Christian teaching

Last week, we talked about Jesus our Savior. But for many Christians today that’s as far as it goes, because they go on and live their lives according to whatever they think is best or according to whoever they choose to listen to. But as scripture teaches us Jesus in not just our Savior,

Jesus is also our teacher

In fact, as Jesus says in Matthew 23:10 – “you have one teacher, the Christ.” In other words, Jesus is telling us that he is our one teacher; he is our true teacher. This means that

• Jesus is the authority when it comes to determining God’s will for our lives.

• Jesus is the one who teaches us how to live and act in this world

More specifically this involves two things:

1) We are to model our lives on Jesus’ example. Jesus said – “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me” – Matthew 11:29. In several places we hear the call from Jesus “follow me.” For instance – “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” – Mark 8:34. Jesus’ life is the pattern for our lives. Each of us in our own way and in our own circumstances is to live according to the cruciform pattern that Jesus demonstrates for us – a life lived in lowly, self-denying service to God. As he lived, so are we to live. We not only follow Jesus’ example . . .

2) We are to obey Jesus’ teaching. Jesus asked, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” – Luke 6:46. Can you hear the confusion in this? If I’m your Lord, why don’t you listen to me?? Something is wrong here. These things don’t add up. If you claim Jesus as Lord then you must obey him. Jesus also said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” – John 14:15. If your are not obeying Jesus you don’t love Jesus. No matter what your feelings about Jesus might be. In both of these verses it is clear that Jesus demands that we obey him.

Now, if we step back and ask the question –

Why is Jesus our teacher?

The scriptural answer is clear: He is God’s unique Son. Hebrews 1:1-2 says, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets” – talking about the Old Testament. It goes on, “but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” Then in Hebrews 2:1-3 it says, “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels” (speaking of the Law or Old Testament) “proved to be reliable and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard.”

If God sends his own Son, not just prophet messengers, we had better sit up and listen. As the texts says, “we must pay much closer attention.”

John 1:17-18 says, “The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.” Jesus is the fullest revelation of who God is and what God wants from us. That’s because Jesus is God’s Son; or God the Son who is close to the Father’s heart.

Now lets look at . . .

What it means for us that Jesus is our teacher

#1: We need to understand that Jesus is the focus of Scripture. The Old Testament is the preparation for and it points forward to Jesus. The flow of its story leads to Jesus (not to mention the prophecies). As Jesus said in John 5:39 – “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me.”

Also, its commandments are a preparation for Jesus’ teaching. For instance in Matthew 5 Jesus says six times, “you have heard that it was said to those of old, but I say to you . . ..” He then gives teaching that fulfills or perfects what Moses had given before.

In terms of the rest of the New testament (that is, beyond the gospels) it points back to Jesus. Jesus commissioned the apostles to preach his message (not their own). And that’s what they do. They give us Jesus’ message and they apply it to new situations.

So Jesus really is the center point of the whole Bible. It all leads to him and focuses on him. And we need to take this into account when we read and study it. How does it all connect up with and fit together with Jesus our teacher?

#2: No one else can be our teacher. Let me make this point as clearly as I can. In terms of popular voices today that shape so many neither Michael Moore, nor Rush Limbaugh, nor Bill O’Reilly, nor Oprah Winfrey is our teacher. Nor any other Radio or TV talking heads, political pundits, or celebrities. Jesus is our one teacher. He shapes our worldview, approach to politics, ethics and our framework of thinking.

In terms of religious voices, neither Pope Benedict XVI, Martin Luther, Billy Graham, not even good ole Menno Simons is our teacher. Jesus is our one teacher.

We could go on and on. Your professors in college or your teachers in school, your parents, I am not your teacher. None of these are your teachers – unless, of course, they are simply teaching you the way of Jesus; what he taught and his example to us, which is the role of the Christian teacher.

And we need to test anyone who seeks to teach us how to live and act in this world against the standard of Jesus’ teaching and example – the message his apostles give to us in the New Testament. No one else can be our teacher.

#3: No one has the right to set aside Jesus’ teaching and example. Jesus said that we are to teach people “to obey all that I have commanded you”- Matthew 28:20. Not part, not some, not most – all!

No one can override Jesus. He has all authority in heaven and on earth. If someone says, but Moses said this, or our government says this, or this doesn’t apply anymore – and it goes against Jesus – then we stay with Jesus. We cannot take away from what Jesus and his apostles teach us.

#4: No one has the right to add to the teaching of Jesus and his apostles. There are two ways, typically that this happens. First, we add on our own human rules and make them binding on others. Jesus calls this, “teaching as doctrines the commandments of men”- Mark 7:7. This has happened a lot in church history. Unfortunately Mennonites have struggled with this one at times – making certain cultural traits necessary for inclusion among God’s people.

The second (worse) way to add to Jesus’ teaching is when someone says they have a revelation that supersedes what Jesus has said in part or in whole. We know that there are various groups and cults that have been formed that make this claim, leading people astray. If someone comes along saying this we have to ask – “Who are you? We have heard from the Son of God himself! And – who are you?”

#5: We need to learn what Jesus and his apostles teach us. So often the church is just stumbling around in the darkness because it doesn’t understand the Scriptures. And I would say this is especially true with the gospels – where we seem to be functionally illiterate.

Jesus became human in order to show us the way. Yet we put so little effort into understanding what he showed us. We need to work hard to understand what Jesus teaches for our own lives and for our congregation as a whole. People! We can’t be satisfied with not understanding this! Jesus is our teacher – Jesus is the revelation of God. Let us learn from him. Let us hold to what he has shown us. Let us put it into practice in our lives and in our congregation.

• He has given us all we need to know about how to live our lives and act in this world
• He has given us all we need to know about how to please God and find peace for ourselves

William Higgins