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Graduation Commencement Speech; Stephen Zempel; May 26th, 2020
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The speaker expresses gratitude to the school leadership, teachers, and graduating students. They reflect on the unique circumstances of the past few months and the importance of adapting and adjusting. The speaker then mentions a verse from Proverbs commonly used in graduation speeches and emphasizes the need to understand its context. They acknowledge a student who was in an accident and pray for her healing. The speaker discusses the importance of obeying God, practicing kindness and reliability, and trusting in God's plans. They highlight the wisdom and guidance that comes from trusting in God rather than relying on our own understanding. The speaker concludes by emphasizing the need to fear the Lord and depart from evil. were there to be applied. So I graded your papers. I was hoping that maybe you got some of those principles. At least you gave the right answers on the test that you took. It's just a lot more fun to teach it in person. And there's certain words that have been worn out and I decided not to allude in my message to coronavirus and COVID-19 and decided not to use the word unprecedented and unique and unseen and social distancing. It does really amaze me that we are actually facing for the first time in history the fact that people are encouraged to wear masks before they go into the bank and some are requiring it. And I'm thinking well that's different. But some of the words that have been used to describe the last two, three months of our culture I would have used to describe our class. Unique, unprecedented, social distancing. You got that down. But I want to before I begin to say a couple of things that I think are really important. I want to express appreciation to Kenny Rolle for amazing leadership in an unusual time. Decisive action and clear thinking to make it possible for the graduates to have this graduation within the guidelines allowed to us. And I want to thank you. Of course we know it's a team effort and I want to thank the teachers. We didn't finish the semester like we thought we would. But you adjusted well and you sent out the material and the information necessary. Made up the tests and quizzes. And I want to thank the students that are graduating and other students in our school of course for the graduates. Because apparently you did what you had to do to get here. So good job. I'm glad for that. I'm glad to see you sitting here on the stage of this ministry. Representing before all of us what God has done in your lives. I want to thank the ones that gave the speeches tonight. Just exceptionally well thought out. Obviously honoring God for giving you wisdom and strength and courage to face some unexpected days in your life. But I appreciate this graduating class and they are unique in many ways. And I really found myself struggling a little bit with how to communicate what I believe God wants me to communicate. And I found myself avoiding the verse that obviously needed to be preached on. A verse that I've avoided many other times in graduation speeches that I've had the privilege of doing. Because it's the verse that is probably used most often on graduation cards as they congratulate Christian graduates. Proverbs 3, 5, and 6. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not unto thine own understanding and all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths. But I wonder how many using those verses recognize the context that those verses are in. That's what I want to focus on tonight if I could. And I do want to welcome Emily with us by live stream. Obviously you're aware of the accident that she was involved in. Somebody ran into her and her mother head-on. By God's grace she spared their lives. No injuries are minor, especially if they're yours. No surgeries are insignificant, especially if you have to go through it. But Emily, I'm glad you're able to be with us. I trust that God will give you grace as we continue to pray for his hand of healing upon you and complete healing in your lives. Now as we look at Proverbs 3, I want you to notice, and I realize you may not have the Scriptures with you, but Proverbs 3 verses 1 through 12 lead up to a very important passage of Scripture. Proverbs 3, 1 through 12 are six couplets that tell us how to have the life that everybody dreams of, everybody wants. I'm not talking just about Christians. I'm talking about people in the world. The things that God promises will be given to people that honor the six couplets, the six principles. In Proverbs chapter 3 verses 1 through 12 can be ours if we will honor the principles that God gives us. Beginning with verse 13, Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay fold upon her, and happy is everyone that retaineth her. The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth, by understanding hath he established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew. My son, let not them depart from thine eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion, so shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid. Yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh. For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken." Phenomenal verses. If you take time to sit down and read those verses, look at them, and just kind of digest them, you realize that that summarizes a lot of what our world is looking for, what we desire in life. I'm going to pray. I'm going to give you the six