DAY – 8
RABBI – THE TEACHER
He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” John 3:2
The term "Rabbi" means "Teacher" in Hebrew. A teacher is someone who instructs students on the knowledge of a subject. A good teacher instills values, integrity, faithfulness, morals, and social behaviors in his or her students. They are responsible for bringing out the best in a student's inner and outer selves. They bring a good human being to a wealth of behavior and attitude to the family and society. They also direct the student in the right direction and assist them in achieving their objectives. Their value teaching is the foundation for any child to grow into a better being. It shapes and molds a child to be honest, truthful, and well-behaved.
Lord Jesus Christ was referred to as "Rabbi" by his disciples in the Bible. For his doctrines, he was revered and respected. Lord Jesus taught about the gospel of God's kingdom in synagogues and public places. He taught about the misconceptions about Jewish laws and practices at the time. Furthermore, he taught people to be responsible citizens who can give selflessly to society. The majority of his teachings were delivered in the form of parables. For a better understanding, he linked his points of view to everyday practices. When his disciples were unable to understand the parables, he interpreted them for them. He set an example for the world by living the way he preached.
Today, we will discuss some of Lord Jesus' lessons to his disciples and the rest of the world that are beneficial.
1. JESUS TAUGHT TO PRAY.
Lord Jesus' disciples observed that he spent hours praying to the Father. They were intrigued by what Jesus prayed and how he was able to pray for so long. They also noticed that he prayed to God before every crusade he attended. On the other hand, John the baptized instructed his disciples on how to pray. So, after Jesus returned to them praying one day, they asked him to teach them how to pray. To this request, Lord Jesus taught them how to pray to the father.
He said to them,
“When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.”
Traditionally, the Jews ended up going to the temple with their petitions and instructed the priests to present them to God in the form of sacrifice. They went to the Prophets for information, guidance, and healing, among other things. The Priest sacrificed on their behalf, whereas the Prophets prayed to God for an answer. But Jesus focused on teaching the disciples to pray to the Father directly. He encouraged them to not only share their needs but to engage in a full-fledged conversation with the Father, just as they would with a friend.
We, too, struggle from time to time to offer a perfect prayer. Many of us are constantly terrified to pray in front of others for fear of being wrong. But exactly, what is prayer? Prayer is a deep channel of communication with God. We can say anything we want to him. We wouldn't have to be scared to ask or share anything with God. God is always attentive and kind in trying to understand us. He claims that if you ask him, you will receive. There are no rules or regulations that place restrictions on prayer. We can praise God, thank him, ask him a question, share our thoughts with him, admit our mistakes, and so on. A prayer of a minute or a prayer of hours will both be heard by God.
2. JESUS TAUGHT TO SERVE GOD
Jesus taught his disciples to love and serve God. He tells them that they must love God with all of their minds, all of their strength, and all of their hearts. He saw rich people who were selfish in their desire to amass more wealth for themselves. The poor were burdened with high taxes. People became obsessed with money, focusing on meeting their needs on Earth.
One day, a wealthy young man approached the Lord and inquired, "What must be done to inherit heaven?" Jesus was taken aback by the question and told him that the only way to inherit God's kingdom was to obey his commands. The young man then proceeded to tell him that he had always followed the law since he was a child. As a result of his obedience, Jesus was deeply moved and told to share his riches with the poor. The young man was taken aback and refused to do as Jesus instructed, returning home.
The dissatisfied Lord began teaching them that "no man can serve two Masters." He further said that it is extremely difficult for rich men to enter heaven and inherit God's kingdom.
What can we draw from this? God does not want us to be poor. He doesn't want us to be disadvantaged either. All he wants is for us to have everything we need to live on this planet. God lavished abundant riches on many of his people. The fact that Jesus pointed was about the young man's heart. He couldn't leave his property no matter what, not even if it meant losing himself. Many of us probably work hard to maintain a comfortable standard of living. We work so hard that money takes first place in the place of God. Because we are so focused on earning more money, we eventually forget about him.
3. JESUS TAUGHT US TO BE HUMBLE.
Many of Jesus' followers were drawn to him because of his humble nature. Jesus courageously declared that He is the Messiah, the Son of God. He claimed that he was born into the world as a result of his Father's decision to send him. He discussed the eternal Kingdom, his reign, and the mansions allotted to his Children in Heaven. He performed several miracles to demonstrate that he truly came from God. Furthermore, the evil spirits affirmed that He is the living God's Son.
People respected, obeyed, honored, and loved him wherever he went. He was the focus of attention in every city and village he visited. Many people greeted him by bowing in his presence. Despite this, Jesus remained humble. Although many people believed he was the Son of God, Jesus lived among the common people. He entered the home of people who the rest of the world considered to be sinners. He healed by touching the unclean, whom everyone is afraid to approach with his hands. He respected the elders and cared for widows and the elderly. He never harmed anyone who came to him solely to confess their sins.
When two of his disciples argued over a seat next to his throne in God's kingdom, Jesus chastised them for their arrogance and jealousy.
Before taking up the cross, Jesus demonstrated the importance of humility by washing the feet of his disciple.
God asks through the Prophet Micah, "What is it that I expect, O mortal?" It is to be humble and obedient.
If we are proud of our beauty, talent, property, status, education, money, relationship, or anything else, remember that it was all given to us by God. Thank him for everything he has given you to honor God. And he enjoys hearing your prayers.
4. JESUS TAUGHT TO HAVE FAITH IN GOD.
The Lord Jesus taught his disciples to have unwavering faith in God. He was well aware that faith alone opens the door to incredible miracles. The disciples' faith in him was shaken from time to time as a result of the situations that arose.
