To teach is to touch and
transform a life forever-Part-1.
"A good teacher is like a candle
- it consumes itself to light the way for others."
“And the things you
have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who
will also be qualified to teach others.” (2 Timothy 2:2)
According to Homer's Odyssey, when King Odysseus
went off to fight in the Trojan War, he left his son Telemachus in the hands of
a wise old man named Mentor. Mentor was charged with the task of teaching the
young man wisdom. More than 2,000 years after Homer, a French scholar and
theologian by the name of François Fénelon adapted the story of Telemachus in a
novel titled Télémaque. In it he enlarged the character of Mentor. The word
mentor soon came to mean "a wise and responsible tutor"—an
experienced person, who advises, guides, teaches, inspires, challenges,
corrects, and serves as a model. In Second Timothy 2:2 Apostle Paul describes
spiritual mentoring, and the Bible gives us many examples. Timothy had Paul;
Mark had Barnabas; Joshua had Moses; Elisha had Elijah.
The purpose of this sermon is to
present a set of basic Biblical principles that define the consecrated
responsibilities of parents, believers, preachers and teachers in their role as
mentors. The intent of this teaching is not to provide comprehensive rules, or
a systematic code of conduct, but rather to describe ways in which God’s sacred
call can be exercised in a responsible manner. The question is What Am I
Passing On?-to the next generation? What are you leaving them as a
tribute to the years that you have spent here on earth? And does that legacy have eternal
implication? Present
generations who comes to know the Lord are followed by other generations whose
hearts have become careless and insensitive to the Lord. Will you consider becoming one whom God can use as
an instrument to impart scripture knowledge and Godly wisdom to help others
grow toward perfection? The success of our next generation, whether it be
the church, our family or our nation, depends on how faithful we obey our God
by training others with the glorious gospel truths of Christ in such a way that
they passionately, devotedly teach others in the Holy Spirit.
Bible says “Great is the Lord, and
greatly to be praised; And His greatness is unsearchable.
One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your
mighty acts.” (Psalm 145:3-4)In psalm 48:12-14 we see that Israelites are
instructed to "Walk about Zion, and go all around her. Count her towers;
Mark well her bulwarks; Consider her palaces; that you may tell it to the
generation following. For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our
guide Even to death." Just as the Israelites needed to know exactly how
everything was to be in Zion so that they could pass the information on to the
next generation, the older generation of today needs to know exactly how things
are to be in the church in order to pass that information on to the next
generation. With
the passing of each generation, knowledge, values and even faith are handed
down from the older to the younger. Paul thanked God for the "genuine
faith" of Timothy, which he says, "dwelt first in your grandmother
Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also" “2
Timothy 1:5
Many students of church history are familiar with
the story of Susanna Wesley, who counted John and Charles among her nineteen
children, only nine of whom lived to adulthood. Susanna was said to have prayed
for her children two hours a day, along with teaching them their basic school
subjects. She was well-prepared to care for and lead her large family. She
herself was the daughter of a well-known minister, the youngest of his
twenty-five children. Susanna benefited from a godly home and passed the
heritage onto her children. Although his Christian heritage probably did not
span as many years as that of the Wesley’s, Timothy also benefited from a godly
home. His mother and grandmother, Eunice and Lois, are two largely unsung
heroines of the Bible. The importance of a godly mother's role in the life of a
child cannot be overemphasized. Think of Timothy, for example, the young man
the apostle Paul considered his spiritual son and a valuable partner in
ministry. In his second letter to him, Paul recalled how Timothy had been
influenced by "the genuine faith" of his grandmother Lois and his
mother Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5). God used two generations of loving mothers to
prepare Timothy for the crucial work he would have in spreading the gospel and
establishing congregations of believers in Christ.
Before we examine the text, let me point out that
transferring values to next generation is applicable on several levels. The
primary application is parents to children, pastors to believers, leaders to
followers and teachers to students. Our task is to hand off God’s truth to
other faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. But the text also
applies to every Christian in every relationship with other Christians.
Christian husbands must hand off the truth that God teaches them to their
wives. While the husband is responsible to shepherd his family, the
communication is not just one way. Wives also must share with their husbands the
truth that God teaches them. Parents are responsible to entrust the truth to
their children. More mature believers must see their responsibility to impart
biblical truth to younger believers.
