The ones that ask why. Teachers

Acts 11:26 teaching is as old as the term Christian. It is where we begin. Reason is intrinsic to the faith.

Acts 13:1 The first churches are organized around the companion ministries of prophets and teachers. Also Acts 15:31, Acts 18:11,

Acts 18:24-28 recognizing, recruiting and training teachers for the new church.

Acts 28:31 Pauls ministry ends where it begins

1 Cor 12:28 One of the particular public ministries- do all teach? No. It is reserved for whom it is given, just like the other gifts. Eph APEST

So what motivates a teacher?

He needs to understand the why, the long part, the reason and rational, where it comes from and why it is significant. Facts stick in his mind in ways because he wants to know all the details.

They are connectors of dots

They are askers of questions

They are always digging and wondering and thinking.

Lets consider the Apostle Luke as we look at the strengths of a teacher.

S- need to verify and validate- want to confirm that statements are true and reliable. Does this hold water? Luke wrote his Gospel to “Theophilus

W- can become proud of knowledge. Knowledge is a key part of the motivation and it is not unimportant that Paul, one of the greatest christian teachers warns us that “knowledge puffeth up” Teachers can come across as proud or obtuse by overdoing minutiae and detail that no one be he cares about.

S- Vet’s not only information but teachers, so keenly aware of false teachers. Will want to investigate people’s qualifications and credibility, he will usually relate his own, as Luke does here when affirming the he was an “eye witness” and “had perfect understanding of all things from the very first”.

W- Credentials can be overemphasized and valued. Potential to miss out on revelation and practical knowledge because lack of formal instruction. Potential to over evaluate intellectual rather than Spiritual perception.

S- Uses trusted sources. Trees of knowledge establish pathways of vetted and verified sources. This kind of pedigree of knowledge is an important way to classify and organize teachings into families and classes and make associations between ideas for better and worse. Hence Luke praises the Bereans for confirming Pauls statements with the Old Testament Scriptures. Luke also relates his writings to the other Gospel narratives and to the OT

W- Dependence on established schools of thought and teachers can cause a teacher to give the impression that his is the arbiter or truth. It rises and falls according to his analysis. He may also fail to see and respond to the need to bring his intellect under the control of the Spirit and mystery of God. This can either stale mate him where he cant understand something in a state of paralysis or make him susceptible to depression or doubt when he cant see the resolution of a dilemma.

S- Pedagologically systematic. Teachers can usually lay out a process of thought in a way that builds form point to point. This is helpful for others to be able to receive truth from him. Luke of all the synoptics emphasizes chronology and said that he want to “write unto thee in order.”

W-May be impractical and overly analytical. Can be content with ideas and not praxis. May miss underlying principles that tie scriptures together by burrowing into small detail. May miss how to make the teaching touch the real and not just the ideological world.

S- Fact Gatherers. Trivia people. Facts stick to him. They feel almost obligated to collect and share facts in ways that other people don’t notice or find significant. Luke’s is the longest of the accounts not including acts, he includes details only in his account, names more people and details than the others and emphasizes the completeness of his account.

W-Can mistakenly think that others will appreciate not to mention understand the levels of detail that he does. High potential without skill development of being boring or a chore to listen to. Can also come across as a know it all.

S-Thorough thinking. Doesn’t just notice those details others don’t, but enjoys them. Luke give precise descriptions of events, conversations, circumstances, and physical conditions in his account. More names, titles, cities, dates adn events than any other.

W- Can spit out on details such that he works himself back to doubt about essential christian truths. This process when unsubmitted can lead to actually making the teacher into a false teacher. Because he is always asking why he can enter into heretical (choice) territory) in his mental explorations. The desire to get to teh bottom can end up leaving him in existential dread and doubt of everything. Needs to ground and anchor himself in essential and inviolable truths and work from that firm footing to explore and explain truths.

W-can become petty and quarelsome over minor details.

S- Uneasy with subjective truths. Highly motivated in complete analysis that includes balance and conceptual tension. Very unmoved by unprovable or unverifiable subjective claims. If he cant be shown he is unlikely to accept. Unlikely to speak until he knows.

W- Can ignore or dismiss mystery and miracle and genuine experiences. Can get stuck in his paradigm once its made.

S-Loyalty to influential teachers and schools of thought. Will often stake an ideological or doctrinal flag and rarely if ever falter or forsake that ground. This applies to ideologies and individuals. Paul says “only Luke is with me”.

W- When these associations are based on a false premise it makes resilient false teachers. Loyalty can drive extremity. Malencthon the student of Luther goes past even farther past the original ideas of the original teacher of the Reformation. Truth out of balance leads to heresy.

S-