Graduation Day - Building A Life Of Biblical Success

Sermon – Building A Life of Biblical Success

Introduction: In the Bible, success is not about achieving things. Rather, biblical success is about faithfulness to God. When King David was about to die, he shared these words about success with his son, Solomon: “Do what the LORD your God commands and follow his teachings. Obey everything written in the Law of Moses. Then you will be a success, no matter what you do or where you go” (1 Kings 2:3). Notice that David did not tell his son to focus on acquiring wealth, building up his kingdom, or beating his enemies. David told his son to focus on God and being faithful to His Word.

Just what you want and need today? Is it someone else talking to you about the next chapter of your life? By this time, you have heard enough speeches, lessons, and teaching to last a while, but if you will give with me a few moments, I believe I have some thoughts from the Lord to share with you from a few verses of Psalms 78.

In Psalms 78, the psalmist catalogues of God's dealings with his people, even from their coming out of Egypt to the conclusion of the reign of David. God commanded that his works among his people not be forgotten, but that the father should deliver his former doings to their children, that they might be both comforted and instructed, to prevent them from sin, and persuade them to fear God and keep his commandments.

Because of sin and rebellion, we see 1. God's wrath grows hot against the people. 2. God greatly despised Israel for her rebellion. 3. Forsook the tabernacle and abandoned Shiloh. 4. Delivered up the ark into the hand of the enemy. 5. Gave the people to the sword of their enemy. 6. And gave up the priests unto death. 7. And God brought upon them general desolation, Ps 78:59-64.

Yet, once more, God in His mercy and grace 1. Remembers His People in mercy. 2. Moves His presence from the tabernacle in Shiloh to a permanent temple in Zion. 3. God chose Judah as His tribe and David to be their king. 4. During the reign of David, God caused them to prosper in all things, Ps 78:65-72. In this text, we see the goodness and severity of God. The Psalmist desires that we would learn wisdom by what those in the text have suffered.

There are three principal parts in this Psalm: I. A preface, in which the psalmist exhorts men to learn and declare the way of God, Ps 78:1-9. II. A continued narrative of God's administration among the people, and their stubbornness, disobedience, and refusal to obey or comply with God’s authority; together with the punishments which God inflicted upon them, Ps 78:9-67. III. His mercy, manifested in the midst of judgment; that he did not cut them off, but, after the rejection of Ephraim, (Israel,) made choice of Judah, Zion, and David.

Listen to the last three verses: Psalm 78:70 -72 “He chose David his servant from the sheep pens; from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance. And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.”

As we congratulate you, I charge you to remember. Israel’s struggled greatly because had a short memory. They forgot things that David remembered. They forgot where they came from, they fail to build their character and they failed to improve their skills. David never forgot his humble beginnings.

I. Remember Your History - where you came from, who you are, whose you are

A. God took David from the sheep pens – Promotion comes from God.

1. It was hard to get much lower than a shepherd. David was a poor shepherd.

2. David’s family didn’t even consider him to be material for God’s choosing.

3. God defeated David’s enemies and gave him victory.

B. Remembering was an important thing for the people of Israel.

1. Passover was a time to remember where they had been

2. Passover was a time to remember what God had done.

3. Memorial stones and monuments to aid their memory.

3. God gave them His Laws, rituals, commandments, sacrifices to aid their memory.

C. Remember where you came from physically

1. Remember your town

2. Remember your position

3. Remember the people. No matter what you accomplish in life, never believe that you are better than anyone else is or that you deserve promotion more than they do.

D. Remember where you came from spiritually

1. Remember what it was like before you knew Jesus as your savior

2. If you cannot remember a time when you did not know Jesus, think of what your life could be like if you didn’t know him