Walking With Christ

(Part 6 of 9)

John 3:10  Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?(ESV)

Nicodemus came to Jesus at night.  He was educated.  Religious.  Respected.  A teacher himself.

Jesus spoke to him about being born again, the Spirit, earthly things, heavenly things, and what Nicodemus should already have understood.

Then, in the very next chapter, Jesus met a Samaritan woman at a well.  The conversation was completely different.

Jesus began with water.  Then He moved into her relationships.  Then worship.  Then the Messiah.

Two people.  Two conversations.  One Savior.

Jesus didn’t give them the same lesson in the same way.

Nicodemus came with religious knowledge and needed his understanding challenged.

The woman at the well came with a completely different history, set of questions, and understanding of God.

Jesus met each of them where they were.

The truth didn’t change.  The method did.

Good teaching isn’t simply knowing what needs to be said.  It also requires understanding the person who needs to hear it.

Sometimes someone needs an explanation.  Sometimes they need a question.  Sometimes they need to have an assumption challenged.  Sometimes the conversation has to begin with something familiar before it can move toward something deeper.

Jesus didn’t force every person into the same teaching method.  He changed His approach without changing the truth.

How Jesus taught:  He adapted to the person in front of Him.