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Teaching Like Jesus
by Rebecca Edwards

Kids are going back to school.  They are getting new clothes and school supplies.  And the question they are asking their friends is “Who did you get for a teacher this year?”  Sometimes the response is a cheer and they say, “That’s great, she is my favorite teacher!” Other times the response is a groan and a heartfelt statement like “Oh, you are so unlucky. Well maybe next year will be better!”  Everyone wants to get the “good” teacher, but how do we know what a “good” teacher is?

  We can look to the Bible and use Jesus as an example of a good teacher.  Jesus is often called the “master teacher” or “perfect teacher.”  While we can never do as fine a job as Jesus did, we can use some of the methods He used to try to improve our own teaching techniques.

Be familiar with the scriptures.  To start with, one of the reasons Jesus was a successful teacher was that He knew His scriptures well.  We all need to study the Bible so we can use teaching others (friends, co-workers, children, strangers, etc.) as an opportunity to study the scriptures for ourselves too.  I have heard people say that the instructor always learns more than the students when preparing for and teaching a class.  In a way, we are “killing two birds with one stone” when we teach a Bible class.  How much better can it get than to further our own knowledge and understanding while helping someone else to learn about the word of God?

Use various methods.  Another reason Jesus was a successful teacher was that He used a variety of ways to explain a lesson.  Some methods Jesus used in teaching His apostles and the multitudes were illustrations, questions, parables, and motivation.  We can use His example in our teaching today by knowing our target audience and trying to use the best way to train them through the Word.  For example, you can read the lesson from the Bible or a storybook depending on what age level you are teaching.  You can also show illustrations of the story from a book or pictures as a good visual tool to reinforce the lesson.  When it is time to review the lesson, you can ask questions about the story in a variety of ways such as making applications, playing games, drawing illustrations, or even acting out the story as a skit.  The fact is that the more ways you can get the students to think about the lesson, the more they will remember and retain it for later.  The key is to review, review, and review…but in a fun way!

Attitude is Key.  A third reason Jesus was a good teacher was because He had the right attitude.  He came to seek and save the lost and He truly cared about the people He was teaching without any prejudice towards them.  Jesus constantly showed this attitude in the way He helped people and was interested in their needs and concerns (Matthew 15:32).  One of the ways we can show our love and concern for others like Jesus did is by teaching a Bible class.  Sometimes our lives can be so busy and hectic that we think we don’t have the time to teach a class, but if we are showing the proper attitude we will make the time to do what we need to do.  Our children are the future generations of Christians and when we see those bright, smiling faces eager to learn about God we can be assured that our time is being well spent when we are teaching them the Bible.  Often we can go into the class feeling tired and come out feeling uplifted and energetic.  The experience is like getting a reward just for doing something that needs to be done!

Walk it like you talk it.  Last but not least Jesus was a good teacher because He lived what He taught.  Jesus taught His apostles and followers what they needed to do to be saved and then He did what He needed to do to be our perfect sacrifice.  His example shows us that we need to be willing to sacrifice things in our lives to help others reach the goal of heaven.  How can someone know what to do to be saved unless they are taught the word of God?  This is one of the most important commands given to the apostles in Matthew 28:18-20.  He tells them to go into all the world and teach them to observe all the things Jesus commanded them.  How we go about teaching is up to us.  We have so many advantages to utilize at this time that it should be easy for us.  We have films, books, computers, pictures, copiers, games, the internet, and many more things available for us to use as aids.  As the Nike commercials tell us, we need to “just do it!”  There is a saying that goes “You teach little by what you say, more by what you do, and the most by what you are.”  We are Christians and disciples of Christ, so let us be Christ-like and teach the Bible to the lost.

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