June 3, 2007

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 Scripture KJV

Reverend David S. Huffer

Westwood Baptist Church - 2124 Davis Road
 Waynesboro, VA

Deuteronomy
6:10    And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not,
6:11    And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full;
6:12    Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

Matthew

5:6    Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

 

The Graduating Class of 1410 BC

Deuteronomy 6:10-12; Matthew 5:6

 

Graduation Day – It’s finally here! A day to remember.

·           A day to remember God and all He has provided for you.

·           Parents, family, friends and a church family

 

In the Book of Deuteronomy we find Moses, instructing, exhorting, and encouraging the graduating class of 1410 BC.

·           They – like you – were preparing to enter a land of opportunity and promise.

·           Up to this point all they had known was school life – the school of the wilderness!

·           Now – it was graduation day!

 

Listen again to these words Moses gave the children of Israel as they prepared to enter the promised land. READ Deuteronomy 6:10-12

 

Perhaps these words do not strike you as graduation words – but they are!

·           These are words of life and death.

·           Moses exhorts these graduates that they will soon be leaving the restful havens of the home life they have known and would soon be going into a land that was unknown.

HEIDI – JONATHAN - The danger of leaving familiar surroundings is to become preoccupied with the surroundings of new life and a new land.

·           Moses instructs them of the danger: “When you have eaten and are full, beware lest you forget the Lord.”

·           Their hearts on this day would deny the thoughts of ever leaving the likes of their God.

·           But it can happen so easily and subtly

 

TO HUNGER AND THIRST

HEIDI – JON - What will fill your lives after today?

·           I pray that it is hunger and thirst – A hunger and thirst for God!

·           Matthew 5:6 – “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.”

When God looks into your heart what does He see?

When He examines your character, what does He hope to find?

·           Some would suggest you fill your hearts and lives with the realms of success and perfection.

HEIDI – JON – God is not looking for either of those.

·           He looks to see if there is righteousness in your heart.

·           Do you have a hunger and thirst to be filled with God’s righteousness – that is to be right with God?

 

At the end of your life – all the diplomas, degrees, and success you have gained in this life will not be enough to get you into eternity with God.

·           Only a righteousness based solely upon the righteousness of God

A. Spiritual Hunger and Thirst Is Desperation

 An old Chinese proverb says: “Thirst breaks through stone walls.”

·           In other words – if you are really thirsty – you will do anything to find water.

HEIDI – JON - Are you as thirsty for God as the Psalmist who cried out: “O God, You are my God; Early I will seek You. My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1)

·           This thirst is not quenched by the likes of what the world has to offer.

·           This thirst dominates the body, mind, and soul. It is a holy craving deep in your soul for the things of God.

 

B. Spiritual Hunger And Thirst is Eagerness To Obey

Do you have a hunger to obey the words of God?

·           The Psalmist speaks: “I delight to do Your will, O my God …” (Psalm 40:8)

·           The hunger of the righteous person is to be right with God in all matters of their lives.

·           Do not segregate your life. Allow all of your being to obey God

·           Luke 11:28 – But He said: “More than that, blessed are those who, hear the Word of God and keep it.”

 

HEIDI-JON – Obedience requires time alone with God.

·           Read and Study God’s Word

·           Pray and Meditate on it so that you might obey it

C. Spiritual Hunger and Thirst Is Wanting To Be Like Jesus

There was a popular saying several years ago – WWJD – “What Would Jesus Do?”

·           It is not a call to speculate on what Jesus would or might happen to do

·           NO – it is a call to DO what Jesus DID.

WHAT DID JESUS DO?

  1. Jesus Depended upon God
  2. Jesus Desired communication with God
  3. Jesus delighted in fellowship with God

HEIDI-JON - The desires of the heart are at stake here.

·           What will you desire once you are off in a new land filled with opportunities?

·           I pray that you will have a spiritual hunger and thirst to be like Jesus!

D. Spiritual Hunger And Thirst Is A Hatred For Sin

Psalm 19:13 – “Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression.”

 

QUESTION: Would it be truthful today for me to tell you that you will never have to face the temptation to sin in a new land?

·           NO!  As much as you would like to think that sin will not tempt nor touch your life – it is not true.

·           That is a fairy tale. And fairy tales are in the enchanted land of make believe.

HEIDI-JON – You are going into a land that will tempt you with the opportunities to sin

·           It is the time spent in God’s Word that will allow you to see sin as sin.

·           James 4:17 – “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”

·           Allow His holy spotlight to examine your heart everyday to keep the evils of sin at bay in your life.

 

CLOSE

How can you as a young person maintain your hunger and thirst?

1.      Obey God Immediately

·           Do what he says without hesitation

2.      Call Sin By Its Right Name

·           Do not varnish over sin by calling it a mistake, accident, error, or oversight – Call it sin.

·           Then confess it and receive God’s forgiveness.

1.      Stand On God’s Word

·           As you do the will of God your thirst for god will increase

·           Jesus says that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness “will be filled.”

 

WHAT WILL YOU BE FILLED WITH?

 

Moses warned the graduating class to not become filled with the consuming items of this life.

·           For when that happens you will become satisfied.

·           Don’t ever be satisfied with where you are in your walk with Jesus Christ.

·           Don’t allow the things of this world to rob you of your passion to love and serve Jesus Christ

 

Psalm 17:15 – “As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.’

 

TODAY – I challenge and exhort you as graduates – and all who hear my voice – hunger and thirst for God and His righteousness.

 

Amen!

 

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