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00:00:02 We’re so happy to have you join us again 00:00:05 here on JW Broadcasting®. 00:00:08 In the next hour, we’ll talk about how to become 00:00:11 a better teacher of God’s Word. 00:00:14 And we’ll also join Dilan and Isaac 00:00:16 for some candid talk 00:00:19 about the peer pressure they faced in high school. 00:00:23 We’ll see an interview with Maria Kaloyanoff, 00:00:26 who smuggled hundreds of pieces of Bible literature 00:00:29 into Communist Europe during the 1960’s. 00:00:33 What motivated this young mother 00:00:36 to risk imprisonment again and again? 00:00:40 And we’ll enjoy a beautiful new music video 00:00:43 that highlights how much Jehovah appreciates 00:00:46 the quality of our sacrifices, 00:00:49 even if we’re limited in what we can do. 00:00:53 This is the August 2023 edition 00:00:56 of JW Broadcasting. 00:01:17 How important is the use of illustrations? 00:01:20 Are they simply fluff in our teaching? 00:01:23 One definition of the English word “fluff” 00:01:26 is this: 00:01:28 “something essentially trivial 00:01:30 and lacking importance or solid worth.” 00:01:34 Are illustrations trivial and of little worth? 00:01:39 Please follow along on-screen 00:01:41 as I read our theme scripture, 00:01:44 Matthew 13:34: 00:01:47 “All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds 00:01:50 “by illustrations. 00:01:53 “Indeed, without an illustration 00:01:55 he would not speak to them.” 00:01:58 We often call Jesus the Great Teacher. 00:02:02 Illustrations were essential 00:02:04 to fully grasp what was being taught. 00:02:07 Now, we won’t be spending a lot of time 00:02:09 on the dos and don’ts of using illustrations. 00:02:13 Insight on the Scriptures has a whole topic on “Illustrations.” 00:02:19 And the Apply Yourself to Reading and Teaching brochure 00:02:22 has some helpful suggestions in lesson 8. 00:02:27 Let me remind you, also, 00:02:29 of a talk that Brother Splane of the Governing Body gave 00:02:33 at the 2020 regional convention. 00:02:36 The title was “Improve Your Skills —Illustrating Key Points.” 00:02:41 It had some very practical suggestions, which I won’t be repeating here, 00:02:46 so perhaps you’ll want to review Brother Splane’s talk 00:02:49 in an upcoming family worship. 00:02:53 At times, the Bible actually identifies Jesus’ expression 00:02:57 as an illustration; 00:03:00 most of the time, it does not. 00:03:02 It was just part of the way he spoke naturally; 00:03:05 illustrations flowed from him. 00:03:09 Well, how did he come up with them so readily? 00:03:12 Jesus was observant of what was happening around him. 00:03:18 We too can be observant. 00:03:20 This will help to train us to think in illustrations. 00:03:25 The bread and the wine used at the Memorial of Christ’s death 00:03:28 beautifully represented Jesus’ perfect body and blood 00:03:32 that would be given in behalf of sinful mankind. 00:03:36 But we can learn something about our use of illustrations 00:03:40 by considering the circumstances of the Lord’s Evening Meal. 00:03:44 Think about it: 00:03:46 From years of attending, 00:03:48 Jesus knew what was going to be on the Passover table that night. 00:03:54 So he could’ve thought in advance 00:03:56 of using those emblems in that way. 00:03:59 We don’t know for sure. 00:04:02 But what a simple, logical, and indelible impression it made that night 00:04:07 and continues to make on millions of us 00:04:10 some 2,000 years later! 00:04:13 If we’re going to give a talk or demonstration 00:04:16 at one of our meetings, we already know the topic. 00:04:20 So we have the luxury of thinking of an illustration in advance. 00:04:26 But what if we’re teaching a Bible student 00:04:28 and he asks us an unexpected question? 00:04:32 At that moment, you’ll likely mentally consider your student 00:04:36 —what you know about his work, his hobbies, 00:04:39 or just his daily life experiences— 00:04:42 and an illustration may come to your mind on the spur of the moment. 00:04:48 Well, let’s see how that latter process (an unexpected situation) 00:04:53 was faced by Jesus. 00:04:55 In this case, we can understand his thought process 00:04:59 in coming up with masterful illustrations. 00:05:04 John chapter 4 is the account about the Samaritan woman at the well. 00:05:09 At John 4:34, Jesus used the illustration of food. 00:05:14 He said there: 00:05:15 “My food is to do the will of him who sent me 00:05:20 and to finish his work.” 00:05:22 That’s a simple, effective illustration. 00:05:26 Why might he have used the generic expression “food” 00:05:31 instead of something more specific 00:05:33 like “my wine” or “my bread is to do the will of him who sent me”? 00:05:39 Well, let’s look at the context. 00:05:42 Interestingly, in quick succession, 00:05:45 Jesus used two different illustrations. 00:05:48 And in both cases, it seems from the context 00:05:51 that he came up with these based on what was happening at the time. 00:05:56 John 4:7 says: 00:05:59 “A woman of Samaria came to draw water. 00:06:03 Jesus said to her: ‘Give me a drink.’” 00:06:07 Well, that’s setup number one for an illustration about water. 00:06:12 Verse 8 says: 00:06:14 “For his disciples had gone off 00:06:16 into the city to buy food.” 00:06:19 That’s setup number two for an illustration about food. 00:06:25 Now, Jesus didn’t orchestrate all of this in advance. 00:06:28 It was just circumstantial 00:06:30 that Jesus asked a woman who approached with a water jar 00:06:34 to give him a drink. 00:06:37 But Jesus instantly thought of and used 00:06:40 the subject of water as an illustration. 00:06:44 Verse 10 says: 00:06:46 “If you had known of the free gift of God 00:06:50 “and who it is who says to you, 00:06:52 “‘Give me a drink,’ 00:06:54 “you would have asked him, 00:06:56 and he would have given you living water.” 00:07:00 The illustration was spontaneous. 00:07:03 It effectively led to a fine witness about Jesus. 00:07:08 Now, in illustration number two, look in verse 27. 00:07:13 Jesus is still talking to the woman when the disciples return from the city. 00:07:18 Do you remember that verse 8 said 00:07:21 the disciples had gone “into the city to buy food”? 00:07:25 So they come back, and they have some food for Jesus. 00:07:30 Going to verse 28, the woman leaves. 00:07:34 Notice what the disciples now say to Jesus, 00:07:36 which is a setup for illustration number two 00:07:40 —not water, but food now becomes the topic of conversation. 00:07:46 Verse 31: 00:07:48 “Meanwhile, the disciples were urging him: 00:07:51 ‘Rabbi, eat.’” 00:07:53 The word “eat” caused Jesus to think of the now famous illustration 00:07:58 that we quote regularly. 00:08:00 Verse 32: 00:08:02 “But he said to them: 00:08:04 “‘I have food to eat 00:08:06 that you do not know about.’” 00:08:08 Well, the disciples are puzzled. 00:08:11 Verse 33: 00:08:12 “So the disciples said to one another: 00:08:15 “‘No one brought him anything to eat, did he?’ 00:08:19 “Jesus [picking up on the topic at hand] said to them: 00:08:23 “‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me 00:08:27 and to finish his work.’” 00:08:29 Now obviously, Jesus did not choreograph 00:08:32 all this in advance. 00:08:34 But based on the circumstances at hand, 00:08:37 he came up with illustrations that worked. 00:08:41 Well, in what way? 00:08:43 Well, what’s the point of similarity between God’s will and food? 00:08:49 Eating good food is enjoyable. 00:08:51 It’s satisfying! 00:08:53 The point? 00:08:54 Jesus enjoyed doing God’s will. 00:08:57 It was satisfying to him —like eating a tasty meal. 00:09:02 Another point of similarity is that food invigorates a person. 00:09:07 Jesus was invigorated 00:09:09 by that conversation with the Samaritan woman. 00:09:13 Now glance back up in verses 3-6. 00:09:17 It says that Jesus had “left Judea” on foot. 00:09:20 Look in verse 6: 00:09:22 “Now Jesus, 00:09:24 “tired out as he was from the journey, 00:09:27 “was sitting at the well. 00:09:29 It was about the sixth hour.” 00:09:32 However, after witnessing to the woman at the well, 00:09:35 Jesus is invigorated. 00:09:38 He even alluded to the idea 00:09:40 that the experience was more energizing than literal food. 00:09:46 What have we learned thus far from the process? 00:09:50 If you know beforehand what will be discussed, 00:09:54 that gives you the opportunity to think of an appropriate illustration 00:09:58 in advance. 00:10:00 If something comes up unexpectedly, 00:10:03 often you can use what you’ve observed around you 00:10:06 or what you already know to generate an effective illustration. 00:10:12 You might be thinking: ‘Uh, I’m not really creative. 00:10:16 ‘It takes a while for me to think up an illustration, 00:10:20 ‘even when I know in advance that I have an assignment at the meeting. 00:10:25 ‘On-the-spot illustrations? 00:10:27 ‘It’s probably not going to happen for me 00:10:29 with the way my brain works or doesn’t work.’ 00:10:34 Is there a way to train the brain 00:10:37 to think in illustration mode? 00:10:40 Yes. 00:10:41 How? 00:10:43 One way is by observing creation 00:10:47 or man-made inventions, 00:10:49 even when you don’t have a talk to give 00:10:51 and even when your children are not with you. 00:10:55 Think about what you observe, 00:10:57 and reason out how it could be applied 00:11:00 as a teaching lesson in the future. 00:11:03 Write it down if you need to so as to remember it. 00:11:07 One father told me that even when his children were not with him, 00:11:12 he would look at creation 00:11:14 and come up with a line of reasoning 00:11:16 that might be helpful in the future. 00:11:19 He gave an example. 00:11:21 He observed two kittens playing together. 00:11:24 He reasoned: 00:11:26 “Do those kittens look happy? 00:11:29 “Yes. 00:11:30 “If Jehovah knows what it takes 00:11:32 “to make two kittens happy, 00:11:34 “do you think he knows 00:11:37 what it would take to make you happy?” 00:11:39 Well, obviously, a child would agree. 00:11:43 “So if Jehovah knows what it would take to make you happy, 00:11:47 what should you do if Jehovah says to do something a certain way?” 00:11:52 Profound, Dad! 00:11:54 Do it Jehovah’s way if you want to be happy. 00:11:58 Now the beautiful reality, the golden moment, 00:12:02 was when he saw one of his sons 00:12:04 watching two squirrels in a tree chasing each other. 00:12:08 He used the squirrels as his illustration, 00:12:11 along with the prepared line of reasoning. 00:12:15 Now his son still remembers that point many decades later. 00:12:21 Jesus’ brain thought creatively when using illustrations. 00:12:27 For another example, please turn with me to John 1:42. 00:12:33 Jesus changed Simon’s name on the spot. 00:12:38 John 1:42: 00:12:41 “And he [Andrew] led him [Simon] to Jesus. 00:12:47 “When Jesus looked at him, he said: 00:12:49 “‘You are Simon, the son of John; 00:12:51 “you will be called Cephas’ 00:12:54 (which is translated ‘Peter’).” 00:12:57 Now, why did Jesus change his name to Cephas, or Peter? 00:13:03 It actually seems to be creative thinking. 00:13:06 The Greek word for Peter is Peˈtros, not Peˈtra. 00:13:11 Peˈtra means “Rock Mass,” 00:13:14 and that applies to Jesus, the cornerstone, 00:13:17 the head of the Christian congregation. 00:13:19 However, Peˈtros means “A Piece of Rock.” 00:13:23 What a beautiful description of Peter! 00:13:27 At times, Peter didn’t seem to be dependable. 00:13:31 But Jesus saw good qualities in him 00:13:33 and gave him the name Peter (Peˈtros, Piece of Rock). 00:13:39 In effect, 00:13:41 Jesus was saying that he would become as stable as a rock. 00:13:45 And that’s precisely what transpired. 00:13:48 What a great word picture, 00:13:50 or illustration, by Jesus! 00:13:53 At Revelation 1:1, 00:13:56 under inspiration to John, 00:13:58 Jehovah said that that book of the Bible was 00:14:00 “a revelation by Jesus Christ, which God gave him.” 00:14:06 The Insight book says: 00:14:08 “The book of Revelation concludes the Holy Scriptures 00:14:12 “with one of the most outstanding concentrations 00:14:15 of illustrations found in the entire Bible.” 00:14:20 You recall our theme is from Matthew 13:34: 00:14:24 “Without an Illustration He Would Not Speak to Them.” 00:14:29 As another example, Jesus gave his famous Sermon on the Mount. 00:14:33 In Matthew chapter 7, the last chapter of that sermon, 00:14:37 he used at least ten different illustrations. 00:14:42 Yes, “without an illustration he would not speak to them.” 00:14:47 Matthew 7:28 sums up the Sermon on the Mount, saying: 00:14:52 “When Jesus finished these sayings, 00:14:55 “the effect was that the crowds were astounded 00:14:58 at his way of teaching.” 00:15:01 First Peter 2:21 says that Jesus left 00:15:04 “a model for [us] to follow his steps closely.” 00:15:08 That includes his art of teaching, 00:15:11 which incorporated extensive use of illustrations. 00:15:15 They were pithy and to the point. 00:15:18 May each of us train ourselves to think that way 00:15:21 and strive to improve our teaching skills 00:15:24 by means of illustrations. 00:15:29 Jesus was able to reach hearts 00:15:32 not only by means of his teaching skills 00:15:35 but also because of his outstanding qualities. 00:15:39 Think of his empathy. 00:15:41 His compassion and fellow feeling 00:15:44 just drew people to him like a magnet. 00:15:48 What role can our empathy and fellow feeling play 00:15:52 as we preach to others in this loveless world? 00:15:57 Take a look at the following dramatization. 00:17:08 Here, an everything bagel with cream cheese 00:17:10 and a large latte—€8,50. 00:17:12 Uh, I think I forgot my purse. 00:17:15 Not my problem. 00:17:16 Come on. I’m here all the time. 00:17:17 I’ve been waiting forever. 00:17:19 And yet still not my problem. 00:17:20 Are you serious? 