24 Brief Devotions

for
Classical Conversations Communities

1st Semester Devotions Cultivating Community

Our Mission 1. The Vital Importance of Love
1st Corinthians 13:1-3
1. Do All to the Glory of God
1st Corinthians 10:31 2. Keeping Up with the Jones’
1st Corinthians 4:2
2. Knowing God: the Highest Privilege
Jeremiah 9:23-24 3. Serve One Another
Galatians 5:13
3. Knowing God through Jesus Christ
John 1:17-18 4. Strive for Peace
Romans 12:18
4. Making God Known: Not Ashamed
Romans 1:16 5. The Right Approach to Conflict
Matthew 18:15-17
5. Making God Known through Words
1st Peter 3:15 6. CC is Not Church
Hebrews 10:24-25
6. Making God Known through Works
Matthew 5:14-16
Encouragement for the Weary
Our Model 7. Do Not Grow Weary
Galatians 6:9
7. Biblical Worldview: A God-breathed Bible
2nd Timothy 3:16-17 8. Take Time to Rest!
Mark 6:31
8. Biblical Worldview: God at the Center
Romans 11:36 9. Sufficient Grace
2nd Corinthians 12:9
9. Biblical Worldview: Eternity in View
James 4:13-14 10. Encourage One Another
1st Thessalonians 5:11
10. The Trivium: Knowledge
Proverbs 10:14 11. Finishing Well
Acts 20:24
11. The Trivium: Understanding
Proverbs 16:16 12. Give God the Glory
Psalm 115:1
12. The Trivium: Wisdom
Proverbs 8:11

2nd Semester Devotions

 AUTHOR’S NOTE

In the CC community of which my family is currently a part, not only the Foundations parents and
students but also all of our Challenge classes gather together for a brief (five minute) devotion and
time of prayer before starting our Classical day. Our aim in these devotions is to reinforce from
Scripture the Mission and Model of CC so that our families will grow in their commitment to this
vision. We aim further to speak truths that will help cultivate community and encourage love
among our families. Finally, as the year begins to wind down, we seek to draw the attention of
both parents and students to encouragements from the Bible that will help them persevere and
finish well.

My hope in making these devotions available to others is that CC directors far and wide might be
encouraged to seize a few minutes each Classical day to speak God’s truth to the parents and
students in their communities. God’s Word has an amazing ability (when blessed by the Spirit) to
touch hearts and nourish God-centered vision, joy in learning, and peace in relationships. These
devotions bear no remarkable qualities, and may not always be the best fit for your community.
My desire, however, is that directors might find inspiration here to help them as they seek to speak
into the lives of the families they serve.

Together, let’s continue pursuing the great mission to know God and make Him known.

Soli Deo gloria!

Justin Nale
Semester 1 Our Mission

1. DO ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
(1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV)

As we begin this new CC year together, let me ask you a question. Why are you here? What are
you hoping to accomplish over the next school year? What is the ultimate goal that you are aiming
for?

Parents, I trust that you are here because you love your children and want to give them the best
education you can. I trust that you are here because you have caught the vision of God-centered,
classical based schooling. I trust that you have seen the value of homeschooling in community with
others. Certainly one great goal you have is that your children will excel in knowledge,
understanding and wisdom.

Students, why are you here? Are you here merely because your parents enrolled you in this
program? Or are you here because you are on a mission to seize your education and to learn as
much as you can while you are young? Are you hungry for knowledge? Are you eager to prepare
yourself today for the future God has for you? Students, this is an amazing world we live in, and
there is so much for us to explore and learn! Are you ready for a new year of learning?

Whatever our purposes and goals may be, the Bible teaches us that this goal must be ultimate: the
glory of God. We are not to seek knowledge for the sake of knowledge. We are to seek knowledge
that we might better glorify God. We are not to educate our children for their sakes alone. We are
to educate them for the glory of God. Indeed, everything we do as individuals, families, and as a
CC community is to be done for the glory of God.

Why? Because He is worthy of our whole lives. He is worthy of all that we have to give – our full
and utter devotion. He is worthy to be worshiped by us not only on Sundays, but every day, in
every word we speak and every purpose we undertake. Therefore, as we begin this new year, let us
begin by committing ourselves, our families, and this community to the glory of God. Let us lay
ourselves upon the altar as a full and total sacrifice to God. Let us resolve right now, with
dependence on God’s grace, that we will do all that we do for the glory of God.
Semester 1 Our Mission

2. KNOWING GOD: THE HIGHEST PRIVILEGE

Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in
his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he
understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and
righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”
(Jeremiah 9:23-24 ESV)

This mission of Classical Conversations is to know God and to make Him known. As a CC
community, all of us are now joined together in this important mission. It is a two-part mission.
We seek to know God. We seek to make God known.

Don’t make a mistake here. Don’t assume that we somehow complete the first mission, and then
move on to the second. Not at all. In this life (at least), we must never stop pursuing the
knowledge of God. There is always more of Him to discover! There are always depths of our
infinite God that we have yet to see, yet to adore, yet to enjoy. If we waited till we fully knew God
to start making Him known, we would never begin the second part of our mission. Rather, we
pursue both of these great goals simultaneously, each serving the other.

Our passage this morning highlights what an awesome privilege it is to know God. We are taught
that knowing God is better than having human wisdom. Knowing God is better than having great
might. Knowing God is better that having great riches. Put simply, there is nothing better in this
world that knowing God.

Parents, here is a reminder to us of what we are aiming for in the education of our children. If our
children know many, many wonderful facts about our world, but do not know about the God who
governs this world, we have failed. If we give our children the best education possible according to
worldly standards, but do not point our kids to the God who is the Creator and Sustainer of all
things, we are not giving them the very best. We are under-serving them. Let us therefore resolve
afresh this morning to point our children to God in every subject that we study.

