The Power of Relationships

“The Power of Relationships”

2023 MHS Baccalaureate Service

First of all, Let me echo what has already been said this evening, CONGRATULATIONS!

Congratulations on accomplishing one of the first major obstacles of your life. In just a few days you will walk across the stage, shake some hands, receive a piece of paper, and be done with a thirteen-year process that some of you may have enjoyed, while others are glad it’s over.

In those 13 years there have been ups and downs.

There have been highs and lows.

You have had some of the best times of your life and some of the worst.

You have made memories that you will never forget and some that you wish would just go away.

You have learned a thing or 2 about math, science, English, history, art, sports, AND LIFE IN GENERAL!

As much as anything, you have learned a little about relationships.

Many of you have made friendships that will last the rest of your life.

Some of you have had your heart broke, whether by loss or because of disagreements, you have felt the sting of loss.

Over the next few days, months, and even years, you will reminisce over what was hopefully some of the best years of your life.

But, even as you do that, even as you remember where you have been, remember that the windshield is exponentially larger than the rear view mirror.

I say that to say that where you are going is far more important that where you have been. NEVER Forget your roots, but keep your eyes focused on where you are going. Adventure awaits each of you in some form or fashion.

I hope that at this point every one of you has a plan. You have some direction on where you are going and how you will get there.

Some of you have already applied and been accepted to college.

Some of you will go to a trade school.

Some of you already have a job lined up.

Some of you are shipping off to boot camp.

Whatever or wherever it is you are headed, YOU WON’T BE ALONE!!!

The fact is that unless you move to some extremely remote wilderness area in the middle of Alaska, or someother “middle of nowhere extremely remote location” you will always have people around you.

The question is, what are you going to do about it, and what will you do with it?

How will you foster, grow, and treat the relationships in your life?

For the next few minutes, I want to talk to you about “The Power of Relationships.”

(SLIDE)

“The Power of Relationships”

[SLIDE] Genesis 1:1

Seems pretty simple. Most of you have heard that dozens if not hundreds of times. Some of you have possibly memorized it and quoted it, but what does that have to do with “The Power of Relationships?”

Look at that word GOD, the 4th word in the Bible

The Hebrew word is Elohim.

I know, this isn’t school, but look at this. The word Elohim IS PLURAL!

THAT MEANS THAT AT CREATION…BEFORE CREATION!!! BEFORE ANYTHING AT ALL EXISTED; GOD EXISTED IN RELATIONSHIP.

Throughout John 1 we see this stated and reinforced.

[SLIDE]

John 1:1

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”

[TITLE SLIDE]

I start there this evening to show you that YOU NEED RELATIONSHIPS!

YOU NEED THE POWER OF RELATIONSHIPS

The most amazing thing that has ever happened, God created EVERYTHING, from the air that you breathe to the galaxies far far away FROM NOTHING, And He did it in Relationship.

God created, the Word (Jesus) Spoke it, and the Spirit hovered over the face of the deep. God existed in a perfect Triune RELATIONSHIP!!

At some point in your school career you have all had the opportunity (MAYBE HEADACHE) of working on group projects. Unfortunately, some of you learned the perils of “GROUP” Projects, but most of you learned the joy, productivity, and the increase that comes from collaboration!

Hopefully you learned that projects turn out a WHOLE LOT BETTER in relationship.

I cannot overemphasize this!

LIFE IS BETTER WITH MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS!!!

So, let’s talk about some of the relationships you have and will continue to develop throughout the rest of your life!

[SLIDE]

I. Parents/Family Ephesians 6:1-3; Exodus 20:12

The first relationships nearly every person develops is with their parents and family.

Most of us can agree that at least during early childhood, this is one of the most vital relationships anyone can have. I understand that there are some children that aren’t raised by, or maybe never know, there parents. But every one of us has some type of parental figure in our lives.

We look to them as infants, toddlers, adolescents, and teenagers to meet our needs. They have provided you with food, shelter, and love until this point in your lives.

BUT JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE OLDER AND CAN AT LEAST SOMEWHAT TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES, DON’T COUNT THEM OUT JUST YET!!!

Maybe you are going to college, maybe you will end up with a post graduate degree, and maybe your parents didn’t even finish high school. THAT DOESN’T MEAN THEY DON’T STILL HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFER YOU.

While you are sitting here with 17 or 18 years of experience, they have 35, 40, maybe 50 or more years of experience.

They have lived this life, they have made some mistakes… (AMEN?) and they have learned a few things.

Lean on them. Ask them ADULT questions. Get their advice when it comes to relationships, money, and life goals.

I would almost be willing to guarantee you, they ARE your biggest fans. They love you enough that in spite of your many mistakes and failures, YOU’RE STILL HERE AND SO ARE THEY!

Scripture is pretty clear…

[SLIDE]

Ephesian 6:1-3

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord [that is, accept their guidance and discipline as His representatives], for this is right [for obedience teaches wisdom and self-discipline]. HONOR [esteem, value as precious] YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER [AND BE RESPECTFUL TO THEM]-this is the first commandment with a promise- SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY HAVE A LONG LIFE ON THE EARTH.”

Of course, that is a quote from the 10 Commandments

Even if you think you are done with them

Even if you think they don’t have anything to offer you (AND YOU ARE WRONG)

SOMEDAY THEY WILL NEED YOU

YOU’RE GONNA MISS THEM WHEN THEY’RE GONE

[SLIDE]

II. Teachers/Mentors

For the last 13 years you have spent 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, and somewhere around 40 weeks a year with teachers, administrators, and mentors.

Together with your parents they have instilled knowledge in you. They have helped you learn to work hard. They have helped you learn how to get along with others.

Whether you liked them, appreciated them, or acknowledged the job they were doing, YOU NEEDED THEM, and you still will.

Even if you aren’t continuing your education in a formal environment like college or trade school, YOU EDUCATION IS JUST GETTING STARTED!

In your life you will likely have some type of formal ongoing education. There will be teachers, professors, and instructors.

You will have a job with bosses, supervisors, and other workers with more seniority.

Regardless of your aspirations, skill, and hardwork, you will always answer to someone.

To some extent, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos…and any other apparently successful name you wish to insert…they answer to someone!

At minimum they have stockholders.

I say that to say there will be professional relationships you will have to build, nurture, and in some cases repair.

Recognize that these relationships have something to offer. I hate to say especially, but especially those that are older than you.

They have seen some things. They have been some places. AND IF THEY ARE BELIEVERS, they have a mandate to teach you and help you grow and be successful.

Titus 2:2-6

Paul was instructing Titus to teach the older men and women to be temperate, reverent, sound in their faith, not gossipy, to stay sober, so that they could teach the younger generations the same things.

Seniors; PLEASE HEAR THIS ENCOURAGEMENT… FIND A MENTOR. ALWAYS HAVE A MENTOR.

This can be someone you work with, a teacher, or even a life coach, but find someone full of faith and the Holy Spirit to bounce ideas off of. TO hear you when life is difficult. To give you solid BIBLICAL ADVICE!!!

[Slide]

Proverbs 13:20 says this…

“Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.”

[Slide]

III. Friends

If you look to your left and to your right, you will probably see some of your best friends.

These are the people you have learned life with for the last 13 years or so.

Maybe you went to church together, maybe your lives together were doing something completely different.

Moving forward, as you move off for school, jobs, or whatever else life has for you, listen to the following proverb.

[SLIDE]

Proverbs 27:17

“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens his friend.”

A GOOD Friend will make you better. A God-fearing friend will keep you in check.

A Sharp Disagreement Acts 15:39

A BAD friend will take you further down a bad road than you ever want to go, and will keep you there FAR longer than you ever want to stay.

[SLIDE]

IV. Spouse

Someday the day will come when some cute girl, or good-looking guy catches your eye. I pray that you have and will continue to save yourself for that person on your wedding night.

I promise you that God has had a plan from the beginning of time. That plan is for one man to marry one woman and for them to live forever together.

Early in the Genesis account, God recognized the Power of Relationship with His creation.

In Genesis 2:18 Moses writes,

[SLIDE]

“And the LORD God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”

The ESV says “a helper fit for him”

The world has attempted to confuse this. The enemy of your sould would like nothing better that for you to be confused about the will of God for creation.

Don’t give in to the non-sense. Don’t allow the author of confusion to derail the perfect plan of God for your life.

I am not strictly talking about gender confusion and all of the other insanity being pushed. I am talking about sexual morality as a whole.

God has the perfect man or the perfect woman out there for you. Don’t give away a piece of yourself for a moment of pleasure.

BUT THERE’s MORE!!!

How you treat that person is of the utmost importance.

GENTLEMAN… You will likely be tempted to say something like, “Wives submit to your husbands.”

Fair enough…It is in Scripture. That passage of Scripture in Ephesians 5:22-24 compares the marriage to the relationship between Christ and the church. It says that just as Christ is the head of the church, so is the husband the head of the wife.

There is a powerplay there for a husband….THAT DOESN’T UNDERSTAND SCRIPTURE!!!

You see the next verse says, Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.

Ladies find yourself a man that will give up EVERYTHING BUT HIS FAITH FOR YOU!

Gentleman find a woman that will follow you as you follow Christ!

[SLIDE]

V. JESUS

Dear Abby recorded a powerful story. A young man from a wealthy family was about to graduate from high school. It was a custom in their affluent community for parents to give their graduating children a new car, and the boy and his dad had spent weeks visiting one dealership after another. The week before graduation they found the perfect car. They boy was certain it would be in the driveway on graduation night.

One the eve of his graduation, however, his father handed him a small package wrapped in colorful paper. The Father said the package contained the most valuable gift the Father could think of. It was a Bible! The boy was so angry he threw the Bible down and stormed out of the house. He and his father never saw each other again.

Several years later the news of the father's death finally brought the son home again. Following the funeral, he sat alone one evening, going through his father's possessions that he was to inherit when he came across the Bible his dad had given him.

Overwhelmed by grief, he brushed away the dust and cracked it open for the first time. When he did, a cashier's check dated the day of his high school graduation fell into his lap --in the exact amount of the car they had chosen together. The gift had been there all along but he had turned away.

The most valuable gift the Father has given us is the word of God. The only way we can learn to live with all of the pressure, problems, and perplexities of life is to learn how to live in the word of God. We are to preach the word.

Often times the gift The Father presents you through His Word isn’t what you think you want.

Often times we will take the wisdom given to us through various relationships, and because it doesn’t fit OUR AGENDA, we throw it away along with the relationship.

BUT, if your inner circles and your closest friends are believers, than take the wisdom they give you, filter it through prayer and Scripture, and then act accordingly!

The young man in the letter to Dear Abby had been presented with 2 incredible gifts, but he missed them both because of his pride and his consumerism.

But the beauty of this is that Cashiers Checks don’t generally expire. You may have to file a claim on it if you wait too long to cash it, but as a general rule, the funds are still somewhat available.

Many many years ago, a Man named Jesus wrote a check on your behalf.

He paid a price for your health, your provision, and your eternity.

All of the relationships I have mentioned are made sweeter and stronger, when you both make Jesus the Lord of your life.

[SLIDE]

THE PLAN OF SALVATION

CALL TO SALVATION

PRAY