All of us who know Christ are responsible to share
the gospel with those who are lost, so that they may be saved. The idea is that
if God has entrusted any truth from His Word to you, it is not to make you feel
good and then keep it to yourself. He gives it to you so that you will pass it
on to others. Keep in mind that second Timothy chapter 2 verse 2 follows and is
built on the truth of verse 1. To entrust God’s truth to others, you must be
strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. With that as a foundation, What
Paul is saying here is that Timothy has been given something that is valuable
and that needs to be protected. It's a deposit - something that one person has
placed in trust to another person's safekeeping. And Timothy, Paul says, is to
protect it, keep watch over it, and with God's help ensure that it's kept safe.
In other words, it's something that's in danger of being lost if it's not
protected.
What exactly is he talking about? Paul tells us.
In 1:13 and 14, he calls it “What you heard from me, keep as the
pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ
Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard
it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.”In 2:2 he calls it
"the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses."
Paul is talking about the message that he's entrusted to Timothy. He's talking
about the glorious gospel itself. It's exactly what Paul mentioned in chapter
1:8-10:
So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our
Lord or of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by
the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of
anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was
given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been
revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed
death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
This is the good deposit we've received, and Paul
says: protect it. Guard it, teach others. It's too valuable to lose. The
message is that God has saved us and called us to a holy life. He has done this
not because of anything we have done, but because of his own purpose and grace.
It's not because we merit it or deserve it. It's simply because of God's grace.
God's purpose and grace were given before the beginning of time, but have been
revealed through Jesus who destroyed death by his death and has brought life
and immortality to light through the good news of what he has accomplished at
the cross. This is the good news for which Paul was willing to die.
This is the good news that has been entrusted to
Timothy that must be protected. By implication, this is what we are always in
danger of losing. The danger we face is gospel attrition. As one person puts
it:
You don't need much more than a cursory scan of
history to see that solid Christian institution can easily lose the truth of
the gospel if they are not attentive. Losing the gospel doesn't happen all at
once; it's more like a four-generation process.
The gospel is accepted
The gospel is assumed
The gospel is confused
The gospel is lost
It is tragic for any generation to lose the
gospel. But, as Philip Jensen says, the generation that assumes the gospel is
the generation most responsible for the loss of the gospel. So this is one of
the most important things we must do as a church: Paul says safeguard the truth
and preach it and entrust to reliable men who will also
be qualified to teach others. The apostle Paul
also commanded his son in the gospel, Timothy, in 2 Timothy 2:15 “Do your best
to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be
ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”
What Paul says is
Timothy your character, your attitude and your Integrity is your success. A
study attributed to Harvard University found that when a person gets a job, 85%
of the time it is because of their attitude, and only 15% of the time because
of how smart they are and how many facts and figures they know. Attitude is the
most important word in the English language. It applies to every sphere of
life, including one's personal and professional life. Can a Christian be a good
Christian without a good attitude? Can a leader be a good leader without a good
attitude? Can a student be a good student without a good attitude? Can a
parent, teacher, salesman, employer, employee be good in their roles without a
good attitude? The foundation of success regardless of your chosen field is
attitude. So Paul says Timothy “Do your best to present yourself to God as
one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly
handles the word of truth.”
Now a Subject on teaching cannot be
complete without asking some questions about the qualities that make for
excellence in learning. What are the qualities that make an educational
institution or a teacher stand out among others? How do students learn to
appreciate education, not just in order to pass exams but to develop their
knowledge, skill, attitude and aptitude to the full potential? No one has yet
fully realized the wealth of capacity hidden in the soul of a child. Therefore the
effort of every true education should be to unlock that treasure.
The human soul is like a seed, which
has all the potential to become a fruitful tree. No farmer needs to give any
information to a seed about how to become a tree. The only thing a farmer can
do is to create the right environment and provide right enhancement, so that
the seed can safely grow and become a fully mature and fruitful tree.