Students, let me ask you this question: Do you have an eye for God in your studies? As you learn
about God’s world, do you ever take time to stop and just stand in wonder at His power, His
wisdom, His creativity? A head full of knowledge can be a wonderful thing. But when that
knowledge points you to God, and causes you to see Him, love Him, and adore Him, you have
reached the heights of true education. Nothing compares with knowing God.
Semester 1 Our Mission

3. KNOWING GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST

For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever
seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
(John 1:17-18 ESV)

Let us be reminded again that our mission as a Classical Conversations community is to know God
and to make Him known. How do we accomplish the first part of this mission? How do we come
to know God?

Certainly we can learn about God from His creation. As we study our world, we are studying the
very handiwork of God. As we study history, we are studying the providence of God. In every
subject, we learn about our God.

We can also learn about God through His Word, the Bible. Only in the Bible do we learn the most
important truths about God, the truths of the gospel. It is in the Bible that we learn how we can
have peace with God and become His children.

Our passage this morning reminds of something vital. If we really want to know God, we must
come to know the Lord Jesus Christ. This is why Jesus came into the world, to make God known.
Jesus is God, and yet is distinct from the Father; He is at the Father’s side. Yet Jesus came into this
world so that we who are cut off from God by our sins might know Him in a way that is otherwise
impossible. Only through Jesus can we be reconciled to God and have peace with Him (cf. Rom
5:1).

Parents, make sure you get this. When we talk about pointing our children to God in every subject,
we are not speaking about God in a generic sense. We aren’t speaking about some vague deity up
in the sky somewhere. We are speaking about the God who has made Himself known in Jesus
Christ. Point your children to God by pointing them to Jesus.

Students, make sure you remember that it was through Jesus that God created the world (cf. John
1:3), and that it is Jesus that rules over this world (cf. Rev. 5). When you are studying science, you
are studying the handiwork of the Son of God. When you are learning about the rise and fall of
kingdoms, great moments of human achievement, or terrible wars of the past, remember that Jesus
is the Lord of history.

Above all, let us learn in every subject the wisdom, power, and goodness of Jesus Christ. Let us
learn that He is worthy of our trust, worthy of our obedience, worthy of our lives.
Semester 1 Our Mission

4. MAKING GOD KNOWN: NOT ASHAMED

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who
believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
(Romans 1:16 ESV)

What is our mission as a Classical Conversations community? It is the same as the mission of our
lives. It is to know God and to make God known.

One of the hindrances that keep us from making God known is shame. We are told by the world
that we should be embarrassed by our Christian faith. Many are convinced that science has
somehow disproven God and invalidated the Scriptures. Those who continue to cling to a biblical
worldview are seen as out-of-touch with our modern age, uneducated, foolish and narrow-minded.
According to our secular age, God is dead.

In reality, the Christian worldview is strong and able to ward off even the mightiest attacks brought
against it. The Christian worldview is strong because it is true. If people were fair and balanced
(which none of us are by nature), we would see that Christianity always wins the day in the battle
of ideas. No other worldview comes close to giving satisfying answers to the most important
questions of life. Even more importantly, no other worldview connects people to God and brings
real peace and joy to the soul.

Parents, our children will not be inclined to make God known if they are ashamed of Him.
Therefore, we must do all that we can to show our children the reasonableness of the Christian
faith. Especially as they enter into that dialectic phase of development, we must engage with them
about the worldviews of others, and offer to them good reasons why they should trust the God of
their parents. There is a reason that we include in our curriculum instruction concerning Charles
Darwin and evolutionary theory. There is a reason that our students read books from a non-
Christian perspective like London’s The Call of the Wild and Thoreau’s Walden. As our students
develop, we gradually expose them to competing worldviews while helping them to assess those
worldviews from a Christian perspective. Above all, we want them to see that Christianity can not
only compete but emerge victorious when set against the views of others.

Students, let us learn together that the Christian message (and especially the good news about
Jesus) is a message of which we should never be ashamed. Instead, we should do all we can to
prepare ourselves today to stand boldly before the world and speak the truth, calling all to know our
amazing God.
Semester 1 Our Mission

5. MAKING GOD KNOWN THROUGH WORDS

…but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to
anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.
(1 Peter 3:15 ESV)

Our mission as a community is to know God and make Him known. The education that we are
giving our children is intended to help accomplish this purpose. We want all of our CC students to
be well-equipped to make God known to others in whatever callings God may place upon their
lives.

This requires words. In our passage, we are told that we should always be prepared to make a
defense for the hope that is in us. We are instructed to be ready to communicate to others with
gentleness and respect why we have such great hope in our Lord.

Parents, here is one reason that we want to teach our students the skills of rhetoric. Whether they
are giving presentations in Foundations classes or debating fellow students in Challenge classes, we
are working to help our students speak confidently, persuasively, and lovingly to others. Today
they may be speaking about their favorite toy in Foundations or their opinion on gun control in
Challenge. But the skills they are learning now are intended to prepare them for the most important
conversations of all – conversations about Christ and the truths of God.

Students, let me encourage you to seize your education for Jesus’ sake. When you are being taught
how to arrange an essay so that the arguments flow most smoothly, you are learning a skill that can
be employed in the service of God. When you are battling with logic and trying to wrap your mind
around syllogisms, remember that you are teaching your mind how to reason well so that you do
exactly what God calls you to do in this passage: to give good reason for the hope that is in you.

