Since 2004, I’ve had the privilege of teaching Bible students from around the world who travel to the nation of Taiwan for a five-month Discipleship Training School held there twice a year. I get to be with them for one week of their enrollment and conduct a three-hour, daily lecture.
Every day, before introducing new material, I review the previous day’s curriculum and try to address any questions that developed overnight as these students processed the instruction they’d received. They’re exposed to a lot of content during class, so I always look forward to this opportunity to repeat and revisit things I’ve taught that they didn’t fully grasp. But even then, I know there’s only so much they’ll be able to absorb.
That’s partly due to the limits of my communication skills, but also, because the deepest form of learning happens as information gets applied, and there’s really no shortcut to that process. It takes time. And when I conclude my week of teaching, I always find myself wishing there was a way I could stay with my students through their journey of application that only daily living can make possible.
So, I love what Jesus told the Twelve about the process of their spiritual development in John 14:25-26. Having just emphasized the importance of not only hearing his words but living them, he reminded his disciples they would not be abandoned to go it alone. He reiterated his promise from verses 15-18 that the Father would send the Holy Spirit to remain with them, reinforce his instructions, and enable them to recall what they’d been taught as their lives provided the opportunity to apply his teaching.
I believe you’re reading this because you want to be a faithful, diligent, and engaged student of the red ink – the color that many versions of the New Testament use to display the words of Jesus. But as you’ve probably already discovered, there’s a lot of it. And I know it may seem a bit overwhelming. You may even be tempted to feel shame or embarrassment about what you perceive to be your slowness to absorb and grasp the Lord’s instructions.
But don’t surrender to that. The Holy Spirit is a wise and patient teacher working within our uniqueness, enabling us to learn and live in the life-altering words of the Savior. As believers, each of us has access to a divine tutor guiding us in understanding and assimilating the truths Jesus taught. And he’s not limited to a week of lectures. The Holy Spirit is with us 24/7/365 to ensure we’re growing in the knowledge we need and can apply it in every circumstance we encounter.
And that’s not even close to the full measure of the Spirit’s mission in our lives. As we explore the next chapter of this Gospel, we’ll discover a much more expansive description of his role. But for now, let’s choose to soak in, with gratitude, the light of this one aspect of his ministry to us. With grateful and responsive hearts, let’s commit to being good students.