A Word about the Master Teacher

 

Today I want to share a word about the Master Teacher as I comment on Mark Chapter 4. Let’s begin by reading verses 1-9:

And he began again to teach by the seaside: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine, Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

My wife is a retired educator, and she disagrees with the idea that teaching is an easy profession. She strongly disagrees with the saying, “Those who can do, and those who can’t teach.”  That, as anyone who has ever taught knows, is a false statement.  Teaching isn’t all that easy.  Let me give you a couple of examples:

In every introductory psychology course in college, the students must participate in a laboratory experience where they train a white rat. In my school, we had to train the rat to react to a light by pressing a lever to get a treat.  You would think that training a dumb beast like a rat would be easy for intelligent humans, but that isn’t always the case. Every semester someone, often several students, trained the rat to grab the light instead of pressing the lever.  It isn’t all that easy to be a teacher.

Besides being a hard task, a teacher must be sure to teach the right things.  We often say that “practice makes perfect,” but in truth, “practice makes permanent.”  If you teach the wrong things, you will cause major problems for the students!  For example: A child’s aunt was trying to encourage the boy to learn his times tables. She told him, “You need to just rattle the answers off like snapping your fingers.  Like, you should be able to spit out 8 times 8 equals 72!”

If you didn’t understand that last part, remedial classes will be available soon!

It is not easy to be a teacher, but as we continue review the life and ministry of Jesus, we will find that he was the Master Teacher.  Today we will see the Master Teacher demonstrating His craft, so we need to watch Him and learn. Let’s begin by looking at the Ministry of the Teacher.

THE MINISTRY OF THE TEACHER:

Jesus spent much of His ministry teaching, so much so that, in fact, He was often called “Rabbi,” which literally means, “teacher.” He taught from the beginning of His ministry until the end, and He took every opportunity He had to teach. Jesus taught in many different situations:

• Jesus taught in the synagogue, among religious Jews.

• He taught as He walked and lived day by day with His disciples.

• He taught large crowds who came to see Him.

• He taught people in their homes at meals.

• He taught in the temple, and the scholars were amazed.

• He taught sinners as He showed them God’s love.

• He taught as He healed the sick and opened the eyes of the blind.

He has now passed on the ministry of teaching to us. The Great Commission instructed us to make disciples and to do that we must teach all that we ourselves have been taught. We are blessed that the Holy Spirit has given the gift of teaching to people, and those who have it must use it, but all of us are teachers, either intentionally in a class or with some we are mentoring, or organically, but the way we live our lives. 

Remember, Jesus told us in Acts 1:8 that we will be His witnesses, whether we choose to be or not!

As we teach, others learn about the love of God, and we learn more and more ourselves. In fact, the best way to learn is to teach.  The teacher always learns more than the students.

Next, let’s see the methods of the Teacher.

THE METHODS OF THE TEACHER: 

Mark 4:10-13 tells us:

And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.  And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?

Different people learn through different techniques. Some people are visual learners, while other learn through hearing. Some are tactile learners, and almost everyone learns through doing. In His ministry, Jesus used the full range of teaching techniques.

He taught didactically, like in the Sermon on the Mount. He taught by example, like when He healed the paralytic. He taught though experience, by sending out His followers to do ministry out two by two. Much of His teaching, however, was through parables.

The basic structure of most sermons includes exposition, explanation, illustration, and application, but a parable is an illustrated sermon. It is not a sermon illustration, but an illustrated sermon. We remember stories when we don’t remember the sermon, so a parable uses a story to teach a truth.

I remember very clearly the time my pastor was preaching a sermon and would up a rift about the consequences of sin by proclaiming, “Be careful, for your sins will find you out, just like how God drowned the Israelites in the Red Sea!” For the record, it was the Egyptians who drowned in the Red Sea, but I will never forget what my pastor said that day about the consequences of sin, even though I don’t remember the rest of his message!

A less frivolous lesson was taught in the fabled “Footprints in the Sand” poem by Mary Stevenson. Many people have learned about God’s care and concern for them through that short, but powerful parable in the form of a poem.

For Jesus, there was a method to this perceived madness. Some people were not ready to hear the truth. and others were actively working against the truth. Using parables was the way that Jesus could teach them best. His method is an example to all of us as we teach God’s truth. For example, missionaries in a country which was closed to the Gospel learned to use the technique of Chronological Bible Storying in their missionary efforts. They were able to continue teach after the local authorities were informed of their presence. These government officials did not feel threatened because, “They are just telling stories.”

Next, let’s see the message of the Teacher.

THE MESSAGE OF THE TEACHER:

Mark 4:14-20 tells us:

The sower soweth the word. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

Jesus did many things in His ministry: He fed people and turned water into wine. He healed people and he revived the dead. He radically opposed the powers that oversaw Israel. He ate with sinners and tax collectors. Jesus did many things in His ministry, but He had one purpose, to “seek and save that which was lost” through spreading the Gospel message.

Churches and Christians also do many things in our ministry: Some churches are like a kicked-over ant hill, and we have devised all kinds of programs from sports to scrap-booking. Activity for its own sake is not ministry, however. Believers must focus what they do in the way Jesus did. Sadly, purpose, vision, mission, are often all missing. 

The lesson we must learn from the parable is to focus on teaching the Gospel. This is what Jesus did, and it was what Paul did in his ministry as well as told the church at Corinth,

And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)

Paul also taught them,

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. (I Corinthians 13:1-3)

Therefore, as Paul taught us, we should imitate him as he imitated Jesus. That means, if we aren’t teaching the Gospel, then all we are doing is just making noise and wasting time!

Finally, we see the majesty of the Teacher.

THE MAJESTY OF THE TEACHER:

Mark 4:21-29 says,

And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick? For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was anything kept secret, but that it should come abroad. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath. And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

Teaching is hard, unheralded work. Few teachers accrue any fame or glory. In fact, the glory in teaching is seeing the lives of your students changed. Teachers want to see that they are having an impact. They want to see growth occur. They want to see their students be able to do what they couldn’t do before.

Jesus wanted to see lives transformed by the Gospel, and He still does. He wants our lives to shine out lamps. He wants our lives to be open books for God. He wants us to be growing daily in the Gospel.

Are we instruments of transformation in our home? In our workplaces? In our churches? In our communities? If not, we should be and we should do this by teaching the Gospel because when the Gospel changes lives it is a glorious thing! Paul described this effect in Philippians 4:1 saying “Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.”

CONCLUSION:

Jesus is the Master Teacher, but have we been diligent students? We need to dedicate ourselves to learning from Him, and if we do, we will have the abundant life He has promised!

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt