See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5.15, 16

Excellent teachers
We return to a theme we have already visited in this series, namely, the calling every believer has to teach the things of Christ to others. We all “ought to be teachers” and so we all must give more careful consideration to just what this requires of us, and how we may fulfill this high and holy calling.

Over the centuries the Christian Church has been favored with a great many excellent teachers whose faithful and diligent labors have enlarged and nurtured the Church, helping her to realize more of her potential as a sign and outpost of the Kingdom of God. The names come easily: Paul, Polycarp, Origen, Athanasius, Augustine, Columbanus, Alcuin, Hildegard, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Cranmer, Edwards, Kuyper, Newman, Machen, Schaeffer, Colson – we could go on and on.

Certainly every believer should thank and praise the Lord for so many excellent teachers, whose works continue to instruct and equip the saints unto our own day, as well as for all those, called to teach, who have helped us to grow in our walk with and work for the Lord.

A calling to witness and teach
But these and others like them are not the only, and in many ways, not even the primary source of the Church’s witness and instruction in the world. As we have seen, every follower of Jesus Christ is called to the task of teaching the Gospel of the Kingdom to non-Christians and Christians alike in his or her own sphere of influence. Each of us has a Personal Mission Field to which Jesus sends us daily as citizens and ambassadors of His Kingdom. And no small part of that calling is the work of teaching Jesus to others.

Which, in fact, every believer is already doing. The challenge is to make sure that what and how we are teaching Jesus should be like the Lord’s own teaching.

We cannot rely merely on those who are called to the office of teacher to do the work of advancing the Kingdom by witness and instruction. Indeed, all those cited above would agree in a moment that their primary desire was to equip other believers to take up the calling to teach, for only in that way can the message of the Gospel and the Christian worldview continue to grow like leaven and glow like light through the sinful loaf of this dark and fallen world.

Still need convincing?

Consider: Jesus promised His followers that, once they had received the Holy Spirit, they would know power to be His witnesses (Acts 1.8). Certainly no small part of that witness, as we see in the Book of Acts, involved talking to others about the Lord, explaining to them the significance of the coming of His Kingdom, and teaching them how they, too, might enter with us into this glorious life of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14.17, 18).

If the followers of Christ do not take up this teaching mandate and make it a central part of their earthly business to tell others the Good News of the Kingdom, then the progress of the Gospel will slow, stall, and even be set back.

Moreover, the Apostle Paul commands all believers to let the Word of Jesus Christ dwell in them richly, so that they might teach and admonish one another accordingly (Col. 3.16). Christians have abundant opportunities for contact and conversation with other Christians, but, so often, we waste these opportunities on frivolous, trivial, and mostly mundane things. How much stronger, more energetic, and more effective would the Church be in the world if every believer was equipped, alert, and capable of teaching the things of Christ to other believers with real power and effects?

There simply is no way around it: If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are called, and you have been empowered to fulfill your calling, by teaching the Gospel and the things of Christ’s Kingdom to the people to whom God sends you each day.

Make the most of the opportunities
Paul wrote that we must not miss such opportunities to bear witness and teach one another. The world is a spiritual wasteland; the powers of wickedness and deceit are active at all times. Every opportunity lost for advancing the Kingdom will be capitalized on by the devil and our secular, materialistic age.

We must be always alert to these opportunities, always ready with a word of instruction or encouragement or witness, and always earnest in pressing the things of Christ and His Kingdom on anyone and everyone who will listen.

To this end let us embrace the fact that, as the followers of Christ, we are all called to teach, and let us prepare ourselves accordingly.

For reflection
1.  Do you think of yourself as a teacher? A witness? What part do teaching others and giving a witness for Christ play in your walk with the Lord?

2.  When most Christians think about teaching, what comes to mind? Why?

3.  What does it mean to be a witness to Christ? How does teaching factor into this calling? Whose job is this?

Next steps – Preparation: Make a list of the people you see each week, in all the places you go. Which are believers? Which are not? Begin thinking and praying about ways you might daily share with these people concerning what God is doing in your own life. Take the next step today, and talk with someone about today’s ReVision and your calling as a teacher in the Kingdom of God.

T. M. Moore

This week’s study, Learning Jesus, is Part 5 of a 5-part series on Following Jesus.Each week’s study is available in a free PDF which you can download by clicking here.

Christians learn best when their learning is framed within a Christian worldview. Our free online course, One in Twelve: Introduction to Christian Worldview, is available any time, and at no charge. Click here to learn more about this helpful and challenging introduction to Christian worldview, presented in 12 diagrams by T. M. Moore.

Take up the challenge of your Personal Mission Field – and do so with a friend. Watch the video on our Mission Partners Outreach for more information about how you can begin to follow Jesus in your Personal Mission Field (click here).

The Lord uses your prayers and gifts to help us in this ministry. Add us to your regular prayer list, and seek the Lord concerning whether He would have you share with us. You can contribute to The Fellowship of Ailbe by using the contribute button at the website, or send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.