The Cross that Incites Us

By helping students discover Biblical truth across all subject areas, classical Christian schools partner with parents and the local church to challenge young disciples to take up "The Cross that Incites Us"...

And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?” (Luke 23:26-31).

After Pilate declared Him innocent of any guilt worthy of death, he turned Jesus over to the Jews who immediately led Him away to be crucified. They could not dispose of this troublemaker fast enough. He was abused and beaten so badly that the procession toward Golgotha was slowed by His weakness and inability to carry His own cross. A Gentile visitor was seized and forced to carry the cross for Him. Because the Holy Spirit inspired all of the Gospel authors to record the vivid details of the journey of Christ and His cross toward Calvary, we too are part of the crowd, and we get a compelling view of the same cross that provoked anger, confusion, and mourning in the hearts of the diverse crowd that followed Him. We remember Christ’s call to take up His cross… “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). How true that there have been many crucifixions throughout history, but this one cross still stands out as the cross that incites us.

The cross irritated the reason of the Jews. Taking up the cross will disturb our old way of thinking. We are to be renewed in our minds… “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2). We do not see shame and humiliation in the cross. We see victory and the consummation of God’s plan of salvation… “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24). As born again disciples we are incited by the cross to exchange our unrighteousness for the righteousness of Christ.

The cross interrupted the life of Simon. Taking up the cross will disrupt our life plan. We will have to refocus our priorities… “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6). We will have to discard our temporal life plan and replace it with God’s perfect, eternal life plan… “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). As maturing disciples, we are incited by the cross to follow the example of Simon, and exchange our impure priorities and plans for the perfect purpose and will of God every day.

The cross inspires the heart of true disciples. Jesus taught that taking up His cross will demand our whole heart, to the point of self-denial… “And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:38-39). To make such an exchange, we have to let God circumcise our heart… “And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live” (Deuteronomy 30:6). The Spirit inspired Paul to share how the grace of God had enabled him to be crucified with Christ, counting the old selfish nature dead in Christ and living a new life in and through Him…. ”I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). As diligent disciples, like Paul, we are incited by the cross to exchange our old life for new life in Christ every day.

As we grow up into Christ, we learn to imitate Him by abandoning the world and taking up…

The Cross that Incites Us.

The Grace that Empowers Us

The common mission to make disciples links the church, family, and classical Christian school together in helping children discover His amazing grace!

When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other. (Luke 23:6-12).

Jesus’ steady march toward Calvary’s cross took a brief but poignant detour through the court of the tetrarch Herod. This is the puppet ruler who, in a drunken stupor, cruelly and unjustly beheaded John the Baptist to please his party guests… (see Matthew 14:1-12). Luke notes here that Herod… “had long desired to see him because he had heard about him”. We might imagine that Jesus wanted this meeting even more. What a grand opportunity to avenge the death of His cousin and faithful servant John! But Jesus left vengeance to God, who would deal justly with Herod. He was accused by a nephew of conspiracy against the Roman emperor Caligula and ended his days in exile in Gaul. Jesus quietly and submissively trusted God’s grace to use these conspirators and events to propel Him toward the cross… “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Romans 5:20). Diligent disciples, living for and sharing Christ in a sinful world, will find encouragement here to trust the grace that empowers us.

God’s grace responds to cruelty with compassion. Herod’s cruelty prompted the compassion of Christ as instead of judging the foolish adulterer and murderer for beheading His cousin John, Jesus proceeded steadily toward Calvary’s cross. Our Teacher, the Holy Spirit, exhorts us to keep our focus on Jesus as we encounter the cruelty of the unbelieving world around us… “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2). When we imitate the compassion of Christ, God’s grace empowers us to become a clearer reflection of His mercy to our hurting world.

