Among all the responsibilities in this world, being the one teaching or mentoring someone carries long-lasting consequences. Religious leader David O. McKay famously said, “No greater responsibility can rest upon a man, than to be a teacher of God’s children.” What a heavy weight on the teacher’s shoulders, after a long period of study and preparation, to look at the student in the eyes and sincerely be able to say, “You are ready.” When the student is deemed ready, this moment is a testament to the teacher’s dedication and the gravity of their role. It’s a moment to let them fly alone, hoping for the best.
Nowadays, there are so many teaching methodologies, all promising the best educational outcome. However, most contain these essential teaching elements:
- Introduce the theory
- Give opportunity to put the theory into practice
- Ask for a report, essay, or presentation
- Take an exam to evaluate the learning experience
Of course, the first step for any teacher is to meet the students.
Finding Students
Soon after starting His preaching ministry, Jesus began calling His students. They were disciples. The book of Mathew records when this calling started:
“One day Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee. There he saw two brothers, Simon Peter and his brother Andrew. They were throwing a net into the lake, because they were fishermen. ‘Come and follow me,’ Jesus said. ‘I will send you out to fish for people.’ At once they left their nets and followed him. (Mathew 4:18 NIrV)
After these two, other disciples joined the group, and very soon, the course “Fisher of People 101” had 12 students.
Introduce the theory
Then Jesus, the teacher, began providing the theory. Jesus had the students moving with Him from town to town, listening to His lectures (preaching), and witnessing His multiple miracles. They also witness Jesus answering tricky academic questions from decorated academic figures trying to discredit his “academic validity.”
The disciples were in classes all day. Every moment was a teaching experience. Every word or action from Jesus had a meaning or a purpose they had to understand. They had plenty of time to ask questions, and Jesus was there to answer each one until late at night.
Give opportunity to put the theory into practice
After some time, Jesus recognized that it was time to stop the theory and enter into the second teaching phase: Put the theory into practice. Jesus called them, instructed them, and sent them to the field to practice.
“He called the 12 disciples to him. Then he began to send them out two by two. He gave them authority to drive out evil spirits” (Mark 6:7 NIrV). “They went out. And they preached that people should turn away from their sins. They drove out many demons. They poured olive oil on many sick people and healed them.” (Mark 6:12,13 NIrV)
The disciples had a successful practical excursion. They were experiencing in their lives what they had before only witnessed. Just think about it: they were healing people, driving demons out, and with authority, telling people to repent. After all, Jesus, the great teacher, had the best students.
Imagine the exciting conversation among the disciples after they returned from this fantastic experience. “This was an unforgettable experience for me; how was it for you, John? – It was amazing! They did not want me to return. And you, Andrew? – It had its challenges, but it was a blast! I am ready to graduate.” And as good students, they were ready for the next educational step: Give a report.
Ask for a report, essay, or presentation.
“When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with Him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida.” (Luke 9:10 NIrV)
Jesus heard every report and decided it was time to rest, so He decided to go to a vacation spot in Bethsaida. After all, the disciples had worked hard and deserved a break. However, Jesus could not escape the multitude following Him at this point. When the people knew that Jesus was heading to Bethsaida, a large crowd of 5,000+ people followed Him to His new destination. Even though Jesus was on “vacation,” He welcomed the crowds and began to preach until late in the day.
Late that afternoon, the disciples came to Jesus to tell Him that it was late and that these people needed to eat, so it was time to send them away. Little did they know that the next educational step had begun: Evaluation! The Exam! Testing time!
Take an exam to evaluate the learning experience.
But there was nothing to fear, right? The disciples had passed the theory period well enough to be accepted into the practical activity. And they had just given Jesus the most exceptional reports of what they have done while away. Let’s remember: they did miracles!
So, the teacher gave the exam: “He replied, ‘You give them something to eat.'” (Luke 9:13 NIrV). The book of John tells us Jesus’s testing intentions: “He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.” (John 6:6 NIV)
How did the A+ students do on the exam? They failed miserably!
Yes, they failed! The demon expellers and miracle-doers failed the exam!
Instead, they gave the teacher, Jesus, only excuses:
- Location excuses: The next town is very far.
- Logistic excuses: There are too many people.