Of course, it doesn’t matter how skilled your are at reasoning, writing, or speaking if you don’t
have a hope in your heart worth defending. Therefore, let us look to Christ and find the hope of
eternal life. Then, and only then, will we have a message worth preparing ourselves to deliver.
Semester 1 Our Mission

6. MAKING GOD KNOWN THROUGH WORKS

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannon be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and
put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your
light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who
is in heaven.
(Matthew 5:14-16 ESV)

I trust that all of us now know quite well our mission as a CC community. Our mission is to know
God and to make Him known.

Our passage this morning teaches us that our good works can cause people to give glory to our
God. As a city set on a hill gives can be seen from miles away, so we are to live in such a way that
the greatness of our God can be seen by those who look upon our lives. Our love for God and
commitment to Him should not be hidden, but obvious to everyone.

Students, did you know that one of the good works God has called you to is the work of pursuing
knowledge, understanding, and wisdom? As you pursue your education, you can do so in a way
that honors God, or a way that dishonors God. Remember, whatever subject you are studying, you
are seeking to learn about God. Therefore, the way you study says something to others about
whether or not God is worth learning about. When you are memorizing facts, studying literature,
or researching a scientist, are you doing so in a way that says God is worthy of your effort? Does
your commitment to learning shine as a light to others, declaring that God is glorious and valuable?

Parents, let me remind us that our children are not only learning about God from our words, but
from our works. Whether we are cleaning the house, cooking dinner, or helping a child with his
math work, we are saying something to our children about God. If we are quick to let our children
get by with shoddy work, we are telling them that God isn’t deserving of their best. Yet if we teach
our children to strive for excellence for God’s sake, we must also be sure that we are striving for
excellence too in all that we do.

Of course, the best works that we can do to make God known to others are works of love. If God’s
love dwells in us, it should overflow onto others. It should flow from parents to children and from
children to parents. It should flow here in our Classical community between parents and between
students. Every deed we do no matter how small should be rooted in love for God and love for
others. When we live a life of love, we shine as bright torches in a dark world, drawing the
attention of others for God’s sake.

So let us strive today to give God our best, and to overflow in love that we may display the
greatness of God to one another.
Semester 1 Our Model

7. BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW: A GOD-BREATHED BIBLE

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and
for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
(2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV)

Over the last several weeks we have seen that our mission is to know God and to make God known.
This morning we begin to think about our model. The model of Classical Conversations is to
combine the classical method of learning with a biblical worldview.

What does this mean? Put simply, it means that we use the Bible as the lens through which we see
everything else. The Bible serves as a corrective lens to help us view and interpret the world
rightly.

Another way of describing this is in terms of light and darkness. When we try and make sense of
the world on our own, we are walking in darkness. We are blind. We grope around in a world
without light. We can study math or science or history or literature, but we don’t really see these as
we ought. We don’t see them in their relation to God. We can say that one plus one equals two, but
we fail to grasp the glory of God revealed in that simple yet profound statement.

The Bible serves as a lamp for us. It shines light in the darkness, and helps us to see the world in
its beauty. The light of the Scriptures helps us put every fact in its proper place, serving the
purposes of our good God.

Why do we choose to view everything through the lens of the Bible? Because we believe that the
Bible is accurate when it claims to be God-breathed. The Bible is not just another book to be set
alongside Robinson Crusoe or Pride and Prejudice. It is the very Word of God, given to us for our
good, able to equip us for whatever callings God places on our lives.

Parents and students, let us do everything we can today to see the world we are learning about from
a biblical perspective. What matters most is not what we think, but what God thinks. What matters
most is not what we say about a subject, nor what some expert says about a subject, but what God
says. When we see the world with the light that He gives, we can rejoice that in a world of blind
people, we have been granted to see.
Semester 1 Our Model

8. BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW: GOD AT THE CENTER

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
(Romans 11:36 ESV)

We are a community that has embraced a particular model of education. What is that model? We
are seeking to combine the classical method of learning with a biblical worldview.

What do we mean by a biblical worldview? First and foremost, we mean a worldview that has God
at the very center. No matter what subject we are talking about, whether it be astrophysics or the
ABCs, we believe that that these subjects exist for the glory of God and find their value and
purpose in Him.

How can we be truly God-centered in our education? How can we make sure that God-
centeredness isn’t just something we say, but actually something we are implementing? Our verse
this morning gives us help.

First, our verse teaches us that all are things are from God. This means that we can always connect
any subject we are studying to God in terms of origin. Where did the Pythagorean theorem come
from? It wasn’t Pythagoras that created it. God did that. We learn something about God’s
character because this is true. Where did languages like English and Latin come from? It was God
who created human beings in His image, with the ability to speak, and gave us the skills of
language. This too tells us something about our God.

Second, our verse teaches us that all things are through God. There is nothing in this universe that
does not exist because God allows it to do so. God is the sustainer of all things, upholding all
things by His power. The rise and fall of nations, the writing of great books, the invention of
world-changing technologies – these all come about through the providential work of God.

Third, our verse teaches us that all things are for God. If something exists, it is because God has a
purpose for it. If some event takes place in history, it is because God is working through that event
for the ultimate glory of His name. Ultimately, absolutely everything – including you and me –
exist for God.

So here is a great help to us as we seek to be God-centered in our education. Whatever the subject
we are studying we can be sure that it is from God, through God, and for God. To Him be glory
forever, Amen.
Semester 1 Our Model

9. BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW: ETERNITY IN VIEW

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a
year there and trade and make a profit”—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is
your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.
(James 4:13-14 ESV)

We are seeking to combine the classical method of learning with a biblical worldview. Here is one
great difference between the secular worldview and the biblical worldview: the secular worldview
is focused on this life alone; the Christian worldview is focused on eternity.