principles pretty quickly, and then summarize the message. Father, I pray that you would bless these graduates in unusual ways. Lord, would you give them ears to hear this evening. I know their focus is on graduation, getting the diplomas, spending some time with friends, but Father, I pray that you would help them to hear with spiritual ears the truth that you have for them. Give them a heart's desire for all that you have promised, but may they realize it needs to be obtained your way. We ask this in Christ's name. Amen. Verses 1 and 2 of Proverbs chapter 3 could be summarized simply, obey God. Obey God. Obedience is an unusual thing. We struggle with it, quite frankly, throughout our lives. There's two primary ways that God communicates his direction for us. The first way is through his commands. He tells us what to do. And the second way is through his promises. His commands protect us, and his promises encourage us. Parents don't tell children to avoid rattlesnakes and copperheads to keep them from good. They tell their children to avoid rattlesnakes and copperheads to keep them from harm. That's the same thing with God. He tells us what to do and how to do it because he wants to keep us from harm. His commands are to protect us, and his promises are to encourage us along the way. Simply obey God. Secondly, practice mercy and truth. Verses 3 and 4. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee. Bind them about thy neck. Write them upon the table of thine heart. So shalt thou find favor in good understanding in the sight of God and man. We often hear that mercy is God withholding what we rightly deserve. The idea is that we deserve God's judgment, but in his mercy he withholds that judgment that we rightly deserve. But truthfully, mercy here is simply a word that is about kindness. It's about goodness. It's about being accountable or dependable is probably a better word. The word often is used and translated faithful. So when we think about mercy here, and he says, get a hold of that, let not mercy and truth forsake you, he is saying that he wants us to be kind. He is saying that it is good to be good. He is saying it's right to be faithful. And it's right to be reliable in the things that we say and do. God blesses those who are kind and true to their word. People can depend upon you. And God says I will honor that. So first of all, we need to just learn to listen to God and do what he asks us to do. Claim his promises. Practice mercy and truth. And then those verses that we're so familiar with, Proverbs 3, 5, and 6, trust in the Lord with all thine heart. Trust God completely. Don't allow familiarity to keep us this evening from the heart of God in these two verses. God knows what he is doing, so trust him. That's it. God knows what he is doing, so trust him. Now we've had the, sorry to turn my back to the audience, but you know these guys mean a lot to me. So we've had to learn that in the last few months, but that's not the end of the lesson. All through your life you're going to have to learn to trust God. He knows what he is doing. There's going to be disappointments. There's going to be unexpected turns in the road. There's going to be valleys in life. But you can trust God. I guarantee you can trust God. As I've thought about the circumstances that we face, I have found myself recognizing that God knows what he's doing, so I can trust him. God's not lost control, so I can trust him. God is never confused, so I can trust him. God has not lost his power, so I can trust him. God never stops caring, so I can trust him. God has grace sufficient for every trial, so I can trust him, and so can you. Trust God with all your heart. Don't lean upon your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths. Verses 7 and 8 technically is a continuation of that. I don't want to get real technical. I'm trying to keep this simple, but you have four verses, two couplets. Then you have these four verses in the middle, two more couplets, but they say the same thing. Those four middle verses in this section of 12 verses is the whole key to life. Not simply trust God with all your heart, not leaning on your own understanding, but verse 7 goes on to say, be not wise in thine own eyes. Fear the Lord, depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. Here's the thing, guys. We have wisdom. You guys are sharp. I'm amazed at some of the things that I've seen you do, and some of the projects that you've completed, and some of the classes that you've taken, and some of the goals that you've set for yourself. You have wisdom, but God is wiser. You do understand that God is wiser. He says, don't be wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord. That word is sometimes misunderstood, but have a proper respect for God. Have a proper appreciation for who God is. Fear God, and that will keep you from the path of evil. Fear God, and that will cause you to do right. Not simply fearing that he is going to judge you, or that he's going to in some way harm you or hurt you. That's not the heart of God. God wants to help you. So fear God, because he will direct you through all the unexpected circumstances of life. Fear God. Keep your feet from that which is evil. A proper view of God. Fifthly, keep God first. The fifth couplet here is verses 9 and 10. It says, honor the Lord with thy substance and with the firstfruits of all thine increase. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. You know, I've never met somebody who says, you know what my goal is in life? I just want to be poor. I want to struggle every day of my life. I don't want to have enough to eat. I don't want to have clothes to wear. I don't want to have a car to drive. I don't want to have a house to live in. I want to be poor the rest of my life. It's not typically a goal. We sometimes get things back where we pursue riches and forget God. And so I've called this fifth principle, just keep God first. Pursue your dreams. Live with passion for the things that God has gifted you to do. Live with a sense of excitement for the opportunities that are out there for you. The world is wide open to you. Pursue those dreams and those passions and that vision, but do not forget God. You've got to keep Him first. You've got to keep Him first. God likes to use finances to help us consider that, but that's not the only way that we keep God first. We just let God be a priority in our lives. And one of the ways that we show God is a priority in our lives is by giving Him the first roots of all our increase. We're not so greedy with the blessings of God that we don't remember where they came from and so we hand some back to Him. So just honor God. Keep Him first. We demonstrate our honor for God or for others or for things by what we give to. And so God says, don't forget to give to me. Give to me of your stuff. He says all your substance. Honor the Lord with your substance, the stuff you already have. You've got a car, honor God with it. You have an education, honor God with it. The things that God has already blessed you with, honor God. And then those things that He begins to add to you, you will be amazed at what sometimes you don't have, but you'll also be amazed with what you do have. And remember to honor God with the first fruits of any increase that He gives you as well. And the last principle here, the sixth couplet is accept God's correction. Now the unique thing about God's correction is it usually doesn't come directly by the hand of God reaching down and grabbing you by the nap of the neck and shaking you and looking at you in the face and saying, you better straighten up, son. It usually comes through your parents. And then sometimes through your teachers. And if you don't get the hang of it, this idea of obedience, God corrects you through law enforcement officers, you guys that are heading into the military. Do we sit you all there together on purpose? You're thinking, man, I gotta get away from my parents, they're crazy, they're unreasonable, I gotta get away from the teachers, I gotta get away from the law enforcement, I gotta get away from my boss, I gotta get away from these people, I'm gonna go into the military. Yeah, they're gonna tell you what to do, I guarantee you. And if you still don't get the hang of it, you end up in jail. Looking out through the bars of a cell. God says, get this down, accept correction, accept correction, and if you do that, man, your life is gonna be amazing. All of these things that God promises are to those that honor these principles. Simply obey God, do what he asks you to do, practice mercy and truth, be kind and thoughtful of others, trust God completely, properly view God, keep God first in your priorities, and accept his correction. Key words in those following verses that I read earlier, happy, better than, more precious, length of days, riches in honor, ways of pleasantness and paths of peace, a tree of life, happy as everyone, they shall be life and grace, thou shalt not be afraid, thy sleep shall be sweet, for the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken. Too often we want the promises, but we're not willing to follow the directions. I didn't find exactly the illustration I would have preferred to close it, but I want to make a point with you. Pastor Kuykendall, Kuykendall, pastored in Texas, quite a few years ago because his salary per month was $125, $1500 a year. And a man that owned a chain of stores, retail stores, Mr. Duke said to Pastor Kuykendall, do you believe in giving to God? And Pastor Kuykendall said, of course I do. Then he asked this interesting question, he said, do you? He said, I have 13 children, I feed 15 mouths every day, three times a day. He said, I believe in honoring God with my giving, but I don't. And Mr. Duke said, I want to ask you to do something. I want to ask you to take $12.50 a month off the top of your paycheck and give it to God. And if any time during the year you find yourself lacking, you write me a letter and I promise you that I will send you the money that you've given to God. Pastor Kuykendall got excited about it. He thought, well, I can't go wrong with that. And so he took $12.50 off of his monthly paycheck and gave it to God. And he found out through the year that God blessed and provided in unusual ways that he couldn't begin to believe. And he came to the end of the year and he hadn't once needed to write to Mr. Duke because God took care of him. And then it hit him. I trusted the word of a man, but I would not trust the word of my God. What a shame. But that's the way we live, folks. That's the way we live and what a shame. God in Proverbs chapter 3 says, man, you can have life laid out. I'll take care of you. I'll provide. And we say, no, I think I'll do it my way. I'm just asking you one last time, put God first, listen to what He says, trust Him, accept His correction, honor Him with your firstfruits, and God will bless you. Father, would you help these graduates to take to heart what they've heard. Now help us to rejoice with them as we honor them and their achievement and their graduation tonight. In Christ's name, I pray. Amen.
