Tag: teacher

Another Teacher

Barbara Weber

John 14:23-26 KJV

Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. [24] He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me. [25] These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. [26] But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Jesus loved the disciples. He showed a great deal of care in preparing the disciples for his death and ascension. In this passage, the Lord compared his present condition to that which was to come. Jesus was soon to be crucified. Yet rather than think of himself, he wants the disciples comforted by the knowledge that they would not be alone. Jesus assures the disciples the Holy Ghost will speak to them.

The Holy Ghost is still speaking to believers. He reminds us of all the Bible says. He will give us comfort in our troubles and guide us in our daily lives. The Holy Ghost is our teacher. He teaches us all things. This is another comfort. Though Jesus is with the Father, the Holy Ghost is with us. Though Jesus, the disciple’s teacher, would be gone, he promised to send another teacher.

In promising the Holy Ghost, Jesus reveals his love for his disciples. It hurt him to think about leaving them without a shepherd. The reality that he was leaving his friends was heavy on Jesus’ mind. He was about to be crucified, but rather than think of himself, his concern was for his men. We know that he is still concerned about his disciples today. Those of us who follow Christ are ever the object of his prayers. And the teacher he sent so long ago is still telling us the way we should walk.

Lord, thank you for caring for me. I love to follow and serve you and I am blessed knowing you love me. Thank you for the Holy Ghost to teach, lead, and guide me in my daily walk with you. Help me trust your love and receive from the Holy Ghost. In Jesus’ name, amen.

A Servant’s Heart

Barbara Weber

John 13:12-14 WEB

So when he had washed their feet, put his outer garment back on, and sat down again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? [13] You call me, ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord.’ You say so correctly, for so I am. [14] If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.

Washing feet was a servant’s task. Religious and civic leaders did not wash their own feet. A servant washed their feet when they gathered. So, it was almost an offense to the 12 for Jesus to wash their feet. When he is done washing their feet, he puts his outer wrap back on and tells them to go and do likewise. This was probably an offense as well. The 12 thought they were going to rule the 12 tribes of Israel in eternity (Mt 19:28). It would not have been natural for them to take up feet washing. But that is what Jesus asked them to do. During Jesus’ ministry, he showed the example of servanthood. He was on a mission for His Father, and it required humility and service. Jesus did not mind.

Jesus wants us, his disciples, to feel the same way. We are to be mission-minded as we become servants to one another. Things are not so different today. When people imagine themselves having a large ministry, it is not natural to think about feet washing. But that is what Christians are called to do. We must bow our hearts before the Father in humility and willingness to serve as He served. That may mean washing feet, or it may mean taking that poor family to the food bank. There are many ways to serve.

Jesus served. He was the disciples’ Lord and Teacher. He is also our Lord and Teacher. We must not look at Jesus and say, “He was God, of course he could.” We must not use his Godhood as an excuse not to imitate Him. Rather we must say to ourselves, “the Lord and Teacher served both the lost and the saved. I must also serve.” When we serve, we are opening avenues to plead with others to be reconciled to God through Jesus. To the lost, that is salvation from eternity without God. To believers, it is encouragement in the Lord as we refresh one another.

Lord, please give me a heart for service. Help me recognize opportunities throughout my day to serve. Help me lay down my own interests and care for another’s interests. Help me trust you with myself and with others. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Natural or Supernatural

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John 4:30-33 WEB

They went out of the city, and were coming to him. [31] In the meanwhile, the disciples urged him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” [32] But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you don’t know about.” [33] The disciples therefore said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?”

The people of the Samaritan village were coming to Jesus. They believed the Samaritan woman when she asked, “Could this be the Messiah?” (John 7-29) Meanwhile, the disciples are worried about earthly matters. As such they are coaxing Jesus to eat. They may even feel that if he eats, he will come back to his senses and leave Samaria.

But Jesus isn’t going anywhere. He chides the disciples telling them he has food they know nothing about. Jesus is talking about doing the will of his Father, but the disciples are stuck thinking about the carnal issue of food. Even with Jesus sitting at the well, waiting to share the good news with the people that are coming to him, the disciples are too dull to understand something spiritual is happening.

The disciples discuss with each other, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” Likewise, while the Samaritan woman is calling Jesus the Messiah, the disciples are calling him Rabbi, or teacher. This woman whom Jesus as much as called a harlot in the preceding verses, understands that something important is happening. But the disciples just see another embarrassing situation with Jesus.

Lord Jesus, please forgive me for being too embarrassed to share the gospel with the lost. Please forgive my judgments against people who are different from me.  Please bless me with the grace to understand when something supernatural is happening so that I do not uproot what you are doing in others’ lives. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.