Parents, we often remind one another around here that are educating for heaven, not Harvard. That
doesn’t mean that we are against sending our children to great institutions of learning. What it does
mean is that we see life as it really is. It is short. What matters most of all is not whether our sons
and daughters become successful in this life, but whether or not they live a life that stores up
treasures in heaven. Compared to eternity, this life is but a vapor.

None of us are promised tomorrow. None of us are promised that we will reach a certain age. If
we pursue education for this life only, we might find that we have wasted a great deal of time and
energy. Instead, we ought to pursue an education that will make us wise, helping us to live a life
that will have effects in the life to come. We want an education that helps us live today in a way
that will resound for God’s glory for ages and ages beyond.

Parents, this means that the character of your child must be more important to you than the
knowledge, skills, or talents of your child. If you child knows lots of facts, or can write an
excellent paper, but is full of pride and selfishness, then you’ve missed the mark. As we seek to
educate our children, we must be sure that instruction in humility, in diligence, in kindness, and in
respect are set above instruction in times tables, English grammar, and timelines.

Students, make sure you hear me this morning. We want you to work hard at your education.
Strive for excellence in your learning! But even more important than that, we long for you to have
a humble heart that is trusting in Christ and overflowing in love and kindness to others. In the long
run, a life of faith, hope, and love will mean far more than a life of knowledge, skills, and talents.
So let’s live today with eternity in view.
Semester 1 Our Model

10. THE TRIVIUM: KNOWLEDGE

The wise lay up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.
(Proverbs 10:14 ESV)

We are seeking to combine the classical method of learning with a biblical worldview. But what is
the classical method of learning? It is often presented in three stages, known together as the
trivium. This word trivium means “three roads” or “three paths”. It was understood in Medieval
times the three skills of the trivium would equip a student to go on and study the quadrivium – the
four subjects of higher learning.

The first stage of the trivium is the grammar stage. This is the stage where we are seeking to gain
as much knowledge as we can about a particular subject. Without learning this initial grammar, we
will never be able to go on and become a capable thinker in that subject. So, for example, I will
never be able to fix the engine of my van until I have learned from someone else what the parts of
the engine are and what their functions are. Without that basic knowledge, my engine just looks
like a mixture of thingamajigs and whatchamacallits, and I have no ability to even begin to fix it.

Parents, this is why we as a community are committed to helping our children memorize as many
facts as possible during their younger years. While their minds are like sponges, soaking up
information, we want to give them as many memory pegs as possible that will serve them later on
in life. The knowledge they gain today will enable them to have greater understanding and wisdom
in the years ahead.

Students, learn from this that there is no subject that should scare you. There is no subject too
difficult for you to learn. Instead, there are just some subjects that you have not yet learned the
grammar for. Subjects like rocket science or bioengineering becomes much easier once you’ve
memorized the basic facts and vocabulary of those subjects. A whole world of learning is open to
you once you’ve come to understand that you can master anything if you’re willing to begin at the
grammar stage – the stage of knowledge.

As Christians, we should love knowledge. The Bible teaches that fools despise knowledge, and
when those who refuse knowledge open their mouths to speak they bring harm to themselves and
others. If we are going to become leaders and influencers in our world, we must be quick to do
what the wise do: store up knowledge. So let us store up as much as we can today.
Semester 1 Our Model

11. THE TRIVIUM: UNDERSTANDING

“How much better to get wisdom than gold!

To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.”
(Proverbs 16:16 ESV)

The model of education that we are seeking to implement for our children is one that combines the
classical method of learning with a biblical worldview. We saw last week that the classical method
of learning, called the trivium, begins by storing up knowledge.

This morning we see the importance of moving beyond knowledge to understanding. As our
children grow, they begin to become more dialectic. This is the second stage of the trivium: the
dialectic stage. This word refers to logical thinking and debate. Our students are becoming
dialectic when they begin to think for themselves, asking questions, considering propositions, and
drawing their own conclusions. This is the stage of learning in which we see the light bulb coming
on again and again in the minds of our children.

Students, here is something you should aim for, especially as you get older. Don’t content yourself
with memorizing facts. Desire more and more to really understand what you are learning. Seek to
know the significance of what you are learning, why it matters, and how it affects our world. Every
subject you are learning is connected to the whole – seek to see the connections! It is one thing to
memorize a fact about World War II, it is quite another to understand how important that war was,
and how it affected the lives of millions of Jews, as well as people like Corrie ten Boom. Much of
the geography that we learn about in CC is a result of World War II. The boundary lines that
separate many nations from one another were drawn because of that war. The more we grow in
understanding, the more we begin to see how all of the subjects we study fit together.

How important is understanding? The Bible says that we should choose understanding over
precious silver. It is better to be poor with great understanding than to be rich without it. A person
with understanding will be able to make wise decisions, give good counsel, and bless others. Those
without understanding will find themselves hindered by their lack of it.

Do we want to make a difference in this world for Christ? Do we want to live a life of wisdom that
will bless others? Then let us not only lay up knowledge, but engage in the important yet joyful
work of seeking understanding.
Semester 1 Our Model

12. THE TRIVIUM: WISDOM

For wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
(Proverbs 8:11 ESV)

This is our last week of the fall semester! Do you remember what our mission is? To know God
and to make Him known. Do you remember what our model is? To combine the classical method
of learning with a biblical worldview.

The classical method of learning is called the trivium, and it includes three stages. The first is the
grammar stage, in which we store up knowledge. The second is the dialectic state, in which grow
in understanding. The final stage is what we are thinking about this morning: the rhetoric stage.
This is the stage in which we are able to call upon our knowledge and understanding in order to
serve the cause of wisdom. This is the stage in which we are able to articulate well to ourselves
and others wise choices that honor God and serve others.

