Discpleship: Jesus as Master Teacher

We've all seen the bumper sticker or the t-shirt that reads: "Jesus is Lord."
While I believe that to be true, I've wondered why I've never seen a bumper sticker on the back of a minivan in traffic that reads "Jesus is Master Teacher."

It should not read, "Jesus is Teacher." There are many good teachers out there. It should read "Master Teacher" - he is above all other teachers that have ever lived. When we say we are disciples of Jesus we are acknowleding that he is our Master Teacher - there is no other by which we should life from.

I think it's because we get the Jesus as Lord and Savior thing (a salvific understanding of the gospel) pretty well - starting from when we're old enough to sit in those little squatty chairs and eat Graham Crackers in Sunday school - but we miss the Jesus as Master Teacher element (a transformed-life-in-process understanding of the gospel). Somehow - though I am not sure how - Lord and Teacher got separated in our theology - and it desperately needs to be joined back together.

I've arrived late to the show. This idea of seeing the whole gospel (Jesus as Lord and Jesus as Master Teacher) is something I've just recently discovered in the past three years or so. And it has changed my understanding of a centered, committed life in Jesus completely.

When we see God and his son Jesus only as our Divine Lifeguard on duty and not as our Master Teacher (the Maestro, rabbi, teacher of every area of my life, etc.) guiding and directing our lives, can we really comprehend discipleship enough to live it out?

So next time you're in traffic and you see that bumper sticker or you are in the mall and see someone wearing that T-shirt ask yourself, "yeah, but is he also my Master Teacher?"

It's only when we join Lord with Master Teacher do we have the foundation for discipleship to begin in our lives.

Comments

[Michael]

Amen! How do we see God? I love the relationship we see in Jewish tradition between Rabbi / Teacher and student. (see/read Christ The Lord Out Of Egypt by Anne Rice)
Our understanding of the relationship that God wants with us...has so much room to expand and deepen. And I deeply appreciate your insights on this, and your desire to understand and be transormed by a deeper understanding of what it means to be a disciple / follower. As far as bumper sticker theology, I cringe at the current symbol war.."my fish with legs will eat your Jesus fish"...oh yeah, well my bigger TRUTH fish will eat your darwin fish with legs....and so on...and so on..and...ugh! Talk about passive agressive!
"Get behind thee satan"........and read my bumper! Ohi Veigh!

Michael

[DougG]

JR, Man, your blogs are on a roll and timed well. I just memorized Mt 23:8-12 ".. you have only one Master ... you have only one teacher, the Christ .. the greatest among you will be your servant ..." Maybe our role is not to be Pastors, etc. but to help people grow into disciples after they make Him Lord. This has been a building thought in me the last couple years. When I memorized Phillipians, I see this concept throughout when I review it: "your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now" "He who began a good work in you, will carry it on to completion" "I press on toward the goal" "and if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you"; that last line is critical, Paul's creed concerned making sure people were growing correctly, not being doctrinally correct at all times. I also like the Psalms where David felt comfortable coming to God with his sin, or the prophets showing God as deeply desiring a personal relationship with people "He instructs sinners in his ways" (Ref: Jesus hung out with sinners.)
Note: I met with a guy this morning who made Jesus his Lord a couple years ago, but never grew in his relationship with God and is stuck in sin and feelings. I tried to outline how much God wanted (jealous?) to have a Master Teacher relationship with him and I wanted to help him to that end. I echoed the same thing last night at CGroup to a gal (single Mom, froma Christian family, 26, divorced, just ended a live-in r'ship with a guy, etc.), who said she haden't read heard Bible in years ... until last night. Do we/they realize how much God wants us to just hang out with Him?
Regards, DougG

[Martha]

I'm pretty sure we wrote a paper for Faye in Teaching & Learning that was titled "Jesus the Master Teacher." Don't ask how I remember these things, but that's what came to mind when I read this. Good stuff, discipleship.
love to the fam!

[Mike]

This is great info

[Mike]

This is great info