Sermon Cloud

But Continue Thou …

2 Timothy 3:14

Illustration: Joe: “My college turned out some great men.”

Bill: “When did you graduate?”

Joe: “I didn’t graduate. I was turned out.”

Aaron – I want you to know that you have turned out alright.

• Actually – I would say that you have turned out great!
• You’ve learned a lot from many teachers – including your mom – who God gave to you
• Your mom has learned a lot also – not the least of which is how to make Budweiser - you send him to school!
• And you learned many things also – including how to make Antifreeze – you hide her nightie!

Aaron - You’re older and wiser

STORY – Kyle walked up to his teacher’s desk – holding his report card with a big red “F”

• He said to his teacher: “If I were you I would change this grade while you still can?”
• “Why is that?” asked the teacher.
• “Because my dad told me that if I brought home one more failing report card, someone was going to get a beating.”

Aaron - You may not realize this but you have become a role model for many of the younger children who look up to you

• You have become the teacher yourself!
• You should recognize the power of your influence and step up to the place of leadership
• By always being a learner and continuing to look to God for wisdom and discernment.

STORY

A young high school teacher fresh out of graduate school, hurt his back the summer before his first teaching job.

• He had to wear a plaster cast around the upper part of his body for weeks
• It fit under his shirt and was not noticeable at all
• His first teaching job was in the inner city
• This school was known for its toughness and discipline problems
• On the first day of classes, He walks confidently into that rowdy classroom
• He opens the windows as wide as possible and then goes straight to his desk and busied himself with some work
• Soon a strong breeze made his tie flap and without hesitating one bit – he took his stapler and stapled his tie to his chest.
• From that day forward - he did not have any discipline problems in his class.

Aaron – you have earned some respect – you’ve sharpened your edge – but don’t “fly off the handle with pride”

• Rather – whet the edge and keep your edge in life by studying and learning  God’s Word
• Many adults lose their cutting edge by not remaining learners
• Growing complacent, and ceasing to move forward.

STATISTICS THAT YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE OF:

A.  You have been in school now for 2,160 days

• You have spent 12,960 hours in classes
• That translates into 777,600 minutes

B.  So far you have lived approximately 18 years

• You have been around 216 months
• You’ve been breathing 936 weeks
• And going through the motions for 6,552 days

C.  You have been here 157,248 hours

• You’ve been taking up space for 9,434,880 minutes
• You’ve slept for 52,500 hours
• You have watched TV for approximately 12, 173 hours
• And you have spent 7,488 hours eating – mostly pizza!

Aaron  - If you live an average life span of 70 years – or as the Bible says 3 score and 10, you will:

• SLEEP – 24 YEARS
• WORK - 14 YEARS
• PLAY – 8 YEARS
• EAT – 6 YEARS
• DRIVE – 5 YEARS
• TALK – 4 YEARS
• GO TO SCHOOL – 3 YEARS
• SICK – 3 YEARS
• STUDY AND READ – 3 YEARS

Aaron – you were born in 1989

• You were wrinkled, red, toothless, couldn’t hardly see, crying, complaining, and had no clothes on

Congratulations – you’ve come a long way baby!

• You have reached a milestone
• But it is not the end … - It’s really just the beginning
• You’ve come to the end of one big episode – but just as the credits roll across the screen flashes the words – “TO BE CONTINUED!”

John Adams said: “there are two types of education: One should teach you how to make a living and the other how to live!”

THERE ARE TWO COURSES IN LIFE;

A.  REQUIRED COURSES

1.  LIFE

• You have no choices in: where you live and who your parents are

2.  DEATH

• 1 Corinthians 15:22 – “in Adam all die”
• We must all walk through the “valley of the shadow of death”

3.  Hebrews 9:27 - And as it is appointed unto men once to die, JUDGMENT

• “…but after this the judgment:
  • Either at the Judgment Seat of Christ – as a believer (2 Corinthians 5:17)
  • Or at the Great White Throne – as an unbeliever (Rev.20:14-15)

B.   ELECTIVE COURSES

1.  To Be Saved Or Lost

• Nature forms us
• Sin deforms us
• School informs us
• But, only Christ transforms us

2.  To Be Spiritual or Carnal

3.  To be Scriptural or logical (humanism)

4.  To be safe in God’s Will or in trouble in your own will

CLOSE

But continue in the things thou hadst learned!

• Go the distance…
• Stay the course…
• Fight the good fight…
•  Finish the course!

May God be with you in everything you strive to do.

• Always place Him first
• Remain faithful and obedient to what He has asked you to do

And He will bless you beyond your imagination!