00:17:22 I can bring you the money after work. 00:17:24 Next customer! 00:17:25 Sorry, how much was her order? 00:17:27 €8,50. 00:17:28 Oh, I’ve got it. 00:17:29 And could you add a regular coffee with cream? 00:17:31 Fine—€12 even. 00:17:37 Do I know you? 00:17:38 Nope. I just wanted to help. 00:17:40 Thank you. 00:17:41 Of course. 00:17:42 How can I get your money to you? 00:17:43 Ah, don’t worry about it. 00:17:45 OK. Thank you! 00:17:57 Thanks. 00:18:01 But if you’d like a little something 00:18:03 encouraging to read on your way to work, 00:18:05 you might enjoy this. 00:18:11 I don’t believe in God. 00:18:14 May I ask why? 00:18:34 I just don’t. 00:18:38 But thanks again. You’re very sweet. 00:19:18 Mhm. 00:19:19 Mhm. 00:19:25 Mhm. OK. 00:19:34 How many years in the camp? 00:19:37 Eleven. 00:19:40 Will anyone else in your family 00:19:42 be requesting resettlement? 00:19:44 No. 00:19:47 Why? 00:19:51 They are all dead 00:19:54 —killed. 00:19:59 I need a copy of your identity card. 00:20:19 Hey, I saw your . . . 00:20:21 No! We don’t hire foreigners! 00:20:23 You ruined your country; 00:20:24 don’t come here and ruin ours! 00:20:26 Get out! 00:22:03 Never underestimate the power of empathy! 00:22:08 Even the smallest gesture of kindness on our part 00:22:11 can lead to someone opening their heart to the truth. 00:22:15 The video also taught us something else. 00:22:18 The ministry, in all of its forms, 00:22:20 can have a cumulative effect on a person’s heart, 00:22:23 softening it over time to accept the Kingdom message. 00:22:29 Of course, we have empathy not only for those in the field 00:22:33 but also for our own brothers and sisters 00:22:36 —and that includes our young ones. 00:22:39 Day after day, 00:22:41 they have to deal with peer pressure at school, 00:22:43 and it’s intense. 00:22:46 Take it from Dilan and Isaac. 00:22:49 They share their stories in this episode of My Teen Life. 00:23:02 I went to a vocational school 00:23:04 where I was able to fast-track 00:23:05 learning a trade. 00:23:07 Unexpectedly, I finished at the top of my class. 00:23:09 After that, my teachers and my classmates 00:23:12 started to expect a lot more from me. 00:23:14 They were saying: “You’re doing so well. 00:23:17 “You represent the school. 00:23:18 “You will have to work hard. 00:23:20 “You’ll do great things. 00:23:22 You’ll go far.” 00:23:23 They were constantly putting pressure on me 00:23:25 to go for higher education and to go to university. 00:23:28 There was this girl 00:23:30 in high school who was my age. 00:23:31 She was very friendly. 00:23:33 She always paid attention to me; she was a nice person. 00:23:37 I also thought she was cute. 00:23:39 My classmates were like: “Go, talk to her!” 00:23:43 or “Hey, Isaac, do you know that she likes you?” 00:23:47 And so I wasn’t sure what to do. 00:23:50 Of course, when I chose to go to that school, 00:23:52 higher education wasn’t the reason. 00:23:55 I wanted to fast-track getting a trade 00:23:57 and starting a job so that I could earn my income. 00:24:00 That’s what I thought. 00:24:01 It was a really difficult time for me. 00:24:05 I remember praying to Jehovah in tears for hours. 00:24:10 I didn’t ask for advice, 00:24:13 didn’t talk to friends or people I trusted about it, 00:24:15 not even my parents. 00:24:18 And little by little, I started to give in 00:24:21 to that pressure that I got because of this girl. 00:24:24 In the end, we started to flirt with each other. 00:24:28 We chatted and sent each other messages. 00:24:33 When I prayed to Jehovah, 00:24:35 I didn’t feel completely comfortable. 00:24:38 I thought, ‘If I’m not doing what Jehovah is asking of me, 00:24:41 ‘if I’m not behaving how Jehovah expects me to behave, 00:24:44 then how can I expect him to listen to my prayers or even consider them?’ 00:24:49 My family never told me to go or not to go to university, 00:24:52 but they reminded me of Jehovah’s thinking. 00:24:55 My dad read Proverbs 27:11 to me. 00:24:59 What I was doing was a barrier 00:25:01 between me and Jehovah. 00:25:02 He helped me see 00:25:04 that the decisions I make as a teenager affect Jehovah. 00:25:07 At that time, there were many videos, 00:25:10 articles, and publications about this topic. 00:25:12 Reading experiences of those who went through similar things, 00:25:16 doing personal study on the subject, 00:25:18 and talking with spiritually mature brothers while in the ministry 00:25:22 was very helpful for me. 00:25:24 Something that my parents did 00:25:26 that helped me a lot was that they used the book 00:25:29 Young People Ask in our family study. 00:25:32 And there’s a chapter that talks about peer pressure. 00:25:41 Afterward, I was able to cope. 00:25:43 What helped me the most was something I heard at a circuit assembly. 00:25:46 The speaker said in his talk: “Yes, our young people 00:25:50 “have a lot of challenges right now. 00:25:52 “And when it comes to higher education, 00:25:55 “maybe their classmates and teachers are pressuring them. 00:25:57 “But you young people (it felt like he spoke to me personally), 00:26:01 “your teacher or classmate might not even be 00:26:04 “part of your life in the future. 00:26:06 “But if you want Jehovah always to be in your life, 00:26:09 then you need to make your decisions accordingly.” 00:26:14 It was like a light went on in my head. 00:26:20 Now I was sure about what I needed to do. 00:26:23 I had to speak to her. 00:26:26 One day, I prayed to Jehovah and got up the courage. 00:26:30 I told her that it couldn’t continue with us. 00:26:34 Of course, explaining that to my classmates 00:26:37 and to my teachers was a little hard. 00:26:39 I mean, it was difficult for them to understand. 00:26:42 Sure, I explained it, but they said, “Why would you do that?” 00:26:47 For whoever is in the same situation that I was in, 00:26:52 the best thing to do 00:26:53 is to talk to someone you trust, tell them how you feel, 00:26:57 and ask for help. 00:27:06 Our Creator, Jehovah, is the one who thinks about me and loves me most. 00:27:12 He hasn’t deprived me of anything good. 00:27:15 He always helps us and never leaves us. 00:27:18 I’m so grateful to Jehovah. 00:27:42 Dilan and Isaac both admitted that the pressure they faced 00:27:46 was almost too much, almost got the best of them. 00:27:52 What helped them turn the corner? 00:27:55 Isaac said that it was reaching out and getting help. 00:27:58 If you’re facing similar pressures in school, don’t keep it to yourself. 00:28:03 Talk to someone you trust 00:28:05 —that can open the door to getting just the help you need. 00:28:12 Now we’d like to share something special with you: 00:28:15 a recent discovery that has rewritten a part of our theocratic history. 00:28:21 Enjoy the following story, more than 80 years in the making. 00:28:27 Jehovah’s Witnesses love the Bible. 