Year 12 Graduation Speech

Woohoo, let’s do this. I get my final Bible rant that some of you avoided last week, here we go, just us, you and me, let’s chat, but this time it’s my question box: the question is: 

Why have you bothered to tell us all this stuff when we will never use it ever again! 

What a great question, it just so happens, here’s an answer I have that I have prepared earlier…

Ps 19: 

The Works and the Word of God.

FOR THE CHOIR DIRECTOR. A PSALM OF DAVID.

The heavens are telling of the glory of God;

And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.

Day to day pours forth speech,

And night to night reveals knowledge.

Their line has gone out through all the earth,

And their utterances to the end of the world.

In them He has placed a tent for the sun,

It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.

Its rising is from one end of the heavens,

And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul;

The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;

The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.

They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.

Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;

In keeping them there is great reward.

Who can discern his errors? …

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

Be acceptable in Your sight,

O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.

Some quick context, because that’s what we do when we read the Bible right, we put it in context: 

They say this psalm may be a combination of two, it may even be drawn from other poetry that existed at the time. They are not sure, but what they do agree on is that this psalm clearly shows us that when we look at all the miracles around us, whether it being in our graduating students (for a variety of reasons perhaps) or in the beauty of the world around us, God’s voice has gone out into all the earth, and his words to the ends of the world. The argument here, at this time, was that the natural splendour was so amazing it should be worshiped, but David, the King of Isreal who was known for his great conquests and pure worship, argues that it is not the thing or nature that should be worshipped, but the one who made the thing. It’s arguing that whether we have read the Bible or not, we have all had the chance to hear and see God in our world because it is full of the wonder of God, it is full of miracles and beauty, of splendiferous and majestic things that point to a magnificent and caring creator. 

Today, I want to focus on one part of this psalm that I believe is an encouragement for you, that I believe we can more easily neglect than the sunrises and beauty of nature, but something that still points to his majesty and splendour. As a parting gift if you will, I want to remind you of the true foundations of identity, purpose and hope that hide in God’s word, his law, his way, his story. 

The Psalm says this: 

The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul;

The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;

The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.

They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.

Here, after celebrating the wonder of nature, King David celebrates the wonder of God’s way and concludes it is even more valuable than gold and sweeter than honey! King David celebrates the magnificent power that lies in God’s ways and the wonderful impact that this can have on our life, our day-to-day living. 

And, I hope you can see it. 

So, there is 4 things, just 4 that I want you to remember. And, knowing how much you like Math and English and study and will miss them all, I have used both Math and English to make a worded equation to keep it simple so you can study and remember it: right?

LAW + PERFECT = RESTORATION

TESTIMONY + SURE & TRUE = WISDOM

PRECEPTS + RIGHT = REJOICING

COMMANDMENT + PURE = ENLIGHTENED

Graduating class of 2025, I hope that when you hear and read and see God’s law; that is, when you get a glimpse of and walk in the direction and instructions of God, you get to experience how it restores your soul, turns around your life and emotion and passion to what it was supposed to be. 

What does it look like? When Jesus is asked which is important, the most important rule God made, he says Love God and Love others as Jesus has loved us. Law + perfect = restoration looks like when we respect our parents and realise how much they love us, care for us and give to us; it looks like when we disagree with someone but still show them respect; it looks like making space in our life for random acts of kindness because people deserve kindness; it looks like relationships that are restored and people feeling valued like they are meant to. When it looks like this a lot, we are restored. Right? 

Graduating class of 2025, I hope that when you hear and read and see the testimony of the Lord, as in witnessing the lived story of God in your life, that it makes you wise, so wise you are able to live and apply God’s way like Jesus did. 

When we listen to his testimony, we become wise, as in we see what to do with the knowledge he gives us. When we truly immerse and imagine and see ourselves in God’s story, we see how it looks to live out what he has said in his law. When we look at what Jesus did when he walked on the earth, when we see how he responds with protection for those who people are accusing, we see how he responds with love to those who are often outcast, we see how he never gives up, no matter what people say about him, we see how he values each and every person he comes across, we also see how he does not stand for injustice or oppression. When we see God’s lived testimony, we see how wisdom in action can bring identity, purpose and hope to everyone around we get to be in community with and beyond. 

Graduating class of 2025, I hope that when you hear and read and see the precepts of the Lord, these rules that tell us how to behave, when you see them lived out in your life it makes your heart rejoice, that you are happy because of what they do for your life and those around you. 

Amidst all this, I believe when we look to his precepts, his rules, we start to realise there is hope, there is truth, there is identity and we don’t have to get lost in this world of uncertainty, instability, volatility. Rather I hope that you see precepts + right = rejoicing more like God giving you a roadmap (sorry GPS app) to living that way so when you follow it, you know not only where to go but how to get there. And then, this direction and certainty helps you to have peace and rejoice not just when you get there but in knowing that if you keep following it you get to find and live now in the treasures God intended for you to have. Treasures like a full, abundant life now, goodness now, joy now, hope now, and also all of this forever. You are made for more, and whilst you persevere and overcome now, by following God’s GPS you get this more and more!

Graduating class of 2025, I hope that when you hear and read and see the commandments, the divine, God given rules in your life it enlightens you, it opens your eyes and brings light and hope to your purpose. 

I hope you can then see that when we sit and mediate, focus on, study God’s pure commandments our eyes become open to the good plans he has for us now and forever. When you really look at his commandments you begin to see an intentional design that keeps you safe, protecting you like a walled city. They show you how to live; how to love God and how to love others. They show you that God really wants you to be part of an amazing community of people whole look after one another well; they show you he has made you with his blessing to be a blessing. When we see this, our eyes are opened to the truth that with God and his commandments there is so much good to be had.

Graduating class of 2025, David’s experience leads him to seeing not just God’s creation, but God’s way, Jesus’ way, as more precious than gold and sweeter than honey. 

My prayer is that during your time here you have got a glimpse, a taste of this and as you go you realise the gold and sweet honey you have planted inside of you, and it becomes more foundational for you. 

I believe this is the rock Jesus speaks of when he commands his disciples to build on the rock and not the sand. The world will offer you sand that will not last: the world has laws that change and serve the individual, the world will offer you stories of triumph that are finite and serve only the moment, the world will offer you ideas and commandments that often lead only to poverty and imperfection. What the world offers is often dependant on the tide of the time and is easily washed away.   

HOWEVER… when you are grounded in the bedrock of resilient and absolute truth, the law, testimony, precepts and commandments that this psalm speak of, you will not be washed away with the tides of your culture, you will be able to navigate the uncertainty of your world with restoration, wisdom, rejoicing and clear vision. 

So, what is it that speaks most loudly to you? Is it His logic and justice, His story and faithfulness, His guidance and sure path? 

As you go and continue to grow I pray all the words we have shared for so long (well nearly all the words, maybe not some of those more infamous out of context quotes you keep), I pray the ones that echo God’s truth will become more valuable than gold, and sweeter than honey to you. 

So, why have I bothered to tell you all this stuff and when you will never use it ever again! We bother because we care, we bother because they are words of life and when, not if, you use them again I believe you will be enlightened and have rest, restoration, and rejoicing. 

Graduating class of Year 12, congratulations on listening to us for this long, on persevering and enduring, the good news is that you have done it, and the more exciting news is, it is only just beginning. We pray God’s richest blessing on you… 

Simmo