“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
In the life of a professor and a student, this time of the year is very special. It is the beginning of a new academic year. I am looking forward to welcoming new and returning students to North Park University, Chicago, IL, USA.
What is the vocation of a professor?
What is the vocation of a student?
During this time of the year, I keep asking myself these and related questions.
Today’s YouVerse is rather crucial to this set of questions.
These verses form the climax of the Gospel of Matthew. These are the last words of Jesus in Matthew. It is usually called the Great Commission, and is normally the preaching text at the commissioning of missionaries.
I would like to call it the Vocation of a Christian Professor text.
The central verb in Jesus’ commission in Greek is matheteuo, which means “make learners.”
This is the central task of a professor. It is not to deliver lectures. Unfortunately that is how it is construed in the educational system today. Students listen to lectures, or perhaps wander away in their minds during lectures. Then, at the end of the semester there is something called the finals. This is where students are expected to faithfully regurgitate what they have heard or not heard in those lectures. This is rather sad!
A Christian professor must take Jesus’ words seriously. We are supposed to be enabling our students to become lifelong “learners.”
My hope and prayer is that I and my colleagues at North Park University would take Jesus’ perspective on the vocation of a Christian educator to heart, as we enter into this new academic year.
I would be good to note the prologue and epilogue of Jesus’ commission to the Christian educator.
The Lord Jesus the Messiah’s prologue forms the foundational statement for a Christian educator. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matthew 28:18)
This foundational statement makes it clear that Jesus Christ is Lord of all that forms a Christian Liberal Arts institution- all of the Humanities, the Sciences, the professions . . . “in heaven and on earth.” Every field of studies is under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ.
When I teach at a Christian institution, I must keep this in mind. All that is taught at a Christian institution, is taught because Christ is the king. He is the source of all the arts, the sciences, and the professions.
This also means that the authority of the Christian educator and the Christian institution is a seconded authority. I can only be good Christian educator if I teach under the authority of Christ, the Word Incarnate, and his Written Word, the Bible.
The epilogue to Jesus the Messiah’s vocational commission to the Christian educator is also crucial to note. The Messiah says, “Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
A Prayer:
O Lord Jesus Christ I pray that I would ever be mindful of your authority and commission as I go about the vocation of being a Christian educator, in this new academic year.
May I always be mindful of your guiding presence throughout my vocation as a Christian educator.
Amen.
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