One day, while Jesus was sleeping on the back of the boat, there was a severe storm that slammed into the boat. After several attempts by the disciples to escape, the boat was about to break even. The disciples were terrified by the storm's power and begged Lord Jesus to save them. Immediately, Jesus awoke and ordered the storm to calm, and it did so in an instant, much to everyone's surprise. They were taken aback by nature's submission to his word of authority. However, Jesus condemned them for their lack of faith.
For our prayers to be answered, we must have the faith of a mustard seed. You may have been praying for something for several weeks, months, or even years and it has gone unanswered. Today, try praying to God with all your faith, declaring the words of faith, and watching how quickly it is given to you. The key to miracles is faith.
5. JESUS TAUGHT TO FORGIVE
The highest human virtue is forgiveness. God saw people holding grudges against their brothers for their mistakes. Families were splintered as a result of the fights within. They judged the people to be sinners against God for every mistake they made. The elders of the time forbade people from entering synagogues because they were deemed, sinners. In public places, they were treated differently than the rest of the people. This saddened God's heart.
So, when asked how many times he should forgive others, Jesus replied, "70 times seven." We should forgive others because we have been forgiven for our own mistakes. Jesus also stated that He has the authority to forgive the sins of mankind.
When Judas kissed Jesus to identify him to the elders for arrest, Jesus forgave Judas and never condemned him.
When God forgives, no one comes to confront them. We frequently judge people based on their flaws and treat them differently as a result. We continue to condemn them and refuse to forget or forgive. But remember that we were also forgiven when we made mistakes.
We can forgive others because of the love of God that has been poured into us. and therein lies the secret.
6. JESUS TAUGHT US TO NOT FOLLOW VIOLENCE.
Violence is not a viable solution to a problem. It only serves to amplify it. God's law was given in the Old Testament as an eye for an eye, hand for hand, leg for leg, and life for life.
The Israelites waited for the prophesied Messiah to come and redeem them from their enemies by fighting alongside them. This was also a clear refusal to accept Jesus as God's son because he came as a prince of peace.
During the arrest of Lord Jesus, Peter became enraged and cut the soldier's ears with a sharp knife. Jesus, who was stunned, immediately condemned Peter for his violence and restored the soldier's ear.
Though we witness hatred and war among the countries, we have to pray for them to have peace.
7. JESUS TAUGHT TO DO THE FATHER’S WILL.
Lord Jesus remained vigilant in carrying out God's will wherever he went. Whether he was having a meal at a house, performing a miracle, or preaching a sermon, his primary focus was to do God's will.
He kept telling his disciples about the cross's sufferings to fulfill his Father's will. And once, while speaking with the disciples, Peter interjected and tried to stop him. Out of love, Peter coerced Jesus into refusing the crucifixion. This enraged Jesus, who yelled, "Go away, Satan, for I must obey the Father's will."
This incident demonstrated the importance of yielding to God's will, even at the risk of one's life, as demonstrated by Jesus' life.
We may have plans and desires for our lives, but it is always advisable to check whether they are aligned with God's plan for us before moving forward.
8. JESUS TAUGHT TO LOVE OTHERS.
Because Jesus was an incarnation of Father's love, his teachings are predominantly about "love." In several places, Jesus reminded us of the first commandment: "Love your neighbor as thyself." Everyone was equally loved by Jesus. There were times when the disciples disagreed about who Jesus preferred whereas, in Jesus, everyone was treated equally.
On one occasion, Jesus traveled from Jerusalem to Samaria to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. The Samaritans, who had long been Jews' enemies, were not pleased with Jesus' arrival. This infuriated the disciple's John and James to the point where they wished for fire to destroy Samaria. They felt that by being unwelcoming, they were insulting Jesus, their Rabbi. But Jesus confronted them and chastised them.
We can learn that Jesus loved not only those who loved him but also those who despised him and wanted him to die. This is an example of God's unfailing love. We should strive to be like Jesus. We can only love like Jesus if we have the Holy Spirit within us.
9. JESUS TAUGHT TO BE A GOOD CITIZEN OF THE WORLD/HEAVEN
Jesus always wished for his disciples to illustrate virtue in front of others so that when they see it in them, they will rejoice and praise God. He desired for them to live an open book life. He also expected them to follow the rules of the government.
For example, a mob came and tested Jesus with a coin. They inquired as to whether it is beneficial to pay taxes to the government. And when Jesus discovered their guilt in their hearts, he asked them a question. He inquired about the image on the coin, to which they replied that it is the image of a Roman emperor, as Romans ruled Israel at the time. He replied, "Give to the emperor what is his, and to God what is God's."
He then sent his disciple Peter to catch the first fish and open its mouth, where he discovered a coin. Jesus gave the order to pay for both of them. It’s our responsibility to pay the taxes to the government. However, we can see many people who defraud the government by failing to pay their taxes. To be a good citizen, Jesus taught them to obey the lawmakers.
He also prepared them to be good citizens in his kingdom by leading a holy life.
10. TAUGHT TO DISCIPLE OTHERS.
The final instruction they received before entering heaven after the resurrection was to "go into the world and make disciples." Through his disciples, the Lord Jesus desired to carry out his Father's mission. He wished for them to boldly preach God's word to others. He wanted them to go to the lost Israelites and teach them everything he had taught them.
This mission has been passed down to everyone who accepts Jesus Christ. We are also taught to go and proclaim God's word.
All who have received salvation proclaim to the world that JESUS LIVES FOREVER.
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