Title: Teacher/2 Timothy 4:1~2
What we need to pay attention to here is that no matter the age, the age is longing for a true leader. In particular, what God wants and what the times demand is nothing else, but a leader who is held in the hands of God. Especially in church education, teachers who are in charge of nurturing students are one of the most important leaders.
We are all struggling with resource depletion. In recent years, tens of thousands of people suffer from health problems every day due to lack of drinking water and air pollution. We are facing an era of absence of leaders that is more serious than the depletion of energy or natural resources. More serious than anything else, it is very sad that there are no leaders or teachers who can find leaders in Christianity.
There is a saying that God works through people. In particular, there is a saying that works through people while being held in the hands of God. If this applies to you, it means that God works through the teacher. Then it means that God's work is working through the teachers sitting here. And he changes the soul entrusted to you. And through that soul, another soul will be changed, and as society advances, the nation may be changed. If you understand your positions in this sense, you will be able to see how grateful and important the positions God has entrusted to you.
You will be studying with me at the Teachers College for the next 12 weeks. However, if this study only leads to the acquisition of simple knowledge, it will have no effect. As we study together, it is important to keep in mind that not only your knowledge, but also your soul must come to life. This is very important.
Today, through 「2 Timothy 4:1~8」 we read together and through other verses of the Bible, under the title of 'teacher', who is a teacher, what is the teacher's mission, and what should we do to fulfill this mission? We look forward to seeing you and wishing you blessings together.
Who is a teacher?
The question "Who is a teacher?" is a very important question in reading one's identity. If you understand this cliche and clerical, you will find no answer, but if you ponder this question carefully, you will learn a lot.
So, who is a teacher?
One who stood before God (verse 1)
Verse 1 says, “In the presence of God and in the presence of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead…” This means that Paul is speaking to Timothy, the son of the spirit, before God and Christ Jesus. This is speaking in reference to God. Then Paul's words to Timothy were not the words of men, but of God.
A teacher is a person who stands before God. What does this mean?
First, it means that a teacher is a person sent by God.
Just as Jesus was sent to the lost descendants of Abraham, so the teacher was sent to the sheep he was entrusted with. It shows that the origin of the teacher is not in man, but in God. You teachers are the prophets of this age who have the word and heart of God, and who have been commanded and sent by God.
Second, the second meaning of saying that you stand before God means that the teacher is a person representing God.
In some ways, this has the same meaning as the first one, but it is a statement that makes the teacher's self-identity clear. A teacher is a person who represents God. Teachers represent God in prayer for their sheep. A teacher replaces God in the sense of teaching his sheep. Teachers represent God in the sense of sacrificing for their sheep. Then, the saying that the student sees God through you is also established. This is especially true for younger elementary school students.
Students learn the truth through you teachers.
Students learn the right values through teachers.
Students will learn and feel the love of God through the teachers.
Students will have eternal life through you teachers.
Students decide their lives through teachers.
Then teachers!
Have you ever had a holy feeling or passion for your job? Or at least have you ever shed a tear for this holy office of yours? You should not take this job lightly. Even if others take it lightly, you shouldn't.
A teacher is a preacher (verse 2)
In verse 2 of today's text, Paul clearly commands Timothy with a strong tone unlike any other. What happened?
“Preach the word, always exert yourself, out of season and out of season, in all things rebuke and be vigilant with longsuffering and teaching.”
So, what should be the attitude of the teacher who conveys this?
If we look at verse 2, we can say "best" Only the best. In the text, this is called, "Always exert yourself, in season or out of season", "In everything... This is because your job is important enough to do your best.
Patience. Verse 2 speaks of patience. This means that the ministry of teaching requires a lot of patience. The effects of education do not appear immediately. Isn't there such a thing as a hundred-year zone?
Prayer. Teachers must wager a victory in the class ministry through prayer. This means that the growth of the class ministry depends on the prayers of the teachers. The Lord, the Son of God, prayed at dawn. He stayed up all night praying. He fasted and prayed. Our Lord alone chose a mountain to pray. He said that he offered supplications and wishes with intense weeping and tears. In that case, the teacher should be more victorious in prayer. We should always pray with concern and love for the growth and protection of the souls entrusted to us.
The teacher's path is the same as the Lord's path. A teacher's class ministry is the delegation of the Lord's ministry. Just as the Lord, who was the great teacher, carried out his ministry through prayer, when we as teachers also engage in class ministry through prayer, the work of life will take place.
You have to keep that in mind. You must be mindful and mindful. If you hold the children in your chest and feed them with the bread of prayer and tears of prayer, your class will surely revive.
Ex) Butler Park in Busan (10 people → 50 people in 6 months)
The teacher is the one who sees (verses 3-4)
A teacher is a viewer. He is not the one who sees but sees anything, but the one who sees what he should see. So what do you see?
First, you are the one who sees the world.
This means seeing the world through God's eyes. Teachers, when you see the world, you shouldn't see it the way others do. You must see it through God's eyes. You have to see how the world works. We need to warn our students when they see the spiritual flow of the world opposes God and follows the spirit of the evil one. The text also tells Timothy that the time will come in verse 5. Paul is telling Timothy about the world he saw.
You must see the world as a spiritual battlefield. You need to open your spiritual eyes to see how the world works and what the contemporary cultural environment in which students live.
Second, you have to look at your students.
The teacher must understand the learner well. God understands us humans so well. The Lord understands even our constitution. The same is true. You need to see and understand our students right away. Before concluding that our students do not like to hear God's Word, do not want to go to church, do not like to praise, and do not like to obey, because they have no character or fun, we must keep in mind that this is due to the work of an evil spirit.
In order to understand the sheep better, the teacher visits them, gives counseling, studies, and prays. Just as you need to know your enemy to win a war, you need to know your sheep to be able to lead well. I know this is going to be difficult, but it's also something we shouldn't give up on.
Example) In the case of Jesus, he knew the hearts of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
→ Act appropriately
A teacher is a learner (2 Timothy 3:14-17)
A teacher is a learner. Human beings are lifelong learning beings, but teachers are beings who need to learn even more. This is because your sacred office is important. It is also because the process of carrying out the mission is difficult. So you have to learn diligently.
So what should we learn?
The first is the Bible, the Word of God. To express this theologically, we must learn biblical theology. Subjects covered here include Biblical Interpretation, Introduction to the Old Testament, Introduction to the New Testament, and Intermediate History.
Second, we must learn practical theology. These are the subjects you need to attend class ministry. These subjects include worship, visitation, prayer, counseling, teaching methods, and youth understanding.
Third, other subjects include the view of history, world view, culture view, ethics view, rational view, social view, and national view.
We will learn everything we need over the next 11 weeks. We should make good use of this period of study to bring abundant fruit to your class ministry. And you will have to enrich your soul through various books.
Dear teachers!
The job you have entrusted to you as a teacher is sacred. The reason is that God sent you. And the job is to do your best. The reason is because it is a job that requires you to do your best.
You must raise the sheep with prayer and tears. Because the Lord did it. And you have to learn diligently. The reason is that proper learning can properly raise the sheep entrusted to you.
Then, what are you prepared for all of you who work so hard? What reward will God grant you?
Let's read verses 7 and 8 together. (Read...)
what is it called Crown, the righteous fight