The Biggest Transition You Will Ever Make.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
I wasn’t asked to be the speaker at any graduation ceremonies this year. Even if I had been, I wouldn’t be able to say what actually needs to be said. So, I’m going to pretend this morning like I’m giving the commencement speech at all your high school graduations.
Class of 2020, parents, faculty, families, friends and fellow graduates of other years, here and online—I desperately hope you’re paying attention:
Finishing high school is one of the biggest moments in your life. The transition from living at home and childhood to whatever comes next is one of the biggest transitions you’re ever going to make.
Every possibility is ahead of you. There are so many choices to make. There are so many joys, blessings, and opportunities. There are also many dangers.
You will need wisdom.
To choose life instead of death, light instead of darkness, peace instead of chaos, mercy instead of retaliation. You will need wisdom and self discipline to choose goodness, purity and faithfulness over doing wrong, falling into sin and unbelief.
When we walk out the front door of our childhood home, how will we know how to get where we’re going? How do we even decide where we’re supposed to go?
The world will not be short on suggestions. All kinds of people are going to have all kinds of things to say. There will be temptations. There will be lies. There will be disappointments.
The faith that was given to you by your parents and your church is going to be tested. It will need to become your own. You are going to make mistakes and you will feel them. When you fail, you will be tempted to wallow in shame and guilt, or get defensive and try to prove you didn’t do anything wrong, or give up and walk away from your faith.
The world will try to lure you away from Jesus just like the devil tried to lure Jesus away from the mission the Father gave Him. You will be tempted with pleasure and comfort and acceptance and treasure and greed and doubt.
You will doubt that you are really a child of God. You will doubt if there really is a God.
The foundation that your parents and your church tried to lay for you will be tested. You will have teachers who possess great knowledge and they will make you question the things you believe. You will have experiences that push you to the edge of uncertainty. You will wonder what is true. You may wonder if anything is true.
People will fail you. Institutions will fail you. Your parents will fail you and your church will fail you. You may end up feeling very lost and small and alone. I pray that never happens to you but if it does, you will be vulnerable, and you will need wisdom more than ever. Or else you will be swept away by the first person who is kind enough to offer any direction at all.
When I was graduating high school, my church gave me a really nice, leather-bound study Bible. It was like when Galadriel gave Frodo the Light of Earendil, their most beloved star, to be used as a light in dark places. No high school commencement speech is complete without a Lord of the Rings reference.
That’s why some of the men in our church got together to give our graduating seniors these fancy Bibles. It’s our most beloved treasure—God’s Word. May it be used as a light in dark places. These words are the difference between a life that is fulfilling and a life that is wasted. This is the wisdom you will desperately need.
These particular Bibles are Lutheran Study Bibles. They will help you to see the Word of God through the promises of Jesus. To see every verse through grace and hope. Without these reminders, you might be tempted to see Scripture as irrelevant, outdated, full of rules and commands and condemnation. These particular Bibles have notes on every page to help point you back to Jesus and grace and truth.
But God’s Word is not a good luck charm. It’s not something to put on the dash of your car to keep you safe. It doesn’t do you any good on a shelf or tucked away in a box. It doesn’t ward off evil spirits if you sleep with it under your pillow.
It is only a lamp for your feet and a light to your path if you open it and read it. If you meditate on it and pray through it. If you hide it in your heart, memorize portions of it, make it part of you. It’s only going to do you any good if you hear what it has to say to you—if you read it with your faith in Jesus.
I know, I know. You already know that. “You oughta read your Bible.” We all already know that. We also all have Bibles at home on our shelves that are never opened. We have plenty of time to poison our minds with all the darkness and senseless distractions of the world but can’t seem to find a few minutes a day to fill our hearts with the one thing that can actually help us, give us wisdom and answers to the barrage of temptations that are going to bombard us.
I’m confident you know what a Bible is. That you know what it’s for. But have you read it? All of it? Have you returned to it when you needed direction and guidance and answers?
I pray that you return to this book often. As you continue to move through life toward all the future transitions and choices you will have to make. May you keep these words ever before you, hidden in your heart, a lamp for your feet and a light for your path. May it be a light in dark places.
The world will tell you otherwise, but this book is sufficient. All the wisdom and hope you will ever need is found here.
You are about to make one of the biggest transitions you will ever make. From childhood and depending on your parents, living under their roof with their protections and guidance—to the great big wide open world of endless possibilities and ideas and choices.
I pray that you don’t get lost out there. That’s why we’re giving you God’s Word for direction.
I said earlier that your parents might fail you, your friends might fail you, teachers and institutions—even the church might fail you.
But Jesus will never fail you. God will never fail you. His Word will never fail you, and His promises will never fail you. His love will never fail you, His forgiveness will never fail you—no matter what you say or do. No matter how far you run away. You can always return to Him and He will embrace you and take you back. He will always welcome you back.
One of the things you’ll find in God’s Word is that He has called His people out of the world to gather around the promises of Jesus. To come together. He knows we can’t do this alone, we need each other. He goes and gets the one lost sheep and brings it back to where the other sheep are. The word “church” means “the gathered”—the ones who come together for worship and instruction and encouragement and to receive the gifts of God. We need to be reminded of who we are, of what Christ has done for us, and what that means for the rest of our lives. Wherever you are, wherever you go, make sure to find a local church where you can come together with other Christians to be the church. You can’t be the church by yourself. Many people have lost their faith and lost their sanity when they have tried to follow Jesus on their own. Jesus said He would build His church and the gates of hell will not stand against it. He said that where two or three are gathered that He would be there among them. It is not wise to think you can worship God and love people by yourself. Always find a local church wherever you are.
And whenever you’re back home, know that you are always welcome to join us here. We will miss you terribly while you’re away and will be longing to see you again.
Transitions are hard. They can be exciting and scary and dangerous. But they’re unavoidable.
There will be many other transitions, you’ll need God’s wisdom for them too: adjusting to your new life in college or the military or when you start your career, when you get married, when you become a parent, when your children graduate high school and move out of the nest, and when you have to start taking care of your parents.
Someday you’ll be saying all these things to your kids and you’ll be the one who’s desperately hoping they’re paying attention.
I have great hope for you. I have great confidence in you. To choose life, to choose light, to make peace wherever you go in as much as it depends on you. Most of all, to rest in the grace and love of God that He’s offered you in Jesus. Trust in Him and no matter what, I know you’ll be good.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
AMEN