2024 Baccalaureate Service
Text: Psalm 90:9-12
Well let me begin by saying that I am honored to stand before you today. I know you students, I’ve met many of you, I’ve talked to most of you, and even taught some of you, so it’s an honor to be able to stand here and hopefully impart some wisdom. It’s an honor to stand before your parents and the faculty, staff, administration, and school board of _________ Public Schools… and before my peers as well. And on behalf of the Ministerial Alliance I do want to say “THANK YOU” for this opportunity and privilege to share from God’s Word.
So let’s start there, by looking at God’s Word. Psalm 90:9-12 (READ)
Now I have to be honest. I graduated high school a long time ago… before any of you were born, I don’t remember having a baccalaureate, and here’s what I remember about the commencement address. Some old guy who I was told was important, got up and spoke for 45 minutes, and I don’t remember a single thing he said.
I’ve had several other graduations since then… in the Army, in college… and at each of those some old guy got up and spoke as well… and… I don’t remember anything THEY said. And it’s not because I myself am some “old geezer” and my memory is failing. I can quote massive portions of Scripture. I can recite Shakespeare. I can tell you historical events and occurrences with dates and facts better than Wikipedia ever could. My memory isn’t failing – it’s just that I didn’t listen to those guys. I was young, and thought that I had everything all figured out, and what could a guy who was old enough to be my dad possibly say that could benefit me? I hope you don’t do that this afternoon.
The reason I shared that with you all, is because you may not remember what I say today, but throughout life, what we often remember are events and occasions. For instance: There are occasions of joy, or sadness, achievements, firsts and lasts – those are the things we tend to remember. And believe it or not, today, and the next few days – up until graduation, marks one of those types of occasions. This is a time in your life, that you’ll never forget. You may not know it now, but your parents do. And I would bet that over the next few days, your parents are going to be doing some remembering and reflecting too. They’re going to remember the day you were born, your first day of school, your first day of driving. They might remember how their hair began to show a little more grey as you went from your tweens to teens and as you began to practice your independence more frequently.
Also… the teachers who are here today, they’re remembering as well… how over the last few years, they’ve poured their lives into you, and taught you, and hopefully inspired you to be life-long learners.
So… this is a time of reflection. It’s a time for them, and for you. Some of you might reflect on what’s about to happen. And let’s be honest… you young men and ladies live in a messed-up time. You know it. I know it. We all know it. You might feel nervous, or anxious, or maybe excited about what comes next.
And so… I want to share with you all a few things that I hope and pray you will remember, and that I won’t just be some “old geezer” who stood up and gave your baccalaureate sermon that you don’t remember when you’re my age.
Now why do I want to do that? BECAUSE – in just 5 short days, you guys and gals are getting ready to go out into life and hopefully do something AWESOME! But the thing is – none of us know what the future holds. When I sat where you’re sitting, if someone had told me that I was going to see and do all the things that I’ve seen and done, I would’ve laughed in their face. We don’t know what tomorrow holds. But GOD DOES! God knows your future. He knows what tomorrow holds. He knows where you’re going to be and what you’re going to be doing – not only Friday after graduation, but in 5 years, and 10 years, and even 20 years from now.
Moses says in that text we read, that we might have 70 or 80 years, but they pass by quickly.
And then he says in verse 12, “Teach us to number our days…”.
Now I’ve heard preachers say things like, “Now that means that if you live to be 80, then you have so many days and hours that are going to be given to sleep, and so many hours and days that are going to be given to work, and so many hours and days to leisure, etc, etc…”.
But that’s not the idea that Moses is getting at here.
I want to give you context here – because context determines meaning. Moses, spent 40years of his life, wandering around the desert with the Israelites, because they were not allowed to enter the Promised Land due to their unbelief… and all of those who did not believe, died in the wilderness. What that means is that Moses spent those 40 years doing funerals, for those people who refused to trust God. And so when Moses pleads with God, and asks God to “teach us to number our days”, it doesn’t mean we correctly quantify the amount of days in our projected life, NO… what it means is we measure each day, TODAY, in light of eternity. SO THAT – “we may get a heart of wisdom.”
And remember, knowledge is great, but wisdom is the correct application of knowledge. You can have a lot of knowledge and very little wisdom. Proverbs says, “Wisdom is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom!”
So here’s some wisdom for you: You don’t have to know a lot of things in order to make a huge difference in the world. But you need to know a few things that are great – and be willing to give your all for them. People who make a difference in this world are not people who have mastered a lot of things. It’s the people who have BEEN mastered by a few things. If you want your life to count, you don’t have to have the highest IQ, you don’t have to have wealth, and fame… you just have to know a few basic, simple, glorious, unchanging, eternal things and be gripped by them and be willing to give your all for them. So as I look out at you soon to be graduates, I know that any one of you, or even all of you – can make a significant difference in your world. The potential is there. The opportunities are abundant.