Similarly, the role of a teacher is
to create right environment and give right encouragement, confidence,
inspiration and appreciation to their students, so that they are able to
discover their true potential and become themselves. Each and every person is
born with particular purpose and gifts from God and those specific qualities
need to be identified, nurtured and refine ; whereas, our society and
education system, almost ignores the purpose of each individual and cancel
their specific gifts and qualities. What education is determined to
achieve is to fill the minds of children with right information. Thus, teaching
becomes much more challenging and important than learning. A strong,
moral, refine and discipline mentor or teacher is the safeguard to a nation's
life and future.
What is true education? Intellectual education
influences the head and values based education influences the heart. In fact,
education that does not train the heart can be dangerous. If we want to build
character in our church, offices, homes and society, we must teach the Biblical
truth, values and ethics. Education that builds fundamental traits of
character--such as righteousness, integrity, honesty, compassion, courage,
persistence and accountability--is absolutely essential. We don't need more
academic education; we need more Godly values. A person who is Godly and morally
sound will be a lot better equipped to move up in life or succeed than a
morally bankrupt person with excellent academic qualifications.
To
teach is to touch a life forever- part-2.
“You
call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I
am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also
ought to wash one another’s feet, for I gave you an example that you
also should do as I did to you." (John 13:13-15):
Teachers have always been the vital
contributor of learning in the society. They serve as the foundation of the
cultural and sustainable development of the nation as a whole. The role of
teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out by way of occupation or
profession at school, college, church, institution or other place of formal
education. A teacher’s role may vary between cultures. In the Bible a Master
Teacher or a Rabbi is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom and
authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others. As a principle for
the development of consciousness it leads the creation from unreality to
reality, from the darkness of ignorance to the light of knowledge. In its
purest form this principle manifests on earth as a divine incarnation, a person
with supreme knowledge about God and all creation.
Jesus said “You
call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right
"Master" and "Lord", were dignified titles among the Jews,
which they frequently gave to their doctors and men of learning, and are often
to be met with in their writings: hence the disciples called Christ by these
names, not out of flattery, but reverence of him, and esteem for him; nor are
they blamed, but commended for it: This double
title was not given except to the most accredited teachers, First of all, the writer
of John wanted to make it clear that Jesus was greatest teacher and
the lord ever lived on earth. Jesus knew that His student Judas Iscariot, one
of the Twelve that He had handpicked, was about to betray him. He knew that He
was going to suffer a nasty, violent death the next day. He also knew He could
stop any of this at any time, (Mt 26:53) and that He was going back to God. So
He had all of this in mind when He gave this final sermon to His students. He
was about to leave them and go back to the Father, as He says many times in
this sermon. And before He left, He had these things to tell them. But first He
had one important thing to teach and show them. He washed their feet.
Therefore Studying the Master
Teacher, Jesus, provides us with the finest instruction in the entire world on
how to teach others. Jesus taught with perfect accuracy and effectiveness. Of
all the disciplines taught in the New Testament for the spiritual growth of
Disciples, none are more important than the discipline of learning. Even in the
secular world, every employer wants workers that are “teachable”. We are
blessed to have the greatest teacher of all history as our own savoir and
Master Teacher—Jesus Christ. His methods, educational philosophy, content, and
procedures consist of the finest models of teaching ever developed. So what
exactly was this inspiring, challenging, magnificent, and apparently
revolutionary teaching of Jesus?
In the first description of Jesus’
ministry in the Gospel of Mark: “ Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good
news of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has
come near; repent, and believe in the good news’” (Mark 1:14-15).Here is Mark’s
summary of the core of Jesus’ message. It is, in a nutshell: The kingdom
of God has come near. The phrase “kingdom of God” appears 53 times in the New
Testament Gospels, almost always on the lips of Jesus. The synonymous phrase,
“kingdom of heaven,” appears 32 times in the Gospel of Matthew. Throughout the
accounts of Jesus’ ministry, he is always talking about the kingdom of God.
Many of his parables explain something about this kingdom: it is like mustard
seed, a treasure, a merchant looking for pearls, and a king who gave a banquet
(Matt 13:44-47; 22:2). Jesus even defines his purpose in light of the kingdom:
“I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also;
for I was sent for this purpose” (Luke 4:43).
