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The Value of Teaching In the Plan of God

Wayne Galloway
04/21/19 - Sunday Morning Worship

The Value of Teaching In the Plan of God

Mk. 6:34

 

Introduction:

 

1.  All over the world today people are being reminded of the resurrection of Jesus.

     a.  It is one of the most incredible and fantastic events known to the history of man.

     b.  It, along with His death on the cross and His payment for the penalty of our sin, provide

          for our victory over death.

2.  But it is not about that resurrection that I want to talk this morning.  I want to talk with you about the value placed on teaching the plan of God by the one whom God raised from the dead.

3.  In the passage we have just read, Jesus saw people confused, like sheep without a shepherd, and so He began to teach them!

4.  Of all the things that could be said about Jesus--Jesus was a teacher. 

     a.  Luke began the book of Acts, referring to the gospel account that he had written

          before, as “all that Jesus began to do and teach” (1:1).

     b.  That statement implies that the Gospel of Luke describes Jesus’ teaching.

     c.  But it also implies that Jesus was continuing to teach, through the apostles, even after

          He ascended into heaven (1:2).

     d.  Immediately before His ascension, He had told them to go into all the world and make

          disciples, “teaching them to observe all that I commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20).

 

Discussion:

 

I.  Jesus’ teaching took people from confusion to coherence.

 

    A.  Sheep without a shepherd may be described as undirected, wandering, lost,

          unprotected, vulnerable, without proper care and feed.  This is what Jesus saw in Mk.

          6:34.  He felt compassion for them and began to teach them.

    B.  God has always been concerned about people and has sought to take them from

          confusion to coherence.   The move from confusion to coherence rests on the

          omniscience of God and is founded upon His eternal nature.  He is not limited by time

          therefore knows what will take place and can prepare us (1 Thess. 5:1-10).

          1.  He gave instruction to Adam and Eve in an attempt to maintain coherence in their

               lives.  The serpent introduced confusion.

          2.  He called on the nation of Israel to listen to Him and not be like the nations who

               listened to all sorts of confusing messages (Deut. 18:9-22).

          3.  He impressed upon Israel the value of impressing His teaching upon their sons and

               grandsons (Deut. 6:1-9).  His design was to perpetuate His teaching inter-

               generationally for their good always (6:24).

     C.  He has warned us.

           1.  “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your

                 mind” (Rom. 12:2). 

           2.  There is a danger in false or misdirected teaching (2 Pet. 2:1-3).

                3.  He has given gifts so that we not be “tossed here and there by waves and

                     carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in

                     deceitful scheming” (Eph. 4:14).

                4.  He has called attention to what the confusion of ignorance looks like and said,

                     “But you did not learn Christ in this way” (Eph. 4:17-20).

                5. 2 Jn. 8-9 says, “Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have

                    accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.  Anyone who goes too far

                    and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who

                    abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.”

           D.  The Good Shepherd takes us from the lost state of confusion to coherence,

                 organizing our lives for our benefit, and He does it by His teaching.

 

II.  The objective of His teaching is that we might see our place in the plan of God.

 

     A.  As we observed in the previous lesson, there are those that do not believe that there is

          a plan of God.  They believe that everything occurs by chance and that man must

          shepherd himself. 

     B.  This is not what Scripture teaches and it is not what Jesus taught.

           1.  Jeremiah said, “I know, O Lord, that a man’s way is not in himself, nor is it in a man

                who walks to direct his steps.”  Then he added, “Correct me, O Lord” (10:23-24).

           2.  The biblical message is that God not gives man direction.

           3.  The very coming of Jesus is indicative of God’s action to help man see his place in

                the plan of God.

     C.  Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth.  You are the light of the world” (Matt 5:13-

          16).  And then called on us to “be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt.

          5:48).  What is He teaching us?  That we are to influence the world with God’s plan for

          the world.  But if we are unclear on our place in the plan of God then our “whole body is

          full of darkness” (Matt. 6:23).

     D.  Paul referred to King David as having “served the purpose of God in his own

          generation” (Acts 13:36).

     E.  On one occasion Jesus went up to the temple in Jerusalem during one of the feasts

          and said, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me.  If anyone is willing to do His

          will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself”

           (Jn. 7:16-17).   

     F.  Seeing our place in the plan of God gives us insight, direction and purpose.   That’s

          why Jesus taught us and that’s why His teaching is so valuable.  

    

III.  Seeing our place in the plan of God is not a static situation.  Once we see our place we must move on to action.

 

      A.  There is an individual responsibility to communicate the teaching to others (2 Tim.

            3:13-4:8).

      B.  There is a corporate responsibility to work together with other Christians in teaching

            one another (Eph. 4:8-23).  We must grow up.

      C.  Sometimes the teaching is referred to as the apostle’s doctrine (Acts 2:42) and the

              church is to continue in it.  Sometimes they are referred to as the foundation (Eph.

              2:20) because Christ continued to do and teach through them (cf. Acts 1:1ff; Heb.

              2:3-4).

        D.  Familiarity with the will of God leads to a life of service, strength and praise (Col. 1:9-

             12).  It leads to our approving things that are excellent, and being filled with the fruit

              of righteousness, resulting in the glory and praise of God (Phil. 1:9-11).

        E.  Peter summarizes it (2 Pet. 1:2-9).

             1.  It is our knowledge of Him that has transformed us.

             2.  We have become partakers of the divine nature.  We have seen our place in the

                  plan of God.

             3.  We have escaped the corruption that is in the world—we have escaped from the

                  confusion associated with ignorance.

             4.  We have gone from confusion to coherence as exhibited in verses 5-9.

 

Conclusion:

 

1.  We must give great attention to His teaching.

2.  We need to fill our hearts with it.

3.  We need to see our place in the plan of God.

4.  We need to continue in this teaching, reaching for greater growth, serving the purpose of God.

5.  Without it we are in darkness, like sheep without a shepherd, wandering and lost!