Academic Excellence
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FUN CONTEXT
FUN CONTEXT
But beyond these, my son, be warned: there is no end to the making of many books, and much study wearies the body.
I have more insight than all my teachers because your decrees are my meditation.
CURRENT CONTEXT
CURRENT CONTEXT
NCS Mission Statement [NCES=Northland Christian Education System]
NCES partners with Christian families and churches to provide a God-centered, discipleship-based school with academic excellence and a biblical worldview, equipping students to serve and influence our world for Christ.
PERSONAL CONTEXT
PERSONAL CONTEXT
Dr. Bob R. Agee, past president of OBU!! (with no disrespect to Spurgeon College)
“Academic Excellence”
BIBLICAL EXAMPLE
BIBLICAL EXAMPLE
Daniel
[Context of Daniel’s appeal to not eat the king’s food…]
God gave these four young men knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. Daniel also understood visions and dreams of every kind. At the end of the time that the king had said to present them, the chief eunuch presented them to Nebuchadnezzar.
The king interviewed them, and among all of them, no one was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they began to attend the king. In every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king consulted them about, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and mediums in his entire kingdom.
[Context of the handwriting on the wall…]
Then Daniel was brought before the king. The king said to him, “Are you Daniel, one of the Judean exiles that my predecessor the king brought from Judah? I’ve heard that you have a spirit of the gods in you, and that insight, intelligence, and extraordinary wisdom are found in you.
Now the wise men and mediums were brought before me to read this inscription and make its interpretation known to me, but they could not give its interpretation.
However, I have heard about you that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain around your neck, and have the third highest position in the kingdom.”
[Context of the king appointing Daniel an overseer of all the satraps of the kingdom, and then as the overseer of the whole realm…]
Darius decided to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, stationed throughout the realm, and over them three administrators, including Daniel. These satraps would be accountable to them so that the king would not be defrauded.
Daniel distinguished himself above the administrators and satraps because he had an extraordinary spirit, so the king planned to set him over the whole realm.
BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE
BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE
And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
[1 Corinthians 10.31 “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.”]
1 Thessalonians 4.10b-12 “But we encourage you, brothers and sisters, to do this even more, to seek to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, so that you may behave properly in the presence of outsiders and not be dependent on anyone.”
What if I could show you...
…who you are going to be?
[makes academic excellence engaging rather than tedious, drudgery, or boring!]
Imagine six-year-old Kevin, whose parents have enrolled him in music lessons. After school every afternoon, he sits in the living room and reluctantly strums “Home on the Range” while watching his buddies play baseball in the park across the street. That’s just drudgery.
Now suppose Kevin is visited by an angel one afternoon during guitar practice. In a vision he’s taken to Carnegie Hall. He’s shown a guitar virtuoso giving a concert. Usually bored by classical music, Kevin is astonished by what he sees and hears. The musician’s fingers dance excitedly on the strings with fluidity and grace. Kevin thinks of how klunky his hands feel when they halt and stumble over the chords. The virtuoso blends clean, soaring notes into a musical aroma that wafts from his guitar. Kevin remembers the toneless, irritating discord that comes stumbling out of his.
But Kevin is enchanted. His head tilts slightly to one side as he listens. He drinks in everything. He never imagined that anyone could play the guitar like this.
“What do you think, Kevin?” asks the angel.
The answer is a soft, slow, six-year-old’s “W-o-w!”
The vision vanishes, and the angel is again standing in front of Kevin in his living room. “Kevin,” says the angel, “the wonderful musician you saw is you in a few years.” Then pointing at the guitar, the angel declares, “But you must practice!”
Suddenly the angel disappears and Kevin finds himself alone with his guitar. Do you think his attitude toward practice will be different now? As long as he remembers what he’s going to become, Kevin’s discipline will have a direction, a goal that will pull him into the future. Yes, effort will be involved, but you could hardly call it drudgery.
For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness—without it no one will see the Lord.
But have nothing to do with pointless and silly myths. Rather, train yourself in godliness.