WOLBI Graduation Address 2010

From blog

Image courtesy of Phalettia Photography

Here is the final post from WOLBI Graduation 2010 (I promise). 

Pastor Wayne Heikkinen of Rock Mills Fellowship Baptist Church gave a great challenge concerning the truth of the Gospel. It is a future hope and a present need. It is a long post but I'm sure grads and attendees will appreciate the reminder from our great day together. Enjoy!

Pastor Wayne:

To the parents, family, friends Wolbi Staff and  graduating class of 2010,. I greet you and commend all of you for your diligence which will be awarded today. It could be said… “Behind every WOLBI graduate there is a bunch of surprised people”!? It has been a remarkable journey for you, from the time you told us you were applying to come to this event today. God bless you!

A passage of scripture jumped off the page as I contemplated what I should share with you today. It actually was the concluding passage that the Apostle Paul gave to the church of Corinth at the end of his first letter to them.  We read this a few weeks ago in our QT

I Cor. 15: 1-11

You have experienced so much this past year in the classroom, the dormitory, the various ministry opportunities, the new friendships and all that goes with it but can I remind you as the Apostle Paul reminds these believers in Corinth of the Gospel, which has been preached to you!

What is the Gospel?

God’s Only Son Providing Everlasting Life

Good News

Salvation

The Truth

Jesus also said He was the way, the truth and the life no man cometh unto the Father but by me –John 14:6

Read vs: 3-8

·         Christ was born of the Virgin Mary

·         Lived a sinless life on this earth

·         Died on a cruel death on a wooden cross for our sin, the sin of the whole world

·         He buried in a tomb

·         three days later He rose from the dead

·         Seen by over 500 people

·         Ascended into heaven in plain view

·         Is seated at the right hand of God

·         One day will return as He said

The Gospel is more than just fire insurance from eternal separation from God in a place He calls hell. There are many songs that depict the home we have in heaven… In the sweet bye and bye, Belah Land, I’ve got a mansion just over the hill top, I’ll fly away, Beyond the sunset, Shall we gather at the river, When we all get to heaven, and how about I can only Imagine.

John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

This tells us very clearly that Eternal Life is not a place but a personal relationship with God the Father through His Son Jesus Christ forever.

We know it begins the moment you Accept/Admit the fact you are a sinner and believe that God’s way of Salvation thru the death burial & resurrection of Jesus Christ is the only the way and by believing this you confess with your mouth you need Him, want Him, must have Him as your Saviour and Lord. This all takes place here while we are on this side of glory.

But don’t forget that Jesus also said I am come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly! Not Gary Stairs or Doug Rider you know God loves and WOL has a plan for your life!

This is the message that you have heard and seen here at WOLBI!

It has been preached to YOU

You have received it as the Gospel and have become more convinced of the truth of it.

It is what this diploma stands for and what has allowed you to get this far in your spiritual journey.

BUT just as WOLBI says this a great place to start. This Gospel that you have heard, received and now stand is the only Gospel that will sustain you the rest of your days.

It is not just a time and place you look back to as the turning point of your life. It is your life!

Paul told young Timothy to

Follow it, GUARD IT, Endure it, remember it, teach it, live it and share it

2 Tim. 3 tells us to understanding the times we live and the host of professing believers who will turn aside from this truth and follow a lie! Don’t be one of them!

Our prayer for each of you is that you hold fast to this Gospel so that your entire life and labour will not be in vain!

This comes as you remember what you have been taught, what you have received and what has sustained you so far.

As we rehearse the Gospel we are reminded of

Surely he has borne our griefs

and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken,

smitten by God, and afflicted.

5     But he was wounded for our transgressions;

he was crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,

and with his stripes we are healed. Isa. 53:4-5

For our sake God made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

2 Cor. 5:21

There is now therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Rom.8:1

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29     For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30     And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

31     What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32     He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33     Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34     Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35     Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36     As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;

we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37     No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38     For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39     nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Phil 1:6

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel that has been  preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2     and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

Let’s Pray…

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25     to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. Jude 24-25