God’s grace answers contempt with confirmation. Herod and his soldiers’ contempt produced a confirmation of Christ as sovereign over this and every other moment that led Him to Calvary’s cross. Christ’s quiet confidence before His accusers reminds us of the attitude of Daniel’s friends in a similar confrontation… “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king’” (Daniel 3:16-17). When we imitate the quiet confidence of Christ before our enemies, God’s grace confirms His sovereignty over our lives because we are His children.

God’s grace turns conspiracy into cooperation. Herod’s conspiracy with Pilate unwittingly promoted their cooperation with Christ as the Lord turned their unholy alliance into a stepping stone toward Calvary’s cross. The Spirit inspired David to declare that the corrupt hearts of unholy rulers will always conspire against the coming rule of Christ… “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, ‘Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us’” (Psalm 2:2-3). When we imitate the meekness of Christ when confronted by the power of the world, God’s grace grants us a victory that gives glory to Christ, the King of kings.

As we grow up into Christ, imitating His humility and compassion, we show the world…

The Grace that Empowers Us.

Great Summer Reading for Parents

Classically trained students learn early that it's NOT all about me...

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This is a great 30 minute summertime read that will remind you about the blessings of classical Christian education that are preparing your children to impact their world for Christ!

Learning HIS-Story Classically

Students in classical Christian schools learn how different Biblical and historical events fit together to reveal HIS-Story!

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The Discipline that Keeps Us Holy

We must teach young disciples by word and example that staying holy in an increasingly unholy world requires rigorous spiritual discipline...

“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” And every day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he went out and lodged on the mount called Olivet. And early in the morning all the people came to him in the temple to hear him (Luke 21:34-38).

Jesus continued preparing His disciples for life in the last days. We’ve learned that the last days began with His ascension and will end with His return… “And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven’” (Acts 1:10-11). Our lord gave much revelation about the conditions and signs of the last days, promising that with increasing intensity the unbelieving world would become more perplexed while we, His disciples should become more prepared for His return. He also gave us a set of spiritual exercises to keep us set apart for kingdom building work through to the end of these last days and today we are challenged to engage wholeheartedly in the discipline that keeps us holy.

Maturing disciples must strengthen ourselves. A true disciple is always growing. Like healthy physical growth, healthy spiritual growth and vitality requires a proper diet. The right nourishment for growing disciples is the truth found in God’s Word… “Man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 8:3). Jesus acknowledged this truth (see Luke 4:4), and the Holy Spirit affirmed it through the letter to the Hebrews… “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food” (Hebrews 5:12). To stay strong in the faith, make sure you’re feeding your hungry spirit the faith building truth of God’s Word every day!

Diligent disciples must stay awake. A true disciple has increasing discernment. One primary characteristic of the last days will be a proliferation of false teachers… “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1). In today’s text Jesus reveals a connection between strong spiritual discernment and prayer. He affirmed this relationship in a warning to His disciples… “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). To grow strong in the spirit, spend quality time with Jesus Christ in prayer every day.

Faithful disciples must stand up for Christ. A true disciple will provoke opposition. We are living according to a never-changing truth in an ever-changing world and as we are abiding and immersed in the truth of God’s word our increasingly holy lives will convict and stir up the rebellion and wickedness that enslaves the hearts of unbelievers… “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:19). The Spirit affirms this truth through Paul’s letter to Timothy… “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). Jesus knows how lonely we sometimes feel as family, friends, and others find it easier to abandon us than to hang out with us to get to know the Christ who has captured our hearts and lives within us. That’s why He promises us that we will never be alone if we live for Him… “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). He also revealed that when we stand up for Him in this unrighteous world we will be blessed just as the prophets who stood up for God in every generation… “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12). Don’t miss the prophetic blessings of standing up for Jesus today!

As we grow up into Christ, we become more available and prepared disciples as we follow…

The Discipline that Keeps Us Holy.

