December 22, 2011

Jesus, the Teacher of Teachers

Mark 1:16-22

The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.
Mark 1:22

— 

Jesus told his disciples: “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am” (John 13:13). Jesus was called teacher by his followers and also by his enemies. History is full of teachers who have filled libraries with their scholarship, but none of them transformed history as Jesus did.

He taught not only by his words but also by his actions. His teachings themselves were manifestations of power. Both in the way he taught and by the words he taught, he transcended any teacher before him (John 7:46). Listening to him, the crowds glimpsed that he was not just human, but divine!

Jesus’ words brought light to the mind and delight to the heart. He addressed the questions of the soul, salvation, and eternity.

Jesus was not only the greatest of all teachers but also the greatest of all examples. Before condemning him to death, Pilate confessed that he found no crime in him (John 19:6). Jesus’ life serves as a reference to his teachings.

Today, in a world exploding with media options, there are more voices than ever offering to teach us about life. Are you listening to the one Teacher who makes a difference for eternity?

Lord, I want to reflect your holy Word in my attitudes and character, as you have done. I want more than to have knowledge about you; I want to know you and walk with you. In your name, Amen.

About the author — Hernandes Lopes

Rev. Hernandes Dias Lopes grew up in a Christian home in Brazil. Following his 1981 graduation from Seminário Presbiteriano do Sul in Campinas, Brazil, he served two congregations of the Presbyterian Church in Brazil. In 2000, he earned a doctor of ministry degree from Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi. Rev. Lopes has been the voice of the television program Verdade e Vida (“Truth and Life”) since 2006. In 2010 he was appointed Portuguese ministry leader for Back to God Ministries International. Rev. Lopes and his wife, Tinha, have two college-age children.

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