In the name of Christ Jesus, dear fellow redeemed people of God,

Confirmation day is a very special day. You (our confirmands) have been preparing for this day for a very long time. In Baptism, God brought you to faith and adopted you as His own children. Ever since that time, you have been learning God's Word. But you are not done learning God's Word yet. We may be tempted to think that Confirmation Day is a graduation day. But, Confirmation Day is not a graduation from the Word of God. Confirmation does not mark the end of learning God's Word. Rather, Confirmation marks the beginning of your readiness to partake of the Lord's Supper. It should also mark the beginning of a deeper study of God's Word. Today, God is telling you, "Don't stop now!" Dear children of God:

1. STAY WITH THE SCRIPTURES.

(14-15) But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, {15} and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. The inspired apostle Paul is urging Pastor Timothy to continue in what he had learned. He reminds Timothy of how he had learned the holy Scriptures. Timothy had learned the Old Testament Scriptures from his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. Then, Timothy learned New Testament teachings from the Apostle Paul. Where did you learn what you know? Who taught you? Today, on your Confirmation Day, pause for a few moments to think about all the people who helped to teach you God's Word. It is good for the rest of us who were confirmed years ago to do this too. Scripture says that we should remember those who spoke God's Word to us and imitate their faith. Who will you think about? Perhaps you will remember parents, grandparents, or guardians, pastors or teachers, who taught you God's Word. Today, thank God for the many people who helped to teach you the holy Scriptures. Maybe it's not too late yet to thank those people too!

Timothy was a pastor already, but he was not done learning God's Word. The apostle Paul wrote by inspiration that Pastor Timothy should continue learning God's Word. And the same goes for you. You have been learning the Scriptures for some time, but you are not done yet, nor am I, nor is anyone else here. We are to stay with the Scriptures from the cradle to the grave.

Verse 16 says that "All Scripture is God-breathed." ALL of the Bible is God's inspired Word. Don't leave it on the shelf. Use it! The Bible is useful for teaching. Jesus said that after baptizing, we are to teach everything that he commanded. We have much yet to learn from the Bible. God wants us to use the Bible for rebuking. When we fall into sins, the Bible tells us that we need to repent, and that we deserve God's punishment. We may need to call someone else to repent of a sin. Use the Bible when you do that, in Christian love. God also wants us to use the Bible for correcting. Sometimes even sincere Christians can be misled by false teachings. God wants us to apply his Word in this work of correcting brothers and sisters if they fall into false teachings. Finally, the Bible is useful for training in righteousness. The Bible does show us what is right and wrong in life.

But the chief purpose of the Bible is mentioned at the end of verse 15 here: "the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." We stressed this over and over again. We taught you the way to heaven. You know that God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son to be our Savior. Jesus lived a pure and holy life for us, as our Substitute. Then, Jesus carried our sins to the cross and died for us. There, on Calvary's cross, Jesus was the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but for the sins of the whole world. He paid our price in full. He rose from death on the third day because he had won our forgiveness and our victory over sin, death and the devil. God has declared forgiveness to all through Jesus Christ, so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. That's what you learned from the holy Scriptures. You learned the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You learned about "salvation through faith in Christ Jesus."

That's why God gave us the Bible in the first place. We often sing those words from the end of John's Gospel (20:31), "These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." So, then, stay with the Scriptures, because they will keep you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Don't stop now! Continue in what you have learned!

2. BE FAITHFUL TO THE END.

God's Word says {14} "continue in what you have learned." In many ways, life is like a race. St. Paul himself speaks that way in this epistle and writes, near the end of his life, "I have finished the race." Where are you on the track of this life? Are you at the beginning, middle, or end of the race? It began with your Baptism. How much longer do you have before the Lord says, "Here is your finish line"? This is a question none of us can answer. Only God knows where the finish line is for you, or for me, or for any one of us. It could be just a few minutes away. Judgment Day could come today. It could be many decades away. You could live to be 100 years old or only 16. We just don't know. But, our Lord wants us to be ready all the time. He wants us to be ready every single day of our lives. And this means, that we are to keep running our race. In all likelihood, you have a long way to go. God's message to you is: Don't quit! Continue to the finish line! Jesus said, "Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life." (Rev. 2:10). Don't give up! Continue in what you have learned until you arrive in heaven.

What are you going to do after this day? Will you take your confirmation vows seriously, or not? Apparently, many confirmands in the past have not taken the confirmation vows very seriously, otherwise our churches would be filled to overflowing every week with former confirmands. What happened? Will they be in heaven? Will you? We know that whoever repents of all sin and believes in Jesus Christ for forgiveness will be saved in the final judgment and receive eternal life. The question is: will you be a believer when it matters most, or not?

Today, you are promising to remain faithful to the Lord, to His Word and Sacraments, for the rest of your lives. May God help you to take this seriously. May God help you to remain on track to eternal life. See too it that you are in church regularly for worship. Make it a point to get into the Teen Bible Class. God's Word says, "Let us not give up meeting together (at church) as some are in the habit of doing, but let us do so all the more as you see (Judgment) Day approaching." As you hearing God's Word, and receive the Lord's Supper, the Holy Spirit will strengthen and preserve your faith. Remember that your faith is like a plant. If a plant is deprived of sunshine and water, it will wither and die! And if you deprive your faith, your soul, of God's Word and Sacrament, your faith will begin to wither and die too. And you know what will happen if Christ returns and finds you have become an unbeliever! You will perish in hell, even if you spent years in our school, and used to come to church. Will you have faith on the Day that you are judged? I hope and pray that all of you, and all of us will, but you know very well that faith comes from hearing the message. And if you don't hear the message, your faith is going to starve. On the other hand, if your faith is fed regularly on God's Word and Sacrament. If you regularly study the Scriptures, your faith will grow like a plant, and will eventually become a large tree. May all of you become "oaks of righteousness!" Then that prophecy from Isaiah chapter 61 will be fulfilled, "They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor." May all of you become large trees with strong faith in Jesus Christ! That will display God's splendor!

By the way, Confirmation is not the end of a parent's responsibility for "bringing them [these confirmands] up in the training and instruction of the Lord!" The role of a parent or guardian is especially important during the teen years. None of these confirmands can drive themselves to church and teen Bible Class. Bring them. Encourage them. Pray for them. Support them. Help them. And may God bless our continued efforts together.

Today is a special day. Yet, you are not done, and neither are we. You are promising to remain faithful in hearing God's Word and receiving the Lord's Supper often. Be faithful to the end! God is faithful. He will keep you in his care, only remain with him. Listen again to the Word of God: (14-15) But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, {15} and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.