With Hope College亚洲色吧檚 Commencement marking both an ending and a beginning for the Class of 2024, featured speaker the Rev. Shomari Tate reflected on four lessons revealed by Christ亚洲色吧檚 life, sacrificial death and the transformational beginning that Jesus made possible.
More than 680 graduating seniors from throughout the United States and 14 foreign countries participated in this year亚洲色吧檚 Commencement, held on Sunday, May 5, at Ray and Sue Smith Stadium. The ceremony also featured the presentation of the 2024 Hope Outstanding Professor Educator (H.O.P.E.) Award to Dr. Chad Carlson, who is a professor of kinesiology and the director of general education at Hope, by the graduating class.
Tate, chaplain of discipleship at Hope, titled his address 亚洲色吧淚t is Finished,亚洲色吧� Jesus亚洲色吧� final words on the cross (John 19:30).
Read the full Commencement Address
亚洲色吧淢y brothers, sisters and siblings, never in the history of humankind have more important words ever been spoken,亚洲色吧� Tate said. 亚洲色吧淭hese words teach us everything that we need to know about our existence.亚洲色吧�
First, he noted, 亚洲色吧淟ife is built on adversity.亚洲色吧�
亚洲色吧淵ou all have experienced those bitter times where there was uncertainty and you did not know what the future holds. You have all been at that place where you did not know if you were going to get to this moment. And you all have had to sit in the midst of pain, and disappointment and heartbreak,亚洲色吧� Tate said. 亚洲色吧淚 pray that all of you, at some point in your lives if not today, will come to understand that if love and integrity are going to be central themes of your character, you are going to be faced with adversity.亚洲色吧�
亚洲色吧淪omewhere in the world right now and throughout history, someone has had to pay the cost for you and for I to exist,亚洲色吧� he said. 亚洲色吧淭he origin of all human existence is this: that a perfect Palestinian Jewish man by the name of Jesus Christ reached down into the shadow of death so that you and I could have life again. Without the shedding of blood, there is no redemption of the world, and there is no hope for you and I.亚洲色吧�
Check out the 2024 Baccalaureate and Commencement Photo Gallery
Next, Tate said, 亚洲色吧淟ife is about duty.亚洲色吧�
亚洲色吧淚t is about obligation; it is about our morals; it is about our responsibilities,亚洲色吧� he said. The centrality of duty is especially clear, Tate said, 亚洲色吧渨hen we creep into the corridors at the height of Jesus亚洲色吧檚 life at the height of His adversity, where He亚洲色吧檚 in the garden of Gethsemane and He says, 亚洲色吧淢y Father, if this cup of suffering could pass; But, nevertheless, Thy will be done.亚洲色吧�
Read the full Baccalaureate Address
亚洲色吧淎nd when it becomes your time to drink from your cup, whatever that cup may be, Class of 2024, will you say these same words?亚洲色吧� Tate said.
Third, Tate said, 亚洲色吧淟ife is about God亚洲色吧檚 Purpose亚洲色吧�
亚洲色吧淲hen Jesus says [亚洲色吧業t is finished亚洲色吧橾, He speaks of the fulfillment of some great consummation of this crimson thread that has hung over the shadow of His entire life. It is this crimson red thread that runs through the entirety of history,亚洲色吧� Tate said. 亚洲色吧淲hat was holy in Jesus and tender in Him made demands upon His purpose, and what was sensitive in Him and made Him say that He loves each and every one of us with an everlasting love also made demands on His purpose.亚洲色吧�
亚洲色吧淕od has a plan for each and every one of your lives here today,亚洲色吧� Tate said. 亚洲色吧淎nd that plan was not thought out of nowhere. It did not come up at the last minute, but was etched into eternity.亚洲色吧�
And last, Tate said, 亚洲色吧淟ife is about God, because the consequences of sin still live today.亚洲色吧�
亚洲色吧淭hese consequences live in the world that you are commencing into,亚洲色吧� he said. 亚洲色吧淸A]nd it is up to you 亚洲色吧� the next generation of leaders 亚洲色吧� to step into this world of adversity with duty and with purpose.亚洲色吧�
The ceremony was preceded by the college亚洲色吧檚 Baccalaureate services, which were held in Dimnent Memorial Chapel and featured the sermon 亚洲色吧淚亚洲色吧檝e got this! 亚洲色吧� No you don亚洲色吧檛,亚洲色吧� by Dr. Vicki-Lynn Holmes, who is an associate professor of mathematics and education, and is retiring from Hope at the end of the school year after teaching at the college since 2008.
She based her text on Philippians 4:13, 亚洲色吧淚 can do all things through Christ who strengthens me亚洲色吧�; and John 15:5b, 亚洲色吧渇or without me you can do nothing.亚洲色吧� The passages, she explained, provide a crucial reminder of both the limits of human capability and the boundlessness of God亚洲色吧檚 support.
亚洲色吧凄辞 not think: I亚洲色吧檝e got this. Do not be smug. Pride goes before a fall,亚洲色吧� she said. 亚洲色吧淣o matter how smart, rich, pretty, etcetera you are, you WILL come to the end of your rope. You will come to the end of your talent and skills. You will face obstacles that you cannot throw enough money at or wish away. But God has no such limitations. YOU do not have it. But God has it in you and for you. He sees solutions you cannot. He makes ways for you out of no ways.亚洲色吧�
In recognizing the centrality of God亚洲色吧檚 role in their lives, she said, the graduates can also find strength and confidence.
亚洲色吧淕od has plans for YOU,亚洲色吧� Holmes said. 亚洲色吧淗e wants/desires to shine through you. He wants/desires to shine through you. He wants you to be a success. He wants you to make your mark on this world. He gave you your bent and calling. Follow it.亚洲色吧�
亚洲色吧淎nd He clearly tells you that: Without me, You. Can. Do Nothing. But with me, the sky is the limit.亚洲色吧