  (7)  He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

 

Mothers, and Fathers isn’t this what you want for your children?  This wonderful hope that the Bible gives us?

 

THIS BRINGS US TO OUR GRADUATING SENIORS:  GRADUATION DAY.

 

Let’s reminisce.

This is one of those days of your life that you will never forget.  I was sharing with Jake yesterday, the different milestones in a kids life. 

·        Of course always your birthday. 

·        Then there was the first grade.  It was Mrs. Bixler, at Riley for me.  I was a Riley Rocket, and proud of it.  For 6 years.  Burris was another grade school for the kids that lived in the country.  We always had great competition with them in sports.

·        Then it was Junior High.  That’s when we went all the way across town to Emerson, the 7^th, 8^th grades.  I will never forget what one of our 8^th grade teachers told us one time, concerning getting one of our classmates elected president of our Freshman year in high school.  She said, “you nominate more than one of them, the kids coming from Burris, and you just pick one of yours, and you will split their vote, and win.

·        Then we were Freshman.  You still got your hair cut by the Seniors back then.

·        The next big event was getting your drivers license.

·        Then you looked forward to graduation.  And now it has come, and gone.  What next?

 

What next indeed?  Will it be more education?  Will it be going to the Armed forces?  Will it be finding  a job, and going to work?  What is next? 

One thing for sure you must make wise decisions, realizing that these decisions will have a big impact on the rest of your life.

 

No matter what decision you make, I want to encourage you to make the decision to GO WITH GOD, AND GOD’S PEOPLE.

 

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  That’s the first sentence in your Bible.

Within these pages you will find the knowledge, and treasures to ensure that you have a long, and happy life.  HERE AGAIN ARE DECISIONS YOU HAVE TO MAKE.

 

THE EXAMPLE OF MOSES LEADING THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL OUT OF EGYPT IS AS GOOD A LESSON AS YOU WILL EVER LEARN.

 

The children of Israel had been in Egypt for 400 years when God called Moses to deliver them out of Egypt.  They were a lot like you and I were growing up.

·        When first going into Egypt under the protection of Joseph, one of Israel’s sons.  They felt secure, and comfortable.  A lot like we do growing up under the guidance, and provisions of our parents.

·        But after Joseph died a new Pharaoh also took leadership in Egypt, and started making slaves of the children of Israel.  A lot like when you and I began to grow up, and felt like we were being suppressed by our parents.  Not getting to do some of the things we wanted to do.

·        So the people of Israel began crying out to their God to deliver them from this harsh bondage, and He heard their cries, just as He hears our prayers, He heard theirs also.  So He raised up Moses to lead them out of Egypt, and slavery, to the glorious freedom of their own land.

·        Moses is an example for us all, not just the graduates, but us all.  Listen to what is said of him.

Heb 11:24-30 KJVR  By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;  (25)  Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 

• When he was come to years, 40 to be exact.  But when he was come of age. 
• He refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.  For you and I graduate, it would be, we will refuse to be called a son, or daughter of the world.  In whom Satan is in charge.
• Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with God’s people, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin that the world offers, which last but a short time.  I could go on, and on, about the dangers of getting involved with the riotous living the world has to offer.  It will destroy you quickly, and make your life miserable.

(26)  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt:

• Counting all the things he would suffer, greater riches than all the treasures of the world. 

for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. 

• Moses looked past the present, and saw what God had waiting for the faithful.  He said “that’s what I want.  Something eternal, in the heavens.”

(27)  By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king:

• Graduate this is what you must do to be successful.  Forsake the temptations that Satan will come at you with, and take your stand for God, choose to go with God’s people, rather than the pleasures of the world, that last only a short time. 

UPON LEAVING EGYPT MOSES GAVE THIS SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE TO THE CHILDREN OF EGYPT: HE SHARED WITH THEM HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS TO GO WITH GOD’S PEOPLE THEN SAID THIS.

Deu 30:15  See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;

Deu 30:19  I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

GOD IS SAYING THE SAME THING TO YOU TODAY, CHOOSE TO GO WITH GOD, AND HIS PEOPLE, USE YOUR TALENTS FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THIS WORLD, AND THE KINGDOM: