Sabbath: Teaching Disciples: Part I
Daily Lesson for Sabbath 10th of August 2024
Image © Pacific Press
Read for This Week’s Study
Mark 8:22-38; Matthew 20:29-34; John 12:25; Mark 9:1-50; Luke 9:30-31; Malachi 4:5-6.
Memory Text:
“When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Mark 8:34, NKJV).
The first half of Mark focuses on who Jesus is. His powerful teaching and miracles point in the same direction: He is the Messiah. At this crucial turning point in the narrative, Jesus will ask the disciples who they believe Him to be.
Peter will give a clarion answer to that question, and Jesus will immediately begin to explain where His steps as Messiah are headed, which we know is the cross.
In the last part of Mark 8:1-38 through the end of Mark 10:1-52, Jesus focuses on teaching His disciples about His journey. In these chapters, He will give predictions about the Cross. These will be followed by special instruction on discipleship. These powerful lessons remain relevant today.
This section of the second Gospel is marked off by the healing of two different blind men, one at the middle of Mark 8:1-38 and the other at the end of Mark 10:1-52. These miracle “bookends” illustrate dramatically how discipleship includes spiritual insight regarding who Jesus is and where He is going. As His teachings challenged the twelve disciples about two thousand years ago, so they continue to confront disciples today with the deep cost, and benefit, of following Jesus.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, August 17.
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Not all the students in the average maths class are there because they enjoy the challenge of solving maths problems. Some know that mathematicians earn big bucks and see the class as a ticket to riches and security. Others are there because their parents told them to be. Still, others are there because they disliked the alternatives even more than maths. The challenge for us teachers is teaching all these students without favour. And that is hard work as any of you have been teachers will know.
Jesus had a mottley ragtag group of men following him for the same wide variety of reasons. And even after three and a half years some of those dubious reasons were still coming to the surface. We have the over-zealous Peter, the doubting Thomas, the would-be politicians James and John, and the "in-it-to-win-it" Judas. Even Jesus had a hard time training these people. It is worth noting that the only failure in this class chose by his own free will to do so.
And while the emphasis this week may be on the teacher, it may be useful for us to think about what sort of students we are. Could we possibly be "in-it-to-win-it" students like Judas? Time to examine our motivation for Christianity!
Thank you for insight
Teaching discipleship:
Mark 8:34-35 – When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.”
Knowing that we are required to ‘take up our cross’ daily, might be the most difficult aspect of our Christian Faith. It requires strong faith - sincerity and integrity when counting the cost – to decide to follow our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and live life His Way.
The ‘easy way’ is always present in mind, but our Counselor, the Holy Spirit, reminds us to consider the cost so clearly laid out by Jesus. Being asked to answer the crucial, life-changing question: “Am I ready to ‘follow Jesus’?", is in itself evidence that God's Grace has revealed true Life to the one now making a choice - will it be life or death – Mark 8:36-38..
On several occasions Jesus was acknowledged as a great teacher because He taught with profound knowledge, understanding, wisdom, moral authority, tactic and clarity. Even those who did not like Jesus that much like the Pharisees, Scribes and Roman officials acknowledged Jesus’s teaching prowess.
1. Matthew 7:28-29 (NLT):
"When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law."
2.John 3:2 (NLT):
"After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. 'Rabbi,' he said, 'we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you."
3. Matthew 22:16 (NLT):
"They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him. 'Teacher,' they said, 'we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favourites.'"
4.Mark 10:17 (NLT):
"As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, 'Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?'"
5.Luke 11:1 (NLT):
"Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, 'Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."
6.Mark 12:32-34 (NLT):
"The teacher of religious law replied, 'Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbour as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.' Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, 'You are not far from the Kingdom of God.' And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions."
Among the many attributes that make one a great teacher (knowledgeable, passion, effective communication, empathy and compassion, patience, motivation, integrity and fairness, adaptability and inspirational), I want to highlight humility. Jesus had all the Knowledge and understanding, and He chose to display humility in his effort to connect with everyone. Unfortunately, at times, we display arrogance and spiritual superiority when trying to share the truth that we know. Jesus did not win human hearts and minds through the display of arrogance and spiritual superiority. Our Bible studies, lesson discussions and Bible teachings will be more productive and meaningful by emulating Jesus's spirit of humility and simplicity.
Thank you, Omwenga, for these interesting observations.
You wrote that Jesus "chose to display humility in his effort to connect with everyone."
This leads me to ask several questions that I believe to be important to consider:
1. What is humility?
2. What does it look like in our interaction with others?
3. Does it look different in teachers and preachers than in other people?
I ask this question because I believe that "humility" is widely misunderstood. I also believe that genuine humility is rare.
I'm really looking forward to some feedback from it readers.
Inge - following your invitation to comment. I agree with Omwenga’s understanding of Jesus’ humility and simplicity as a teacher needing to connect with others'.
I consider humility to be expressed in different circumstances. The question might need to be asked: “In which context does Jesus express humility?” Was it not because of the understanding that He Himself is a fellow human being? He recognized and accepted Himself as a man born in the flesh, not esteeming Himself more 'important' than those He was given to teach that His heavenly Father is also our Father – humility in understanding that we worship the same God and accepting that He is all of humanity’s Creator Father - including that Hi Himself is the Son of God.
One could also consider humility in the context of not seeking extra favors; not seeing ourselves more deserving than others. He did not esteem Himself to be more important to His Father's heart than He did us. He did not consider His life as more important than the life of any human being.
When considering Jesus’ humility, I see it rooted in His love for mankind. It is rooted in the understanding of the gravity of the need to teach lost humanity that they have a heavenly Father who loves them; that He sent Him to revewal how to become His children in spirit and truth. Though He became mankind's Savior, in His humility, He considered Himself equal with all humanity in need of a Savior.
Thanks, Inge for your questions. Humility is a virtue that enables someone to acknowledge and recognise that one is not all that knowing but God. This virtue enables us to reflect how we relate with others. It is an attitude that removes arrogance, pride and self exaltation. In every aspect, Jesus embodied humility in his life teachings and action, even to the point death on the cross.
Humility is not a virtue that is in-built in the fallen human race. It is an outcome of a transformed heart through the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus washing the feet of his disciples (John 13:1-17) is a true nature of a heart full of humility. At times, true humility does not sound sensible!
"You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross."(Philippians 2:5-8 (NLT). True humility is when a king plays the role of a servant with love. This is not born of this world, but by divine intervention.
Omwenga - Thank you for sharing with us these inspired insights.
In my understanding humility is the deep realization that we are created beings and that we are totally dependent on our Creator for every bit of our existence, our sustenance, knowledge, and truth. It is revealed in the words of Christ to Peter when Peter declared Jesus to be the Messiah. "And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." Matthew 16:17 (KJV 1900)
All we have in physical, mental, and moral advantage, privilege and substance is from above and comes down to us from the Father of lights in whom there is no variableness neither shadow of turning. In Him we move and live and have our being. Without Him we have nothing. This realization of our total dependence on our Heavenly Father and giving Him the glory and praise is humility.
Thanks Maurice ,time indeed to examine our motivation for Christianity.
We have conundrums this week and last week, sandwiches every now and then, bookends, doers of the word, Corbens, I like this author he puts us back in college level Bible classes. Christ put His disciples through high school, college, and some managed seminary in three years, then He followed up with support by the Holy Spirit. We this week will better understand Christ teaching methods.
Judas' motivation to do what he did was "in-it-to-win-it" because he wanted material things; he thought that by forcing a situation, Jesus would finally reveal His glory and free the whole nation!
Being on Jesus' side today is an "in-it-to-win-it" situation because He has already defeated the world! But the real motivation has to be the desire to fulfill His will every day simply because I trust He knows what's best for me.
Would you say that the spirit of Judas was the polar opposite of the spirit of Christ?
Your second sentence implies that you and I could have the same motivation to follow Jesus as Judas did. That is alarming.
Is there something wrong with following Jesus in order to be on the winning team? Or did Judas miss something deeper?
Let me answer that, if you will?
No there is nothing wrong with following Jesus to win. The whole of Revelation is about Christ victorious, making us winners. Paul said, "I run the race to win, why don't you?" Then he said, "I finished the race, henceforth there is laid up for me a crown. Absolutly we can we be victorious with Christ.
Philippians 2:16.
2 Timothy 4:8.
Revelation 14:12.
Back to Judas. Let's read what Ellen White had to say.
He tenderly included Judas in the ministry to the disciples. But the last appeal of love was unheeded. Then the case of Judas was decided, and the feet that Jesus had washed went forth to the betrayer's work. DA 720.3
Sad indeed, very sad, a lesson to us that we must heed the appeal of love.
Jesus was, and is, an enigma for many, then, and now. He didn't satisfy that wants of everyone, but that isn't why He came. He came to do the Father's Will whatever it took and however it looked. He didn't come to be a people pleaser tossed to and fro by the whims of fickle humans. Those that watched Him and followed Him with spiritual eyes saw it, and got it. While those that didn't missed it. Yes, even some of the Pharisees and Scribes got it, while many didn't.
His own disciples were getting failing grades for much of Jesus's ministry and teachings. They kept thinking deliverance from Roman oppression and earthly kingdom. All the while Jesus was trying to get them to see that He was speaking on another level. A spiritual one, deliverance from sin, and Satan, a Heavenly Kingdom. Judas was especially frustrated because of wrong expectations and thought that he could compell Jesus to act against Rome by setting Him up. Some of them were following for the hoped for benefits of following Jesus, a position of prominence, in His Kingdom, which, until the cross was expected to be an earthly reign like David's.
Are we much different today even with the benefit of history to look back upon? Why are we following "the Master"? Is it for the benefits we hope to receive either in this life or the next, or is it just because He, is so very good, and His ways are right?
Even if there wasn't a Heaven to gain, and a hell to avoid I would follow Him. Why? Because time and again, He has proven Himself to be who He came to be, a Savior. It just makes perfect sense to follow Him and His teachings, not only because He is, and always will be, good, but because they are always for our good.
May we follow the "Lamb" wherever He leads us, knowing that He is trying to lead us "home".
I feel the same way. I have to ask myself why I follow Jesus? Is it for the prize? No i can’t say for sure thats why. But because i have fallen in love with Jesus. He is who i love most and want to follow. Give the gifts to another, i want nothing but to sit at Jesus feet and learn from Him daily. For someone to have died for the wickedness i have done in my life, just so i can be with Him in paradise is unbelievably beautiful. I wish to spend eternity learning of Him and falling deeper in love with Him
Absolutely Tim Brown and Tim Heischberg. Like Paul I am in it to win as well as love Christ. If I were not, Christ would have me wither and die like the fig tree. Being frank now, no we cannot win salvation, salvation is a gift paid for by Christ. But we can go after it like it is more important to us than anything in the world. Ok. Paul I do believe had that in mind when he said I have finished the course victorious or if you prefer past the test. We can pass too if we per-sue the course Christ has set before us.
By the way Tim Brown what a wonderful testimony you gave us. And I am not belittling it at all.
Good day
John
That Discipleship is important.
Jesus the teacher comes to the disciples where they are, and His goal is to take them to be where He is. As we see in the rest of the Bible, He was successful. It works the same with us. This is not to be interpreted to be when Jesus comes that we are with Him. Because the Kingdom of God is in our midst. We come boldly to His throne of grace and are with Him. We not only know this, we fully believe it. This is His goal, as a teacher.