The Great Teacher

When I say the Great teacher who you do of? Do you think of someone who teaches a class? Maybe it's a bible instructor. Maybe it's a friend. When I say the Great teacher I speak of none other than Jesus himself.

What made him a great teacher? Have you learned from this Great Teacher? We have all had opportunity to do so. Those who have seized that opportunity have learned what God’s will and ways are, what his standards are, how they are to conduct themselves toward him and toward others, how to live lives that are clean and moral. Because of what they have learned from Jesus they have a clear hope for the future, a brilliant hope, indeed, of life in a righteous new order.

But Jesus has also taught that we should share this hope with others, our families, friends and people in general, anywhere and everywhere. Jesus talked about many subjects but what I found was that the words he used to teach reached the heart. He made things simple. He made it so we can understand. He used illustrations in order to help us understand the meaning of scripture. He used illustration in order for us to get the point of what he was trying to say. Let's look at one of this illustrations

First, in the parable of the wheat and the weeds, Jesus told about a man who sowed fine wheat in his field but “an enemy” invaded the field and oversowed it with weeds. Why did Jesus select that particular hostile act? Well, keep in mind that he related the illustration near the Sea of Galilee, and the main occupation of the Galileans was evidently agriculture. What could be more damaging to a farmer than to have an enemy come secretly into his field and oversow it with harmful weeds? Secular laws of that time show that such attacks did happen. Is it not obvious that Jesus used a situation that his listeners could relate to?

Second, recall the parable of the neighborly Samaritan. Jesus began by saying: “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among robbers, who both stripped him and inflicted blows, and went off, leaving him half-dead.” Significantly, Jesus used the road that went “from Jerusalem to Jericho” to make his point. When relating this parable, he was in Judea, not far from Jerusalem; so his listeners likely knew about the road in question. That particular road was notoriously dangerous, especially for someone traveling alone. It wound through lonely terrain, providing many lurking places for robbers.

A number of Jesus’ illustrations and parables reveal his acquaintance with plants, animals, and the elements. While growing up in Galilee, he no doubt had ample opportunity to observe Jehovah’s creations. More than that, Jesus is “the firstborn of all creation,” and Jehovah used him as the “master worker” in creating all things. Is it any wonder that Jesus was intimately acquainted with creation?

Among the most tender of Jesus’ illustrations is the one recorded in John chapter 10, where he likens his close relationship with his followers to that of a shepherd with his sheep. Jesus’ words reveal that he was very familiar with the traits of domestic sheep. He indicated that sheep allow themselves to be led and that they faithfully follow their shepherd.

Why do sheep follow their shepherd? “Because they know his voice,” said Jesus. Do sheep really know the voice of their shepherd? Of course they do. Jesus could hardly have found a better way to illustrate his point. If we recognize and obey his teachings and if we follow his lead, then we can come under the tender and loving care of “the fine shepherd.”

Over the years I've heard many illustrations from Brothers to help us understand scripture. Some I came up with while others I have used. One Illustration that got to me that I never heard before was given by a brother who was talking about Jehovah, Satan, Adam, and Eve.

The brother pulled out a $20.00 bill and showed crowd and said does this have value? Of course it does. $20.00 can purchase a day's meal for the home. It does have value. He then took the $20.00 which looked brand new and crumpled it up and threw it on the floor and then asked the crowd does it still have value? We were all quiet wanting to figure out where he was going with his illustration. He then said that the $20.00 represents us, God created the $20.00, and when he did it was brand new, perfect, Satan comes along and crumpled it up and thew it away meaning our life, our goals, our purpose.

So there the $20.00 was on the floor. The brother looks and grabs the $20.00 because it has what still? It still has value. The brother grabs the $20.00 and straightens the $20.00 out. It has scars so the speak from being crumpled but it's straight again and he said that God still saw value in what he created and even though we were created perfect he still saw value but now we are imperfect like that $20.00 even though it's straight it's not perfect again but God didn't just throw us away. He picked us up. Like a person who would find $20.00 on the street. You wouldn't just leave it there would you? Of course not.

That illustration had me in awe because it was the first time I heard it. We can thank Jesus for the way he taught. We can thank Jehovah for teaching Jesus. Jesus’ illustrations took many forms, including examples, comparisons, similes, and metaphors. He is well-known for his use of the parable, which has been defined as a short, usually fictitious, narrative from which a moral or spiritual truth is drawn.

So like the great Teacher, I use Illustrations to drive the point home. I use Illustrations in order to reach the heart. I use Illustrations and example in order for common sense to take play. Jesus said many things and I've mentioned this before but to end this topic think about what Jesus said here...

Jesus was talking to his disciples about the time when this whole wicked worldly system of things, the present Sodom and Gomorrah in which we are now living, would be destroyed. The ancient destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was one of the historical illustrations Jesus used to help his faithful followers get the right understanding of what was going to happen during his second presence and to “give us more faith.”

But Jesus gave them additional true history from God’s Word as set forth in the book of Genesis to establish their faith. He said: “Just as it occurred in the days of Noah, so will it be also in the days of the Son of man.”

By these illustrations what was Jesus trying to impress upon their minds and ours? Deliverance! But in order to gain salvation they had to come out from and be no part of this old world. In our present day there is a class of people, a great crowd, think of Lot and his two daughters. Picture them fleeing their old world. No different than this old world that is doomed to sudden destruction.

I close with this scripture. Revelation Chapter 21 verse 4 which reads:
And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”