Graduation Sunday: How Do I Make A Difference? Series

We continue to explore the New Testament book of Colossians together. This morning I want to speak on this subject, “How Do I Make a Difference?”. You can find a link to our sermon notes in the chat and a communication card. If you’re new with us, please take a moment by telling us a little about yourself – communication card. For children’s resources, please visit our churchonline page at our website. Stay tuned to the end of the service as I’ll have news about reopening our building.

For nearly 4 millions high school seniors around our nation, your last day of school turned out to be just another average day. Who knew you’re last day in the school building March 6? You did NOT have an opportunity to say goodbye. You were not able to go through the rituals you of some many before you and after you. You have missed opportunities such as the prom, senior trips, and your last season in band and in sports. This isn’t the worst things about our pandemic as people have lost their lives, yet we are sorry for you. But, now your focus has to be going forward.

The average life span for an American in recent years is just a little over 78 years. If you’re average, high school seniors have 60 more years to live – if you’re average! Think of this way: you’ve completed your first quarter. While some of you are in life’s first quarter, most of you are living somewhere between the second quarter of life. You are between twenty and forty years of age; you haven’t reached halftime just yet. You are in the second quarter of life. Some of you are between forty and sixty and you’re in the third quarter of life. Some of you and I love the ones who are here, you are between sixty - eighty – you are in the fourth quarter. Truthfully, some of you are living in sudden death overtime! No matter what stage of life, there’s an urgency to life.

I have in my hand an hourglass. Your life works like this hourglass – there’s a time when all your time is gone. Unlike this hourglass, you cannot simply flip it over and redo life. You get only one life and the clock is ticking. Jesus said on one occasion, “night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4b).

Today’s Scripture (Passage Read Before Sermon)

“And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me” (Colossians 1:21-29).

To Make a Difference You Must…

1) Realize Someone Made the Difference for YOU

If you want to really make a difference in life then you need to meet the Author of life. I don’t need just any Savior who hears my problems and rushes off to the library in hopes of fixing me. I need someone who can instruct me and isn’t guessing. I need someone who doesn’t need to read a book to help me because He is the book! That’s who I need – I need someone who is the library.

Look at the words of verse 22 with me: “he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him…” (Colossians 1:22).

Jesus died to reconcile you to God. Jesus died for those with a GED and for those with a Ph.D. — all could come to experience eternal life. Some of you are so used to hearing the words, “Jesus died for you,” that you have failed to be awed by this.