Throughout his ministry, Jesus
emphasized the importance of learning the kingdom of God. “From that time Jesus
began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”
(Matthew 4:17) was the theme of Jesus’ teachings. “The disciples came to
him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” He
replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of
heaven has been given to you, but not to them. (Matthew 13:10-11)
Now the question is what is the
kingdom of God? This kingdom was not a place where God reigns, but rather the
reign of God itself – God’s presence, rule, authority, and power. The Kingdom
of God is not a castle in the sky; it is a true form of government based upon
the legal terms of justice, Righteousness, peace, love and joy in the Holy
Spirit. “God’s reign is at hand. God’s power is being unleashed. Turn your life
around and put your trust in this good news.” Kingdom of God is God’s reign,
rule, authority, or sovereignty. The kingdom of God is the governing influences
of God over His people who yielded his/her life to Lord Jesus, enabling that
person to do God’s perfect will and bring into being a Godly lifestyle that
reflects the Nature and Character of God. Jesus emphasized and taught people to
change the mind, renew the heart, and seek the kingdom of God and its
righteousness. If teaching and learning were so important to Jesus, they ought
to be as important to us, as well.
“A teacher affects
eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”
The Lord Jesus provides the ultimate
role model for any teacher of the gospel; Jesus was more of a conversationalist
than an orator. He walked with people and talked with them. He sat and spoke of
soul matters. He was interested in individuals, recognizing the value of each
soul. Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, conceded that Jesus of Nazareth was “a
teacher” from God, as documented by the “signs” which he did (John 3:2). A
wealthy young ruler approached the Lord asking, “Teacher, what good thing shall
I do, that I may have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16). Even Jesus’ enemies
addressed him as “Teacher” (Matthew 22:16, 24), though their use of the
expression was not always genuine. The Lord is addressed as “Teacher”
twenty-nine times in the Gospels. The noun (teacher) and verb (teach) combined
are used of Jesus some ninety times. Christ’s teaching was informative, logical,
supported by Old Testament evidence, well-illustrated, documented by divine
power, original, and uniquely authoritative (Matthew 7:28). When officers once
were sent to arrest him, they returned to their superiors empty-handed,
exclaiming: “Never man so spoke” (John 7:46). The Lord’s various methods of
teaching beg for careful study.
Jesus Christ referred to Himself as a
teacher, others called Him “Teacher” and His enemies recognized Him as a
teacher. Forty-five times Christ is referred to as Teacher in the Gospels. It
is no surprise then that teaching was an important part of Christ’s public
ministry. But, what was it that made Jesus a great Teacher? What it takes to be
a great Teacher? Educators in public schools use the terms, direct and
indirect instruction to classify teaching methods. They believe every method
has an advantage and disadvantage. It is believed as well that there is no one
“right” method of teaching. To some degree this is true. Look at Jesus’
example.
“A student is not above his teacher,
but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher." (Luke 6:40)
Here it means, evidently, everyone “thoroughly instructed" or
"informed." The Disciples should be like his Master - holy, harmless,
and undefiled, and separate from sinners. He should copy his example, and grow
into the likeness of his Redeemer. Everyone who is thoroughly instructed in
Divine things, who has his heart united to God, whose disordered tempers and
passions are purified and restored to harmony and order; everyone who has in
him the mind that was in Christ, though he cannot be above, yet will be as, his
teacher - holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. Teaching
creates all other professions. The object of teaching a child is to enable
him to get along without his teacher. Teachers are expected to reach
unattainable goals with inadequate tools. The miracle is that at times
they accomplish this impossible task.
The figure of the "Master"
in the Bible is of great relevance, Let us think of the Hebrew word itself,
with which the "master" is defined: rabbi has a great value; he
is a positive figure of great relevance.. A capital passage in the Gospel of
John witnesses to this (Jn 13:13-15): “You call Me Teacher and Lord;
and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the
Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For
I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.".
Christ therefore accepts, for himself, both the titles, both the dimensions of
the word rabbi: didàskalos, master, and kyrios, lord.
Immediately after, however, comes the manner for becoming true teachers and
masters: “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also
ought to wash one another’s feet." The authentic path of the true
ministry of teaching is that of service and of self-dedication.
