Baccalaureate 2019
Special Occasions • Sermon • Submitted
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Graduates… Thank you for this honor to speak briefly to you this evening.
Graduates… Thank you for this honor to speak briefly to you this evening.
When asked what topic you would like me to speak to i was told “STRESS / FACING CHALLENGES & DIFFICULTIES”!
Hmmmm… How to encourage these young men and women with that topic…
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Those who know me know context is crucial for me and here God is speaking to His plans for Israel… NOT all people, NOT high school graduates!
BUT… It is true God has a unique plan for each of you! And He knows what it is, you don’t.
dif•fi•cult \ˈdi-fi-(ˌ)kəlt\ adjective
[Middle English, back-formation from difficulty] 14th century
1: hard to do, make, or carry out: ARDUOUS 〈a difficult climb〉
2 a: hard to deal with, manage, or overcome 〈a difficult child〉
b: hard to understand: PUZZLING 〈difficult reading〉 synonym see HARD—dif•fi•cult•ly adverb
It may include wonderful things
2perspective noun
[Middle French, probably modification of Old Italian prospettiva, from prospetto view, prospect, from Latin prospectus—more at PROSPECT] 1563
1 a: the technique or process of representing on a plane or curved surface the spatial relation of objects as they might appear to the eye specifically: representation in a drawing or painting of parallel lines as converging in order to give the illusion of depth and distance
b: a picture in perspective
2 a: the interrelation in which a subject or its parts are mentally viewed 〈places the issues in proper perspective〉 also: POINT OF VIEW
b: the capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance 〈urge you to maintain your perspective and to view your own task in a larger framework—W. J. Cohen〉
It may include heartache and disapointment
It may include success like no other
It will most definitely include difficulties
I want you to understand two words for me as I share a story...
Difficult
1: hard to do, make, or carry out
[Middle English, back-formation from difficulty] 14th century
1: hard to do, make, or carry out: ARDUOUS 〈a difficult climb〉
2: hard to deal with, manage, or overcome or hard to understand
Integrity
b: hard to understand
1: doing what is right, regardless of who is watching, even when no one is watching
There was a young man who had life planned out, it was secure, promising, and this young man had dreams!
There was a young man who had life planned out, it was secure, promising, and this young man had dreams!
People laughed at his dreams but it didn’t stop him
Things looked promising for him with the family business
Everything seemed in his favor
He was about the age of you all class of 2019
But then DIFFICULTIES CAME!
He was betrayed by those closest to him
Dreams were dashed
Started at rock bottom, working hard for everything
Feelings of aloneness and being forgotten were constant companions
This young man though continued to be a man of integrity regardless of the circumstances
He finally worked his way up to a promising position
But then DIFFICULTIES CAME!
Betrayed once again, lied about, reputation destroyed...
Felling lower than rock bottom
He continued to have integrity
Reaching out and helping others, yet forgotten by those he helped
What would you do if this was God’s plan for your life? This seams like disaster, hopelessness.
This really was God’s plan for a certain young man… his name is Joseph!
You can read his story in .
You see God had a plan for him that included difficulties/stress
But God used Joseph in ways Joseph could have never dreamed!!!
There are no secret formulas in life about how to avoid challenges and difficulties… BUT
There is a whole book on how to go through them Faithfully Following God with Integrity and perspective
Perspective
Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (Eleventh Edition) Perspective
2 a: the interrelation in which a subject or its parts are mentally viewed
[Middle French, probably modification of Old Italian prospettiva, from prospetto view, prospect, from Latin prospectus—more at PROSPECT] 1563
1 a: the technique or process of representing on a plane or curved surface the spatial relation of objects as they might appear to the eye specifically: representation in a drawing or painting of parallel lines as converging in order to give the illusion of depth and distance
b: a picture in perspective
2 a: the interrelation in which a subject or its parts are mentally viewed 〈places the issues in proper perspective〉 also: POINT OF VIEW
b: the capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance in a larger framework
Consider Joseph’s Perspective…
Consider Joseph’s Perspective…
During this time, before the first of the famine years, two sons were born to Joseph and his wife, Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On. Joseph named his older son Manasseh, for he said, “God has made me forget all my troubles and everyone in my father’s family.” Joseph named his second son Ephraim, for he said, “God has made me fruitful in this land of my grief.”
GOD made me forget my troubles
GOD has blessed me
Joseph has recognized and seen God working… consider his response to his brothers
But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.
There is evil in this world BUT God is working things for His good!
Your personal relationship with Jesus Christ is what will get you through this and seeing things as He sees them in His Word… God does have a plan for you so let me leave this passage of scripture for you
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
God wants to work in and through each of you class of 2019!!! Even in the midst and through the the stresses and difficulties of life.
I/we look forward to how God is going to continue to work through you class of 2019! Thank You… Prayer.