A) BEFORE WE BEGIN.

B) THIS IS THE ONE MAIN THING THAT THE DISCIPLES WERE SUPPOSED TO TEACH.

C) HOW TO AND WHAT TO TEACH.

D) KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE.

E) CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE CHURCH.

F) TEACH NATURES LAWS.

G) LEARN BY EXAMPLE.

H) HERE IS SPECIFICALLY HOW TO TEACH.

I) YOU MUST BE CALLED.

 

 

A) BEFORE WE BEGIN

 

 

Before we begin with Mrs. White, I would like us to notice what was our Lord’s method of teaching.  According to Mark 12:38-40:  “And He said unto them in His doctrine [NOTICE, this is “His doctrine.”  In other words, this is His proscribed method of generally teaching.], Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, [39] And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: [40] Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers:  these shall receive greater damnation.”  In other words, don’t be so high and mighty.

 

“To take people right where they are, whatever their position, whatever their condition, and help them in every way possible -- this is Gospel ministry.”  MM:238.  If you are “right where they are,” you are not higher or lower then them; but identify with them.

 

In general, whenever our Lord spoke, He had a way of always invoking our thought process (too many to list).  It was however, to also be a generality of our Lord to ask His audience a question to invoke their thought process (see Mat. 5:46, 47; 7:9; 9:13; 11:7, 8, 9; 12:11; 16:26; 20:15; 21:24-25, 28, 40; 22:18, 42; 26:10; Mark 2:25; 4:30; 8:36, 37; 9:16[?], 19; 11:30; 12:9; Luke 5:22; 6:3, 32, 33, 34; 7:24, 25, 26, 31; 8:25; 9:55; 10:26; 12:49, 57; 13:18; 14:28, 31; 15:4, 8; 20:4, 15, 17; 23:31; 24:19; John 1:38; 2:4; 6:61, 62; 12:27[?]; 13:12; 18:21, 34; 21:22; and many more I’m sure I missed).

 

“What He {JESUS} taught, He lived.  ‘I have given you an example,’ He said to His disciples; ‘that ye should do as I have done.’  ‘I have kept My Father’s Commandments.’  John 13:15; 15:10.  Thus in His life, Christ’s Words had perfect illustration and support.  And more than this; what He taught, He was. His Words were the expression, [79] not only of His Wwn life experience, but of His Own Character.  Not only did He teach the truth, but He was the truth.  It was this that gave His teaching, power.”  Ed:78.7.

 

 

B) THIS IS THE ONE MAIN THING THAT THE DISCIPLES WERE SUPPOSED TO TEACH

 

 

“Thus Christ sought to teach the disciples the truth that in God’s kingdom there are no territorial lines, no caste, no aristocracy; that they must go to all nations, bearing to them the message of a Saviour’s love.”  AA:20.1.  See Matthew 28:19-20.

 

“In their minds the middle wall of partition, broken down by [136] the death of Christ, still existed, and their labors had been confined to the Jews, for they had looked upon the Gentiles as excluded from the blessings of the gospel.  Now the Lord was seeking to teach Peter the world-wide extent of the Divine plan. . . By the vision of the sheet and its contents He sought to divest the apostle’s mind of this prejudice and to teach the important truth that in Heaven there is no respect of persons; that Jew and Gentile are alike precious in God’s sight; that through Christ the heathen may be made partakers of the blessings and privileges of the gospel.”  AA:135-136.

 

 

C) HOW TO AND WHAT TO TEACH

 

 

“Thus they were authorized by the church, not only to teach the truth,” AA:160.2.

 

“God had ordained to teach the gospel message.”  AA:196.2.

 

“Those who today teach unpopular truths need not be discouraged. . .”  AA:230.2.

 

“Often in his {Paul’s} ministry he would meet with little companies of men and women who loved Jesus, and bow with them in prayer, asking God to teach them how to maintain a living connection with Him.  Often he took counsel with them as to the best methods of giving to others the light of gospel truth.”  AA:262.2.

 

“Paul had necessarily adapted his manner to teaching to the condition of the Church.”  AA:271.1.

 

 

D) KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

 

 

“When the apostle {Paul} took up his work in Corinth, he realized that he must introduce most carefully the great truths he wished to teach.  He knew that among his hearers would be proud believers in human theories, and exponents of false systems of worship, who were groping with blind eyes, hoping to find in the book of nature theories that would contradict the reality of the spiritual and immortal life as revealed in the Scriptures.  He also knew that critics would endeavor to controvert the Christian interpretation of the revealed Word, and that skeptics would treat the gospel of Christ with scoffing and derision.”  AA:272.1.

 

“. . . he {Paul} and the ministers associated with him {Paul} were but men commissioned by God to teach the [274] truth, that they were all engaged in the same work, and that they were alike dependent upon God for success in their labors.”  AA:273-274.

 

“Not all who profess to keep the Sabbath will be sealed.  There are many even among those who teach the truth to others who will not receive the seal of God in their foreheads.  They had the light of truth, they knew their Master’s Will, they understood every point of our faith, but they had not corresponding works.  These who were so familiar with prophecy and the treasures of Divine wisdom, should have acted their faith.  They should have commanded their households after them, that by a well-ordered family they might present to the world the influence of the truth upon the human heart.”  CET:189.1.

 

“They should teach the truth by both precept and example.”  RH, October 25, 1881; ChS:84.1.