00:28:31 Long before taking on the monumental task 00:28:34 of Bible translation, 00:28:35 they acquired licenses 00:28:37 to print already existing translations of the Bible. 00:28:41 And then in the 1950’s, 00:28:43 the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society 00:28:45 printed the first Bible ever to be translated by Jehovah’s Witnesses 00:28:49 —the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. 00:28:52 At least we thought it was the first Bible 00:28:55 ever to be translated by Jehovah’s Witnesses. 00:28:58 Well, in the fall of 2017, 00:29:01 the World Headquarters Museum Department 00:29:03 received a Bible donated 00:29:04 by a brother in Germany. 00:29:06 Accompanying the Bible was a letter referring 00:29:09 to a rare Bible printed in 1934 00:29:13 at Magdeburg, the location 00:29:15 of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society’s 00:29:17 Germany Branch and printery at that time. 00:29:20 Little was known about this Bible, 00:29:22 and to those who did know of it, it was thought of as something 00:29:26 unapproved by the then-president of the Society, J.F. Rutherford. 00:29:30 By 1934, Adolph Hitler’s campaign against Jehovah’s Witnesses 00:29:34 was well underway. 00:29:36 Our religious activities were banned, 00:29:39 65 tons of literature had been seized 00:29:42 and burned by Nazi authorities, and the branch office and printery 00:29:46 at Magdeburg had already been confiscated and released several times. 00:29:53 And this may explain why the Magdeburger Bible 00:29:56 doesn’t have a typical publishers’ page listing 00:29:59 of who published it, who translated it, when and where it was printed. 00:30:04 But on the bottom of one of the last pages, 00:30:08 there is just one line in small letters, and it reads: 00:30:12 “Printed: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, Magdeburg.” 00:30:17 Interestingly, on September 13, 1934, 00:30:21 the Ministry of the Interior of the German government 00:30:24 granted permission for the Magdeburg office 00:30:26 to resume the printing and distribution of Bibles. 00:30:32 However, everybody knew that the facilities could be shut down again, 00:30:36 perhaps permanently, at any time. 00:30:39 What really could be accomplished in the limited time they had? 00:30:43 The Magdeburg office informed Rutherford 00:30:45 that they had possession 00:30:47 of a New Testament manuscript ready for printing and, additionally, 00:30:51 a translation of the Old Testament was nearly complete. 00:30:54 In October 1934, 00:30:57 Rutherford approved the printing of 100,000 copies. 00:31:01 But time was running out. 00:31:05 Brother Rutherford received the following letter dated August 6, 1935, 00:31:09 and it says: “In the afternoon of July 10th 00:31:13 “a number of officials of the secret Police of Berlin and Magdeburg 00:31:17 “appeared and sealed the factory, 00:31:19 “rooms and offices at Magdeburg, closed all factory rooms, 00:31:23 “attached the property 00:31:24 “and money of the Society . . . 00:31:25 “Several thousand Bibles 00:31:27 “were just been bound 00:31:28 and the rest is printed.” 00:31:30 Sadly, only a small number 00:31:33 of those Bibles actually made it out of the printery. 00:31:36 In November 2017, 00:31:38 after a careful search, 00:31:41 we were able to obtain three copies of the Magdeburger Bible. 00:31:44 Little did we know what a treasured place 00:31:48 in our organization’s history of Bible translation 00:31:51 and printing this Bible deserves! 00:31:55 It’s not a mere compilation of existing translations 00:31:58 but a fresh, unique translation of the Bible. 00:32:02 Jehovah’s name is used extensively 00:32:06 in the text of the Hebrew Scriptures 00:32:07 as well as in footnotes of the Christian Greek Scriptures. 00:32:11 The Magdeburger Bible was also 00:32:14 cited in German-language editions of The Watchtower. 00:32:17 And nearly a century later, 00:32:19 the text can still be easily understood 00:32:23 by the German reader. 00:32:25 This Bible translation truly has a remarkable story. 00:32:28 It’s print run was small by normal Bible-printing standards, 00:32:33 and its distribution was even smaller. 00:32:35 And although it was produced in record time 00:32:38 and under highly dangerous circumstances, its story 00:32:42 lay forgotten for decades until it was rediscovered. 00:32:45 The Magdeburger Bible is the first-known Bible 00:32:49 to be translated and published by Jehovah’s Witnesses, 00:32:52 predating the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. 00:32:56 It was able to survive in a time of Nazi government opposition 00:33:01 and is now part of our Bible Museum at Warwick. 00:33:04 This Bible truly is a testimony 00:33:07 to the words we find at Isaiah 40:8: 00:33:12 “Aber Jehovas Wort bleibt ewiglich!” 00:33:24 Not even the threat of Nazi oppression 00:33:27 stopped our brothers in Germany 00:33:29 from doing what they could to make the Bible more available. 00:33:33 Why not? 00:33:34 Because as Jehovah’s Witnesses, 00:33:37 we love the Bible and love teaching others about it. 00:33:42 But what does it take to be a good teacher of God’s Word? 00:33:47 In a Morning Worship program, 00:33:49 Brother Geoffrey Jackson discussed 00:33:51 what we can learn from the apostle Paul 00:33:54 and how to reach the heart. 00:33:58 How would you define a good teacher? 00:34:01 That’s an interesting question, isn’t it? 00:34:04 For many of us, 00:34:05 perhaps we might answer by saying 00:34:08 what we think a good speaker is like. 00:34:10 We might say, 00:34:11 “The brother uses many illustrations in his talk” 00:34:15 or “He was able to highlight a scripture that I’ve read many times, 00:34:20 “and yet for the first time, I’ve seen something interesting 00:34:22 in that that I’ve never seen before.” 00:34:25 Or perhaps we might say, 00:34:27 “He was able to keep my interest right through the 60 minutes.” 00:34:32 Well, there are all sorts of different ways 00:34:35 we could say that someone is a good teacher. 00:34:38 Of course, the best compliment someone could receive is if they’re told 00:34:43 that their teaching is similar to that of Jesus Christ, 00:34:46 because we know he set a wonderful example for all of us. 00:34:51 But as we’re thinking about the qualifications 00:34:54 for someone to be a good teacher, 00:34:56 let’s turn our attention to the words of the apostle Paul. 00:35:00 And if you turn with me, please, 00:35:02 to 1 Thessalonians 2:7, 8, 00:35:07 here we see, in addition to some of the matters that we just discussed, 00:35:12 other aspects or other qualities that are required 00:35:16 for someone really to be an effective teacher. 00:35:19 So that’s 1 Thessalonians 2:7, 8: 00:35:23 “On the contrary, we became gentle in your midst, 00:35:28 “as when a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. 00:35:33 “So having tender affection for you, 00:35:35 “we were determined to impart to you, 00:35:39 not only the good news of God but also our very selves.” 00:35:44 Do you notice some of the qualities, or attributes, 00:35:48 here that the apostle Paul mentions 00:35:50 as being very important with regard to our teaching? 00:35:53 In verse 8, it mentions “tender affection.” 00:35:58 So love is very much connected 00:36:01 with someone having the ability to be a good teacher. 00:36:05 In fact, to reach the heart of the student, 00:36:08 we have to display love as well, don’t we? 00:36:11 Without reaching the heart of the student we’re trying to teach, 00:36:16 it’s like enjoying a meal in a dream. 00:36:20 There really is no benefit at all. 00:36:23 So if we teach but don’t reach the heart of the student, 00:36:27 then it really is of very little value to the student. 00:36:30 Then looking on, notice it says that Paul 00:36:33 was “determined to impart” 00:36:36 not just the message of the good news 00:36:39 but his very self. 00:36:42 In other words, he put his whole heart into teaching others. 00:36:47 But let’s look up at verse 7. 00:36:49 Now, I feel quite confident in saying that probably none of us 00:36:53 would have listed this quality as being essential for a good teacher. 00:36:57 How does he start? 00:36:59 “We became gentle in your midst.” 00:37:02 Now, honestly, that probably isn’t the first quality 00:37:06 that would come to your mind with regard to a teacher. 00:37:09 But what’s meant by this expression to be “gentle”? 00:37:14 Well, one Bible scholar made this comment. 00:37:17 He said that this word that’s translated “gentle” 00:37:20 “was frequently used by Greek writers 00:37:23 “as characterizing a nurse with trying children 00:37:28 or a teacher with refractory scholars.” 00:37:32 Now, I had to look up the word “refractory” and add it to my vocabulary. 00:37:36 It means, basically, “difficult to control, 00:37:40 resisting authority, unmanageable, unresponsive.” 00:37:46 Well, do we see an interesting thought here? 00:37:50 This gentleness has a firmness and stability about it 00:37:55 that isn’t rocked or shaken easily 00:37:58 by the negative response of the one that’s being taught. 00:38:03 Isn’t that an interesting quality? 00:38:05 And no doubt we’ve all tried to display that, 00:38:08 perhaps as we’re trying to teach someone something about the Scriptures 00:38:13 and come across the thought that this person doesn’t really accept it. 00:38:18 We state the fact, 00:38:21 we show our scripture, but they still may have a problem. 00:38:24 Well, how do we react? 00:38:26 You see, if we were to demand that they accept what we say 00:38:31 because we said it or because the Scriptures say it 00:38:34 without reasoning with that person, 00:38:37 then, really, we don’t have that gentleness 00:38:41 that the apostle Paul is referring to here. 00:38:44 So that stability under pressure 00:38:47 in a loving way convinces someone 00:38:52 of something that perhaps they’re not so responsive to. 00:38:57 Doesn’t that open our minds 00:38:59 to another aspect of what is involved with good teaching? 00:39:02 Now, by contrast, if we look back at 1 Thessalonians chapter 2, 00:39:07 we’ll see that the apostle Paul in verses 5 and 6 00:39:12 gives us a contrast about the type of things 00:39:14 that we wouldn’t want to do as a teacher. 00:39:18 Let’s read that in verses 5 and 6: 00:39:22 “In fact, you know that we never used flattering speech 00:39:27 “or put on any false front with greedy motives; 00:39:30 “God is witness! 00:39:32 “Nor have we been seeking glory from men, 00:39:35 “either from you or from others, 00:39:38 though we could be an expensive burden as apostles of Christ.” 00:39:43 So, what are these negative things that we certainly would want to avoid 00:39:47 if want to be an effective teacher? 00:39:49 Well, notice that first one, “flattering speech.” 00:39:53 Now, this reminds us of another scripture. 00:39:55 Let’s turn across to Proverbs 28:23, 00:40:00 and this is a good reminder for all of us. 00:40:04 It says: “Whoever reproves a man 00:40:08 “[or corrects his thinking] 00:40:10 “will afterward find more favor 00:40:13 than someone who flatters with his tongue.” 00:40:17 Do we see the point that is being made there? 00:40:20 That flattery is not really an effective way 00:40:25 for us to gain someone’s confidence, 00:40:28 but, rather, it’s by honestly correcting the thinking of someone else. 00:40:32 So with our Bible students or whatever level of teaching that we’re doing, 00:40:37 we need to remember that part of the process of teaching involves 00:40:42 giving counsel or direction in correcting wrong viewpoints. 00:40:47 For us not to do that in a loving way 00:40:50 really shows that we don’t love the person properly 00:40:54 because we don’t really want them to change their wrong thinking. 00:40:58 So avoiding “flattering speech” is very important. 00:41:02 Going back to 1 Thessalonians chapter 2, 00:41:06 what’s the second point that Paul mentions? 00:41:08 A “false front with greedy motives.” 00:41:13 So a false front is pretending to be someone that you’re not. 00:41:18 So none of us would ever want to put across 00:41:22 a self-righteous viewpoint 00:41:24 to try to convince others that we are holier than they are, 00:41:29 but as it says here, it’s to not have that “false front.” 00:41:31 And then it mentions “greedy motives.” 00:41:35 You see, there’s a marginal reference 00:41:37 that takes us across to Acts 20:33. 00:41:42 There the apostle Paul says: 00:41:44 “I have desired no man’s silver or gold or clothing.” 00:41:49 So certainly as a teacher of the good news, 00:41:53 we wouldn’t want to expect some benefits or something 00:41:58 that would come back to us by means of our teaching. 00:42:01 There the apostle Paul sets a good standard for us. 00:42:05 And then in verse 6, 00:42:08 he said that he wasn’t ‘seeking the glory of men,’ 00:42:11 or as one translation says, “insisting on our own dignity.” 00:42:17 So it could be that if we’re a teacher, 00:42:20 we may feel that we deserve a certain measure of respect. 00:42:25 Yes, our position is a little higher than the student. 00:42:30 If we really feel that way deep inside, 00:42:33 that’s going to affect our attitude 00:42:36 with regard to being gentle, won’t it? 00:42:38 Because if someone questions what we say 00:42:42 or if it looks like they’re not dignifying us in a proper manner, 00:42:46 then we will lose that firm gentleness 00:42:49 that helps correct the thinking of others. 00:42:53 Well, when we think about all these various attributes and qualities 00:42:57 that are needed for us to be a good teacher, 00:43:00 perhaps we might feel that there’s a lot we can work on, I’m sure. 00:43:03 I feel that way as well. 00:43:04 It’s a continual battle —isn’t it?—for us to continue 00:43:08 to try to be effective teachers. 00:43:10 Here is one word of encouragement we gain from the book of Philippians. 