A Teacher with a Lesson

Titus 2:7-8

Show yourself in all respects a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, gravity, and sound speech that cannot be censured; then any opponent will be put to shame, having nothing evil to say of us.

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Well the dawn was coming,
heard him ringing on my bell.
He said, ``My name's the teacher,
that is what I call myself.
And I have a lesson
that I must impart to you.
It's an old expression
but I must insist it's true.

Jump up, look around,
find yourself some fun,
no sense in sitting there hating everyone.
No man's an island and his castle isn't home,
the nest is full of nothing when the bird has flown.

"Teacher" by Jethro Tull

Teachers, Paul was the most influential voice of the early Christian church. His teachings flow to us today though the many epistles which remain in the New Testament. Some of his teachings are popular, some-particularly some of his teachings about the role of women-are not so popular. Above all, he teaches that our actions will reflect our words. Others will judge our walk with Christ by our acts of peace, grace, and mercy. Jethro Tull teaches some very interesting concepts in the song "Teacher."

"Jump up, look around" begins by saying we must be active, we must be participants in the community. We can't be good Christians living like hermits. We must participate in the community. Yes, there is a time to go off to a quiet place. There is a time for reflection and rest, but that time can't last forever. The three persons of God live in community and we are called to live by that example.

"Find yourself some fun, no sense in sitting there hating everyone" is a call to enjoy the community. The life of occasional sorrow is inevitable. God comforts those who mourn, but we cannot stay like that forever. Bitterness is often a way of life for people, and it's a horrible way of life. God does not hate, not even God's enemies. Jesus prayed for his enemies, there was no bitterness. Life, even the life of Christ, was too short for that.

"No man's an island and his castle isn't home." Our home is not here. Our home is not what we can buy with the money we earn. Our ultimate home is a gift of God's grace. What we have here is temporary. What we have here is ultimately folly. The song also reminds us "the nest is full of nothing when the bird has flown." What is here today is gone tomorrow.

Instead of the bitter solitary life of someone holed up with their earthly wealth and sorrow, we are called to present ourselves to the world as models of good works. We are to present the teaching of the faith in integrity, gravity, and sound speech. By these things there will be nothing that can be said against us. Our walk with the Lord will not be impeached on earth or in heaven.

Teaching the Children

Maundy Thursday


John 13:34-35

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

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Teach your children well,
Their father's hell did slowly go by,
And feed them on your dreams
The one they picked, the one you'll know by.
Don't you ever ask them why, if they told you, you would cry,
So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

"Teach Your Children" written by Graham Nash and recorded by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young

This was becoming a very different sort of evening. The first last supper had just been celebrated. Jesus had washed everyone's feet. In the ancient of days, you couldn't require a slave to wash your feet, you just had to do that yourself. Suddenly, the Lord is washing the feet of his disciples. True to his reputation, Peter tells the Lord not to wash his feet. Peter knows local custom and knows it's not right. That's the thing about God, God takes what's not right and makes it right. Like washing feet.

Since the Lord God can wash a disciple's feet, it's not below the vocation of any disciple to wash the feet of others. It's God telling us that there's no act that's "beneath them."

Judas was out the door. Satan had entered him and so time was short. God is eternal, but in this life Jesus only had the time it took Judas to round up the troops and come back. So time was short. It was the hour, both figuratively and literally. So Jesus gives his final instructions to his disciples.

Jesus teaches his disciples one more commandment. Love one another. Just as he loved them, they must love one another. This hasn't always been easy. Jesus' love included discipline. Peter found himself on the receiving end of this gem more than once. Jesus' love included sending the disciples off into the world to share the gospel. Jesus' love even let them stretch their wings beyond where they could fly-showing them that he would always be with them.

Jesus teaches that by this, everyone will know that they are his disciples. It is in their love that the world will know who his disciples are. It is also the way that the world will know who false prophets are.

Teach your children well. Teach them your dreams. Teach them that there is something wonderful in this life, and it is found in the font of many blessings. By this, our hell will go by. By this, there is new life--even in death.

Final words mean everything. Many want their last words to be profound and wonderful and glorious. People want their last words to be significant. Last words say to the world "If I had just one last thing to say, this is it." Jesus' last words are to love one another." That's it. He begins with love. From love, the same love he has shown his disciples, everything else will flow.

In love everything worth doing, everything worth having, everything worth sharing begins. Love is the beginning. Love is everything.