Teaching or Preaching

[tackattack]

I've had some inspired thoughts from some recent conversations I'd like to share with everyone and get your input.

I can envision Moses standing on a cliffside declaritively preaching God's Word as it was shown to him to the masses. Majestic image isn't it, like him standing over the Red sea and parting it by raising his staff. Is that how we should act and declare God's word? I'm all for being a light in the dark as in Matthew 5:14-16. Let's look at that though:

Matthew 5:14-16(NIV)


14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

let's also look at Philippians 2:14-15,

"Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blame-less and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world."

Very clearly I read that we're to be a light to the world so that they can see a Christlike reflection of God through us.

Now let's look at examples of what Christ did. I won't quote all the verses because there were so many. He ministered, healed, ate with and taught the sick, sinners and lost.

Let me ask everyone a question with 2 scenarios;
1-We stand on a mountain over everone else on our hillside city and shout down to the sinners what God sees is a sin.

2-We go to the homeless shelters and battered homes and teach one on one or in small groups, where we can truly listen to their problems and show compassion.

Q:how are we percieved in both? Can we do 1 without being pharisaical? Can we do 2 without becoming corrupted by their sin?


I'll leave it there for brevity and because I need sleep. Thoughts?

 

[patience7]

I've had some inspired thoughts from some recent conversations I'd like to share with everyone and get your input.

I can envision Moses standing on a cliffside declaritively preaching God's Word as it was shown to him to the masses. Majestic image isn't it, like him standing over the Red sea and parting it by raising his staff. Is that how we should act and declare God's word? I'm all for being a light in the dark as in Matthew 5:14-16. Let's look at that though:

Matthew 5:14-16(NIV)


14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

let's also look at Philippians 2:14-15,

"Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blame-less and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world."

Very clearly I read that we're to be a light to the world so that they can see a Christlike reflection of God through us.

Now let's look at examples of what Christ did. I won't quote all the verses because there were so many. He ministered, healed, ate with and taught the sick, sinners and lost.

Let me ask everyone a question with 2 scenarios;
1-We stand on a mountain over everone else on our hillside city and shout down to the sinners what God sees is a sin.

2-We go to the homeless shelters and battered homes and teach one on one or in small groups, where we can truly listen to their problems and show compassion.

Q:how are we percieved in both? Can we do 1 without being pharisaical? Can we do 2 without becoming corrupted by their sin?


I'll leave it there for brevity and because I need sleep. Thoughts?

This is the way I see it:
#1 = Prideful
#2 = Humble

 

[tturt]

A lot is going to depend on if you're being led by The Holy Spirit to do either. If you are, the results for #1 or #2 will be the way He wants.

 

[Arglez]

Well, with the Moses example, remember he was talking to the chosen people. Yes, some of them might not have wanted to be Israelites or follow God or whatever, but the idea of Moses speaking like that should be more analogous to a pastor preaching to his congregation than a person teaching on a hillside or on the streets.

I don't believe you can do #1 without being Pharisaical, at least not in a Western culture place. It might work still in a different culture (there is at least one example of Paul preaching to Gentiles about Jesus--on Mars Hill).

Here's the issue I'm seeing: love. In Western culture, screaming from a hillside about sin/grace/whatever isn't loving. We're so individualistic and private that people just don't consider that to be an act of love. Whatever we do to be light, it must come out of a loving heart towards the people we're ministering too. If there's no love, there's nothing (1 Cor 13) since the three major commandments Jesus gave us (love God w/ mind/heart/soul/strength, love neighbor as yourself, and love each other as he loved us) all involve love.

Finally, with regards to being corrupted, Jesus spent time with the worst sinners of his area. Paul and whoever went with him ministered to many "big" sinners as well since his letters involve a lot about prostitution, adultery, etc, indicating that the people used to do that and still struggled with it.

So I would say if you're tempted or corrupted by others' sin, you're not being light. Darkness can't make light less bright. Light drives away darkness. How do you make a room less dark? You turn down the lights. There's no way to turn up the darkness to overpower the light. I guess what I'm trying to say is I don't understand the concept of being "corrupted" by sinners because there's just so much less power in darkness (flesh/Satan/world) than in light (God).

 

[Cjwinnit]

Can we do 1 without being pharisaical?

Yes, if we admit we've done all the same sins as the rest of the world has.

Can we do 2 without becoming corrupted by their sin?

We're corrupted by our own sin.