The Seven Liberal Arts

The liberal arts (Latin: artes liberales) are those subjects or skills that are considered essential to preparing a person to think critically, and therefore to be liberated or freed to take an active part in civic life. For Ancient Greece, this kind of freedom encouraged participating in public debate, defending oneself in court, serving on juries, engaging in an occupation of choice, and most importantly, military service. Grammar, logic, and rhetoric were the core liberal arts, while arithmetic, geometry, the theory of music, and astronomy also played a part in education. The liberal arts are defined as:

The Trivium: The place where three roads meet

Grammar: Teaches the mechanics of language to the student. This is the step where the student "comes to terms", i.e. defining the objects and information perceived by the five senses. Hence, the Law of Identity: a tree is a tree, and not a cat.

Logic (also dialectic): Teaches the mechanics of thought and of analysis; the process of identifying fallacious arguments and statements, and so systematically removing contradictions, thereby producing factual knowledge that can be trusted.

Rhetoric: Teaches the application of language in order to instruct and to persuade the listener and the reader. It is the knowledge (grammar) now understood (logic) being transmitted outwards, as wisdom (rhetoric).

The Trivium: In summary

Grammar is concerned with the thing as it is symbolized. Logic is concerned with the thing as it is known. Rhetoric is concerned with the thing as it is communicated.

The Quadrivium: The place where four roads meet

Arithmetic: number (pure)

Geometry: number in space (stationary)

Music: number in time (moving)

Astronomy: number in space and time (applied)

The Quadrivium: In summary

The quadrivium was considered preparatory work for the serious study of philosophy (sometimes called the "liberal art par excellence") and theology.

You can see why we believe that alongside of the discovery and application of revealed Biblical truth, the classical method of learning in the liberal arts tradition sets young hearts and minds free to reason Biblically and empowers them to shape the culture of the next generation.

The Trivium of Homework

“Carefully study to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

The golden thread that links the family, the local church, and the Christian school together is the primary ministry of discipleship. Part of the classical Christian school’s responsibility as part of this disciple-making team is to encourage a balance of the time and energy demands of all three of these partners on caring parents. Here is a brief summary of the classical Christian view of homework in the learning process.

Please note the overlap in grades below is because we should begin to transition students into the next stage at age-appropriate times.

In the Grammar stage (Grades K4-6), homework serves to reinforce the mastery of important facts and information that students will begin to work with in later stages of learning. There is much repetition and memorization in Grammar stage homework. Most Grammar stage homework should be completed in class, leaving more time for study and test preparation with the encouragement of parents at home.

In the Logic stage of learning (Grades 5-8), homework introduces students to the relationship between facts as they explore and discover God’s perspective and sovereignty over His creation. There is more student responsibility for organization, time management, reading, research, and reporting in Logic stage homework. Logic stage students are expected to begin doing a little more homework at home in order to begin to develop self-directed study habits.

In the Rhetoric stage of learning (Grades 8-12), homework challenges students to begin developing communicative skills through working with the facts. Creativity, productivity, speech, writing, debate, and more are the essence of homework in the Rhetoric stage. Rhetoric stage students are preparing for university and beyond, where most learning actually takes place outside of the classroom and is increasingly more self-directed.

Grammar stage homework and study time should take 30-60 minutes each evening.

Logic stage homework and study time should take 60-90 minutes each evening.

Rhetoric stage homework and study time should take 90-120 minutes each evening.

It should be the classical Christian teacher’s common practice to:

Communicate clearly with parents regarding homework assignments and expectations, and to listen closely and responsively to parent concerns regarding homework.

Use class time to make sure students understand and know how to complete the homework assigned. In addition to homework, daily classwork not completed in class will be sent home to be completed and returned the next school day. This enables teachers to observe and guide students in the work they might have to complete at home under the supervision of parents.

Respond promptly and individually to students who may be having difficulty completing assignments or taking too much time to complete homework.

Learning is the primary vocation of your child at this special stage of their life. While your child’s learning happens at many times and in many places, the primary arena of their learning is the home and the school. This is where homework can be a valuable tool in preparing them for learning success in thirteenth grade (college or career) and beyond!