00:43:15 As a final scripture, 00:43:17 Philippians 2:13: 00:43:21 “For God is the one who for the sake of his good pleasure energizes you, 00:43:27 “giving you both [notice] the desire 00:43:30 “[yes, so the desire for us to impart the truth 00:43:34 “in a loving manner to others and then also] 00:43:37 and the power to act.” 00:43:39 So as we consider our teaching abilities, 00:43:42 don’t just think of techniques. 00:43:45 But always remember that when we’re a good teacher, 00:43:48 we need to be gentle in the midst of others 00:43:51 and help them in a loving way to correct wrong thoughts. 00:43:56 Like Jesus, Paul put his whole heart into his teaching. 00:44:02 His concern for others moved him 00:44:04 to share the good news with as many as possible. 00:44:08 In modern times, many have shown that same spirit, 00:44:12 moving them to preach even in the face of opposition. 00:44:17 One of those sisters is Maria Kaloyanoff. 00:44:22 So my mother was born in the country of Bulgaria in 1922, 00:44:27 and in the early 1950’s, 00:44:30 my family emigrated from Germany to the United States. 00:44:34 We settled in New York City, 00:44:36 and it was there that my mother 00:44:38 learned the truth. 00:44:40 That is the first time I opened a Bible. 00:44:43 I went and opened Revelation chapter 21. 00:44:48 But what hit me was the point 00:44:51 that there will not be sickness, 00:44:53 sorrow, and death anymore. 00:44:57 Anyone that comes into the truth 00:45:00 wants to share that with their family. 00:45:03 I had a desire, 00:45:05 really, to tell them the truth, 00:45:08 how they can get free 00:45:11 from oppression and sickness and death. 00:45:17 So she very much saw the need and desired 00:45:20 to have literature in the Bulgarian language. 00:45:24 She was able to ask the brothers in Brooklyn, 00:45:27 specifically offering if she could 00:45:30 translate some literature into Bulgarian. 00:45:34 The brothers approved for her to do that, 00:45:36 starting out with some of the tracts. 00:45:41 So Bulgaria was behind the Iron Curtain, a Communist country. 00:45:46 Literature about God and the Bible 00:45:48 is not acceptable and banned, 00:45:52 so you can’t just mail it. 00:45:54 So as literature became available, people have to take it in. 00:46:00 My family was one of those families that volunteered to do that. 00:46:04 We traveled into Bulgaria by train. 00:46:08 We had a lot of luggage because every time we would go to Bulgaria, 00:46:12 we stayed two and a half months. 00:46:14 That was the summer vacation. 00:46:17 In that luggage, in various places, 00:46:23 we put literature. 00:46:25 Traveling into a country with banned literature 00:46:29 is not without its problems or dangers. 00:46:34 They knew that we had some literature, and that was the tracts. 00:46:38 My mother realized that we were going to be searched. 00:46:43 We had the ability 00:46:47 to take the literature out of each luggage that we had hidden it in 00:46:51 and to put it into one small briefcase. 00:46:55 And what we couldn’t, 00:46:57 like unfolded tracts, 00:47:00 we put around our arm 00:47:02 with our overcoats over it. 00:47:05 I was only worrying about how I can 00:47:08 hide that literature so he cannot find it. 00:47:13 Because if he finds it, 00:47:15 then there really are consequences. 00:47:18 So as the guards would search through the luggage, 00:47:21 they would rifle through it. 00:47:22 They didn’t straighten anything out, 00:47:24 so my mother quickly thought and asked them, 00:47:27 “Can I now go over there and straighten out 00:47:30 what you’ve messed up?” 00:47:32 And they said, “OK.” 00:47:35 I took my tracts, 00:47:38 which I had around my hand, 00:47:41 and I put them in the already checked bag over there. 00:47:46 One of the guards gets to the point that it’s my little briefcase. 00:47:52 He says, 00:47:54 “This is so small; 00:47:56 nothing could be in here!” 00:47:58 And he just takes it over there. 00:48:02 The man who was looking was getting very nervous 00:48:06 because he knew we had something, 00:48:09 but he was not able to find it. 00:48:14 So in one trip years later, my mother was on her own. 00:48:19 The officials at the border of Bulgaria found literature. 00:48:23 They arrested her. 00:48:26 They put her in prison. 00:48:28 They interrogated her for two weeks or more every day. 00:48:35 And in time, the Bulgarian government changed their mind 00:48:39 and decided that as a foreign national, 00:48:42 they would just expel her from the country. 00:48:47 To this day, my mother continues her spiritual routine 00:48:51 of worshipping Jehovah 00:48:53 —being at the meetings, preparing for the meetings, reading her Bible, 00:48:57 and zealously sharing the truth with others. 00:49:02 It helps me practically 00:49:05 every minute in my life. 00:49:07 And I want to use my last bit of energy 00:49:13 to make his will known. 00:49:20 Once Sister Kaloyanoff heard the Bible’s message, 00:49:23 she just had to share it with those in her home country. 00:49:28 As she’s gotten older, her circumstances have changed, 00:49:32 but not her determination. 00:49:34 She still wants to do whatever she can, 00:49:37 using her ‘last energy,’ as she put it, 00:49:41 to make God’s will known. 00:49:44 Do you have faithful ones like Sister Kaloyanoff in your congregation? 00:49:49 Keep them in mind as you enjoy this month’s music video. 00:49:53 It’s called Two Small Coins. 00:50:10 Two small coins Are all that she can give. 00:50:21 As she waits, The courtyard echoes with bountiful gifts. 00:50:33 Lost in the crowd, Like a single grain of sand, 00:50:43 Will her Father take note Of the two small coins in her hand? 00:50:58 No matter how small, Don’t wonder at all, 00:51:04 ‘Does he notice my sacrifice?’ 00:51:09 It’s not hard to believe If we see how he sees— 00:51:16 If we see through Jehovah’s eyes— 00:51:23 Two small coins. 00:51:32 Would she have thought Of all she’d given before— 00:51:43 Of easier times When she had the means to give so much more? 00:51:55 She drops in her coins, Unheard by others around. 00:52:05 But for Jehovah God, This small gift made a thunderous sound. 00:52:20 No matter how small, Don’t wonder at all, 00:52:27 ‘Does he notice my sacrifice?’ 00:52:31 It’s not hard to believe If we see how he sees— 00:52:38 If we see through Jehovah’s eyes— 00:52:45 Two small coins. 00:52:48 He looks far beyond what you and I see. 00:52:55 He knows who we really are underneath. 00:53:02 He sees all we can be. 00:53:10 No matter how small, Don’t wonder at all, 00:53:17 ‘Does he notice my sacrifice?’ 00:53:21 It’s not hard to believe If we see how he sees— 00:53:28 If we see through Jehovah’s eyes— 00:53:36 Two small coins. 00:53:45 Do you see through Jehovah’s eyes? 00:53:55 What a beautiful reassurance 00:53:57 that no matter what our limitations may be, 00:54:00 our gifts have great value in Jehovah’s eyes! 00:54:06 For this month’s video postcard, 00:54:09 let’s travel to a land of incredible scenic beauty 00:54:13 —New Zealand. 