Beholding, Becmoig And Boldly Going- Graduation Sunday

Beloved siblings in Christ,

Today we celebrate our graduates—a moment filled with joy, anticipation, and sacred transition. But this is more than a milestone; it's a mirror for all of us. For the Christian life is not static—it is dynamic, unfolding, transformational.

The Apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians that we are not merely called to believe, but to behold—to gaze upon Christ—and in doing so, to be transformed into His image. From glory to glory.

This isn’t just for the young crossing stages and receiving diplomas. This is the journey of every disciple of Jesus.

I. Beholding – With Unveiled Faces

Paul writes:

“And we all, with unveiled faces, beholding the glory of the Lord…” (v.18)

This imagery is powerful. Paul is referencing Moses, whose face shone after encountering God. That encounter with divine glory was so intense, Moses had to veil his face. The people couldn’t handle it. It was a glory that faded, a glory of the law.

But now, through Christ, the veil is lifted. We behold God not in fear, but with freedom. In Christ, we see the very face of God—not distant, but near; not concealed, but revealed.

As Diana Butler Bass writes in Christianity After Religion:

“The goal of faith isn’t certainty. It’s relationship. To see God not through rules or rituals, but through experience—through love.”

This is the heart of beholding. Not passive watching—but relational gazing. Deep attention. Spiritual intimacy.

II. Becoming – The Glory That Re-Creates

Paul continues:

“…are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.”

Graduates, and beloved Church: you are not finished. You are becoming. And your transformation is not about upgrading your résumé or polishing your performance—it’s about being re-created in the image of Christ.

N.T. Wright, in his book Paul: A Biography, writes:

“Paul saw the Christian life not as an escape from the world but as a transformation within it. The Spirit’s work is to reshape our humanity into Christ’s humanity—so that the world sees Jesus through us.”

This transformation is not instant. Paul uses the language of degrees—from one degree of glory to another. It is gradual, sacred, and often hidden.

Illustration: The Chrysalis and the Butterfly

A caterpillar lives low to the ground. Its purpose in early life is simple: eat, survive, crawl. But then something changes. It hangs upside down, forms a chrysalis, and begins a mysterious process.

Inside that chrysalis, the caterpillar dissolves—its form breaks down, and it becomes unrecognizable. And yet, within that mystery, wings are forming.

Eventually, the butterfly emerges—entirely different in shape, purpose, and beauty. Not by its own design, but by surrendering to the process of metamorphosis.

This is our story.

Some of you feel like you’re inside the chrysalis—uncertain, in between. Some may feel like life is dissolving more than forming. But when we behold Christ, the Spirit transforms us. Not by striving, but by surrender. Not for perfection, but for purpose.

This is true for graduates launching into new chapters. It’s true for the church stepping into new ministry. It’s true for each of us who still need to be changed—from the inside out.

III. Boldly Going – The Freedom of the Spirit

Paul concludes:

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (v.17)

“Since we have such a hope, we are very bold.” (v.12)

What kind of freedom? Not the freedom to escape responsibility. But the freedom to live with courage, to move forward boldly, knowing that God’s grace sustains us.

As Diana Butler Bass writes:

“True freedom in Christ is not license to do anything, but liberation to become everything God dreamed for us to be.”

Graduation Sunday reminds us that freedom and transformation go hand in hand. You are not who you were—and by God's grace, you are not yet who you will become.

“Life is not about finding yourself. It’s about creating yourself.”

Yes. But even more theologically: Life is about letting God re-create you into the image of Christ.

There is something liberating about knowing yourself—your strengths, your gifts, your voice. But when you align that identity with Christ’s likeness, you become not invisible—but radiant. You reflect a glory that is not yours, but God’s.

So today, we say to our graduates:

• Behold Christ—with unveiled face, heart, and mind.

• Become His likeness—trust the process, surrender to the Spirit.

• Go boldly—into classrooms, offices, cities, and sanctuaries—bearing the radiant, transforming glory of the Lord.

And to the Church:

• Do not grow weary in the chrysalis.

• Do not fear the next degree of glory.

• You are not fading—you are being renewed.

For “the path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day” (Proverbs 4:18).

So I ask you today:

• What are you beholding?