Sermon Tone Analysis

Good evening graduating class of 2018, and good evening friends, parents, grandparents, and extended family.

Graduates, we are here tonight to recognize and celebrate this achievement of graduating from High School, an achievement that you have been working toward for so long and I want to tell you congratulations on all of your hard work.

I also would like to tell all of you parents and grandparents congratulations on all of your hard work.

For it is your hard work and dedication to these graduates in making sure that they were fed and clothed and had means of being able to attend classes that made tonight possible.

However, it would be foolish of us to not recognize

In the same way, it is good and right that we recognize that none of us would be here tonight without the providential care and blessing of Almighty God.

I’m thankful that I’ve been given the opportunity tonight to speak to you regarding spiritual matters of eternal consequence.

Another word for “graduation” is “commencement,” which highlights the fact that graduating is about more than caps and gowns, or parties and presents.

Graduating is about commencing, or progressing in life.

It’s about reaching new levels, taking on new responsibilities,

It’s about moving on, hopefully moving upward toward the new discoveries that await you.

One thing that you will discover is that adulthood consists of a long series of graduations or commencements from one life changing event to the other.

Though some of them are anticipated and welcomed, such as marrying the love of your life and starting a family, and starting that dream job, but others such as sickness and death of those we love also transition us from one part of life to another.

These transitions in life such as you find yourselves in tonight and the days to come come with both opportunities and dangers.

The big question will always be: Will these times of transition in your life result in you drawing closer to the Lord or falling further away from Him?

You see, all of life’s transitions are potential moments of spiritual crises or strengthening.

When we leave familiar places and routines and our habits are interrupted we notice that our previous influences are weakened while new influences come into play.

During these moments that both the Lord and Satan look on with great interest in the path that we will take.

Tonight, you graduates are standing in the midst of transition, at the commencement of the rest of your lives.

You will take the information that you have obtained during your years of schooling and go out into the world to chase your dreams.

We all wish you success in your endeavors, but I hope you’ll heed the words of Christ that he proclaimed to “seek first the Kingdom of God,” and to “store up treasure in heaven where rust and moth can’t destroy and theives are unable to break in and steal it.”

I will cling to my faith

I will be like Abraham who “by faith ... went out, not knowing where he was going” ().

I will take my Bible with me, and my convictions.

I will prioritize my new situation around the Lord and His people.

I won’t wait to look for a church, or to get involved.

I will nurture my faith, and protect it by being true to my conscience ().

I will be useful for the Lord

I will “be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and ready to do any good work” ().

I will remember that I’m not just preparing for life – I’m living it now!

Since the Bible shows us that no one is too young or too poor to contribute, I will give of what I have, little or much, and start by giving myself ().

I will create spiritual memories that will bless me all my days!

To accomplish this goal I want to propose 2 resolutions for you to make for you.

I will cling to my faith.

I will be like Abraham who “by faith ... went out, not knowing where he was going” ().

I will take my Bible with me, and my convictions.

I will prioritize my new situation around the Lord and His people.

I won’t wait to look for a church, or to get involved.

I will nurture my faith, and protect it by being true to my conscience ().

I will be useful for the Lord.

I will “be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and ready to do any good work” ().

I will remember that I’m not just preparing for life – I’m living it now!

Since the Bible shows us that no one is too young or too poor to contribute, I will give of what I have, little or much, and start by giving myself ().

I will create spiritual memories that will bless me all my days!

To the graduates pictured on the inside of this expanded bulletin, we wish all the best of God’s blessings.

We rejoice with you as you rejoice.

Knowing that life’s biggest milestones are generally accompanied by mixed-emotions, we also feel the sorrow of your good-byes to what’s been and trepidations regarding what’s to be.

Another word for ‘graduation’ is ‘commencement,’ which highlights the fact that graduating is about more than caps and gowns, parties and presents.

Graduating is about commencing, progressing, reaching new levels, taking on new responsibilities.

You are moving on – hopefully, moving upward.

New discoveries await you!

That’s where you graduates are now.

What should you do?

I suggest two resolutions:

Mark this: All of life’s transitions are spiritual crises.

We leave familiar places and routines.

Habits are interrupted.

Previous influences weaken.

New influences come into play.

Even more than usual, both the Lord and Satan have an interest in every decision made.

That’s where you graduates are now.

What should you do?

I suggest two resolutions:

Allen Malone