Travelers Together on the Journey of Faith

SCRIPTURE READING: Philippians 1:3–6

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

TEXT: Psalms 71:17-18

Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.

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This is a remarkable morning. Family, friends, and our church family have gathered today for Vanda, Adriana, and David. As these young people prepare to confess their faith, we celebrate one of the most joyful occasions in the life of the church. And as many of you know, I stand here today not only as a pastor, but also as a father, which makes this celebration especially meaningful to me.

Confirmation often feels a little like graduation. There have been classes, lessons, questions, memorization and preparation. The three of you have worked hard to get here. You have asked honest questions, wrestled with difficult ideas, and grown in your understanding of the faith. We are proud of you.

But here is what I want you to hear this morning: confirmation is not the end, the completion of something. It is more like the beginning.

In many ways, confirmation is like getting a driver's license. Before you receive it, there is a lot to learn. You study the rules, practice your skills, and prepare for the test. But once you receive your license, nobody says, "Great, now I never have to drive again." Actually the real driving begins afterward. The license simply means you are ready to begin the journey more independently. Faith works the same way.

Today you are publicly saying, "Yes, this is my faith too." But tomorrow the journey continues. Tomorrow you will still have questions, moments of doubt, and you will still struggle, or fail, or grow, and learn. You will still need God’s grace every single day.

That is exactly what we hear in Psalm 71. The psalmist says,

"Since my youth, God, you have taught me."

Faith began early in life through learning, listening, and discovering who God is. That is part of what we celebrate today.

But later the psalmist says,

"Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me." After a lifetime of faith, he still needs God. And so do we. Whether we are 13, 16, 45 or 85, none of us ever outgrows our need for God's grace.

So today is not only about our three confirmands. It is about all of us remembering that we are travelers together on the journey of faith.

To our confirmands, I would say this:

Let this be the beginning of a deeper journey. Keep praying, even when prayer feels difficult. Keep coming to church, even when life becomes busy. Keep asking questions. Keep reading Scripture. Keep turning to God not only in joyful moments, but also in difficult ones. And when you fail, because we all do, remember that God’s love for you is greater than your failures.

And to the congregation, parents, and grandparents:

Be there for them for their journey. Young people do not only learn faith from classes or sermons. They learn it from watching us. They learn faithfulness from seeing faithful people. They learn kindness, and being thankful and loving from kind, thankful and loving Christians.

Today we celebrate an important milestone. But even more, we celebrate the beginning of a lifelong journey with Christ. And thanks be to God, it is a journey we never walk alone. Amen.