- Finance excuses: There is no money to buy.
- Inventory excuses: Only five loaves of bread and two fish.
How would you feel as a teacher in this situation? Wouldn’t you feel frustrated seeing all your educational efforts fail? How did this happen? They looked like good students yesterday! There were 12 brains, and not even one knew what to do. The only thing they could do was to stand there looking at the floor while 5,000+ people watched them failing the exam!
But Jesus is so loving; He did not scold them but performed one of His most memorable miracles: Jesus fed 5,000+ with just five loaves of bread and two fish! And there was even extra food to spare.
During these student-embarrassing moments, not even once did Jesus look at the disciples and say: “And this is how it is done!” No, just pure love and patience.
Teacher’s time alone
After feeding the 5,000+ people, Jesus sent the embarrassed disciples to the next destination in a boat on their own, where they would cross the lake. Jesus also sent the crowd away and finally had time alone.
“After he had sent them away, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone.” (Mathew 14:23 NIrV)
After the day’s events, what teacher wouldn’t like to be alone and meditate on “what on earth just happened to these students? They were looking good!” We may have been saying that, but unlike us, Jesus wanted to talk to his father. Jesus had a great mission, and talking to his Father in Heaven comforted him.
The makeup exam
But Jesus’s teaching work had to continue, so before dawn, Jesus returned to His students to give them a second opportunity exam: A surprise visit.
These students may have come to their senses after seeing Jesus’s power by feeding 5,000+ people, and the time alone in the boat provided an excellent time to meditate on their failure, assess their situation, and decide to do better. Then, the makeup exam began.
“Shortly before dawn, Jesus went out to the disciples. He walked on the lake. They saw Him walking on the lake and were terrified. ‘It’s a ghost!’ they said. And they cried out in fear.” (Mathew 14:25,26)
How do they do this time? THEY FAILED AGAIN! These people! How could they fail again?
Haven’t these students witnessed Jesus performing amazing miracles so many times? Wasn’t that enough information to consider for a minute that maybe, just maybe, Jesus was doing something unique again?
Hadn’t these students cast demons away before? And now they suddenly were afraid of “ghosts”? So they could not cast “ghosts” away? That may have been a lesson they did not take, so it was not fair. Or were they thinking that Satan was hunting them in revenge for their demon-casting activities, and they got scared?
Hadn’t these students seen Jesus constantly praying and asking His Father for strength? Didn’t it cross their minds that instead of crying like babies, they should better kneel and pray to God?
Failure on so many levels!
The scolding
The situation was indeed out of control, and Jesus had to shout at them finally: “Right away Jesus called out to them, ‘Be brave! It is I. Don’t be afraid.'” (Mathew 14:27 NIrV)
While listening to the teachers’ scolding, they must have felt complete failures. After feeling like champions on their successful preaching excursion, they had two significant failures, one after the other. Perhaps some considered giving up, that all this was a mistake. We could think that Jesus did not choose the right people or that His teaching method was not working.
Touching rock bottom
An old quote says, “Rock bottom will teach you lessons that mountain tops never will.” And I believe this is what Jesus was doing with His disciples. This experience was an educational strategy. There is nothing more damaging to learning than overconfidence. The disciples needed to realize and accept that there was still so much to learn and not be blinded by overconfidence. They had to learn to always depend on God.
In the same way, Jesus had to bring Saul down to rock bottom to be born again as Paul. And what a wonderful ministry this encounter produced.
After this experience, Jesus continued teaching His disciples, and they kept failing, but Jesus did not give up on them. With time, these “bad students,” with the help of the Holy Spirit, continued the ministry Jesus started, preached the gospel with passion, and died because of it.
We have Christianity worldwide because people keep their confidence in God despite touching rock bottom and using this to grow and become better servants.
If you feel discouraged at any point in your life, like a failure, like everything is going wrong, that you are touching rock bottom, remember that this is an educational moment for you. If you let Jesus teach you a lesson, it will be something that the mountain tops never could. Jesus will always be with you and never give up on you. Jesus is always knocking on the door; just let Him in. He has a plan for you, even if you are a “bad student.”
Italo Osorio – Copyright 2024
Photo by Felicia Buitenwerf on Unsplash