Look at the following three illustrations
taken from the gospels which describe the spirit of a real teacher.
First in Mark
4:38 “Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion.
The disciples woke him up, shouting, "Teacher, don't you care that we're
going to drown? At the tragic moment of the storm: The master has to care and worry
about the life of the disciple. Christ was asleep in the storm, to try the
faith of his disciples, and to stir them up to pray. Their faith appeared weak,
and their prayers strong. When our wicked hearts are like the troubled sea
which cannot rest, when our passions are unruly, let us think we hear the law
of Christ, saying, be still, and be quiet. If he say, Peace, be still, there is
a great calm at once.
Second, Luke
17:12-13 (the ten lepers cleansed): “As
He entered a village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him; and
they raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”, And
as he entered into a village ... Whether in Samaria or Galilee, is not certain;
perhaps it bordered on both, since there were both Jews and Samaritans in it,
as appears by what follows; and since Christ was passing between both places:
there met ten men that were lepers; who either were confined to this place,
this village, or else having heard that Jesus of Nazareth was going to such a
place, got together, and met him as he entered in it, in hope of being cured by
him: Which stood afar off - They kept at a distance, from Christ, by reason of
their uncleanness, as they were obliged to by the law, because forbidden by law
and custom to come near to those who were sound, for fear of infecting them.
And they lifted up their voices, together, and cried aloud, being at a
distance, that they might be heard; as well as to express their vehement
desire, and great importunity to be cleansed. And when Jesus saw them, he said
unto them, go show yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as
they went, they were cleansed. They were cleansed. As they went, an act of
faith, they were healed. (Portraits of the true love and
compassion of master.)
And third is in Luke
11:1: “One
day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his
disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his
disciples." Here is another role of service in teaching: spiritual service. In the so-called Lord's
Prayer Christ gives an incomparable model for all prayer. It teaches that right
prayer begins with worship; puts the interest of the kingdom before merely
personal interest; accepts beforehand the Father's will, whether to grant or
withhold; and petitions for present need, leaving the future to the Father's
care and love. He grounds prayer upon relationship, and reveals God as freely
charging himself with all the responsibilities, as His heart glows with all the
affections of a Father toward all who believe on Jesus Christ Mt 6:25,32
7:9-11. Prayer, therefore, is a child's petition to an all-wise, all-loving,
and all-powerful, Father-God.
In the Greek New Testament the
term didàskalos is used 58 times, 48 of which are in the Gospels,
mostly applied to Jesus; and the verb didàskein, to teach, 95 times two
thirds of these are use in the gospels and also in this case, prevalently
applied to Jesus. Jesus is called rabbi. Two passages among many,
like for example Mk 9:5 and 10:51. He is a rabbi who speaks in
public, like the teachers were doing in Israel: in synagogues, in squares, in
the temple. Jesus is a teacher surrounded by students, that is, by
the disciples; he has a school. Hence Jesus is the "master" par
excellence of the world community. Jesus is an authoritative
teacher. Mark’s statement is to the point (1:22): "He taught them
with authority, not like the scribes." He is a teacher stands not with the
power of authority, but with the authority of authoritativeness. The root
of his teaching is transcendent. Two passages are emblematic in this
sense: Jn 8:28: "I say only what the Father has taught me
(didàskein)." And Mt 11:27: "No one knows the Son except the Father,
and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to
reveal him." The teaching of Jesus is the teaching of the mystery of the
Father and so, he is a transcendent teacher who teaches a truth that goes
beyond the boundaries of human knowledge and originates from a revelation
Jesus was a creative Teacher because
he used the concrete to teach a difficult abstract concept. He would make a
comparison of what was known and understood to help the student comprehend
(Matthew 23:37). He used everyday objects as visual aids (Matthew 6:26-30; John
4:35). He created the symbols to help each of us understand spiritual realities
and remember Him (Matthew 26:26-29).
