Mark 4:1
“And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.”
President Ronald Reagan is commonly called the master communicator. There is not a president in this generation who seems to communicate with the American people better than President Reagan. Someone once asked him where he learned to speak so well. President Reagan answered that he learned to speak in Sunday school. He said that if Jesus communicated so well by speaking in parables, then he should attempt to communicate the same way. President Reagan understood that Jesus is the Master Teacher.
When you study the characteristics of how Jesus taught, there are some obvious things that stand out that can help every teacher. You may think that you are not a teacher, but everyone is a teacher of some sort. A parent is supposed to be a teacher to their children. Pastors teach from the pulpit. Sunday school teachers teach every Sunday to their class. Even school teachers should follow the Master Teacher if they want to help their students to grasp the concept being taught. Let me show you three obvious characteristics of Jesus’ teaching so that you can use them.
First, Jesus didn’t confine His teaching to a pulpit or podium. Jesus taught everywhere He went. In the verse above, He taught “by the sea side.” You will find that Jesus also taught by a well, at a supper, in a boat, on a mountain top or any place there were people. The best teacher realizes that life provides many opportunities to teach. Be sure to use every life opportunity to teach those who are with you.
Second, Jesus taught by parables. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus used parables as His teaching style. Parables are simply taking an earthly story or happening and using it to teach a scriptural principle. People learn truths the best by using earthly illustrations to teach scriptural principles. The wise teacher will always be looking for illustrations to apply a scriptural principle. People will best remember what is being taught if they can apply it to something they do or see on a daily basis. Yes, you should teach Scripture literally, but life illustrations will help the lesson being taught to come alive. It will help the listener to comprehend the truth or concept they need to learn.
Third, Jesus taught at the common man’s level. It says about Jesus in Mark 12:37, “…And the common people heard him gladly.” Don’t get caught in the mistake of trying to impress people with your knowledge by talking above their heads. The best teacher is the one who can take complex subjects and bring them down so that the common person can understand them. Teaching with words of eloquence or complexity is teaching in which the teacher is trying to impress people. The whole purpose of teaching is to transfer truth to the listener, and the only way you will accomplish this is by speaking at a common man’s level.
If these three characteristics are followed, every teacher will be able to transfer truth to those whom they teach. People grow when they understand what’s being taught. If you truly want to change lives, then you will follow the characteristics of teaching from the Master Teacher.