Simple teaching

When Jesus’ disciples asked him to teach them to pray, he didn’t give fourteen principles on prayer. He didn’t give them a book. He didn’t even give them a sermon. He gave them a very short, simple, prayer.

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: “ ’Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’ ” Luke 11:1–4 (NIV)

Thirty four words in the NIV. Simple.

Is your teaching simple? Teach like Jesus.

Many are enamored with deep teaching—big words and long charts and the Greek says and all that. Jesus was enamored with simple. I am fond of saying, “We teach so little because we teach so much.” I am fond of a one point sermon. A fourteen point sermon probably won’t be understood by anyone. Andy Stanley says it even more briefly: less is more.

Jesus’ teaching had a certain clarity about it. You didn’t have to wonder what he meant. When Jesus said, “Do to others what you would have them do to you” people didn’t scratch their heads and wonder what he meant. They didn’t discuss or debate. His teaching was clear.