Baccalaureate Service – May 2, 2004
2 Timothy 4:6—8
Intro: 3 “R’s” of education --- 3 “R’s” of a Godly graduate
(1) READY (v 7)
<< ILLUS. A. Lincoln – “I think the necessity of being ready has increased.” >>
- A Godly grad will be ready for the things that will come
(Phil 4:13).
- Paul was ready because of his Damascus road experience. Hebrews 9:27 tells us that “once it appointed for man to die, and then face the judgment.”
<< ILLUS. A newly appointed young preacher was contacted by the local funeral director to hold a graveside committal service at a small country cemetery in Iowa. There was to be no funeral, just the committal, because sadly, the deceased had no family or friends left in Iowa.
The young pastor started early to the cemetery, but lost his way on the long back roads. After backtracking many miles, he finally arrived, a half-hour late. The hearse was no where in sight, and the workmen were relaxing under a near-by tree, eating their lunch.
The pastor went to the open grave and found that the vault lid was already in place. He took out his book and read the service.
As he returned to his car, one of the workmen paused between bites and said, "Think we should have told him that’s a septic tank."
(2) RESOLVED (v 7)
- What matters most is not how you began the race, but how you finished.
- ASK: “What the difference between being involved and being resolved?” – Bacon and eggs
Chicken (eggs) – involved; Bacon (pig) - resolved
- No one ever remembers the score of a game at the end of the first quarter; it’s the score at the end that matters.
(3) REWARDED (v 7—8)
Jesus in Matt 16:26 – “What shall it profit a man, that he would gain the whole world, and yet lose his soul?”
- In Matt. 6:19—20 – “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But instead, lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and rust will not destroy and thieves do not break in and steal.”
Conclusion:
A story is told in which an accountant answered an advertisement for a top job with a large firm. At the end of the interview, the chairman asked, “One last question—what is three times seven?” The accountant thought for a moment and replied, “Twenty-two.”
Outside he checked himself on his calculator and concluded he had lost the job. But two weeks later he was offered the post. He asked the chairman why he had been appointed when he had given the wrong answer.
“You were the closest,” the chairman replied.
Some people have the mistaken idea that God is like the man who conducted the interview. They think it doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you’re close to the truth.
John 14:6 – “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
BE READY BE RESOLVED BE REWARDED!