00:54:16 New Zealand is made up primarily of two main islands 00:54:20 about 1,600 kilometers, or more than 1,000 miles, 00:54:24 southeast of Australia. 00:54:27 On those islands, you’ll find snowcapped mountain ranges, 00:54:31 crystal clear lakes, 00:54:34 miles of beaches, and a sweeping coastline 00:54:37 with many harbors and fjords. 00:54:40 It’s also an area 00:54:42 of dramatic geothermal activity, 00:54:45 with active volcanoes, geysers, 00:54:48 bubbling mud pools, 00:54:51 and one of the largest hot springs in the world, 00:54:55 the fittingly named Frying Pan Lake. 00:54:59 Residents of New Zealand are often nicknamed “Kiwis” 00:55:03 —a nod to one of the country’s most unique indigenous birds, 00:55:08 the long-billed and flightless kiwi. 00:55:12 The good news first reached New Zealand in the late 1890’s 00:55:17 when one local reader of the Watch Tower publications 00:55:19 started preaching on his own. 00:55:23 A few years later, 00:55:25 colporteurs from Australia and the United States arrived, 00:55:28 and the good news began to spread. 00:55:31 The early Witnesses in New Zealand 00:55:33 were intrepid preachers, 00:55:36 crossing rugged terrain on foot, horseback, 00:55:40 and bicycle to reach remote towns. 00:55:44 One New Zealander 00:55:46 who became a zealous preacher in those early days 00:55:48 was William Barry, 00:55:50 who read the six volumes of Studies in the Scriptures in 1909 00:55:55 and immediately recognized he had found the truth. 00:55:59 He diligently taught the truth to his children. 00:56:02 And in 1975, his son Lloyd Barry 00:56:05 became a member of the Governing Body. 00:56:09 The truth has also spread quickly among the Maori, 00:56:12 the indigenous people of New Zealand. 00:56:15 The first Maori-language convention was held in 1928. 00:56:20 Today, we have many Maori brothers and sisters 00:56:23 who enjoy sharing their rich culture with others. 00:56:28 Altogether, there are now more than 15,000 publishers in New Zealand, 00:56:32 preaching in 18 different languages, 00:56:36 including New Zealand Sign Language. 00:56:40 Here on the South Island is the seaside town of Picton 00:56:44 —home to the Picton Congregation. 00:56:47 With a busy waterfront and ferry terminal, 00:56:50 Picton welcomes many tourists 00:56:53 and international workers, 00:56:55 so there are plenty of opportunities 00:56:57 for public witnessing. 00:57:00 To reach those living in homes around the many bays of Picton, 00:57:04 the preaching work involves using boats owned by brothers. 00:57:09 The 39 publishers and the pioneers in the Picton Congregation 00:57:13 send their love and greetings. 00:57:17 From the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 00:57:20 this is, yes, this is JW Broadcasting!
00:00:02 We’re so happy to have you join us again 00:00:05 here on JW Broadcasting®. 00:00:08 In the next hour, we’ll talk about how to become 00:00:11 a better teacher of God’s Word. 00:00:14 And we’ll also join Dilan and Isaac 00:00:16 for some candid talk 00:00:19 about the peer pressure they faced in high school. 00:00:23 We’ll see an interview with Maria Kaloyanoff, 00:00:26 who smuggled hundreds of pieces of Bible literature 00:00:29 into Communist Europe during the 1960’s. 00:00:33 What motivated this young mother 00:00:36 to risk imprisonment again and again? 00:00:40 And we’ll enjoy a beautiful new music video 00:00:43 that highlights how much Jehovah appreciates 00:00:46 the quality of our sacrifices, 00:00:49 even if we’re limited in what we can do. 00:00:53 This is the August 2023 edition 00:00:56 of JW Broadcasting. 00:01:17 How important is the use of illustrations? 00:01:20 Are they simply fluff in our teaching? 00:01:23 One definition of the English word “fluff” 00:01:26 is this: 00:01:28 “something essentially trivial 00:01:30 and lacking importance or solid worth.” 00:01:34 Are illustrations trivial and of little worth? 00:01:39 Please follow along on-screen 00:01:41 as I read our theme scripture, 00:01:44 Matthew 13:34: 00:01:47 “All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds 00:01:50 “by illustrations. 00:01:53 “Indeed, without an illustration 00:01:55 he would not speak to them.” 00:01:58 We often call Jesus the Great Teacher. 00:02:02 Illustrations were essential 00:02:04 to fully grasp what was being taught. 00:02:07 Now, we won’t be spending a lot of time 00:02:09 on the dos and don’ts of using illustrations. 00:02:13 Insight on the Scriptures has a whole topic on “Illustrations.” 00:02:19 And the Apply Yourself to Reading and Teaching brochure 00:02:22 has some helpful suggestions in lesson 8. 00:02:27 Let me remind you, also, 00:02:29 of a talk that Brother Splane of the Governing Body gave 00:02:33 at the 2020 regional convention. 00:02:36 The title was “Improve Your Skills —Illustrating Key Points.” 00:02:41 It had some very practical suggestions, which I won’t be repeating here, 00:02:46 so perhaps you’ll want to review Brother Splane’s talk 00:02:49 in an upcoming family worship. 00:02:53 At times, the Bible actually identifies Jesus’ expression 00:02:57 as an illustration; 00:03:00 most of the time, it does not. 00:03:02 It was just part of the way he spoke naturally; 00:03:05 illustrations flowed from him. 00:03:09 Well, how did he come up with them so readily? 00:03:12 Jesus was observant of what was happening around him. 00:03:18 We too can be observant. 00:03:20 This will help to train us to think in illustrations. 00:03:25 The bread and the wine used at the Memorial of Christ’s death 00:03:28 beautifully represented Jesus’ perfect body and blood 00:03:32 that would be given in behalf of sinful mankind. 00:03:36 But we can learn something about our use of illustrations 00:03:40 by considering the circumstances of the Lord’s Evening Meal. 00:03:44 Think about it: 00:03:46 From years of attending, 00:03:48 Jesus knew what was going to be on the Passover table that night. 00:03:54 So he could’ve thought in advance 00:03:56 of using those emblems in that way. 00:03:59 We don’t know for sure. 00:04:02 But what a simple, logical, and indelible impression it made that night 00:04:07 and continues to make on millions of us 00:04:10 some 2,000 years later! 00:04:13 If we’re going to give a talk or demonstration 00:04:16 at one of our meetings, we already know the topic. 00:04:20 So we have the luxury of thinking of an illustration in advance. 00:04:26 But what if we’re teaching a Bible student 00:04:28 and he asks us an unexpected question? 00:04:32 At that moment, you’ll likely mentally consider your student 00:04:36 —what you know about his work, his hobbies, 00:04:39 or just his daily life experiences— 00:04:42 and an illustration may come to your mind on the spur of the moment. 00:04:48 Well, let’s see how that latter process (an unexpected situation) 00:04:53 was faced by Jesus. 00:04:55 In this case, we can understand his thought process 00:04:59 in coming up with masterful illustrations. 