+==Sermonizing {003}==+

So I was asked to be the keynote speaker at Battle Creek Christian's 8th grade Graduation today. In honor f this occasion (from which I never experienced haha) I revised a sermon I previously wrote to fit this time in their life which will hopefully present insight to them as they step out into high school and beyond. So here it is...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…

That is the Great Commission as they like to call it. In the book of Matthew, these are Jesus’ last words. Unlike the other gospels, He says… “Make disciples and baptize them.” Baptize them… now, Jesus and his disciples hadn’t led a baptismal ministry—they were busy curing people… In this case, Jesus is referring to baptism as the act marking a transition from being outside a Christian community to discipleship within it. Do you guys remember when you were baptized? Well, the ritual of baptism isn’t limited to the life you lead or to your church. It has an outward effect. I read this, and I like to use the image of a pebble being tossed into the water. Our actions causes ripples and as they expand outward in motion, so are the baptized to go out and have an ever-lasting and ever-expanding effect on the rest of the world. Now, those who were to be baptized were going to be disciples also. You know, the disciples weren’t just the twelve guys that made up Jesus’ posse. Oh no. They are ALL OF YOU. After Jesus had resurrected, the invitation to be disciples to the nations extended to everyone. In every city. and every nation. Even you. And even me.

To give you all a little background on me::::::

About four years ago I felt called. I didn’t know what it was at first. I didn’t realize that God was calling me to be in ministry. But, one of the first nights my church’s new pastor led youth group, I stayed after and talked to her for two hours. In those two hours, we discussed all sorts of stuff which included my recent spurt in going to church. I suddenly loved it. As we kept talking, I realized that I have a passion for God’s work in the world. I had also just gone on my first mission trip that summer and realized that helping people was what I liked to do most. Everything seemed to be falling into place. However, it wasn’t all good. I had SO MANY QUESTIONS! It felt like the one time God was calling me to do something special and I had no faith at all and was so scared! I wasn’t meant for this. I had plans for college and stuff. However, God decided to throw me a curveball now? As soon as I thought I had everything planned out, God was screwing everything up. Well, that’s what I thought anyway….

So many people are called by God in the Bible—Jeremiah, Mary, Isaiah, just to name a few. But in Isaiah chapter 6, Isaiah sees a vision of God. Isaiah was scared, initially, as any of us are when we first realize we’re being called to do God’s work. You don’t necessarily have a “Go get em” kind of attitude. Isaiah, at first, wanted to hide from God because he knew that God was so perfect and mighty and amazing and that he wasn’t. He was full of imperfections and sin and he knew it. However, an angel appeared and touched his lips, with a HOT BURNING COAL, nonetheless, and cleansed him of his unrighteousness. God then showed Isaiah the problem for which God was calling him. The Israelites were a di-sas-ter, a complete mess. They were drifting away from God, not listening, and avoiding God at all costs. After Isaiah saw this God asked “Whom shall I send?” Isaiah responded, “Here I am Lord. SEND ME!” Send me… Well, that was a brave move! When I felt God calling me to ministry, I said WHOA! I don’t think so! Me? A PASTOR?! Nuh-uh. But just as Isaiah was called, so is each of you and as you already know, so was I. Now for the rest of the story.

It was the most confusing feeling in the world but I knew I had to follow where God was sending me. As I started going to church more I got involved in a few committees and in youth group. I went to the Summer Youth Institute at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in 2005 with 35 other teens from around the U.S. I thought that the two week program would help me figure out what I was doing with my life. However, my questions still weren’t answered. But it’s part of the process. As you grow up and move onto bigger and more challenging things, you are bound to have questions. And for the record. IT IS O.K. Now that I’ve finally settled with having all these questions, I’m on a search for answers. Now I’m trying to figure out where I belong and what I am doing. But for now, I’m going to wait for God to lead me.

God sends each and every one of you to be who you are supposed to be. Just because you might not be called to be in professional ministry, doesn’t mean you can’t minister in your everyday life. As a matter of fact, you should! At my church, we say “I too minister here!” This tells us that the work we do at home, at our jobs, and at church is all ministry. Now, this means we are giving hope to the hopeless, showing kindness, and loving those who may be different from us. IN Micah 6:8 in the message version of the Bible, it says, “Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, and don’t take yourself too seriously—take God seriously. “ As you grow up you will be called to minister in the name of Jesus Christ, allowing your faith to shape who you are and how you live out that call.

If you have ever seen the movie Pay it Forward, you know that Mr. Simonet, the teacher, asks the class to change the world. Some kids didn’t even try the assignment but Trevor did. In the end, Trevor changes the world by doing one act of kindness for three people and then telling them to do the same so we get something looking like a phone tree, right? Well, Mr. Simonet goes on to say a little bit later that his project requires an extreme act of faith in the goodness of people.” See, our Christian lives can be like that too. If we all tried to help others and do service for others and told them to pass it on, we would have a rather large amount of good people in the world, wouldn’t we?!

God has spoken to people throughout the ages and is still doing so to us. This is why pastors say a charge of blessing or a benediction at the end of the service—to Send us forth into the world carrying the light of Christ with us, and reminding us that worshiping God doesn’t end at 11 o clock or so on a Sunday morning. We are to spread our light to others. Allow our ripples to effect others. Pay it forward to others so the rest of the world can see the effects of what it means to have a faith. Even if this means donating money through school or church to help victims of natural disasters, giving hope to those with cancer by participating in Relay for Life. DO IT! These are good things and just simple things that can help change the world, no matter how small!. Reach out and let kindness hope and perseverance shine through you.

Jesus’ last words in Matthew are a promise of his continuing presence in us and the church. “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” There is no day, no hour of the day when God is not by our side helping us along the way.

Be the pebble tossed into the lake. Be the kid who wants to change the world. Be the one to shine your light on all those with whom you cross paths. You may make the difference for one person, or quite possibly, more. But that is all it takes.

As you graduate from this place and move onto bigger things in a different location, be reminded that God is always with you—through schoolwork, sports, church, service, the good and even the bad or scary, and even to the end of the age. But may you remember this for all your years. And may you remember the values and ideals Battle Creek Christian has taught you. I certainly still do! And you should too! Thank you and Congratulations to the graduating class of 2008!!