Teaching that Provokes the Heart

On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him. But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there. And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored. But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus” (Luke 6:6-11).

Jesus spent another Sabbath teaching in the synagogue, showing in word and deed how to fulfill the law’s requirement to honor the Sabbath… “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken” (Isaiah 58:13-14). But His teaching was different because in word and deed, Christ showed us teaching that provokes the heart.

Jesus’ teaching nourished the soul. In fulfillment of His role as Messiah, He taught the word of God in the synagogue that the hungry souls of God’s children might be fed… “And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 8:3). He was also fulfilling the prophets’ prediction that God Himself would one day come and teach His children… “All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children” (Isaiah 54:13). Christ centered teaching feeds the heart.

Jesus’ teaching healed the sick. The Teacher had a lesson plan but He was flexible and responsive to the needs presented in His audience. He responded to the physical need of the man with the withered hand with a visual lesson that demonstrated the power of faith in His spoken word… “He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction” (Psalm 107:20). The man demonstrated faith in Christ’s word by coming to Him and obeying His word to… “Stretch out your hand” and he was healed. What an encouragement to us to respond to God’s word in faith… “As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience” (Luke 8:15). Christ centered teaching blesses the heart.

Jesus’ teaching revealed the heart. The same teaching that healed a withered hand also revealed some withered hearts in the synagogue that day. Jesus’ teaching was founded in the truth of God’s word. It was rooted in the law and the prophets. But the deep truths of God’s word must be spiritually discerned… “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God” (1 Corinthians 2:12). Jesus set the bar high for those serious disciples that would learn from God’s word. We must follow His example and trust the Holy Spirit to teach us… “But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him” (1 John 2:27). The standard is even higher for those called to teach God’s word… “And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual” (1 Corinthians 2:13). We must also understand and accept that not everyone will joyfully receive God’s truth. Those unwilling to trust the Spirit of truth to be their teacher will, like the Pharisees, experience the heart convicting work of the Spirit when they hear God’s word… “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8). Christ centered teaching convicts the heart.

As we grow up into Christ we are nurtured and strengthened in the faith by…

Teaching that Provokes the Heart.