The Bible reminds us again and again how important wisdom is. In our verse this morning, we are
told that wisdom is better than jewels, and that everything else we might desire put together cannot
compare with her. Think of everything you desire. Think of everything you wish you had. The
Bible says that wisdom is better than all of it. We should not be surprised that in the New
Testament our Lord Jesus is called the wisdom of God.

The skills of rhetoric include being able to write well and speak well. This is because all of our
knowledge and understanding cannot serve the cause of wisdom if we are not able to persuade and
influence others. This is why we should work hard to grow in our writing and presentation skills –
through these we will be able to point people in the way of wisdom.

However, all of our rhetorical skills won’t matter at all if cannot point people in a wise direction.
Without wisdom, our rhetorical skills will do more harm than good. How do we become wise?
First, we being with a proper view of God. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.
Without a true and reverent respect for God, you can never be wise. Second, we should ask God to
give us wisdom. The apostle James teaches us that God always answers this prayer – God loves ot
give His people wisdom. Third, fearing God, and depending upon Him for wisdom, we take all of
our knowledge and understanding, and we use them to rightly interpret whatever situation or
circumstance is in front of us.

Parents, students, here is our goal! Let us never forget it. We are seeking to glorify God by
knowing Him and making Him known. We do this by educating towards wisdom. We must have
the fear of God. We must have prayer. We must have knowledge and understanding. Put these
together with God’s blessing, and we will find before our eyes a generation of young men and
women who are truly wise.
Semester 2 Cultivating Community

1. THE VITAL IMPORTANCE OF LOVE

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging
cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I
have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have,
and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
(1 Corinthians 13:1-3 ESV)

What will make us a strong, healthy community that blesses every family and every student among
us? We could give many answers, but none greater than love. Our God has loved us so much that
He sent His own Son to die for us. Now, as Christians, we live in the reality of His love, and we
are called to show love to one another.

What does love look like in a Classical Conversations community? Paul tells us in 1 st Corinthians
13 that love is patient. We are to be patient with one another. We are to understand that all of us
are in different places in our walk with Christ. All of us are in different places in our growth as
parents and in our growth as home-educators. So let’s be patient with one another and relate to
each other with an attitude of helpfulness.

Paul goes on to say that love is kind. This means that we should seek to put the needs of one
another above our own. We are to look for ways that we can bless each other. All of us need
encouragement from time to time. Sometimes a particular mom or a particular family can get lost
in the crowd. They are here with us at CC, but they still feel alone and isolated. Let’s work on
showing warmth and care and kindness to everyone in our community.

Paul says that love does not envy. Sometimes we see that family that seems to have it altogether,
and we are tempted to envy. We wonder how everything can go so well for them while we are
struggling just to get to CC on time. But envy keeps us from loving that family as we ought. The
truth is, none of us have it altogether, and even that family needs our love and care.

Paul also says that love does not boast. We are not to take pride in our accomplishments, or in our
children’s accomplishments, and boast before others. Moreover, we must be careful never to look
down on families who have struggles we don’t. Rather, let’s realize that we are all sinners in need
of God’s grace, and that we are all in this homeschooling journey together. So above all, as we
begin this second semester of CC, let us love one another.
Semester 2 Cultivating Community

2. KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES’

Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

(1 Corinthians 4:2 ESV)

One great threat to our joy and peace as we homeschool is the temptation to feel that we must keep
up with the Jones’. You know who the Jones’ are. They are the family with perfect children who
are always well-behaved. The younger children make memory master every year, have no
struggles in their education, and are always eager to learn. The older children are in Challenge, and
they never fail to go the extra mile in every assignment. They excel in every skill and every
subject. On top of all this, the Jones’ are always full of joy and peace, never quarreling among
themselves or with others, and they’ve never experienced a bad day.

The Jones’ do not exist. But too often we think they do, and that we must keep up with them. We
become frustrated when our children do not learn quickly. We are embarrassed when we realize
we forgot to pack a child’s lunch or a tin whistle is missing. That would never happen to Mrs.
Jones!

Parents, do you ever compare yourself to other CC parents? Are you ever discouraged because you
don’t have the knowledge or the gifts that another CC parent has? Do you ever find yourself
comparing your children with others in CC? Do you feel discouraged or even like you’ve failed
because your child doesn’t seem to be at the same place as another?

Our verse this morning reminds us of a precious truth. We are stewards. Our children have been
entrusted to us by God. He has given us the great privilege of raising and teaching them. He is all-
wise and never makes a mistake. He gave you the gifts and abilities that you have. He gave you
the children that you have. Your calling is not to be a perfect parent. Your calling is simply this:
that you be found faithful.

Don’t be paralyzed by comparing yourself and your family with others. Don’t be paralyzed by
worrying what others think about you and your children. What matters most is not what others
think, but what God thinks. He has called you to parent your children, with all of the glorious
struggles and triumphs that entails. So find freedom here, and depending upon God for strength, let
us all strive to be faithful stewards of the children He has entrusted to us.
Semester 2 Cultivating Community

3. SERVE ONE ANOTHER

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the
flesh, but through love serve one another.
(Galatians 5:13 ESV)

One of the most wonderful aspects of Classical Conversations is that this program brings
homeschooling moms and dads together with others in community. There are many who could
give testimony of how the encouragement and support of other homeschooling parents has given
them the strength they needed at just the right time to persevere in this good work.