Jesus set a perfect example and held
a high standard of personal qualities for each of us to follow. If we prepare
ourselves spiritually and mentally to teach others, read the following
qualities Jesus possessed and then asks yourself if you strive to posses the
same. Christ lived a holy and Righteous life (Matthew
3:13-17). Jesus prayed and trusted in the Lord (Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16;
6:12-16). Jesus was warm, friendly and patient (Mark 10:13-16). Jesus
cared about people (Luke 8:40-56). Jesus was always courteous and He spoke the
truth in a loving way (John 4:16-18). He served others (John 13:1-17). He was
sensitive to the needs of those around Him (Matthew 17:24-27; Luke 5:4-10; John
2:1-11). Jesus Christ means more to us than being the perfect “Teacher”.
He is the chief cornerstone and foundation of Christianity. He is the living
Head of His Church. Christ was there at the beginning of creation and He will
be there at the end. He is the center of God’s redemptive plan of salvation for
all of mankind. He is our Savior who is ever present and dwelling in our souls
(Galatians 2:20). Jesus said that He did not come to destroy the law, but to
fulfill it (Matthew 5: 17). Bible says All Scripture is God-breathed and
is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16)
At the Last
Supper, Jesus demonstrated his greatest act of servant leadership. He and his
12 disciples had just finished eating when Jesus, with only a towel wrapped
around his waist, knelt down at the feet of each of them and washed their feet,
drying them with the towel. This overwhelming gesture made a lasting impression
on the disciples, not only because it expressed pure love, but by washing their
feet, Jesus laid the foundation for true servant leadership; one that has
become the model for Christians today. In those days, all roads to
Jerusalem and those within the city were dry and dusty. Since most travel
consisted of walking, feet were often the dirtiest part of the body. Because it
was considered a lowly task, the ritual of foot washing was usually performed
by a household servant. On occasion, the host would wash a guest's feet, but
only if the guest was a close friend and of equal social status. But more
commonly, water would be offered for guests to wash their own feet upon
entering a home. And yet, we
read in John 13:13-15 that Jesus, the Teacher and Lord, washed his disciple's
feet, presenting a different side of the law than that of the Pharisees.
I usually walk in the villages
of Bihar, India. I know how dirty a pair of feet can get after a day in
sandals. I often have to wash my feet to properly get it clean and washing my
own feet is a very difficult task. But just imagine about washing someone’s
feet with dirt. Some commentators point out that foot-washing was, properly, a
slave’s job. Of course, the poor didn’t own slaves, and had to wash their own
feet. But in the ancient Jewish culture, the students of a rabbi were
considered his slaves—in both his mind and theirs. (John 12:26) He was their
teacher and lord, (John 13:13) and it was their honor and privilege to not just
learn from this holy man, but to do every little thing for Him. But the idea of
a rabbi (Master Teacher) washing His students’ feet, however, was unthinkable
in the ancient Jewish culture. What Jesus was doing to them simply was not done
by anyone else. It was considered beneath His dignity. It would lower Him in
most people’s opinion—which is something He was willing to risk. It humiliated
Him. But considering how great Jesus is, it didn’t humiliate Him. It
elevated service. Though he had acted the part
of a servant in such a surprising manner, by washing their feet; yet he had not
dropped and lost, but still maintains his place and authority as a
"Master" to teach and instruct them, and as a "Lord" to
rule and govern them.
People today still have the idea that certain tasks are
beneath them: They are too important, too busy, too rich, too upper-caste, even
too good, to have to perform certain tasks. The idea of a leader as a
“public servant” had been taught many times in the Old Testament; the king was
not an absolute ruler, but a servant of God, and responsible to teach and
enforce His law instead of their own whims. But this was rarely practiced, and
even the best kings, like David and Josiah, sometimes acted like despots and
did as they pleased (and suffered the consequences). And there were plenty of
pagan examples all around the students: To be a king meant you can do as you
like, with no one to tell you otherwise. If you don’t like washing your own
feet, you’ll never have to.
So in order to make God’s idea of public service nice and
obvious, Jesus demonstrated it personally. If He is the King,
and He washes feet, and slaves are not greater than their master,
(John 13:16) what business do we have in saying that any job is beneath us?
Foot-washing is as lowly a job as one can think of. Today nobody washes our feet.
