Making The Most Of Your Life - Graduation Sermon

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR LIFE

It’s that time of year again. It is time for graduations. All across our nation, our young people are graduating from high schools and colleges. We have several young people here today, who are graduating seniors.

Most graduating from high school this year, were born in 1989. Do you remember 1989? In 1989,

- The Exxon Valdez ran aground off the coast of Alaska, spilling 11 millions gallons of fuel.

- The Communist party lost control of the parliament in Russia for the first time, and the Berlin Wall was torn down.

- Disney, MGM Studios opened to the public for the first time.

- Nintendo began selling Game Boy in Japan.

- The First George Bush was president, with Dan Quayle as VP.

- TV Shows Seinfeld and The Simpsons premiered.

- For the first time, an earthquake was televised live, as an earthquake struck the San Francisco Bay area during the warm up to the 3rd game of the World Series.

- In 1989 US troops invaded Panama.

- Driving Miss Daisy hit theaters.

- 1st class stamps were $.25 & the Dow was running 2,600

- In 1989, Pete Rose accepted a lifetime ban from baseball

A lot of things have changed since 1989. Video games have come a long way. Prices on many things have changed. The Dow is up. Game Boy has progressed.

At the same time, many things haven’t changed. We still have hurricanes and earthquakes. We still have scandals in baseball. We still have troops in harm’s way. The Simpsons are still on, and we still have a Bush in the White House. There is another thing that hasn’t changed in 18 years either. It hasn’t changed in 18 years. It hasn’t changed in 100 years. It hasn’t changed in 6000 years, and it will probably never change. What hasn’t changed in all that time is that the decisions you make today, will impact your tomorrow. The decisions you make today will shape your tomorrow.

WHAT YOU DO TODAY WILL SHAPE YOUR TOMORROW

- Genesis 25:19-34

We read here, that Isaac & Rebekah wanted to start a family. Isaac prayed that God would give his wife a child because she hadn’t had any children yet. God answered her prayers, and gave her twins. Two boys were born to the couple, Esau & Jacob.

This morning I’d like us to think primarily about Esau. In many ways, Esau was a good guy to be around. He was strong & muscular. He was bold and manly. He was buff, hearty, generous, impulsive, & likeable. He was the oldest son of the only God-chosen family on the face of the earth, heir to a line that offered him a direct link to the Messiah & to priestly & princely rights. In many people’s eyes, he probably had a great many virtues. But Esau had 3 primary problems.

1. Esau had no self-control – Esau was controlled by his passions. He was controlled by whims. He was sure that he was going to die, that he could not live another day, if he didn’t what he wanted right then and there.

2. Esau didn’t think about tomorrow – He lived for today, never thinking about what his decisions today would cost him tomorrow.

3. Esau judged things by what he saw.

> Hebrews 12:16 And see that there isn’t any immoral or irreverent person like Esau, who sold his birthright in exchange for one meal.

The word translated in this verse as “irreverent” carries the idea of irreligious or secular. In other words, he wasn’t touched by spiritual things. He didn’t judge things by spiritual standards.

Esau lived for the moment. He lived for the here & now. He didn’t care about the future. He didn’t plan for the future. He didn’t realize that what he did each day would shape his future. So he traded his birthright, which as the 1st-born son, would give him a double portion of the inheritance and the responsibility of spiritually leading the clan, for a bowl of stew.

WHAT YOU DO TODAY WILL SHAPE YOUR TOMORROW

Young people, adults, I want you to know that what you do today will shape your tomorrow. The actions you take today, the decisions you make today, will shape your tomorrow.

> Galatians 6:7 Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows he will also reap.

Ask your parents if that is true. Ask them if they are reaping what they’ve sown. Ask Mrs. Bernice. Ask Mrs. Yea. Ask Mr. & Mrs. Goddard. Ask Mr. Tom. Ask some of the folks in our congregation, whose hair is whitened with wisdom, ask them if they have not seen this played out again and again. Ask them if they are reaping today, the seed they’ve sown in years past.