Responsible Teaching Examples

Responsible Teaching Examples

Responsible teaching examples are those that follow the heavenly will of God.

A Sermon Delivered to
The Compassion Internet Church

Responsible Teaching Examples
Responsible Teaching Examples

13 September 2015

Frank L. Hoffman, Pastor

Scripture References:

Matthew 5:48
Matthew 23:15
Mark 8:22-30
James 3:1-12

Responsible teaching examples are those that follow the heavenly will of God.

To have responsible teaching, we must teach in a loving, compassionate and peacemaking way that reflects the teachings of Jesus and the heavenly will of God, for without these things, the teacher and the teaching are worldly.

Unfortunately, this is a major problem in the churches and with most of the teaching being performed around the world, for relatively little is really responsible teaching, and because of this, we are hardening the hearts of the students, and corrupt more of God’s creation, which we are instructed to free from corruption.

This is another way of expressing the fact that the ways of the world are in opposition to the heavenly will of God.

Let’s take a look at Mark 8:22-30, and see if we can spot the differences between responsible teaching and irresponsible teaching.

22. And they came to Bethsaida. And they brought a blind man to Him [Jesus], and entreated Him to touch him.

Note that they didn’t say that they wanted Jesus to heal him; all they asked was for Jesus to touch him, for they had the faith that just a touch from Jesus would heal him.

This shows that Jesus set the example of responsible teaching just as each and every one of us should be doing; we and our lifestyle should reflect the heavenly will of God.

23. And taking the blind man by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting on his eyes, and laying His hands upon him, He asked him, “Do you see anything?”

24. And he looked up and said, “I see men, for I am seeing them like trees, walking about.”

25. Then again He laid His hands upon his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly.

We are not sure of the reason that Jesus had to perform this healing process twice before it became a complete healing, but it is obvious that Jesus was intent upon having this man completely healed, so He persisted until the healing was complete.

Jesus did more than just touch him.

This also is a responsible teaching example, for it tells or teaches us that we are never to give up in our efforts to heal any aspect of creation from its present corruption, for it will take many attempts with small gains until the healing is complete, much in the same way that the blind man was only partially healed before he was fully healed.

26. And He sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”

Jesus knew the hardness of heart and lack of faith of many of the people in the village, and didn’t want this man exposed to this, and also He may not have wanted this healing to be so obvious just after He healed this man.

This is also an example for us that we are not to seek the notoriety or glory for the good things that we do, for the glory will be God’s, as it should be, and over time we will be recognized as His disciples.

The opposite is also true, for people who live in the ways of the world, and contribute to the corruption of creation, will be recognized as the followers of the devil.

27. And Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, “Who do people say that I am?”

And really think about how we are living and who people say that we are.

28. And they told Him, saying, “John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; but others, one of the prophets.”

This shows that the people recognized Jesus as a prophet and man of God, but they didn’t see or understand who He really was, which reflects their lack of Godly faith.

29. And He continued by questioning them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said to Him, “Thou art the Christ.”

30. And He warned them to tell no one about Him.
NASB

Jesus warned them because this insight comes from true belief and faith, and He wanted the people’s response to Him to be from their own heart instead of faking their faith because they were told who He really was.

As we can clearly see, this is the case even to this very day.

People say they believe because they have been told, but still live in the same worldly ways of this corrupt creation; in other words, they are faking their faith.

They still dine on the tortured remains of billions of animals every year, and/or promote or acquiesce to the warring madness that is plaguing this world, or they seek revenge that only causes more violence, suffering, and death.

Let’s now take a look at James 3:1-12, which gives us an insight into why we have so many problems in the church and world today.

1. Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment.

James warns us about this because, as can be plainly seen today, there are many teachers in the church who live in and teach about the acceptability of the corrupt ways of this world.

These false teachers fail to present and live as an example of the heavenly will of God.

This is also expressed in Jesus’ statements against the religious teachers of His day, as we are told in Matthew 23:15…

15. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel about on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
NASB

In other words, these religious teachers were teaching their converts the corrupt ways of this world instead of responsible teaching examples that are in the heavenly will of God; they were irresponsible teachers.

With this in mind, let’s return to the James passage before us.

2. For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.

This is also an example of what Jesus meant when He commanded us in Matthew 5:48…

48. “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
NASB

Then James gives us a couple examples of how this responsible teaching works so that we can better apply responsible teaching, and truly live as peacemaking children of God who live in His heavenly will.

3. Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they may obey us, we direct their entire body as well.

4. Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder, wherever the inclination of the pilot desires.

Then James comes back to us, and the way we live.

5. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. Behold, how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!

6. And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.

This happens because everything that is not in the heavenly will of God is from the devil and those who follow him in corrupting this world, and we are to separate ourselves from them.

This was also the problem with the scribes and Pharisees that Jesus spoke against, for they were irresponsible teachers.

The Lord wants us to express responsible teaching examples that guide people into the heavenly will of God and help free creation from its present corruption.

7. For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed by the human race.

8. But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.

9. With it we bless our Lord and Father; and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God;

10. from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.

Our whole life should be full of responsible teaching examples that others would desire to follow into the kingdom of heaven.

11. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?

The answer is obviously, No, for the water that flows from it is the same unless some human being changes it.

12. Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Neither can salt water produce fresh.
NASB

Like the scribes and Pharisees, we can choose to do responsible teaching that leads people to the Lord, or we can choose to be the worldly irresponsible teachers who lead people to hell.

We are not to be like the scribes and Pharisees.

We are to be the loving, compassionate, and peacemaking children of God, whose lives are constantly flowing forth with responsible teaching examples that help lead others into helping us to free creation from its present corruption.

Amen.

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