Learning and Teaching

Most people have been through school. You go in not knowing math, science, or English, and someone spends their time trying to teach you or train you how to do something like addition. Most of us have been on the other side, trying to train a new employee or teach a child to drive or your spouse some new ability. Those in both positions can find the experience very frustrating. The student can struggle with not understanding how 2+2=4, and the teacher might struggle with how the student cannot understand that 2+2=4. It takes a lot of humility and patience for someone to learn something new.

Have you ever thought about that when it comes to following Christ? We are to become students of Christ. In some ways that might be easy, but in other ways it can be confusing and frustrating. Why do I need to be kind? That is not the way I have always done it, and the old way has worked for me. So Jesus came along and showed and taught us how to live through the Bible. We must be humble enough to accept that. Something else that Jesus has given us is a family to help us grow. We call that family the church. According to Titus chapter two, we are to learn from those who are older or more experienced. That can be tough because of my pride. I can think I have it all figured out and do not need to listen to anyone. Humility.

The opposite side of the coin is teaching those less experienced about how to handle life as a Christian. I think about Jesus trying to teach his apostles and how many times I might have yelled at them all for their immaturity. But Jesus just patiently teaches them. I want to teach the lesson once and be done. However, the reality is that did not always work for me as a student, and it will not always work for my students. Patience.

Who do you need to have patience with or humility to learn under?

Man's Greatest Sickness

It seems like the church here and even our whole nation have been hit hard with sickness. Many have struggled with things like flu, COVID, strep throat, RSV, or the crud. Others have had surgeries, heart issues, falls, etc. Some cannot even get in the hospital because the hospitals are so full. The reality is some have passed away from these or other problems. I do not want to make light of the suffering that so many have gone through or experienced lately, but I do want to talk about a far more dangerous sickness than the common cold, flu, or COVID. That is sin.

Sin sickness is a universal problem (Romans 3:23). Everyone you know has been touched in some way by this disease. The problem with sin is not that it causes a cough or congestion but a separation from God (Isaiah 59:1-2). What might be some symptoms of this sickness in your life? One might be being more concerned with what you want versus what God wants. Another might be living contrary to the word of God. Another might be not being able to see Jesus in your life. The root of these problems is sin.

If you do not treat your physical sickness, it can get worse. If you do not treat your spiritual sickness, it will get worse. How do I treat this sin problem? The only solution is Jesus. Jesus is the only one who has never been infected with this sin problem therefore He could offer His life as a perfect sacrifice. In His blood we can be washed from our sin. When we come to Jesus, we will need a heart transplant. We will need to have our old heart of sin taken out and put in a heart for Jesus.

If physical sickness is not cured, it can lead to death. If sin sickness is not cured, it will lead to death, death being an eternal separation from God. Jesus has done everything He can to fix your sin problem. The question is, will you let him in your life through faith and obedience?

How Did Jesus Glorify God?

- How did Jesus glorify God?

         Isaiah 53 : 11; John 9 : 4; Philippians 2: 5 - 8; Matthew 20: 20 - 28; Acts 10 : 38

         Examples: Matthew 8 : 14 - 17; Matthew 14 : 13 - 21

- What did Jesus teach?

         Matthew 23 : 11 - 12; Matthew 25 : 24 - 40; Mark 9 : 33 - 35

- What does the New Testament teach:

         Romans 12 : 11; Galatians 5 : 13 - 14; I Peter 4 : 10 - 11

- Can you think of any other verses?

- How do I have the heart of a servant?

- Who and how can I serve outside of church?

- How can I serve in the church or with the church?

- What hinders me from serving?

- What is my purpose in serving?  Matthew 5 : 16

- Reminders: Galatians 6 : 9 - 10; I Corinthians 15 : 58; Matthew 25 : 21