Homeheading | Lesson 5, Part 1

Greetings MOL Family!

In our last lesson, we noted the experience of Jesus in the home He grew up in. Today, we want to notice how He trained His disciples.

The Ideal Plan of Education

In Education, page 84, there is a statement that you may have to look at for a while, before you see what’s in it. But one wonderful thing about dealing with inspired books is that we can believe what they say whether we comprehend it or not. We don’t have to sit and wonder whether or not it’s true, and rationalize. We accept it. We believe it first, and then we begin to understand it. The third paragraph:

In the training of His disciples the Saviour followed the system of education established at the beginning. – Education, pg. 84

Now we’ve gone over this in previous lessons. What was the system of education established at the beginning? — The home school, the family training program. To show that that’s what the prophet was speaking about when these words were pinned, note the next sentence:

The Twelve first chosen, with a few others who through ministry to their needs were from time to time connected with them, formed the family of Jesus.  – Ibid

Did Jesus have a training home? — Precisely. That’s what He had. He had a training home. And that was the system of education that He established and carried forward.

They [These disciples] were with Him in the house, at the table, in the closet, in the field. – Ibid

Notice that that companionship extended into the different activities of life. When the disciples ate, who was eating with them? Jesus. When they traveled, who were they traveling with? Jesus. They had worship together. They did their missionary labor together. They slept under the same olive trees. Did they pray together? Yes, what a companionship! What an opportunity for education!

To get the contrast think of this: Imagine Jesus dismissing school at two or three or four in the afternoon, and saying to His students, “I’ll see you tomorrow at eight or nine in the morning.” Certainly, we don’t envision Him in that, do we? No. Does this mean it is wrong to have classes or regular hours for school? No. But we’re dealing here with the ideal plan of education.

We’ll come back to these pages here, but I want you to see some verses in the Bible that bear on this. Let’s go to John 1 and see how Jesus began His work. This shows us the getting together of the first disciples:

Again the next day after, John [This is John the Baptist] stood, and two of his disciples [Those two were Andrew and John, the evangelist] and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master, [That is teacher] where dwellest thou? [Where do you live?] He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day… – John 1:35-39

What does it mean they “abode with Him?” They stayed with Him.

It was about the tenth hour. – John 1:39

Four o’clock in the afternoon. So, with this began Jesus’ home, His school, His training program. In the 40th verse, one of them went and got His brother; 43rd verse Jesus called another man, Phillip; 45th verse, Philip found his friend Nathaniel and brought him to Jesus. With these five Jesus had the nucleus of His training home.

The Family of Jesus

Now, let’s go to Matthew 4 and see an incident that happened a little later up by the Sea of Galilee:

And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. – Matthew 4:18

So they came. Now notice in His invitation He said what? “Follow Me.” If you’re following somebody, you have to be close enough to see where they’re going, right? The word ‘follow’, as used in the Bible, often means ‘to go with’. “The third angel followed them,” that means he went with the first and second angel. Jesus is saying to Simon and to Andrew, “Come and go with Me.” They left their ordinary employment, and came and stayed with Jesus, lived with Him.

Notice His purpose was to make them what? Fishers of men; make them soul winners. Is that our goal with our students? Our helpers shall become soul winners. We’re to lead them in that.

Luke 8. You sisters will be particularly interested in this one. Were there some women from time to time in that company?

And it came to pass afterward, that He went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him. – Luke 8:1

There’s that expression again indicating companionship, fellowship, participation. And who was it that was with Him? — The twelve. And, next word? What?

…certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance. – Luke 8:2-3

That word ministered is a beautiful word. What does it suggest? — Service. They were doing things for Jesus and His disciples. Did He pay them well for it? No, they paid. That’s right. Isn’t that what it says?

…ministered unto him of their substance. – Luke 8:3

Unless you are doing a job that’s worth paying to do it, there should not be money enough in the world to pay you to do it. It’s a wonderful thing to have a mission in life that’s worth putting yourself, your time, your money, your thoughts, your efforts, your everything into. Isn’t it? Jesus inspired that kind of response, that kind of participation.

