Sabbath: Jesus as the Master Teacher
Image © Pacific Press
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Hebrews 1:1-4; 2 Corinthians 4:1-6; John 1:14, John 1:18; John 14:1-14; Philippians 2:1-11; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21.
Memory Text: “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6, NKJV).
Billy Graham tells the story of when he visited soldiers at a field hospital in the company of their general. One young soldier “was so mangled that he lay facedown on a canvas-and-steel contraption.” A doctor whispered to Graham, “I doubt he’ll ever walk again.” The soldier made a request of the general: “Sir, … I fought for you, but I’ve never seen you. Could I see your face?” So the general got down, slid under that canvas-and-steel contraption, and talked with the soldier. As Graham watched, a tear fell from the soldier onto the general’s cheek.
At the time of Jesus’ birth, humanity lay mangled and bleeding, in need of a healing vision of God. It is as though humankind pleaded, “Oh, God, could we see Your face?” In sending His Son to this planet, the Father sent the Master Teacher on a mission: to show humankind His face. Ever since, we have had the wondrous privilege of beholding “the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6, NKJV).
As we watch the Master Teacher make His way to Earth, what can we learn from Him?
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, October 31.
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What Jesus said was compelling; what Jesus did was priceless!
Teaching has been evolved for many centuries. I remember when I was going to school, I had to memorize everything. Right now, everything has changed. When my supervisors visit my classes, they expect me to speak less and they want to see the students interact between themselves.
This is a very important concept that the church should. First of all, most of the methods that we are using today to reach the world need to change. The content of the gospel doesn’t change but the vehicle that we use to spread it need to change. We talk to the world by teaching them our doctrine but we don’t take time to listen to them. I learned from my students by listening to them instead of me talking to them. We need to listen to the world so we can know how to reach them. Jesus who was the greatest teacher could read their hearts. He was active in the community so He was able to reach them. If we want the world to listen to us, we need to be active in the community by using our gifts and talents in every field (medical, social, psychological, etc). Let us continue to pray so God Can pour His Holy Spirit so we can teach the world His way. Happy sabbath and blessings.
Absolute Truth, in His Word all the way through.
Amen n Amen
Because of lockdown my grandchildren have missed months of schooling this year and the teachers will not be able to teach them everything they should have learned this year and the teachers will have to chose what is most important to teach them for the rest of this year (Jan-Dec)
It will be interesting to see what (and why) the authors/editors have chosen to include in the study guides for this quarter, as John said:
If we see Jesus is our Teacher, we become HIS students. It is probably clear to everyone that, no matter how long we have been attending class, we will always be His ‘students’ deepening our understanding of the revealed Truth of God, established by His Gospel message, delivered/demonstrated by our Teacher Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, and applied to our lives.
Imagine yourself as a student in a classroom. What is/was your experience at the first day of a new school year? You meet the new teacher for the first time, the lesson plan is introduced briefly but everything else is ‘unknown’ at that moment.
We can transfer this anticipation-experience to when we become Christ Jesus’ student for life, sitting for the first time in His classroom to learn Truths which need to be accept by applying Faith.
Everything we learn will depend on the depth of the trust we place in our Teacher Jesus Christ, resulting in the type of relationship we form with Him!
John1:18 – “No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is *in* the bosom of the Father, he hath declared Him.” 'Declaring God' - this is our Teacher’s lesson plan!
2Cor.4:6 KJV – “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath (or, is He who hath(margin)) shined in our hearts, to give the Light of the *knowledge* of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” ('face' I believe means person)
By our Teacher Jesus Christ, we are ‘exposed to the Glory of God’. As a student of our Teacher/Son of God, we learn about the *Glory* of the Creator God, our Father. Every time I am in my Teacher’s presence, I come face to face with the ‘'Light' of the 'knowledge' of the 'Glory' of God, our Father’, learning/understanding the Truth of the Way of Life and Light - the Glory of God.
In my opinion, everything depends on how much I trust my teacher to impart His Truth to me, how He does this and how He interacts with me (Holy Spirit). He has diligently prepared His lesson plan, invites me to ask questions, is eager to reveal the answers, and always engages in ‘hands-on’ lessons to demonstrate the varacity of His Truth.
I trust him explicitly and always allow His revealed Truth to reach deep into my soul until the end of school on Graduation Day.
44And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.
45Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?
46The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.
47Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?
48Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? John 7:44-48.
To others-Jesus as the Master Teacher.
To me- Jesus the Master Teacher. To be called a master is one thing, to be a Master and a Teacher is another. In the passage above, men were sent to capture Jesus. When they heard his teaching they were amazed because in all their lives they never heard no looked so simple but spoke so authoritative. He did not shouted nor lifted his voice yet he drew massive crowds. Who was this man? even the winds and waves and the demons obeyed him.
One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his
temple....
Hear my voice when I call, O Lord; be merciful to me and answer
me.
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
Your face, Lord, I will seek.
Psalm 27:4,7-8 NIV
Seeing God’s face, this was King David’s ONE desire. This was a deep longing in David’s heart. He was a man of prayer, his whole life from birth, and yet he still hadn’t attained it yet. He had known every kind of human-manufactured pleasure - power, fame, success, romance, strength. He was active, passionate, a warrior, he knew adrenalin rushes. God had delivered him from many dangers and in many battles. He had a powerful testimony. And yet he was ready for something deeper, he longed for uninterrupted communion with God, for intimacy with the Lord. He wanted something like what he experienced in the tabernacle. The Lamb of God, the incense prayers never ending .... but he was tired of dead ritual, he wanted to KNOW the Lamb. He wanted to live in the tabernacle, for his life to be an offering of prayer, to be soaked in the oil of the Holy Spirit.
I know how you feel David! I have an inner longing too. I am seeking Jesus’ face in this tabernacle body too (1 Cor 3:16). I need to see His beauty because there are battles inside and all around. Isn’t “humanity still mangled and bleeding, in need of a healing vision of God”? Jesus said that in the last days many teachers would come in His name and would deceive many (Matt 24:5). Isn't this because they are not clearly seeing Jesus already? Jesus said,
At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or,
‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false Christs and false
prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to
deceive even the elect - if that were possible. See, I have told you
ahead of time. Matt 24:23-25 NIV
I just received an e-mail invitation for a 4-week “Being the Light” seminar by a well-known New Age teacher. Is this like 2 Cor 11:14-15? This teacher says the kingdom of heaven is within and the new earth is here and there is no evil ruler, only unconsciousness. He says, “behind every condition, person, or situation that appears 'bad' or 'evil' lies concealed a deeper good. That deeper good reveals itself to you — both within and without — through inner acceptance of what is.” It seems revolutionary and freeing. No more devil to fight. No more binary system. I am asking the Holy Spirit to deeply show me this week that “the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” is so much more freeing than believing all is perfect as it is. I need to see Jesus.
In "Revealing The Father" the following scripture sums up God's amazing love 2 Corinthians 5:21 Christ never sinned! But God treated him as a sinner, so Christ could make us acceptable to God. CEV - This truth has ability to realign any lies that denies the loving nature of our Heavenly Father. Flo -Mon 26th Oct 2020
Is Jesus still the Master Teacher? Do we follow His teachings today?
So few among us understand Daniel and the Revelation, which together, comprise the teachings that will prepare a people to meet the Lord "in the beauty of Holiness".
There are also the Testimonies for the Church. Do we believe Jesus has sent these?