
PART 4: WHO IS JESUS? THE TEACHER
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
Mark 6:34 When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.
John 7:14 But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and began to teach.
Matthew 7:28 When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching;
Have you ever taken out your kids school pictures and just went down memory lane? The other day I did and I pulled out a class photo of my youngest son’s 5th grade class and the photo had all the children that were in his class seated on gym bleachers and standing alongside them were his teacher and the teacher’s assistant. As I began to look at the photo my mind drifted back to Jesus' days. And I thought to myself. Could you imagine a school group picture back when Jesus walked on earth? It would have been the twelve disciples and their teacher, Jesus. It would have been either by the mountain top or the river side. How cool would that be if a photo was taken of them in those days? And how different would it be now if Jesus, in human form, taught us in a class setting.
Would we believe differently?
Would we worry about things in our lives?
Would we doubt that Jesus even cared about us?
How would we act differently if Jesus was our teacher today? Ask yourself those questions and answer honestly.
When Jesus was on earth, massive numbers viewed Him as a spiritual teacher. How do I know? The Bible says…
Luke 8:4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable:
John 6:2 A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went, because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick.
Even those who did not believe in His teachings, recognized that He was a great teacher. And though many knew Jesus as “a teacher”, only a few believed Him as “the teacher”-- their teacher. Jesus taught because He truly cared about the people at His feet begging for the bread of life.
Do you know that the way Jesus taught the disciples back in bible days, is the same way He wants to teach you today? But the great thing about Him being our teacher today is we have access to the Holy Spirit every single day, every night, every hour of every day. And He wants to teach us many things. While there are many excellent teachers and bible scholars at our hands reach, there is no greater Teacher for you and I to learn from than the Holy Spirit Himself who is Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Read John 7:14-17
Jesus didn’t go to bible college. He didn’t go to seminary. He didn’t take an online course. Jesus says in John 7:16 “My doctrine is not Mine, but his who sent me.” He got His teachings, His messages, His parables from the One who sent Him; His Father God. And the disciples were taught by Jesus Himself and the goal of Jesus messages were for the disciples to go and make disciples.
Matthew 28:18-20 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, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Our goal in what we learn from Jesus’ teachings is to “go and make disciples.” This is what the disciples were instructed to do with all the things that they were taught by Jesus and guess what...that is our goal too!
JOURNALING QUESTIONS
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How does Jesus teach his disciples today? (John 14.21)
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What impact does Jesus as a teacher have on your being his disciple?
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How will you begin to teach yourself and others?
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If you have asked Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then you are in Jesus’ class picture, and God has called you to teach others the good news that you were given too. It’s time for you to get up and go out and make disciples. There are many people out there waiting on you to invite them to your classroom. Will you be their teacher and teach them what Jesus has taught you? Will you share the good news of Jesus Christ to this lost and dying world.