Another helpful aspect of homeschooling together as a community is that we get to help carry one
another’s burdens. Christ Himself came not to be served, but to serve, and He calls His people to
imitate Him in that great endeavor. Here at CC, we often learn of families within this
homeschooling community who have needs. It should be our joy to show love to one another by
helping to meet those needs when we can.

Sometimes we will encounter a Christian at church who is constantly receiving, receiving,

receiving, but never giving back. This Christian benefits from the preaching and teaching of the
church, from the service that others give in leading Sunday School classes or keeping the nursery.
But as long as this Christian continues to be served, without beginning to serve herself, she will
remain an unhealthy, immature Christian. It is when we begin to step out in service to others that
we truly come to know what it means to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. It is as we serve that our
faith is tested and refined and made stronger. More than that, it is as we serve that Christ works
through us to care for others.

Not only at church, but also here at CC we need everyone to be looking for opportunities and ways
to serve. You may be able to serve as a director or tutor, as a nursery worker or activity organizer,
or in some other role. Or, you may be able to serve in an unofficial way just by looking for little
needs that need to be met as we meet together. Whatever the case, let us remember God’s Word to
us as spoken through Peter in 1st Peter [Link] “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one
another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”

As we look for opportunities to serve, may God not only bless us as individuals and as families, but
may He make this community strong, and cause our children to be more greatly shaped into the
men and women of God He calls them to be.
Semester 2 Cultivating Community

4. STRIVE FOR PEACE

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

(Romans 12:18 ESV)

Have you ever noticed how easy it is for us to be offended? All it takes is a misspoken word, a
cold tone of voice, or a wrong look, and our flesh can be quick to take offense. Yet the Bible calls
God’s people to be lovers of peace. “Blessed are the peacemakers,” Jesus said, “For they shall be
called sons of God.”

Our desire and prayer is that our CC community will be marked by a spirit of peace. We want this
community to be a haven where students feel comfortable and secure, free to try out new skills that
they are learning or to engage in important conversations without fear of being judged. We want
every homeschool mom and dad to be able to confess their weaknesses and struggles with others in
this community, and to find real help, encouragement and love from other parents. When conflicts
come, and we allow ourselves to hold on to offenses, or allow bitterness to simmer in our hearts,
we undermine the peace that makes a CC community so warm, hospitable, and supportive.

What can we do to have joyful peace here? First, whenever possible, let us be quick to overlook
wrongs done to us. Proverbs 19:11 says, “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory
to overlook an offense.” Sometimes we will be spoken to in a harsh way, or with an ill-chosen
word. Yet often, the person speaking to us this way is in the midst of hurt or struggle themselves.
What they need from us is not for us to take offense, but to respond with understanding,
compassion and love. When we consider how much Christ forgives us every day, how can we not
be quick to forgive one another and to overlook minor offenses?

Sometimes conflicts will arise that we cannot overlook. In that case, we are to follow the principles
of our Lord in Matthew 18. Yet even as we walk through those steps, let us remember that we
cannot control the attitudes or actions of other people. God does not hold us responsible for the
hearts of others, but for our own. Therefore, as our verse says, “as far as it depends on you”, let us
be faithful in doing what is right and treating others with love, even when we feel we are not
receiving the same from others. When conflicts come, let them remind us that we are not in heaven
yet, and long all the more for the day when conflicts will no longer be a part of our lives. Till then,
may all of us set the example for our families and for others of pursuing peace in every relationship
and every situation. In this way, God will be glorified, and all of us will be blessed.
Semester 2 Cultivating Community

5. THE RIGHT APPROACH TO CONFLICT

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he
listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along
with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he
refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him
be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
(Matthew 18:15-17 ESV)

In our last devotion we saw that we should strive for peace with everyone. We praise God when
our CC communities are marked by a joyful peace that allows all of us to learn together and grow
strong.

We also saw last time that we pursue peace first and foremost by not being easily offended and by
being quick to overlook minor wrongs that are done to us.

There are times, however, when a substantial conflict does arise. Sometimes love demands that
action be taken because of some wrong that has been done. When that happens, let us be sure to
follow the teaching of our Lord Jesus in Matthew 18.

Before any other action is taken, let us take our own hearts and our own concerns to the Lord in
prayer. Let us make sure that our own attitudes and desires are right, and that God’s glory is our
chief concern. The goal in resolving conflict is never to “win” or to be proven “right”, but to see
God glorified in everyone involved.

After making sure our hearts are right, Jesus commands us to go directly to the person with whom
there is a conflict. We are not to talk about the conflict with others, nor should we ever seek to
harm another person’s reputation. The goal is to settle the conflict and to make peace with the
other person and to restore the friendship. This is not something to be done over email or
Facebook, where it is all-too-easy for our communication to be misunderstood. Instead, we should
go to the other person face-to-face if possible, confess any wrongdoing on our own part, gently
admonish in love, and seek reconciliation. Often, God is gracious, and the conflict ends there.

If, however, restoration does not seem to be coming as you speak with the other person, the best
practice is to share the conflict with one or two who are in leadership here – preferably a director
who can accompany you and help you in pursuing peace. Again, keep the matter as private as
possible, and in this way continue to show love to this one with whom you are seeking peace.

Finally, respecting those in leadership who have been asked to help work for peace, continue to
pray for God’s help and to submit to the counsel you are given. Through this process, expect God
to work for His glory and our good. Conflict is never fun, but often we look back and see how God
used it to make us a little more like our Savior. So let us pursue peace, and when conflict comes,
let us trust the wisdom of our Lord and follow His steps.
Semester 2 Cultivating Community

6. CC IS NOT CHURCH

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet
together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day
drawing near.”
(Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV)

We should thank God regularly for our CC community and honor Him for how He works through
these programs, these tutors, and these families to serve us and care for us. Every good gift comes
from His hands, and He deserves our praise.

