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Neosho High School senior Ralph Maness didn’t have to attend Wednesday’s baccalaureate service.
But he said he knew he was going to.
“It’s a big senior event and I just felt like I needed to be part of it,” Maness remarked prior to the traditional pre-graduation service.
Senior Kristina Kincheloe said she tries stay involved in her church, the Neosho Church of the Nazarene, and just felt Wednesday’s baccalaureate service was something she ought to attend.
“I just think it’s a really good chance for everybody to be a part of graduation,” Kincheloe said.
For senior Cody York, baccalaureate, though not mandatory, is simply about tradition.
“I came because this is just part of the events we have as graduating seniors,” York said.
No, he didn’t have to come.
“But I wanted to,” York said.
The religious service, held in the Neosho High School gym, featured a formal processional, and later recessional, accompanied by live music from the Wildcat Band, and a senior song by the senior choir. The usual invocation (given by Neosho wrestling coach Jeremy Phillips) and benediction (Mickey Sandford, Northside Baptist Church) bracketed the keynote speaker, Neosho math teacher Steve Haupt. He has taught at Neosho for 28 years, most of his 33-year teaching career.
Haupt told the graduating seniors — some of whom he referred to as “my Hauptlings” — that nothing they had learned from him or anyone else at Neosho High School was worth “a hill of beans” if they didn’t “personally know your Creator and understand what He has done for you.”
Haupt said he used to think the gospel was just for people who didn’t believe in Jesus. He said he now realizes he was immature.
“We all need to hear the gospel time and time again — we need to drink it in and soak up the grace that God lavishes on us so richly,” Haupt said. “We need the gospel. It is the power of God to those who believe.”
The gospel, as Haupt referenced from Romans 3:21-25, is faith in Jesus Christ, who was presented by God as a sacrifice of atonement and a way of redemption for those who believe in Him.
Haupt said that no one can attain on their own the standard God sets for obedience. One of the saddest things he said he ever heard was from a friend when asked what he thought would happen to him when he died said, “I hope I go to Heaven. I hope I’ve been good enough.”
Neosho High School senior Ralph Maness didn’t have to attend Wednesday’s baccalaureate service.
But he said he knew he was going to.
“It’s a big senior event and I just felt like I needed to be part of it,” Maness remarked prior to the traditional pre-graduation service.
Senior Kristina Kincheloe said she tries stay involved in her church, the Neosho Church of the Nazarene, and just felt Wednesday’s baccalaureate service was something she ought to attend.
“I just think it’s a really good chance for everybody to be a part of graduation,” Kincheloe said.
For senior Cody York, baccalaureate, though not mandatory, is simply about tradition.
“I came because this is just part of the events we have as graduating seniors,” York said.
No, he didn’t have to come.
“But I wanted to,” York said.
The religious service, held in the Neosho High School gym, featured a formal processional, and later recessional, accompanied by live music from the Wildcat Band, and a senior song by the senior choir. The usual invocation (given by Neosho wrestling coach Jeremy Phillips) and benediction (Mickey Sandford, Northside Baptist Church) bracketed the keynote speaker, Neosho math teacher Steve Haupt. He has taught at Neosho for 28 years, most of his 33-year teaching career.
Haupt told the graduating seniors — some of whom he referred to as “my Hauptlings” — that nothing they had learned from him or anyone else at Neosho High School was worth “a hill of beans” if they didn’t “personally know your Creator and understand what He has done for you.”
Haupt said he used to think the gospel was just for people who didn’t believe in Jesus. He said he now realizes he was immature.
“We all need to hear the gospel time and time again — we need to drink it in and soak up the grace that God lavishes on us so richly,” Haupt said. “We need the gospel. It is the power of God to those who believe.”
The gospel, as Haupt referenced from Romans 3:21-25, is faith in Jesus Christ, who was presented by God as a sacrifice of atonement and a way of redemption for those who believe in Him.
Haupt said that no one can attain on their own the standard God sets for obedience. One of the saddest things he said he ever heard was from a friend when asked what he thought would happen to him when he died said, “I hope I go to Heaven. I hope I’ve been good enough.”
“My friend is a good man — one of the finest men I’ve ever known — and I want to tell you tonight that as sure as I’m standing here, if he’s holding onto the hope that he might have been good enough, he has absolutely no hope at all.”
Just being a good person, especially compared to other people, isn’t good enough because Jesus is the standard and He was entirely without sin until he died, Haupt noted. Everyone is automatically born a sinner and stands in need of a Savior, Haupt said. However, Jesus’ death on the Cross paid the penalty for that sin, he said. Forgiveness for sin and the promise of eternal life is freely given by God and can never be earned, according to Haupt.
“You and I can not now, nor can we ever, do anything to earn God’s favor,” Haupt said. “It is impossible.”
To accept that forgiveness for sin, Haupt told the students, people must acknowledge their sinful condition “and by faith accept Jesus’ sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins.”
“God does not accept those who try to be good enough to earn his acceptance,” Haupt said. “God only accepts those who know they are not good enough to earn God’s acceptance, but rather trust that Jesus Christ has earned God’s acceptance for them.”
Haupt told the seniors that he wished them to live a life full of purpose and to have a great impact on their world. He said he hoped they would find love, passion, excitement and adventure.
“And I am convinced you will have all of those things if you entrust your life, your future, and your eternity to the one who loves you the most and loves you the best — your heavenly father,” Haupt said. “Have you placed your trust in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins? I encourage you to accept the gospel, believe the gospel and never let go of the gospel.”
