“For [you] are His workmanship” (Eph. 2:10) And because you are God’s workmanship you know you were created with purpose for such a time as this. (Esther 4:14)
Brothers, Praise God! We have graduated our first! All by God’s grace, all for His glory. This school season has come to a close, mostly, for us. Praying for you all. I’ll try and host a prayer meeting as soon as the graduation parties slow down. Blessings this beautiful Lords day!
Classical Conversations homeschool community at Bethany class of 2024 Graduation
1 The moment: Commencement
Welcome Classical Conversations homeschool community at Bethany class of 2024.
If I had no time constraints I would encourage you all night, not to give you another lecture, although I’m sure it would feel like it, but because I love you all and am so proud and encouraged by the men and women you have become.
This is your commencement. What has been has come to an end, and you are commencing upon a new beginning.
Up to this point your parents have protected, nurtured, educated and shaped you. Preparing you to hit the target.
You are a gift of the LORD to your parents. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, Psalm 127 says.
An arrow is an instrument of purpose, and so are each one of you.
Your parents have been preparing you physically, spiritually, and through your education for the purpose God has prepared for you, “For [you] are His workmanship” (Eph. 2:10)
Now, like arrows from a bow, you are being loosed to commence upon the good works God has prepared for each one of you.
And because you are God’s workmanship you know you were created with purpose for such a time as this. (Esther 4:14)
2 Knowing the times: the war of ideas (1 chronicles 12:32 know the times, son’s of Issachar)
You are commencing on this pilgrimage at a time when our culture has turned away from God.
We live in a postmodern, post- christian culture that has rejected the concept of truth.
Truth is now whatever each individual decides it is, reality has no meaning, each individual’s feelings define reality, and there is no standard for morality.
Without the controlling spirit of truth, all morality is becoming relative and subjective, therefore law becomes arbitrary, which leads to chaos and destruction.
Today our culture professes to be wise, but “they became fools…”
So God has given them “over to an unfit mind…” (Romans 1:21-25, 28-32)
Yes, the sins of the culture today are the same as yesterday, the same as in the garden of Eden, the same as in Sodom, and the same as in Rome during the Apostle Paul’s day.
However, do not walk like many do.
Many people choose apathy and complacency.
Many others choose hopelessness and despair.
But… they have forgotten there is some good news here…
”… God, being rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved…“ Ephesians 2:4-10
And that is Good news!
Christ died for our sins, was buried, and was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)
Because of the reality of Jesus’ resurrection we can know that sin has no hold over us.
3 How then shall we live?
How then shall you commence?
The eight of you have been prepared for this. You Know God, and now it’s your turn to make Him known.
Jesus is victorious and will return to judge the living and the dead! And you should live like it.
What this world needs is God’s truth and the hope of eternal salvation through Jesus Christ. Let your words and life point a lost world to Him.
Life is an amazing mission from God. Many people live only for the pleasures of this temporary world, My prayer for you graduates as you are loosed into to world is that you will live for eternal glory in Jesus Christ.
Walk in the good works which God has prepared for you to walk in.
How about we commence with a little latin word study?
Words have power and I know you all love latin. The word enchant comes from the latin word encantio, which means “to speak meaning into,”
Like Adam naming the animals in the garden for instance.
Or God speaking the creation into existence!
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-5,9-10,14
Jesus is the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us!
If God’s people are not reenchanting this fallen world with God’s truth and grace, then it is being disenchanted with the lies of Satan!
Use your words to proclaim the excellencies of God (1 Peter 2:9). To share His truth and the good news of His salvation to all creation in everything you do (Mark 16:15, Romans 10:14-15).
The word muse comes from the latin musus, which is thinking, to think deeply. “to become absorbed in thought especially… to think about something carefully and thoroughly”
To amuse is the opposite, it is unthinking. “to divert the attention… so as to deceive”
Once you commence there are many unthinking distractions to amuse you away from your purpose.
You are fearfully and wonderfully made. You were created with purpose.
Be full of joy, full of fellowship, but resist the temptation to be amused into complacency.
Do what’s right, not what’s cool.
Do what builds up and produces, not what tears down and consumes.
Find ways to produce, contribute, and serve your household, church, and community.
If you know God’s word, you know His will for you. Love God and love your neighbor.
I see in every one of you the capacity to share truth, hope, and love in the world.
By faith (Heb. 11:1-3,4,5…), commence subduing and ruling, working and keeping, being fruitful and multiplying – in marriage – (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:15), and making disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:18-20).
What ever path you take and what ever you do, do it “as for the Lord rather than for men” (Colossians 3:23).
Reenchant this world with God’s truth and grace speaking into every sphere of life (Psalm 102:15, Philippians 2:10-11) – Amen and God’s speed.
THE GOOD NEWS
There is a God that created the heavens and the earth. We humans are created in His image.
We are sinners, we have rebelled against Him, our Creator. Our rebellion has brought “all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice… envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness” to the world. Romans 1:29-31 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.1.29-31.ESV
Therefore we justly deserve our due punishment of death and damnation, “as it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.’” Romans 3:10-12 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.3.10-12.ESV
But good news! God is merciful and loving. Jesus is God the only begotten Son and He took our punishment upon Himself in our place. Jesus rose from the dead, defeating death and securing the hope of our salvation.
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.” 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1co.15.3-8.ESV
““Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”” Acts 2:36-38 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/act.2.36-38.ESV
We need only repent and believe it. Repent: turn away from our sins, proclaim Jesus is lord and savior, and we will be forgiven our sins and have life ever after! “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”” Romans 10:9-11 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.10.9-11.ESV
There is hope. Believe in Jesus! ““For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jhn.3.16.ESV
It doesn’t matter who you’ve been or what you’ve done, God stands with arms wide open, ready to forgive you. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1jn.1.9.ESV
Dobra Family Ministry 