Pray and Teach

“Pericles, a politician in Athens’ Golden Age in Greece, promoted the arts and literature, and it is principally through his efforts that Athens acquired the reputation of being the educational and cultural center of the ancient Greek world. He started an ambitious project that generated most of the surviving structures on the Acropolis, including the Parthenon.” - wiki

It is said of Pericles the Athenian orator, that, before he went out to address the people, he prayed to the gods that nothing might go out of his mouth but what might be to the purpose.

What an example does this heathen set for the Christian preacher and teacher! How much is uttered by these public instructors, which, as far as any one can see, is to no purpose whatever, except to fill up the hour!

Romans 8:26 KJV 1900

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Samuel was a Prophet, Priest, Kingmaker, Judge and..... teacher.

He is an excellent “Type” of Christ in the OT.

1 Samuel 12:20–25 KJV 1900

And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart; And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain. For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people. Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way: Only fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you. But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.

As Samuel reviews his time as the last Judge of Israel, he says, and In these verses we find:

History.

Civics.

Agriculture.

Science (Weather Patterns).

Economics.

Language (Hebrew).

We can pray for and teach our imperfect students. Even when they sin or make mistakes, be sure they know they are valuable to God and still important to you.

Teachers can influence for good with praying and teaching.

Teachers Pray

Philippians 1:9 KJV 1900

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;

Colossians 1:9 KJV 1900

For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

2 Thessalonians 3:1 KJV 1900

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

Teachers Teach

Teach the Good Way

10,000 Sermon Illustrations Do Good

Do all the good you can,

in all the ways you can,

for all the people you can,

while you can.

Teach the Right Way

No Place for Faith

My break with faith occurred in me as it did and still does among people of our social and cultural type. As I see it, in most cases, it happens like this: People live as everyone lives, but they all live according to principles that not only have nothing to do with the teachings of faith, but for the most part, are contrary to them. The teachings of faith have no place in life and never come to play in the relations among people; they simply play no role in living life itself. The teachings of faith are left to some other realm, separated from life and independent of it. If one should encounter them, then it is only as some superficial phenomenon that has no connection with life.

—Leo Tolstoy in Confessions.

Teach against vain things.

Teach against things that cannot deliver them.

The result of their wickedness is to be “Consumed” (Swept away) in verse 25. We do not want our students to be swept away because they did not hear the truth from us. They will hear and know truth and God will hold them accountable for their choices.

1 Corinthians 12:1–2 KJV 1900

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.

The teacher is like the switchman, who holds the key to the switches on the railroad. If he does his duty faithfully, the train will reach its destination safely: if he neglects it, disaster and ruin follow. A misplaced switch or a wrong signal may send hundreds into eternity unprepared.

The Objective of his teaching (Vs.24):

Students will Fear God.

Students will Serve God with Truth.

Students will Serve God with Heart.

Students will Consider God’s Blessings.

Today's Best Illustrations, Volumes 1-4 Thanks for the End of the Day

Every night my 6-year-old, Julie, and I thank God for one thing about the day. One evening Julie was breaking out in chicken pox, I had the flu, and my husband was out of town. As I tucked Julie into bed, she said, “Mommy, I can’t think of anything to thank God for today. It was a horrible day.” We thought for a while more and she finally said, “I know. We can thank him that the day is over.”

So we did. “Thank you, Lord, for the gift of life. No matter how difficult it is, we take comfort knowing you are there to help us make it through horrible days.”

EDUCATION IN BIBLE TIMES

Processes, methods, and institutions for training young people to live in biblical lands and times. The primary purpose of education among the Jews was the learning of and obedience to the law of God, the Torah, primarily the first five books of the Bible. The secondary purpose in education was to teach about the practical aspects of everyday life: a trade for the boy; for the girl, care of the house, application of dietary laws, and how to be a good wife.

The home was considered the first and most effective education agency, and parents were considered the first and most effective teachers (Deut. 6:7; compare Gen. 18:19; Prov. 22:6). Parents were to use life’s ordinary activities as avenues to teach about God. Primary ways of imparting religious knowledge to children were example, imitation, conversation, and stories. A child could observe his father binding the phylacteries on his arm and head. The natural question: “What are you doing?” could be used to teach the child that it was everyone’s duty to “love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” (Deut. 6:5). Timothy is a notable example of a child who had been educated in the Scriptures in the home (2 Tim. 1:5).

When the son reached 12, the Jews believed his education in the Torah was complete enough to help him know the law and keep it. He was then known as a “son of the law.” The father would fasten the phylacteries on the arm and forehead of his son.

Girls learned a variety of skills such as weaving, spinning, and treating illnesses. They might also learn to sing and dance and play a musical instrument like a flute or harp. The Jewish people had opportunity to receive religious education from priests and Levites (Lev. 10:10–11; compare 2 Chron. 17:7–9).

The synagogue apparently came into existence during the Babylonian captivity when the Jews were deprived of the services of the temple. They began meeting in small groups for prayer and Scripture reading. When they returned to Israel, the synagogue spread rapidly and developed into an important educational institution housing the elementary school system. Even before Jesus, schools for the young were located in practically every important Jewish community.

The teacher was generally the synagogue “attendant.” An assistant was provided if there were more than 25 students. The OT was the subject matter for this instruction. Reading, writing, and arithmetic were also taught. Memorization, drill, and review were used as approaches to teaching.

Boys usually began formal schooling at the “house of the book” at age five. A boy would spend at least a half day, six days a week for about five years, studying at the synagogue. Parents brought their son at daybreak and came for him at midday. While not at school, the boy was usually learning a trade, such as farming or carpentry. If a boy wanted training beyond that given in a synagogue, he would go to a scholarly scribe. Saul of Tarsus received such advanced theological training “at the feet of Gamaliel” in Jerusalem (Acts 22:3).

Jesus is pictured as teaching large crowds (Mark 4:1–2). He was a God-sent teacher who taught with an authority and challenge that held His audiences captive. As risen Lord, Jesus commissioned His followers to carry their evangelism and teaching ministry into all the world (Matt. 28:19–20). Teaching became an important work in the early church in Jerusalem (Acts 2:42; 4:1–2; 5:21, 28). Teaching is regarded as a primary function of the pastor (1 Tim. 3:2). Volunteer teachers are also important to the work of the church (Jas. 3:1). -Master Study Bible