 

[TRWord]

tackattack

Excellent question! I was recently involved in a similar discussion where the question was asked; What is the difference between teaching and preaching? I discovered then that most persons believe that you teach what’s in the physics book but you preach what’s in the Bible. By pursuing that line of logic I also discovered that most persons believe that physics is supported by solid facts while the Bible is conjecture; “a mass of different opinions and not subject to facts.” The idea being that no one is qualified to teach what’s in the Bible, they can only preach their opinion of what’s in the Bible.

So my question then was; Was there ever anyone who was qualified to teach what’s in the Bible? And I was shock to discover that many persons who defined themselves as Christians, didn’t realize that Jesus Christ was and did. I also discovered that very few persons realize that the Bible teaches a fundamental truth that is more profound than what’s in the physics book.

Now to answer your question;

I believe you teach the saving truth as revealed by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:31-32)

2 Thess. 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

Or you preach doctrine that Jesus called the commandments of men.

Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. (Mark 7:7-8)

And I also believe that it really doesn’t matter where or how you do it.

 

[tackattack]

Good points TR, but I think it's very important how, which was the crux of my point. I've never seen a high school math teacher get up and yell at his class and make them fear him/math/coming to class and still be considered an effective teacher.

Let me show you a commonly know but seldomly practiced verse on dealing with your fellow Christians:Matthew 18:15-17
15“If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

seems pretty self explanitory right? I think it's a shame how seldom I get the opportunity to try and use this, and how seldom I see it used, but I digress. What happens if you can't stop an argument from getting out of control with your fellow Christians, we treat them like unbelievers right?

How did Jesus treat the sinners and unbelievers? They even called Jesus a drunkard after spending so much time with sinners. There are countless stories of Jesus seeking out sinners. I see that there was a longing like within a family for reconciliation. There's not a shunning, condemning or harsh rebuke. There is a respect, forebearance and compassion he shows that is missing in most of us, myself included at times. He doesn't gloss over the sin, but doesn't harp on it either.

I don't think we should be sharing in communion with repetitive sinners. I wouldn't share a meal, or have a deep prayer time, with someone that couldn't reconcile their sin to the Bible. I would prayer for, discuss, fellowship, disciple and care about them though. We should always, with believers and unbelievers showing the fruits of Love that make us who we are, IMO. Thanks for listeningand all the inputs.

 

[TRWord]

tackattack

Good points TR, but I think it's very important how, which was the crux of my point. I've never seen a high school math teacher get up and yell at his class and make them fear him/math/coming to class and still be considered an effective teacher.

The habit of yelling used by many pastors has been handed down though tradition. They believe this is how it should be done but Jesus was and is our example and He didn’t rant and rave to get His point across. On the hold the church has been misled in many ways by tradition as Jesus warned. (Mark7:8)

Let me show you a commonly know but seldomly practiced verse on dealing with your fellow Christians:Matthew 18:15-17
15“If your brother sins against you,go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

Matthew 18:3-20 Jesus is teaching a great deal more than human relations here or how we should deal with our fellow Christian.
He’s teaching; that it’s the Father’s will that none should perish and therefore it’s our responsibility to make sure that no one should perish due to our actions. (Matt. 18:7) So even if a brother should sin against us we have to be careful how we handle the situation. We also have to understand (verse 18) which He first gave us as the key to the kingdom. (Matt.16:19)

Matt. 18:18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

How did Jesus treat the sinners and unbelievers? They even called Jesus a drunkard after spending so much time with sinners. There are countless stories of Jesus seeking out sinners. I see that there was a longing like within a family for reconciliation. There's not a shunning, condemning or harsh rebuke. There is a respect, forebearance and compassion he shows that is missing in most of us, myself included at times. He doesn't gloss over the sin, but doesn't harp on it either.

Most of have misunderstood sin and sinners. We are all sinners. Some of us are sinners hopefully on our way back to the Father, while others are just unabashed sinners.
Sin is not transgression against the law. Sin is unrighteousness or not being in right standing with God. Adam did not commit adultery nor did he kill or steal to lose his right standing with God. Adam was deceived. Adam believed a lie which cause him and all of us, to lose our right standing with God.
Jesus said: “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.” He came to reveal the truth. And it’s the knowledge of the truth that puts us back in right standing with God.

I don't think we should be sharing in communion with repetitive sinners. I wouldn't share a meal, or have a deep prayer time, with someone that couldn't reconcile their sin to the Bible. I would prayer for, discuss, fellowship, disciple and care about them though. We should always, with believers and unbelievers showing the fruits of Love that make us who we are, IMO. Thanks for listeningand all the inputs.

As Paul said the law has made us sin conscious. (Roman7:7) So we must at all cost avoid becoming self-righteous or we will fall into the same trap as the Pharisees. As Jesus said; “for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Because the Pharisees saw themselves as righteous they could not benefit from the Lord’s message.