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"Let not many of you become teachers..."

Text: James 3:1

A WISE WORD OF ADVICE

The Apostle James possessed much wisdom. A part of the wisdom would have been gained through years of experience in serving the Lord! One of the many challenges in ministry lay in the field of “teaching”.

“My brethren, let not many of you become teachers,
knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.”
James 3:1

1. “My brethren”

a) Affection may be noted in this phrase.

b) The advice given is friendly but also candid.

2. “Let not many of you become teachers”

a) The word “teachers” in this context is not a reference to a school teacher.

b) It is rather a reference to the ministry of the “pastor-teacher” (Ephesians 4:11).

i) It is a ministry of teaching God’s word.

ii) It also involves the ministry of preaching.

3. The desire to be a teacher

a) To some the ministry seemed “glamorous”.

i) There is “status” in the Christian community.

ii) There is “authority” and perhaps even “power”.

b) It is not wrong to have spiritual ambitions.

c) However, one must also be aware of the demands and responsibilities of the work of a teacher of God’s word.

4. “Knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment”

a) There are “high expectations” from people about the teacher of God’s word.

b) Teachers must know that they will “receive a stricter judgment”.

i) Others may fail in life and ministry and generally there is acceptance.

ii) But when a teacher of God’s word fails to measure up there is little sympathy for them.

FROM EXPERIENCE

Many are the expectations from people concerning teachers of God’s word. Here’s a short list: –

1. He is expected to have a great wealth of knowledge of God’s word.

2. He is expected to be deeply spiritual.

3. He is expected to be strong at all times!