This September, one of the common features throughout all of the Gospel readings that we’re going to hear during worship these weekends is that each of these Gospel readings is a different teaching of Jesus.

And I think this is very appropriate for September—after all, this is a season when teaching starts up again in many ways. Our preschool, Lambs of Faith, is back in session, and even as I write this the teachers are getting their classrooms ready. School for older kids has either already started or is soon to start. And even for those of you who are past the age of going to school, this is a great time to start (or continue) to go to some of the many opportunities we have here at Faith to be taught God’s word: Men’s Bible study (Wednesdays at 8:00 AM), Women’s Bible study (Fridays at 10:00 AM), and adult Bible class (Sundays at 10:15).

As we think about all this teaching that we have to be involved with (either as a teacher or a student, or both!), I think it’s a good thing to remember how much Jesus taught—and so how important Jesus thinks that teaching God’s word and being taught God’s word is! I think of Mark 6:34:

When [Jesus] went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

This is amazing to me because Jesus’s response to seeing these people who are in great need, who are like “sheep without a shepherd” is maybe not what we’d expect. We might expect him to do some great miracle for them, or to start healing them, or something like that, but no—instead, Jesus begins to teach them. The lesson for us is plain: miracles are good, healing is wonderful, life and riches and blessings are all good things, but the greatest gift is to be taught the word of God.As Paul says in Romans 10:

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? [We might add in “teaching” here too!]… So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

In this season, then (and in every other, too), let us celebrate our teachers, and especially those who teach about God—both those who teach in official capacities (like our Lambs of Faith teachers)—and those who teach in unofficial but equally important capacities (like parents and grandparents). If you are called to teach, remember how important this calling you have is, and strive always to teach God’s word with joy and clarity. And if you are called to learn (we all are!) then chase after opportunities to learn about God’s word, so that, as Paul writes to Philemon:

…the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.

-Pastor Duncan