4D. Jesus' Miracles and Words for Teaching

Augustine once said, "(Miracles) are not as pictures, merely to look at and admire, but as a letter which we must seek to read and understand." In a similar way. the healing of blind Bartimaeus concludes with an important saying by Jesus. "Then see! Your faith has made you well." At once he was able to see and he followed Jesus, giving thanks to God.

Words

Jesus achieved this by quoting directly from Isaiah 61, "The Sovereign Lord has filled me with his spirit. He has chosen me and sent me to bring good news to the poor" (Isaiah 61:1). The Sunday school teacher today has the completed Word of God, the Bible, and should employ it to teach Spiritual truth. In so doing, the Holy Spirit will take the printed letter and endue it with power in the heart and mind of the hearer. The adventure stories, the prophecies, the laws and even the genealogies have something to tell us about God and His love. Words have great importance but Jesus added another dimension to them with His example.

Examples

When Jesus spoke to a despised and pathetic little man named Zacchaeus, but it was not His words that astonished the crowd. "All the people who saw it started grumbling, "This man has gone as a guest to the home of a sinner!" (Luke 19:7). Jesus showed that He truly cared for him by going to stay at his house.

Victor Jones caught this truth when he said, "Until he acts your character is like an unfurled flag. We don't know his colors." Actions and reactions reinforce words and are the building blocks of relationships. Thus, the Sunday school teacher needs to show as well as tell each child that he or she is cared for. This might mean taking a real interest in their families or hobbies. It should extend to visiting the home and sending a card to say "Happy Birthday." In this way meaningful relationships will be constructed.

"Practical Christian Outreach in the Local Church"

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