5 Ways to Avoid Graduating from Your Faith

We celebrated Senior Sunday yesterday as we honored and blessed the class of 2009. The point of my message was to challenge these teens to not graduate from their faith when they graduate from High School.

I based my message on 2 Timothy because it is probably the last letter Paul sent the young minister. Paul’s life was coming to an end and in this letter he lays out the “non-negotiable” for Timothy. Paul’s final words to his young friend highlight the things that will help Timothy grow his faith long after his mentor moves on. I think this letter has a lot to say to you and me and our young graduates.

1) Don’t Be ASHAMED of Your Faith

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self–discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God,” (2Timothy 1:6-8 TNIV)

This culture- especially the culture found on many college campuses- wants you to be ashamed of your faith in Jesus Christ. You will feel the need to apologize for being different or for having a different morality than those around you. It was much the same for young Timothy. The minute you begin to apologize for what you believe or the minute you begin to be embarrassed by the gospel is the minute you begin living on your own understanding and move away from living in the power of God.

2) PURSUE Righteousness

“Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” (2Timothy 2:22-26 TNIV)

When you step foot on your college campus or when you start in the workforce you are going to see people in pursuit of many things in their lives.

People will be in pursuit of grades.
They will pursue power.
People pursue glory for themselves.
People will be pursuing what feels good.
They will pursue what’s easy or what they can get away with.

They will pursue all kinds of things but not necessarily what is Right or what honors/glorifies God.

3) ENDURE with God’s help and protection

“You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2Timothy 3:10-15 TNIV)

Keep on keeping on. Once you decide to not be ashamed of the gospel and set you heart/mind to pursue God’s ways with your whole being- ENDURE!

Find your pace and trust that God will carry you through.

4) Fall in Love with GOD’S WORD

“All Scripture is God–breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that all God’s people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2Timothy 3:16-17 TNIV)

How do you know the power of the Gospel- the truth of Jesus? How do you know what is right and how to follow it? Where can you find encouragement to endure? You find these things in God’s Word.

5) Intentionally RECOMMIT- Everyday/Every way

“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (2Timothy 4:1-8 TNIV)

Everyday and in every way you have to recommit in your heart to follow Jesus Christ. Living out and believing in the Gospel takes recommitment everyday.

Every one of us is just one day away from graduating from our faith. Each day brings its own troubles, challenges, & changes that jockey for 1st position in our hearts.

These graduates aren’t the only once susceptible to the world around them. Each one of us in here must pledge allegiance to the Gospel of Jesus Christ every single minute of every single hour of every single day.