However, we also must be clear that our CC community must never be a replacement for the local
church. CC serves many Christian families, and in this way CC serves the Church of the Lord
Jesus Christ, but CC can never be a substitute for the Church. Christ came to build His Church, not
a CC community.

Why is it important that CC not replace your church? Think of all the wonderful gifts Christ gives
us only appropriately in a local church. There is the faithful preaching of God’s Word on a weekly
basis. There is the loving oversight of pastors. There is the accountability that we have from
fellow church members who have covenanted together to care for one another and even to
admonish one another when necessary. There are the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s
Supper. Through our local churches, we are able to participate in the great work of missions and
kingdom building. Also, more than anywhere else, our local church is to be our primary place of
offering up heartfelt worship to God in a corporate setting, and receiving intensive training in
discipleship.

Certainly God uses CC as a means of discipleship in our lives. Certainly there is a kind of
fellowship and sometimes even an accountability that is provided here that is helpful to us. But at
the end of the day, CC never can be and never should be a replacement for your local church. Our
CC community will be strongest and healthiest when our families are benefitting from their
participation in faithful, healthy local churches.

So let us praise God for CC and all that God does here to care for us. But let us praise God even
more for our local churches, and let us be careful never to neglect them or replace them. Let CC
serve the cause of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, and never take away from that great cause.
Semester 2 Encouragement for the Weary

7. Do Not Grow Weary

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap,
if we do not give up.
(Galatians 6:9 ESV)

Parents, seeking to give your children a God-centered, classical education is a good endeavor. This
is a worthwhile cause, one that shows great love for God and great love for your children.
However, especially as we come to this season of the year, it is easy for us to become weary. We
may have lost the freshness and the drive that we had at the beginning of the school year. We may
be counting down the days until summer break.

Students, seeking to learn all that your parents are asking you to learn is a good endeavor. It is
right and wonderful for you to strive for excellence in your education, wanting to do the best you
can in every skill, mastering every subject. Yet at this point in the year, students too often become
weary. You may be wondering if summer will ever get here.

Our verse this morning is an encouragement for us to finish well! Pursuing a quality education is
not a sprint – it is a marathon. As we come to the final weeks of this particular school year, we
don’t want to drop out of the race. We’ve worked so hard to get this far; let’s do all we can to end
with a bang!

Why? Our God tells us that if we do not give up, we will reap in due season. There is a harvest
that comes to those who work hard. What is the harvest we are praying for and working for? It is
the harvest of godly young men and women who are well-equipped to live with integrity and
influence in this world.

Parents, remember the vision that brought you into CC to begin with. Remember how we desire
for our children to have the best education we can give them, one that focuses on the heart as well
as the brain. There is only a few weeks left – let’s make the most of them!

Students, remember that the adult you will be in the future is being shaped by the choices you make
right now. Don’t slack off when you are so close to the finish line. Seek to be a person who
perseveres, who endures, who stretches his neck out a little further and runs a little harder as the
finish line comes into view.

Let us pray that God would renew our strength and refresh our souls. “Let us not grow weary of
doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up.”
Semester 2 Encouragement for the Weary

8. Take Time to Rest!

“And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.”
(Mark 6:31 ESV)

We live in a culture that is always on the go. Many homeschool families find themselves
constantly on the road, running from music practice to sports practice to church events and more.
Homeschooling moms and dads can often become overwhelmed as they seek to educate their
children while managing other responsibilities and juggling other obligations.

Our verse this morning is a reminder that all of us need rest. Our bodies need rest. We cannot be
faithful in our callings if are continually failing to get the physical rest our bodies need. When we
are tired, we often become less clear in our thinking, less articulate in our speaking, more irritable
and grumpy. We simply are not at our best when we are tired.

Students, this is important for you, too. It is important that you get the rest you need in order to give
your best to your studies. Colossians 3:23-24 says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the
Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.
You are serving the Lord Christ.” So students, right now, God’s calling on your life is that you
serve Jesus by working heartily in your studies. Jesus is worthy of your best. Therefore, you need
to make sure you have your rest.

Of course, we need more than physical rest. We also need spiritual rest. The principle of Sabbath
is very important in the Bible. Let us be sure that we are taking advantage of our Sundays to be
refreshed in the Word of God and by fellowship with His people.

Parents, let us also be sure that we never compromise the most important priorities for lesser ones.
Sometimes we can allow those supplemental activities in our children’s lives to crowd out the time
and energy that needs to be spent in homeschooling. Our children are learning from us how to
prioritize their own time; if we don’t want them living hectic, stretched-too-thin lives when they are
older, then we need to set that example now.

So for our own sake and for our families, let us be sure to receive the gift of rest from our God.
Semester 2 Encouragement for the Weary

9. Sufficient Grace

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest
upon me.”
(2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV)
nd

Sometimes we can feel as though God is putting more on us than we can handle. When we feel
that way, we are exactly right. In our own strength, we can never faithfully fulfill the callings God
has placed upon us. Parents cannot be faithful parents. Students cannot be faithful students. If we
are to love God, love one another, strive for excellence, and see God’s glory in every subject we
study, we must have His blessing and His help. On our own, we will surely fail.

For many of us, this school year has gone differently than we expected. God has brought trials or
changes into our lives that we did not anticipate. Perhaps God has placed some burdens on you that
have made your homeschooling journey a little more complicated or difficult. Wherever we are in
that journey this morning, we can find comfort in this promise from God’s Word.

God’s grace is sufficient for us. Think about that word sufficient. This word means that we need
nothing more. This word means that God’s grace is everything we need in order to be who God has
called us to be. As Christians, we are not ill-equipped for our callings. God has not left us without
the resources we need to serve Him. His grace is all we need – it is sufficient.