Yet Jesus did it. He even washed Judas Iscariot’s feet. (John 13:10-11)It
reminds and shows us that in the Kingdom of God everyone is a servant. It shows
how highly Jesus thinks of service. It shows respect and love for one another.
It shows exactly the sort of attitude that Jesus wants in His Kingdom.
How is it relevant today? We don’t need to literally wash
one another’s feet these days because we have a different kind of foot
gear and do not walk on dusty dirt roads to our every
destination. But, Jesus is teaching what Paul
later advocate about in the following statement.
“Though I am free and
belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as
possible.” (1 Corinthians 9:19)
“ You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use
your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.”
(Galatians 5:13)
“Bear one another’s burdens, and thus fulfill the
law of Christ.”(Galatians 6:2)
“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
(Ephesians 5:21)
When Christ washed His disciples’ feet, He was
commanding that they humbly help one another as a servant helps his
master. Jesus gave us this as a command with a promise — “If
you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.” We can
all “know“ that we should help one another out, whenever we
see our fellow Christians in distress or carrying a load that is too heavy for
them — but, we will receive God’s blessing only when we do help in
love.
Peter said “Young men, in the same way be submissive to
those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one
another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the
humble." (1 Peter 5:5)
In this world, where the hearts of the people are
growing cold with greed, false religions, spitefulness, and
hatefulness, it is important that we uphold one another in the true
faith, so that our brothers and sisters in Christ do not lose
hope. That is why Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians
5:11,
Therefore encourage one another, and build up one
another, just as you also are doing.
Also, the writer of Hebrews 3:13 says, but
encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still
called “Today,” lest any one of you be hardened by the
deceitfulness of sin. So, as those who are in Christ, we are obligated
to lovingly help each other out, because of the love and salvation we
have received from God through Jesus Christ. We
are not to let the love God has given us go to waste, by not having a
loving concern for others.
To teach someone, its
mandatory not only has the highest quality of educational supplies, but
teachers with spirit of servant leadership, divine attitude, moral value,
humility, holiness and commitment and
experience. Education is the mother of leadership. A teacher is just like
the light of a watchtower that guides us through to the right path. Children
are greatest treasure of a family, a society or a Nation and their “learning”
is in the hands of parents, pastors, leaders and teachers. Whether you are a
parent, teacher, mentor, coach, instructor, priest or a leader, to teach is to
touch a life forever. It must be remembered that the average teacher tells. The
good teacher explains. The great teacher demonstrates and the wise and Godly
teacher inspires with their life and character. The purpose of true education
is not to fill the minds of students with facts and information but to empower
students to discover the truth and their true potential. A teacher affects
eternity; he can never comprehend where his influence can stop. Hence
the Good teachers are those who know how little they know and update their
knowledge, skill and pursue wisdom on a regular basis. Bad teachers are those
who think they know more than they don't know and stop learning.
According to survey In
India every year, 6, 50,000 engineering graduates and approximately two million
graduates pass out of colleges. Nearly two-thirds of the 6, 50,000 engineering
graduates need to be re-skilled, so that they can get jobs in the industry.
Meanwhile, the developed world requires more knowledge workers and skilled
professionals with right attitude. By 2020, the developed world will have a
shortage of 40 million working people, says a report. A recent study by global
HR consultancy Manpower Inc says that 41 per cent of employers worldwide are
having difficulty filling positions due to lack of suitable talent in their
markets. Manpower shortages can cripple economic growth. It can escalate
wage rates, thereby reducing the competitiveness of these countries.
According to a survey, 72
per cent of our population is under the age of 35 and it is estimated that 300
million people between the ages of 18 and 50 seek employment of some form.
While 57 per cent are unemployable, 46 million are registered with employment
exchanges with little hope of finding a suitable job. But there is a
mismatch between the skilled manpower required and skilled manpower
available and there is huge shortage of skilled talent. A majority of the
youth passing out from our universities and colleges do not have the specific
skill and right attitude required by various sectors in the market.