Now with those people that ministered unto Him of their substance, were they getting richer or poorer as time went on? — Poorer in money. That’s what happened to the apostle Paul a bit later. He came to Christ a rich man, but he used everything he had. Nicodemus, reputed to be one of the richest men in Jerusalem, came forward in the crisis hour and identified himself with the young church, and poured out all his wealth in that. So these women who shared with Jesus and the disciples in the work of ministry were pouring in service and money; ministry of time, ministry of effort; ministry of wealth.

Now with that Bible statement, let’s go back to Education, page 84, the last paragraph:

In the training of His disciples the Saviour followed [What?] the system of education established at the beginning. – Education, pg. 84

What plan was this? — Family training plan, home education plan.

The Twelve first chosen, with a few others who through ministry to their needs were from time to time connected with them, formed the family of Jesus. – Ibid

There you see it from Luke 8. Susanna, Mary Magdalene, and some of the others along with Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, formed the family of Jesus.

They were with Him in the house, at the table, in the closet, in the field. They accompanied Him on His journeys, shared His trials and hardships, and, as much as in them was, entered into His work. – Ibid., pg. 85

What does the expression suggest? “as much as in them was” They couldn’t enter in fully. Now, your students may never be able to enter in fully with you, but they are to be encouraged to enter in as much as they can. Jesus didn’t discourage them because they couldn’t understand everything He said or do everything He did. He let them understand all they could, and He let them do all they could. That’s what we are to do.

Now, let’s go back to the beginning of this chapter:

The most complete illustration of Christ’s methods as a teacher is found in His training of the twelve first disciples. – Ibid., pg. 84

The way Jesus trained the twelve is a what? — An illustration. What kind of an illustration? — A complete illustration. And what’s in front of the complete? Most complete. It’s a complete illustration of His methods as a what? — As a Teacher.

Now, He taught the multitudes, but He taught the twelve in a very special way, and this is the most complete illustration of His methods.

Upon these men were to rest weighty responsibilities. – Ibid

Let me interject this question. Are you conscious, dear ones, that as you sit at the table with two or three or half a dozen students, as you meet at worship or mingle in the work program, that you are carrying on the Savior’s methods of education? This was the method Christ used.

He didn’t establish a seminary, a university, a college, a high school, anything else that men would call an educational institution, and yet He was carrying on the divine plan of education. There was no record of semester hours. There was no grade sheet, not that these are wrong. I’m simply pointing out that the essentials of Christian education, the optimum (Watch the point!) are revealed in the life, and work, and training program of Jesus. And that is what you and I have the privilege of entering into.

Upon these men were to rest weighty responsibilities. He had chosen them as men whom He could imbue with His Spirit, and who could be fitted to carry forward His work on earth when He should leave it. To them, above all others, He gave [What?] the advantage of His own companionship. – Ibid

Was that an advantage? “the advantage of His own companionship?” Did John think it was an advantage? Oh, yes. How do we see him? What’s he doing? Pressing close to Jesus, getting just as close as he can. Judas did too, on the other side, for another reason. There’s more than one motive to move people. But Jesus gave these twelve the advantage, above all others, of His what? — His own companionship.

Now my question: Is it an advantage to your students to have your companionship? Well, if it isn’t, don’t take on the responsibility. We would think it a very sad situation if some students were assigned to your home, and they did not get any food on the table for breakfast, and none for dinner. How many days would that go on? Not many. But Jesus, although He sometimes had little food, physical food, to share, always had manna from Heaven to share with them.

…the advantage of His own companionship. – Ibid

Now, somebody [reading these lessons] is going to come face to face with this question, “Oh, Lord, what have I got to impart? What have I got to share?” Blessed are they which hunger and thirst, for they shall be filled. Our trouble is we aim so low sometimes that we hit what we aim at.

There’s no limit to what we can receive from Christ. Where did He get it? He got it from His Father. He not only had that background of 30 years preliminary training, gathering lessons from nature, and the Bible, and useful work, daily experience, but day by day where did He get the present Help He needed? — In prayer; in communion with His Father.

Take a moment, even now, and communion with your Father. He longs to hear from you, and for you to hear His voice.

Until next week – Invite a friend, and we’ll see you then… 

–Continue on to the next study-

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Does your soul long for fellowship, companionship; a desire to have communion with Christ, and be abundantly satisfied? Gain the blessing of this experience, today! >> Learn How

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* This study has been adapted from classes taken by Elder W.D. Frazee.