What does this mean practically? It means that when we look away from ourselves and instead put
our trust in God’s promises, He gives us His strength. Every day we are to be freshly nourished
and equipped by believing upon God’s grace. We are to remember that our sins are forgiven
through Jesus Christ. We are to remember that our God is with us and that He will not leave us nor
forsake us. We are to remember that He is working all for the good of His people. As we put our
roots deep into these promises, we draw from them the nourishment and strength to fulfill our
callings as Christians, spouses, parents, or students.

So don’t feel overwhelmed today. Don’t be like Peter sinking in the water because he sees the
ferocity of the turbulent wind and waves. Instead, be like Peter as he looked upon the face of the
Lord Jesus and found peace. God is glorified in us when we acknowledge that we are desperate for
His help, and then in happy faith depend on Him to give us all the strength we need to be faithful.
Semester 2 Encouragement for the Weary

10. Encouraging One Another

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”
(1st Thessalonians 5:11 ESV)

One of the most important and helpful qualities of Classical Conversations is this aspect of
community. What a tremendous help it is to know that we are not on our own, but that there are
others with us in this homeschool journey that we can rely on and glean from.

One of the greatest ways that we can care for one another in this community is through
encouragement. As our verse says, Christians are to be a people who seek to build one another up.
The word encourage means to instill or inspire courage in someone. Who is it that you will speak
to today who needs a little boost of courage? Who in our community needs to be built up?

As Christians, God has given us wonderful resources through which to give one another courage.
We can always point one another back to the precious promises of God. The Bible is a treasure
trove of truths that can strengthen and build up a believer. The Holy Spirit often uses fellow
Christians to bring a timely word to us from the Scriptures that is exactly what we need to hear in a
particular circumstance.

Another way we can encourage one another is by pointing out the strengths and evidences of grace
we see in one another’s lives. When we’ve been helped by the words or example of another
homeschool mom, we should let them know how they have helped us. When we’ve been well-
served or cared for by another person, we should share with them how they have benefitted us.
When we see that someone is contributing something positive to this community, let us be quick to
point it out. Let us give honor where honor is due.

Students, we should work hard to encourage one another in our classes. Be quick to root one
another on and to congratulate one another when someone in the class does well. As a community,
we are not only to rejoice when we do well ourselves, but when those around us are growing and
learning and succeeding.

As we being this CC day, let me ask you again: who can you encourage today? Let us all look for
the opportunity to build up someone else, and may God use us to inspire one another on towards
excellence for His namesake.
Semester 2 Encouragement for the Weary

11. Finishing Well

“But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course
and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”
(Acts 20:24 ESV)

Our verse this morning is an encouragement to each of us to finish well. The Apostle Paul knew
what God had called him to do, and he was willing to pay any price necessary to finish his course
and fulfill his responsibility.

What does this look like for us? For parents, let us be careful that we not take our eyes off the ball
here at the end of the school year. Let us help our Challenge students as they study for Blue Book
assessments and prepare end of year presentations. Let us come alongside our Foundations and
Essentials students and make sure they don’t miss these final weeks of memory work and grammar
instruction.

At the same time, let us be sure to celebrate all that has been accomplished this year. In those areas
where we have seen our students work hard, let us praise them. Let us consider with them all of
their accomplishments, and let’s rejoice with them. As parents, this is also the time of year to
carefully assess how much our students have learned, where strengths and weaknesses lie, and what
goals need to be set for next year.

Students, think about how far you have come. Think about how much you have learned over the
past year, and how you have grown and improved in many areas. Be thankful for all the time and
energy your mom and dad have spent in helping you to get this far. Be thankful to God for giving
you these opportunities and the ability to learn. Now, over these final weeks, resolve to finish well.
If you are a Challenge Student, put your heart into your studies as you prepare for the end of year
assessments and presentations. If you are an Essentials student, strive to make you final paper the
best one yet. If you are a Foundation student, make sure you learn these last weeks of memory
work, and see how much of the year’s material you can remember. Again, thank God for every fact
you’ve been able to remember. If you weren’t able to be a memory master this year, start thinking
about what can you do next year to reach that goal.

Most importantly, let us finish the school year with the right attitude. Let our hearts be full of
thanksgiving to God. Let our hearts also be full of love towards one another, eager to celebrate
together all that God has done in our students and in our families.
Semester 2 Encouragement for the Weary

12. Give God the Glory

“Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and
your faithfulness!”
(Psalm 115:1 ESV)

This morning we want to give God the glory for all that He has done among us this year. It is God
who has created us. He has given us our families and brought us together. It is God who gives us
the ability to learn and grow. He has given us the privilege of being able to homeschool, and He
has given us the privilege of being able to join together in this program.

For every director and every tutor who has had a positive impact on students, let us give God the
glory.

For every subject in which our students came to see more of the awesome wisdom of God, let us
give God the glory.

For every student who grew in knowledge, understanding, or wisdom, let us give God the glory.

For every parent who was able to persevere to the end, let us give God the glory.

For every encouraging word, helpful hint, and comforting hug that was given this year, let us give
God the glory.

For every nursery worker, tutor sub, and all who stepped in to meet needs in this community, let us
give God the glory.

For every obstacle that was overcome, every conflict that was resolved, and every challenge that
was met, let us give God the glory.

For the CC corporate and these great resources that have been provided to us and our families, let
us give God the glory.

For His sustaining and sufficient grace, let us give God the glory.

Finally, for the godly young men and women these students are becoming, let us give God the
glory.

“Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and
your faithfulness!”