The Gifted Teacher

TEXT: Rom. 12:7

SUBJECT: The Spiritual Gift of Teaching

                                                           

THEME: Today We Want to Explore the Spiritual Gift of Teaching and the Characteristics of the Teaching Ministry.

INTRODUCTION: 

1.  You may be a person who has been given the motivational gift of teaching.

Are you concerned with accuracy when the Word of God is taught or interpreted? Are you concerned that the truth be passed on to the next generation or to those who currently are lacking in understanding and wisdom? Do you desire to see the lives of others changed as the result of information being given to them? (Stanley, C.)

2.  Those with other gifts may be teachers, but their motivation for teaching is not the pursuit of God’s truth.

• A person may become a Sunday-school teacher in the pre-primaries and primaries classes out of love and compassion for the children. That person is motivated to teach by a gift of mercy.

• Another person may be motivated to teach because he is concerned that too much emphasis is being placed upon discussion of the application of Scripture and not enough on the black-and-white, right-and-wrong absolutes of the Bible. That person is motivated to teach out of a ministry gift of prophecy.

• The person who is gifted to teach desires to teach and is motivated solely because he or she loves the truth and wants to impart the truth of God’s Word with accuracy and fullness of understanding to others.

• QUOTE: “It is a wise man who stays within the sphere of service for which God the Holy Spirit has fitted him, and does not invade some other field of service for which he is not fitted.” ^--- Wuest, K. S.

3. In this lecture we will consider:

                   I.            What is the Gift of Teaching?

A.     The Gift of Teaching

B.     The Meaning of Teach

C.     The Function of the Gift of Teaching

D.     The Nature of the Gift of Teaching

                II.            What is a Christian Teacher?

A.     A Bible Educator

B.     A Christian Trainer on a Mission

             III.            What are the Characteristics of the Gift of Teaching?

A.     Typical Features of the Gift of Teaching

B.     God’s Power to Execute the Teaching Ministry

LESSON:

I. What is the Gift of Teaching?

A spiritual gift is a God-given ability for ministry to others.

Romans 12:7, Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

A. The Gift of Teaching (Rom. 12:7). Teaching is the supernatural ability to help others understand the truths of the Word of God. Primarily researching and explaining the Scriptures so that others can know them and apply them to their lives. The Christian teacher is divinely gifted with special ability to interpret and present God’s truth understandably. It is the ability to give systematic and regular instruction in God’s Word.

B. The Meaning of Teach, didasko (Rom. 12:7). In classical Greek the root meaning ofdidasko suggested the idea of causing someone to accept something. It can be translated “to teach, inform, instruct, demonstrate or prescribe.”

1. It has as its aim that of systematically communicating knowledge and skill so as to develop people. Teachers give themselves to facts and systematic instruction. In the New Testament the focus of teaching is how to live out God’s will.

2. “Teacheth” refers to the act of teaching and means to give instruction. The spiritual gift of teaching is simple and straightforward in this regard. 

3. QUOTE: “As to teaching, it is aimed at the understanding, . . . .” (Vincent).

4. “Teaching” can refer to what is taught as well as to the act of teaching it. Both of those meanings are appropriate to this gift. The Lord Jesus, our Master and Model, frequently taught. Matthew 4:23 records that “Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom….” On more than forty occasions the Gospels refer to Jesus as a teacher.

C. The Function of the Gift of Teaching. People with this Romans 12:7 gift are those who, regardless of their office or particular ministry in the local body of Christ, are motivated by a desire to clarify and expound truth. They enjoy mental challenges and learning. They are generally able to communicate well and will always have a driving need for biblical truth to be accurately expounded with well-documented proof of any conclusions drawn.

D. The Nature of the Gift of Teaching.  It is a Spiritual Motivation and is Spiritual in Character.

1.       Another way to think of gifts is as motivations, abilities or capacities. We can also think of them as helps. The Spirit gives us grace in the form of spiritual gifts to help us accomplish His will.

2.       Spiritual Gifts are Not Natural Abilities or Talents. They are different from our natural gifts and talents—the abilities with which we were born. Natural abilities and talents, along with personality, are gifts of God, but these gifts are given to us in our humanity.

                                                   i.      They are not divine or spiritual gifts, and they never become spiritual gifts. Every lost person has these also. We err if we believe that our natural gifts automatically become spiritual gifts when we accept Christ Jesus. They do not. Our natural gifts remain after we accept Christ, and they are enhanced or blessed in wonderful ways because of our relationship with Christ Jesus, but they remain as natural, human gifts.

                                                 ii.      We need to explore, know, develop, and perfect our natural gifts. God has given them to us to use for His kingdom. We should never downplay our abilities; rather, we should develop them to their full potential.

