Christ, A Teacher Come from God

Christ, A Teacher Come from God CHRIST, A TEACHER COME FROM GOD
By Hulen L. Jackson

One day during the personal ministry of Jesus on earth his disciples came to him with this request: “Lord, teach us to pray as John also taught his disciples.” We as Christians need to come to the Christ and make a similar request. What an admirable attitude we would be manifesting if we should come to Christ as the teacher come from God and say, “Lord, teach us.”

If Jesus were here in person again I should like to ask him to teach me also how to pray. I do not know how to pray as I ought. The value and importance of prayer I do not know. Hence, the need of having the Lord teach me how to pray. Those disciples of the Lord did not know how to pray and I am persuaded to believe that most of us today do not know how. Not only would I request the Lord to teach me to pray but would also request him to teach me how to live. I do not know how. Once the Jews brought the adulterous woman to Jesus to find out what he would say concerning her. His opinion mattered little to them. Naturally they had a base purpose in asking him. Nevertheless, as Jesus writes upon the sand and says “He that is without sin let him cast the first stone” the accusers of the woman leave one by one, Jesus and the woman only remaining. “Woman where art thine accusers? Does no man accuse thee?” “No man, Lord.” “Neither condemn I thee. Go and sin no more.” Jesus did not commend the life of this woman taken in sin neither did he approve of her sinful act. What propensity of character was Jesus manifesting- unon this occasion? Have we forgotten the story of the same Christ as his body was suspended upon the cross between heaven and earth? There he looked down from the cross upon the same Jews who just a few hours past had cried out to Pilate, “Crucify him, crucify him. His blood be upon us and our children.” They were the same ones who took him yonder to the hall and placing the purple robe about him crowned him with the thorns. Yes, they hated h-m. They spat upon him. They beat him with many stripes. They mocked him to scorn. And now they are crucifying him between two thieves. Yet Jesus came to seek and save such. Listen to that Lord as he manifests the same character as he did to the woman. “Father forgive them for they know not what they, do.” My request this afternoon is, “Lord, teach me to be forgiving and. thus to live,” Looking at his life among us I realize I do not know how to live. The great need of not only the world but the church also is to say to him, “Lord, teach us.” When the twelve came to Christ and made their request they recognized that he had the power and right to teach them what they wanted to know. When today I would request of him instruction, my request implies that in him is both the power and the right to teach. Yes, as one come from God he has the power. As one come from God he has the right granted to him to teach us. Jehovah has sent him forth among man clothed with all power to do his will and that includes teaching man his needs. The Father in sending the Son to man gave him also the right or permission to teach us. “God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake unto the fathers by the prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son.” The Jews would know by what power Jesus did his works. “The baptism of John:, was it of heaven or of men ?” They then reasoned with themselves like this. “If we say of heaven, he will say that we should then have accepted him. Fearing the people, we shall not say of men for they accept John as a prophet.” They knew not was their answer to the Christ. “Then neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” Of course this conversation of the Lord teaches that his power came from God. He himself said later, “All power hath been given unto me in heaven and in earth.” Jesus with that power and right granted to him of the Father was involved in an educational movement. His purpose was to teach. God sent him to speak the words of life eternal.

Listen as I make this statement. Jesus came not simply to live and to die but to live and while living to teach and to die and by or through his death to teach also. He truly was a teacher. No one denies the fact that Jesus of Nazareth who lived in the long ago and walked upon the shores of the Galilean sea was a teacher. He did teach mankind. His life was a life of teaching those whom he contacted day by day. He has always been revered even by the unbeliever as the Great Teacher. The multitudes hung upon his words as they fell from his lips. This Naz- arene approached life’s problems as a teacher. The world ranks Jesus Christ as one of the greatest if not the greatest of all teachers. They recognize his teaching ability. No teacher has ever lived in any age or country whose message has affected the society and civilization of the world as much as Jesus’ has. His work is our work roday. His life is our life. His message is our message. The truths concerning life spoken by him nineteen centuries ago in that far off country have permeated the lives of people individually and collectively m every nation under the sun. We may reject him as one come from God yet we can hardly escape being influenced and affected by him. That which he taught makes the servant a better servant, the slave a more obedient slave, and the Lord a better lord. The world accepts him as teacher but not as teacher come from God. We walk together in reference to simply his teachings but we part in referring to him as the teacher divine. Nicodemus said, “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.” The world accepts the first part of Nicodemus’ statement and heralds Jesus, the Nazarene, as a teacher or even as THE teacher. Not so, with the “come from God” part.