So, what do I mean?
Well… there’s a lot of people out there and their road map for life goes something like this:
1. Graduate high school, go to college, or tech school, or the military.
2. Get a good career, a good spouse, raise a family.
3. Make money, live comfortably, retire, and spend your winters in Florida.
And that’s all you want. And any of you could do that. But I’m always reminded of the, “Then what?” question.
There’s a story of a young man, who was just about to graduate high school. He was bright, and had potential, but he often found himself making poor decisions and going down the wrong path. Thankfully his high school principal called him into the office one day and spoke with him. The principle said, “Well, you’re about to graduate. Do you have any plans for after high school?” The young man said, “I guess I’m going to go to college.” And the principle said, “Then what?” The young man kind of shifted in his seat and said, “Well, then I’ll get a good job.” And the principle said, “Then what?” And the young man said, “I imagine I’ll get married, raise a family, and work until I retire.” He kind of settled back into his chair thinking the questioning was over, but the principal leaned forward and said, “And then what?” The young guy was getting a little flustered with the questioning and he blurted out, “I guess I’ll die.” And the principal said, “Then what?”
Like I said a little while ago, You all have been born into, and live in a messed up time during history. There’s a lot of confusion in our world… and there are a lot of folks out there in the world who will try to tell you everything is relative, truth is optional, and facts don’t matter. But that’s not reality. In reality, ideas and beliefs have consequences. Decisions and habits, and world-views determine who you are, and who you become.
That’s why Moses says in verse 14, “Satisfy us in the morning with your lovingkindness, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.”
Now I hope you’re catching what I’m throwing. Living in a way that makes a difference in the world doesn’t start with a long to-do-list. It starts with being mastered and satisfied with something bigger.
Bigger than ourselves, and bigger than what the world tells you is important.
It doesn’t make a bit of difference if you know everything there is to know about T-Swizzle and Travis Kelcie. If you’re mastered by the lives of the people you see and read about on social media, you’re already trapped. Moses is praying here that he would be mastered by a profound sense of satisfaction in the grace, and love, and mercy, and provision of an ETERNAL GOD! A God who transcends time and space. A God who is All Powerful, and All Mighty, and Sovereign. Because one day Taylor Swift is going to be old… she won’t be able to “shake it off.” And Travis Kelcie won’t be able to play football.
THEN WHAT? How many of you guys remember who was the KC tight end before Kelcie by the way? Tony Gonzales – Kelcies going to have to catch about 370 more passes and score about 40 more TD’s before he’s even close to being at Gonzales’s level. But Tony Gonzales is just a memory now…
So learn, gain knowledge, but remember – wisdom is the principle thing – therefore get wisdom. And again, I’ll say it – Wisdom is the correct application of knowledge.
Begin to see your life, your hopes and dreams, your goals and desires in light of eternity. Be mastered by the One who is greater than time, greater than all creation. Be mastered by Jesus Christ. That’s what we mean when we call Him Lord. Because here’s the deal – that will not only shape your thoughts, but your decisions and habits, and lives.
Hopefully; as graduating high school seniors, you’ve learned that truth. That we’re not only shaped by our thoughts… but by our habits too. Study habits, exercise habits, social media habits, personal hygiene habits. Those are the things we do… and over time, what we do becomes who we are. Show me your habits and how you live, and I can tell you what you really believe. Show me your habits and I can tell you where you’ll be in five years.
I’m not a prophet, but I can tell you this – if you want to be much less of a follower of Jesus Christ in 5 years, make church attendance optional. But if you want to go out from Laverne High School, and be the kind of person who makes a difference with eternal significance, you must be mastered by the Master of eternity… The King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ.
I want to close this afternoon with a famous quote from a guy named Charles Thomas Studd. You would think with a last name like “Studd” he would’ve been an athlete… and he did play Cricket at Cambridge University (I think it was Cambridge, but I’ll have to check), but that wasn’t his passion. Instead, C.T. Studd was mastered by Jesus Christ. And he set out to be a missionary. He went to China, India, and Africa. He impacted thousands of lives. And his work is still impacting lives. He founded WEC International – a mission agency that is bringing the Gospel to people all over the world, providing not only spiritual truth, but health care, clean water, education, helping people, and making a REAL impact.
Studd said, “Only one life, twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.”
Be mastered by that!
Students, we love you all. We’re proud of you. And we’re praying for you. Now go forth and do something amazing!
CLOSING