3.       The Holy Spirit adds His unique, divine gifts to our natural talents and abilities. When we combine what He gives us with what has already been given to us, and we seek to use both our natural gifts and the gifts of the Holy Spirit for the Lord’s purposes, we truly are serving God with the whole heart, mind, and soul, and we will be the most effective we can be in our contributions to God’s kingdom.

       E. Think & Research Time!

In what sense of the word teach might it be an activity true of all believers? (Col. 3:16)

What exhortation is given those with this gift? (Rom. 12:7; 1Pet. 4:10, 11)  

Now Consider This:

A.     To Serve Wholeheartedly as a Good Steward.

1. Paul’s challenge, “let us wait on our ministering” (Rom. 12:7), also applies to teaching—let us wait on our teaching—and means we should give ourselves to teaching the Word wholeheartedly and with faith. The Spirit’s supernatural enablement of believers is for effective ministry in and through the churches (1Tim 4:14; 2 Tim 1:6; Eph. 4:11-12).
2. Peter refers to such gifted believers as stewards (1Pet. 4:10) who are responsible for another’s resources. A Christian does not own his gifts, but God has given him gifts to manage for the benefit of the church and His glory. Gifts are sovereignly and supernaturally bestowed by the Holy Spirit on all believers (1Cor. 12:7, 11), enabling them to spiritually edify each other effectively and thus honor the Lord.

               B.     What are Our Obligations Relative to Our Gift? (1Pet. 4:10-11)

1.       Serve your Master like a good steward of the manifold grace of God! (1Pet. 4:10)

                                                   i.      These gifts are a stewardship from God.

a.       A “steward” is one who served as a house manager; he had no wealth of his own, but distributed his master’s wealth according to his master’s will and direction.  Be a good and faithful steward (1Cor. 4:1, 2).

b.       Gifts are not to be used for selfish gain but for God’s glory, purposes, and for the good of others. We are not meant to be the terminals of God’s gifts to us; His grace reaches us but should not end with us. We are intended to be channels through whom the blessing can flow to others.

                                                 ii.      We are to be good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

a.       The grace of God here refers to the undeserved favor which He offers to man.

b.       Manifold literally means multi-colored and is multi-faceted or highly variegated. God’s grace enables an assortment of operations with any number of Christian servants using their blend of gifts to address effectively hyper-myriads of needs among God’s people and the local community.  The Lord’s grace is “marvelously and richly diverse.”

c.       God’s “manifold grace” is manifested to His churches as believers diligently exercise their spiritual gifts in service to each other. It is then that His grace is evident in its “manifold” or various forms, that is, it is variegated, rich in variety to meet all the needs of a fellowship.

                                                iii.      The gifts are to be used in love. First Peter 4:8 says we are to “have fervent charity among yourselves,” as we minister our gift to others (4:10). Romans 12:10 says that we must be “kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another,” as we use our spiritual gifts (Romans 12:4–6). First Corinthians 12:7 teaches that the use of our spiritual gifts must be “to profit withall.”

2.       Speak like the oracles of God on each occasion you address God’s people (1Pet. 4:11).

                                                   i.      What is meant by the oracles of God?

a.       The phrase “oracles of God” does not suggest that everything a preacher or teacher says today is God’s truth, because human speakers make mistakes in public speech and communication. In the early church, there were prophets who had the special gift of uttering God’s Word, but we do not have this gift of direct revelation today since the Word of God has been completed.

b.       Whoever proclaims God’s Word must be careful about what he says and how he says it, and all must conform to the written Word of God.

c.       Even if a man is gifted to preach or teach, he must be sure that the words he speaks are the very words God would have him say on that particular occasion.  This is the obligation presented here.

                                                 ii.      It is not enough for a man simply to preach from the Bible. He should also have the assurance that he is presenting the particular message intended by God for that audience at that time.

3.       Serve according to the ability that God gives you—no more and no less! (1Pet. 4:10)

                                                   i.      Any believer who performs any kind of service should do it with the humble recognition that it is God who empowers him.

                                                 ii.      This is the reason for relying on God’s Words (Acts 7:38; Rom. 3:2; Heb. 5:12),ability, strength, and power; so that God will receive the praise through Jesus Christ.

4.       Use your gift to glorify God in all things through Jesus Christ (1Pet. 4:10).

                                                   i.      Then the glory will go to God—to whom it belongs.

                                                 ii.      A man should not become proud no matter how highly gifted he is in Christian service. The gift did not originate by his effort, but was given to him from above. In fact, he has nothing which he did not receive. All service should be performed so that God gets the credit.

                                                iii.      As Peter points out, this honor is presented to the Father through Jesus Christ as Mediator, and also because of what God has done for us through Him. At the mention of Christ’s name Peter offered an appropriate word of praise as a benediction: To Whom be praise and dominion [the power or might] forever and ever. Amen. To this blessed Savior belongs praise and credit because all Christian ministries should always bring honor to Christ.