Beyond The Classroom!

In the colleges and universities of our country there are some who have been called “professional students.” These students are referred to as such because they continue year after year to take classes, but never decide on a field in which to major (perhaps continually changing majors) or never move on to take a job where they can apply what they have learned. Learning may be fun and interesting (the time certainly goes better when it is), however, the goal of learning something ought to be for the purpose of APPLYING IT TO LIFE in some way.

This is important to consider as we continue to be students of God’s Word. Our classroom may at times be our bedroom, the kitchen table, an easy chair in the living room, or some other quiet place away from life’s distractions. The classroom should also be regular times of Bible study together with other Christians and taking to heart the message preached from the pulpit. However, it is not enough to simply learn. We must be ready to do something with that knowledge, otherwise we are no better than the “professional student” who never puts to work the knowledge gained.

As the disciples followed Jesus, their classroom seems to have been wherever Jesus was. They observed our Lord’s actions, listened to His teaching, and even received private instruction as they needed clarification from time to time. They were in the process of being prepared for the proclaiming of Christ’s eternal kingdom and leading others into it following the Lord’s ascension back to Heaven. The disciples enjoyed their time with the Great Teacher and they grieved the idea of His departure (note John 16:5-7) and going on without His presence. Nevertheless, they had a mission to take up and the book of Acts records their bold efforts and the success of the kingdom beginning to grow.

Jesus encouraged…
“(24) Everyone then who HEARS THESE WORDS OF MINE AND DOES THEM will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. (25) And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.” ( Matthew 7:24-25 ESV)

Jesus went on to point out the converse of this, describing the great fall of the life of the one who listens without doing. ( Matthew 7:26-27) The principles Jesus taught are still to be APPLIED TO LIFE and acted upon. They are wisdom for life. They are practical for daily living. They themselves are life ( John 6:63 & 68) when they impact us as they were intended!

James exhorted…
“(22) But BE DOERS OF THE WORD, and NOT HEARERS ONLY, deceiving yourselves. (23) For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. (24) For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. (25) But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but A DOER WHO ACTS, he WILL BE BLESSED IN his DOING.” ( James 1:22-25 ESV)

Perhaps the “real” professional is the one who takes what they have learned and puts it to use. Both Jesus and James implied it is the doers who will be blessed. May that blessing APPLY TO OUR LIFE because we have accepted God’s Word and continually seek the ways to daily APPLY IT IN LIFE!

Have a great day LIVING OUT WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED!
Carl

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