Other great outstanding teachers of the ages taught personally but wrote also that their message may be. permanent. Jesus as far as we know wrote only once. While talking with the accusers of the sinful woman he wrote, upon the sand we know not what. How then could Jesus, not writing his message that it too may become permanent, become a great teacher of the generations following him9 In this respect he differs from the other great teachers of the world. Get it, Jesus revealed the plan of human redemption and then gave a plan of perpetuating the plan by teaching men to teach other faithful men that they may be able to teach others also. Think of that statement for it tells us how Jesus’ message comes to us today. “Heaven and earth shall pass away but my word shall not pass away.” Why? Because he has provided a plan of perpetuating that word to all men throughout all ages world without end. Jesus gave a command to his disciples in his day in these words: “Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations.” That command we have today and, beloved, it is just, as binding now as it was when Jesus spoke it himself and as it would be if he were here in person and spoke it to us. The Jews expected a king and not a teacher. They would not accept his kingship; therefore they rejected that which he taught. They had made a mold for the promised Jesus to fit into as their regal leader, but he did not fit into it; consequently they rejected him. Their conception of Jesus, a misconception as it was of a material king sitting upon a material throne ruling over material subjects in a material kingdom was that which motivated them to crucify him and to nail his body to Calvary’s cross. Beloved, that same conception, a misconception still of the nature of Jesus in his kingdom, many people have today and thus like the Jews of yesterday are led to crucify Jesus anew by nailing his body spiritual, the church, to a cross of division, strife, partyism, and shame. May we ne’er forget that the teacher come from God said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” Misconceptions of Jesus have in the past led folk to commit many sins against him and his kingdom. Let me suggest to you that it is rapidly becoming very popular to recognize in Jesus of Nazareth a teacher but not a teacher divine. That, dearly beloved, is just another misconception of the Son of God. I cannot rate Jesus as simply a teacher among many rejecting at the same time him as a teacher of divinity and have a true conception of the
Christ. As the Jew’s misconception of Jesus’ kingship resulted in their rejection of hnn, likewise will our misconception of him as teacher result in our rejection of him. It is inevitable. We cannot escape it. The rejecting world, modernistic in its view of him, loves to place Jesus upon the platform as just a teacher and then listen as he delivers his message. A tech nical analysis of his teachings follows. No, the Christian does not refuse to have his teacher examined. He can and is standing the test and examination. Let them analyze him if they will. It will but lead them to appreciate and admire him the more. His pedagogical methods are the best. They will find that out. To be sure, they like to take the sermon on the mount and place it as one of the greatest pieces of literature on record and as no doubt the most sublime sermon ever delivered. None greater than this can be found anywhere. But, after their careful scrutiny of this sermon and their analysis of his teacning their conclusion is so oft that he is just a teacher ahd not one from God. That is the modernistic conception of Jesus being presented even from our pulpits of today. God deliver and free the church from such a misconception. But because the world at large will not accept him as a God-sent teacher does not mean everything nor does It deny his claimed power and right to teach. During his ministry Jesus was never referred to as a preacher yet he did preach for Matthew 11:1 says, “And it came to pass after Jesus had made an end of commanding his disciples, that he departed hence to teach and to PREACH in their cities.” Yes, Jesus did preach. Personally, though, I love to think of Jesus as not a preacher standing before an audience in a formal service and in a formal way speaking forth, but rather as a teacher sitting upon the mountain or in the boat talking very informally to those about him. It has been suggested that Jesus was called teacher forty-five times and twelve of those by his enemies, during his life. Not once did even the unbelievers claim that he was not a teacher. They knew that he was. Man twice conferred the title, Rabboni, upon him. This was given to only a very few of the great master teachers among the Jews.. From a human standpoint no greater honor could have been conferred upon the Christ. Yet that proves nothing. Because man styled him Rabboni does not mean that they accepted him. At the same time the Jew said, that he hath a devil or is of the devil. Jesus as a teacher who claimed to be from God must stand or fall not because of what the Jew thought of him but because, of what he was and what he is.

Jesus’ methods of teachings are discussed by the modernist. Who has ever used a simpler method than Jesus? Was he not simple in his teaching? To be sure. ‘Ye are the salt of the. earth.” “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle arid put it under a bushel but on a candlestick and it giveth light to all that are in the house.” This is simple teaching. The child can understand it When talking to the Pharisees Jesus taught them what they needed to know. When the Sadducees came he gave them that which they needed. Jesus was direct, then, in his teaching. “I spake openly to the. w’oild. 1 ever taught in the temple and the synagogue whither the Jews always resort and in secret have I said nothing.” What do we get from thus? Jesus was bold and aggressive in his teaching. These are but a few of Jesus’ character-
istics as a teacher. But, friend, if we, as the modernist, exalt the, simplicity, tne directness, the boldness and aggressiveness of the greatest of all teachers yet forget to “know thou art a teacher come from God” our efforts are m vain. Too, Jesus employed the best methods of contact. Can you not recall the story concerning Nathanael? Philip ha\ing found the Lord seeks out Nathanael and tells him about the Christ. “Can anything good come out of Nazareth” Nathanael asks. Philip readily replies, “Come and see.” When Jesus sees him coming he exclaims, “Behold an Israelite, indeed, in whom i$ no guile.” Soon the. doubting Nathanael says, “Rabbi, thou art the Son of God. Thou art the king of Israel.” This shows Jesus’ method of contact. He as teacher did know how to approach his pupils. Yet, agam, it is not his method of contact and approach, that the modernist exalts, which is im portant but rather the fact that he came from God. The officers were sent out by the chief priests and Pharisees to arrest that one claiming to be their king. Returning to the officials, they were asked, “Why have ye not brought him?” Their answer quickly given was “Never man spake like this man.” The question I should like to ask of the modernist who is claiming to believe in Christ yet at the same time rejects him as a divine teacher is why was it that man never spake like this man. The answer must come back—because he was a teacher come from God. When there existed a division among the Jews concerning Christ some asked, “How can a man being a sinner do such miracles.” The question today is how can he do such miracles. The only answer that can be given is that he came from God. On the mount of transfiguration the, voice from heaven said to Peter, James, and John, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye him.” Why hear Jesus then and why hear him today? Because “we know thou art a teacher come from God,” Jesus taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.- The people at the end of his sermon on the mount were astonished. Why did he speak that way? Why were they astonished? He was not a mere teacher but one from God. That explains why. Then, too, let me call your attention to this fact concerning Jesus’ teaching. “He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me” saith Christ. Also he said, “Whoso shall receive one such little child in MY NAME receiveth me.” Over and over again did Jesus use these expressions in his teaching: “Ye have heard it said—but I say unto you. Verily, verily, I say unto you.” An average teacher could not use such expressions and still be accepted. Even the very best of teachers would not be permitted to use such. These statements exceed all modesty and propriety if Jesus were just a teacher. We must grant first that he came from God as a teacher or else we have to apologize for his using these expressions. These words cannot be placed even in the mouth of any Old or New Testament teacher save Jesus of Nazareth as one come from God. He must be ranked not as a mere teacher nor merely as the greatest of all teachers and not even as a prophet of God but as teacher who has come from God. You cannot accept Christ and reject his claim of divinity as a teacher. To you he must be not a man-made teacher but one who is God-made and God-sent. Did you ever think on these things? Jesus taught even in his miracles. These supernatural acts of his not only confirmed that which he taught as the word of God but also contained lessons many a time within themselves. Who could not get a wonderful lesson from this New Testament story. The disciples were yonder on the sea in the boat. All at once they see Jesus walking to them upon the waters. Peter then requests the Lord to let him walk the waters also. Peter starts but looking round about begins to sink and cries out, “Lord, save me.” To be sure, the Lord reaches out his hand and raises him from the danger. The lesson contained in that miracle and in the circumstances surrounding it is so plain that it need not be stated. But again. As he is about to feed the mul-titude with only a few loaves and fishes, he sets them down in companies of fifty. Order and system. That’s the lesson. Jesus taught it here. “God is not the author of confusion.” Jesus required man to furnish all that he had—loaves and fishes. When man had done this, Jesus miraculously multiplied the food and fed the multitude of thousands. God still requires man to furnish all that he has and then he will do the rest. I take myself sin wrecked, sin cursed, and sin condemned to the Saviour—just as I am—and he then in a sense miraculously changes me into a child of God. What a lesson and we found it within one of the miracles of our Lord.

Jehovah sent Christ as his only begotten Son to man and he spoke while here all that God would have us know. “It is finished,” said he upon the cross just before he died. This must undoubtedly refer to his work as one sent by God to man to reveal to man what God wanted him to know. Jesus taught concerning primarily three subjects:

1. The Godhead—Jehovah, the Holy Spirit on high, and himself,
2. The kingdom of God, and
3. Man’s relation to that kingdom.

God sent him to teach just that. In Matthew 13:34-35 this language is recorded. “All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables. And without a parable spake he not unto them. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet saying, I will open my mouth in parables." Jesus’ way of teaching fulfilled prophecy. Isaiah 35:5-6, “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing; for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert." Jesus’ miracles confirming that which he taught fulfilled prophecy. Hence, listen to this climaxing statement. Jesus had to teach:

1. that which he taught,
2. in the way he taught it, and
3. to confirm that which he taught with signs, wonders, and mighty deeds
to be the Christ, a teacher come from God.

Each was a literal fulfillment of prophetic language concerning him. These three facts which cannot be successfully refuted or denied prove conclusively that Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, was a teacher come from God.

We may eulogize the contacts, the methods of ap-proach, and the systems of teaching employed by the greatest of all teachers; yet if we lose sight of the message itself and the plea of the teacher that he came from God to seek and save that which was lost, all is vanity and Jesus’ work is. in vain.