To Infinity and Beyond

Son, do you remember in school when you were taught about the origin of our educational systems? Schools are a fairly modern invention. Prior to that, families or individuals would pay an educated man for the right to become his apprentice. There were no classrooms, no lectures, no homework assignments, there was just life. Sometimes apprentices even went and lived with the “Master Teacher” for a time period. This was the best way to ensure that the learners would understand and master the skills and knowledge of their teacher. The longer I live, the more I see the genius of this educational system. Knowledge, wisdom, and experience all gained at the same time under the leadership of a master. Is this not the way Jesus called out and educated his disciples? Each one of them, after Jesus’ resurrection, went on to be a teacher in one way or another. This is the exact model for discipleship which Paul carried on with Timothy.

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This is important. Whether Jesus returns today or a thousand years from now, our hope is in the gospel being passed on from one generation to the next. I say “our” hope because our predecessors were faithful, and so we too must continue the chain of disciple making for others as well. Can you envision a world without the bible? I can, at least in so far as it being less accessible than it is currently. Can we teach the message of the Bible without access to one? Only if we start now on an apprentice-style journey to become a Master Teacher who will entrust these things to faithful apprentices.

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