The
first and foremost task before the church and Nation is to integrate and
improve the Biblical values and quality of Education. In a nation whose
demography is young-both in age and spirit, teachers have the responsibility
of providing education which is rich in values, specialized in skill and modern
in content. Apostle
Paul put it rightly when he said to the Corinthians “Even though you have ten
thousand teachers in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus
I became your father through the gospel.” (1 Corinthians 4:15) He addressed to
the Galatians “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth
until Christ is formed in you,” He addresses them very tenderly as their
spiritual parent. Of whom I travail in birth again. He is more than a
father; he travails for them as a mother. He had done so when they were
converted; he did not now again Until Christ be formed in you- that you may live
nothing but Christ, and think nothing but Christ (Gla 2:20), and glory in
nothing but Him, and His death, resurrection, and righteousness .
Biblical Education is the
process by which Godly character is formed, strength of clear conscious and
sound mind is amplified, and understanding is sharpened, as a result of which
one can walk in divine wisdom. Teachers of God’s word are one of the greatest
people whom we can count as reformers and movers of life and they play a vital
role in shaping our personalities. They are not only the selfless givers but
also the Transformers of life. Bible Teachers are the nation-builders. They
build the future citizens of the country and the need of the hour is well
qualified professional and committed Bible teachers who are willing to devote
their entire life in the enlightenment of the students.
Someone once approached Blaise Pascal, the famous French
philosopher and said, "If I had your brains, I would be a better
person." Pascal replied, "Be a better person and you will have my
brains."
The great commission God gave us is
not to promote ourselves but to promote the kingdom of God .The world needs
servant leaders and teachers who are godly role models. Jesus said blessed are
those who are poor spiritually for to them belong, the Kingdom of heaven. We
have to deny our self and reduce ourselves from every race to one race – and
that is the human race. Bible says “and He (God) made from
one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth,
having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their
habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him
and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in
Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said,
‘For we also are His children.’ Being then the children of God,
we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or
stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. Therefore
having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring
to men that all people everywhere should repent,” (Acts 17:26-30)
As long as we consider race
beyond human race there will be racism. We need to get a revelation of what it
means to be sanctity of human life. The source of racism is wrong self-esteem,
low self-worth and a poor self-concept. Once you understand the real value of a
human soul and be aware of that everybody else is also made in the same image
as you are then equality, respect, love, peace and Justice is an automatic
result. The greatest command in the law is the secret to destroying racism and
that is to love God with all your heart. Then love your neighbor to the same
degree that you love yourself. Until you love others to the same degree you
love yourself, racism will always be present. If you have problems with
people who are different from you, then you are still suffering from
misconception, self-hatred and wrong conclusion. If you discover and really
understand God and love what God is and who God is, then you’ll naturally love
yourself because you are made in His image. It’s impossible for you to love God
and hate your brother.
The emperor & conqueror of nations, Napoleon Bonaparte,
rightly recognized the absolute uniqueness of Jesus, & expressed it in
these words: "I know men, and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man.
Between Him and every other person in the World there is no possible term of
comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne and I have founded empires. But on
what did we rest the creations of our genius?--Upon force. Jesus Christ founded
His Empire upon Love, and at this hour millions of men would die for Him."
The world measures greatness by many standards. At
the top are intelligence, wealth, prestige, and position—things which God has
determined to put at the bottom? God reveals the greatness of His power by
demonstrating that it is the world’s nobodies that are His some bodies.
According to Jesus, the greatest man who ever lived, apart from He Himself, was John the Baptist. He had no formal education, no training in a trade or profession, no money, no military rank, no political position, no social pedigree, no prestige, no impressive appearance or oratory. Yet Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist” (Matt. 11:11). This man fit none of the world’s standards but all of God’s. And what he became was all to the credit of God’s power. Bible says “Better to have little, with fear for the LORD, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil. (Proverbs 15:16)
According to Jesus, the greatest man who ever lived, apart from He Himself, was John the Baptist. He had no formal education, no training in a trade or profession, no money, no military rank, no political position, no social pedigree, no prestige, no impressive appearance or oratory. Yet Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist” (Matt. 11:11). This man fit none of the world’s standards but all of God’s. And what he became was all to the credit of God’s power. Bible says “Better to have little, with fear for the LORD, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil. (Proverbs 15:16)
“Yet true godliness
with contentment is itself great wealth.” (1 Timothy 6:6)
To be
continued…………