VGHS BACC

OPENING

Good evening, I’m Aaron Boothe. I am the Lead Pastor at Walnut Grove Christian Church. I am honored to be here this evening as we commemorate this moment in these young adult’s lives. This moment of transition. This moment of passage from high school into the vast beyond and possibilites

The author Ray Bradbury may put some of the feelings you are all having into these words

"Go to the edge of the cliff and jump off. Build your wings on the way down." - Ray Bradbury

In the gospel of John after Jesus had died and then rose again we are given this very interesting moment. For the disples this was a lot like the feelings you’re feeling, what is next?

Up until now we had out teacher with us, he told us what to do, he gave directions. I was just getting used to this, and now Jesus is gone. Is this over?

This led to fear and anxiety. Anyone in the room Feeling that? Fear of the unknown, Anxiety of what is next? Maybe even some of our parents here today are feeling that same thing.

Text

So some of the disiples, Jesus’ followers were afraid and so they went into hiding. Jesus had appeared to Mary Magdaline at the tomb, he comforted her, then was gone. She went and told the disciples that she had seen him. Then we get these verses in John 20

John 20:19 NIV

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”

The first thing Jesus says to his disiples is “Peace be with you!”

Jesus Goes on

John 20:19–21 NIV

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

This is their Baccalureate, their graduation. This is their teacher saying, go. I am sending you out from this place to the world because I have prepared you for it. You aren’t alone, but go forth with all I have taught you and commanded you and go.

Jesus saw their hearts, that they were troubled and so he told them to have peace. Part of this word peace is to recognize that real peace comes in trusting the peace provider. Only God can bring real peace.

You can’t

So trust in Him. Jesus is the one who brought peace into that room where they were afraid. Jesus is the one who can bring you peace into this next step. This next Chapter.

Transition

I have been to over 20 graduations in my life. A vast majority of them this phrase, “this chapter is over and a new one is beginning.” has been said.

It is a true sentiment. I was at a graduation two fridays ago and hear that phrase. This time something hit me about that phrase different than all the other times I have heard it.

I started thinking about all of the good ends of chapters I have read. The cliffhanger ending, the way an author ends a chapter that just makes you want to keep going. You can’t help but turn the page. I think that is what the disiples felt in the upper room the empty spaces between the chapters. That is kind of where you all are isn’t it?

This moment of anticipation. Waiting to turn the page, but right now you are on the dot dot dot. The cliffhangers with many questions that you have been asked incessantly for the past 13 years.

Who am I going to be when I grow up?

Where am I going to School?

What Job will I get?

How confident am I will make it once I turn the page?

How will I find a Job?

What is success?

What is my purpose?

How do I do laundry right? Do I seperate out the clothes or just throw them all in together? Or do I just wait until I come home to have mom do it?

What kind of impact will I have?

Do any of you need a brown paper bag to breath into?

All these questions swirl around, and all of these questions will be answered in due time. I think more important than trying to answer all of these this moment in this time of transition, is to be present in the right here and now. Take in these moments, don’t rush past them, but lean into how special they are.

More important than the questions you will answer in time, is the heart you carry into the next chapter.

Graduation Night

It has been 16 years since my graduation. I still remember the moments. I remember my friends and I hopping from graduation party to party. I remember Jumping into Jessica Callaway’s pool. I remember Blasting Walking in Memphis.

But what I think of most when I think of my graduation night I think of the fact that I sat on the side of a country road because Ben, a guy I had only known for maybe 4 hours because he was a friend of a friend of a friend from Saint Joe, and he had been running around with us that night and his 1990 caddilac broke down and needed a tow.

I remember Kyle Taylor and I trying to fix his car with duct tape and zip ties. I remember that I was out there until 2 am with Jodie, Ashley, Ben, and my youth pastor waiting on a tow truck and then taking Ben to the old bank in Camargo.

I remember being so tired that I tried to lay down in the back of Jodie’s gold oldsmobile while she drove us home, and as soon as my head hit the seat, I see red and blue lights. We got pulled over I quietly and quickly sat up put back on my seatbelt.

The three of us left in that car Jodie, Ashely and I, two years after that, all ended up at a university that none of us at that time thought we were going to attend. We all three attended Lincoln Christian University.

It was at the university that I would get offered a part time job as a youth pastor back near home, that would then become a full time job. It would be there that I met my wife and the mother of my three sons. I have now worked for 12 and a half years. During those 12.5 years I have been honored to work alongside teachers like Mr. Kestner and Students like Jessica Rose, Molly Little, Megan Mixell, at WGCC and none of that was in my “plan” the night I sat on the side of the road with a some guy and his broken down caddie.

As I think back about that night I realize that the young man who did all of those crazy escapades, found himself in those situations because he had a heart of being in the moment and living on the edge of his seat.

I was putting my wings together on the way down.

Acting Illustration

I recently heard there was a near 90 year old acting teacher at NYU and on the first day of her class the first thing she would do was this.

okay students take everything out of you lap. on the count of three I want you to stand up as fast as you can. Are you ready?

1, 2, 3

I said as fast as you can. Lets try again

1, 2, 3

I think you all can stand faster lets go again

1, 2, 3....

Do you feel that? That is the heart you need to carry into life. That is how you approach tomorrow. That heart of anicipation, edge of your seat, ready to go is how you perform.

At the end of this chapter don’t let all of the questions steal your peace. Instead with great ancipation and excitement on the edge of your seat be ready to turn the page, but still be very aware of the moment you are in.

"Go to the edge of the cliff and jump off. Build your wings on the way down." - Ray Bradbury