Graduation Address 2020

Graduates, congratulations! You have made it to the end of your senior year: albeit, a strange senior year. One, I daresay, you will never forget. Today is an exciting day for you, as it marks the completion of your secondary education. So again, congratulations. You have worked hard, and you are here today, having earned your diplomas.

David, Luis, and Hannah, I am about to say something that might leave you skeptical: I am going to try and make this challenge quick. For the rest of you here, they might be skeptical because they have heard me say that many times only to have me reach the end of my allotted time and say, "Well, it looks like we are going to have to finish this lesson next week." But today, I will be brief because I know that your family and friends are here to see you, and I am anxious to see them dote on you during this special day.

However, this challenge is an essential part of your graduation. Not for the people who have come to see you and celebrate with you, but it is important for you.

What we are here celebrating with you tonight is usually described in one of two words. The first one is on the cover of your program, and it is the word graduation. The dictionary defines graduation as the ceremony of conferring degrees or diplomas marking the completion of studies. And so, we are celebrating with you tonight the fulfillment of one chapter of your life. The second word used to describe the celebration tonight is the word commencement. The dictionary defines commencement as the act of beginning.

And so we have come here tonight not only to congratulate you on your achievements but also to bear witness to this moment which is in many ways your beginning. You are about to embark on a new, exciting, and challenging journey. Your parents have defined what your day-to-day life will look like up to this point. That is a tremendous blessing for the three of you because I happen to know that all of your parents love you, have prayed for you, have sacrificed for you, and have always had your best interests at heart. They have kept you fed, clothed, and most painstakingly of all they have guarded your heart to the very best of their ability and wisdom, but now a door is open to you through which you have never walked. You must now work with your hands to provide your food and clothing, but most importantly, you must apply the wisdom you find in God's Word to keep your heart with all diligence.

As you walk through this door, James's words in James 4:14 will become more apparent to you than they have ever been up to this point: "you do not know what will happen tomorrow." As countless graduates before you, perhaps you wonder tonight, "How can anyone confidently walk through this door? What is my life? Is it not a vapor?"

If you are wondering that tonight, we are all here tonight to affirm that you are not alone in wondering that, but we are also here to encourage you with the words of the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:7 that as you walk through this door, you do not walk by sight, but by faith.

Hebrews 11 tells us that by faith, we understand that the word of God framed the worlds, and by faith, we know that everything we see was made from nothing by the God who is. If God framed the worlds and continues to care for its intricacies, you can confidently walk into the unknown, knowing that He cares for you.

Imagine with me the door that was set before Abel. He had no idea that as he righteously walked through his unknown door that it would result in his far-reaching affirmation of faith. Or Enoch, who relentlessly pursued his unknown future resulting in his testimony that by faith, it is possible to please God.

Consider Noah, who prepared an arch for the day when the unknown phenomenon of rain would flood the planet. By faith, he passed through the flood and was saved. Or how Abraham, who had no idea where he was going (talk about relatable, right guys?), or how in the world he would be the father of a great nation when he was old and had no children, saw the fulfillment of the promises of God by faith.

Consider Sarah, who by faith received the strength to bear a son in her old age, and saw Isaac born as one raised from the dead.

All of these and more received special affirmations from God, not because of their wealth or career choices. Rather, their lives were approved by God because of their faith.

Graduates, there will be times in your life when you are faced with a mountainous obstacle. It is not your will-power or strength that will enable you to overcome or endure them, but (according to Matthew 17:20) by faith that you will see them move.

In our world today, this is such a counterintuitive way to live. But hasn't it always been? The writer of Hebrews tells us in chapter 11 that all of the old testament saints we just mentioned all recognized that they were strangers passing through this world on their way to a better, heavenly country.

The same is true for you. You must choose to live a life of faith despite the obstacles, knowing that (according to 1 Timothy 6:19) you are storing up for yourself a good foundation for the time to come.

My time is about up, and so I would like to conclude by offering four pieces of advice for living a life of faith.

1). A life of faith is not easy, but it is worth it. Matthew 7:13-14 says, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

Jesus describes the life of faith as the narrow road. Most people would not and do not choose it, but those who do find life.

2). Have faith in the Word of God, not in your feelings. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."

You are about to enter a world that values feelings above all else. The problem with that is that feelings and perceptions change, but truth remains the same. You cannot trust your faulty feelings to guide you through life. You must place your unwavering faith in the unchanging Scriptures.

3). Pray in faith - a lot. John 3:27 says, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven." And Luke 11:9 says, "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."

You might not know how to navigate the life ahead of you, but you can pray to the one who does. You can do nothing without him, but you can victoriously endure all things with Him.

4). Faithfully live out God's purpose for your life. John records in John 21:21-22, "Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, 'But Lord, what about this man?' Jesus said to him, 'If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.'"

There will be times when you are tempted to compare your calling to someone else's. Don't do it. You are not called to have someone else's gifts; you are called to use the one's God has given you faithfully.

David, Luis, and Hannah, I believe I can speak for everyone in this room when I say that we all look forward to watching what the Lord will do with the rest of your lives. We do not know any of the specifics, but we know that God will reward your life if you live it by faith.