 

“As the canvasser visits the people at their homes, he will often have opportunity to read to them from the Bible or from books that teach the truth.  When he discovers those who are searching for truth he can hold Bible readings with them.  These Bible readings are just what the people need.  God will use in His service those who thus show a deep interest in perishing souls.  Through them He will impart light to those who are ready to receive {IS THIS TRUE ONLY “to those who are ready?} instruction.”  CEv:19.2; 6T:324; CM:103.3.

 

 

E) CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE CHURCH

 

 

“. . . now Paul was in a condition to learn of those whom God had ordained to teach the truth.  Christ directs Paul to His chosen servants, thus placing him in connection with His Church.”  CC:339.3.

 

“Many would be willing to work if they were taught how to begin.  They need to be instructed and encouraged.”  CME:17.5.

 

“God has a distinct people, a Church on earth, second to none, but superior to all in their facilities to teach the truth, to vindicate the Law of God.”  CCh:240.4.

 

 

F) TEACH NATURES LAWS

 

 

“Those [506] who teach the truth to others and who should be shepherds of the flock will be held accountable {HERE IS THE IMPLICATION THAT WE SHOULD BE TEACHING AND HOW} for their willing ignorance and disregard of nature’s laws.”  CH:505-506.

 

 

G) LEARN BY EXAMPLE

 

 

“Young men who have a practical knowledge of how to treat the sick are now to be sent out to do gospel medical missionary work, in connection with more experienced gospel workers.  If these young men will give themselves to the study of the Word, they will become successful evangelists.  The ministers with whom these young men labor are to give them the same opportunity to learn that Elijah gave Elisha.  They are to show them how to teach the truth to others.  Where it is possible, these young men should visit {PEOPLE} the hospitals, and in some cases they may connect with them for a while, laboring disinterestedly.”  CH:538.1.

 

 

H) HERE IS SPECIFICALLY HOW TO TEACH

 

 

“If we teach the truth as it is in Jesus, religion will not be regarded as a drudgery, but as a delight.  Let the teachers bring sunshine, gratitude, and hearts full of tenderness and Christlike compassion, into their work, and leaven the hearts of their scholars with the spirit of unselfish love; for this is the spirit that pervades Heaven.  Shall not the workers in the Sabbath school divest themselves of all pride and self-love, and heartily and sincerely become doers of the Word?”  CSW:107.

 

“They have tact and skill, and teach the truth both in public and from house to house.”  DG:108.4.

 

“Cherish the fragrance of that love that Christ has revealed for fallen humanity, and by precept and example teach the truth as it is in Jesus.”  DG:127.3.

 

 

I) YOU MUST BE CALLED

 

 

“Some have a theory of the truth, and can present the argument, but lack spirituality, judgment, and experience; they fail in many things which it is very necessary for them to understand before they can teach the truth.  Others have not the argument, but because a few brethren hear them pray well and give an exciting exhortation now and then, they are pressed into the field, to engage in a work for which God has not qualified them and for which they have not sufficient experience and judgment.  Spiritual pride comes in, they are lifted up, and act under the deception of thinking that they are laborers.  They do not know themselves {KNOW YOURSELF}.  They lack sound judgment and patient reasoning, talk boastingly of themselves, and assert many things which they cannot prove from the Word.  God knows this; therefore He does not call such to labor in these perilous times, and brethren should be careful not to push those out into the field whom He has not called.”  EW:97.2.

 

“The servants of God who teach the truth should be men of judgment.  They should be men who can bear opposition and not get excited; for those who oppose the truth will pick at those who teach it, and every objection that can be produced, will be brought in its worst form to bear against the truth.  The servants of God who bear the message must be prepared to remove these objections, with calmness and meekness, by the light of truth.  Frequently opposers talk to ministers of God in a provoking manner, to call out something from them of the same nature, that they can make as much of it as possible and declare to others that the teachers of the Commandments have a {DO NOT AND HAVE NOT} bitter spirit and are harsh, as has been reported.  I saw that we must be prepared for objections, and with patience, judgment, and meekness, let them have the weight they deserve, not throw them away or dispose of them by positive assertions, and then {DO NOT} bear down upon the objector, and manifest a hard spirit toward him; but give the objections their weight, then bring forth the light and the power of the truth, and let it outweigh and remove the errors.  Thus a good impression will be made, and honest opposers will acknowledge that they have been deceived and that the Commandment keepers are not what they have been represented to be.  Those who profess to be servants of the Living God must be willing to be servants of all, instead of {DO NOT} being exalted above the brethren, and they must possess a [103]

 

“kind, courteous spirit.  If they err, they should be ready to confess thoroughly.  Honesty of intention cannot stand as an excuse for not confessing errors.  Confession would not lessen the confidence of the Church in the messenger, and he would set a good example; a spirit of confession would be encouraged in the Church, and sweet union would be the result.  Those who profess to be teachers should be patterns of piety, meekness, and humility, possessing a kind spirit, to win souls to Jesus and the truth of the Bible.  A minister of Christ should be pure in conversation and in actions.  He should ever bear in mind that he is handling Words of inspiration, Words of a Holy God.  He must also bear in mind that the Flock is entrusted to his care, and that he is to bear their cases to Jesus, and plead for them as Jesus pleads for us with the Father.”  EW:102-103.

 

THIS IS A GOOD START.