00:05:04 John chapter 4 is the account about the Samaritan woman at the well. 00:05:09 At John 4:34, Jesus used the illustration of food. 00:05:14 He said there: 00:05:15 “My food is to do the will of him who sent me 00:05:20 and to finish his work.” 00:05:22 That’s a simple, effective illustration. 00:05:26 Why might he have used the generic expression “food” 00:05:31 instead of something more specific 00:05:33 like “my wine” or “my bread is to do the will of him who sent me”? 00:05:39 Well, let’s look at the context. 00:05:42 Interestingly, in quick succession, 00:05:45 Jesus used two different illustrations. 00:05:48 And in both cases, it seems from the context 00:05:51 that he came up with these based on what was happening at the time. 00:05:56 John 4:7 says: 00:05:59 “A woman of Samaria came to draw water. 00:06:03 Jesus said to her: ‘Give me a drink.’” 00:06:07 Well, that’s setup number one for an illustration about water. 00:06:12 Verse 8 says: 00:06:14 “For his disciples had gone off 00:06:16 into the city to buy food.” 00:06:19 That’s setup number two for an illustration about food. 00:06:25 Now, Jesus didn’t orchestrate all of this in advance. 00:06:28 It was just circumstantial 00:06:30 that Jesus asked a woman who approached with a water jar 00:06:34 to give him a drink. 00:06:37 But Jesus instantly thought of and used 00:06:40 the subject of water as an illustration. 00:06:44 Verse 10 says: 00:06:46 “If you had known of the free gift of God 00:06:50 “and who it is who says to you, 00:06:52 “‘Give me a drink,’ 00:06:54 “you would have asked him, 00:06:56 and he would have given you living water.” 00:07:00 The illustration was spontaneous. 00:07:03 It effectively led to a fine witness about Jesus. 00:07:08 Now, in illustration number two, look in verse 27. 00:07:13 Jesus is still talking to the woman when the disciples return from the city. 00:07:18 Do you remember that verse 8 said 00:07:21 the disciples had gone “into the city to buy food”? 00:07:25 So they come back, and they have some food for Jesus. 00:07:30 Going to verse 28, the woman leaves. 00:07:34 Notice what the disciples now say to Jesus, 00:07:36 which is a setup for illustration number two 00:07:40 —not water, but food now becomes the topic of conversation. 00:07:46 Verse 31: 00:07:48 “Meanwhile, the disciples were urging him: 00:07:51 ‘Rabbi, eat.’” 00:07:53 The word “eat” caused Jesus to think of the now famous illustration 00:07:58 that we quote regularly. 00:08:00 Verse 32: 00:08:02 “But he said to them: 00:08:04 “‘I have food to eat 00:08:06 that you do not know about.’” 00:08:08 Well, the disciples are puzzled. 00:08:11 Verse 33: 00:08:12 “So the disciples said to one another: 00:08:15 “‘No one brought him anything to eat, did he?’ 00:08:19 “Jesus [picking up on the topic at hand] said to them: 00:08:23 “‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me 00:08:27 and to finish his work.’” 00:08:29 Now obviously, Jesus did not choreograph 00:08:32 all this in advance. 00:08:34 But based on the circumstances at hand, 00:08:37 he came up with illustrations that worked. 00:08:41 Well, in what way? 00:08:43 Well, what’s the point of similarity between God’s will and food? 00:08:49 Eating good food is enjoyable. 00:08:51 It’s satisfying! 00:08:53 The point? 00:08:54 Jesus enjoyed doing God’s will. 00:08:57 It was satisfying to him —like eating a tasty meal. 00:09:02 Another point of similarity is that food invigorates a person. 00:09:07 Jesus was invigorated 00:09:09 by that conversation with the Samaritan woman. 00:09:13 Now glance back up in verses 3-6. 00:09:17 It says that Jesus had “left Judea” on foot. 00:09:20 Look in verse 6: 00:09:22 “Now Jesus, 00:09:24 “tired out as he was from the journey, 00:09:27 “was sitting at the well. 00:09:29 It was about the sixth hour.” 00:09:32 However, after witnessing to the woman at the well, 00:09:35 Jesus is invigorated. 00:09:38 He even alluded to the idea 00:09:40 that the experience was more energizing than literal food. 00:09:46 What have we learned thus far from the process? 00:09:50 If you know beforehand what will be discussed, 00:09:54 that gives you the opportunity to think of an appropriate illustration 00:09:58 in advance. 00:10:00 If something comes up unexpectedly, 00:10:03 often you can use what you’ve observed around you 00:10:06 or what you already know to generate an effective illustration. 00:10:12 You might be thinking: ‘Uh, I’m not really creative. 00:10:16 ‘It takes a while for me to think up an illustration, 00:10:20 ‘even when I know in advance that I have an assignment at the meeting. 00:10:25 ‘On-the-spot illustrations? 00:10:27 ‘It’s probably not going to happen for me 00:10:29 with the way my brain works or doesn’t work.’ 00:10:34 Is there a way to train the brain 00:10:37 to think in illustration mode? 00:10:40 Yes. 00:10:41 How? 00:10:43 One way is by observing creation 00:10:47 or man-made inventions, 00:10:49 even when you don’t have a talk to give 00:10:51 and even when your children are not with you. 00:10:55 Think about what you observe, 00:10:57 and reason out how it could be applied 00:11:00 as a teaching lesson in the future. 00:11:03 Write it down if you need to so as to remember it. 00:11:07 One father told me that even when his children were not with him, 00:11:12 he would look at creation 00:11:14 and come up with a line of reasoning 00:11:16 that might be helpful in the future. 00:11:19 He gave an example. 00:11:21 He observed two kittens playing together. 00:11:24 He reasoned: 00:11:26 “Do those kittens look happy? 00:11:29 “Yes. 00:11:30 “If Jehovah knows what it takes 00:11:32 “to make two kittens happy, 00:11:34 “do you think he knows 00:11:37 what it would take to make you happy?” 00:11:39 Well, obviously, a child would agree. 00:11:43 “So if Jehovah knows what it would take to make you happy, 00:11:47 what should you do if Jehovah says to do something a certain way?” 00:11:52 Profound, Dad! 00:11:54 Do it Jehovah’s way if you want to be happy. 00:11:58 Now the beautiful reality, the golden moment, 00:12:02 was when he saw one of his sons 00:12:04 watching two squirrels in a tree chasing each other. 00:12:08 He used the squirrels as his illustration, 00:12:11 along with the prepared line of reasoning. 00:12:15 Now his son still remembers that point many decades later. 00:12:21 Jesus’ brain thought creatively when using illustrations. 00:12:27 For another example, please turn with me to John 1:42. 00:12:33 Jesus changed Simon’s name on the spot. 00:12:38 John 1:42: 00:12:41 “And he [Andrew] led him [Simon] to Jesus. 00:12:47 “When Jesus looked at him, he said: 00:12:49 “‘You are Simon, the son of John; 00:12:51 “you will be called Cephas’ 00:12:54 (which is translated ‘Peter’).” 00:12:57 Now, why did Jesus change his name to Cephas, or Peter? 00:13:03 It actually seems to be creative thinking. 00:13:06 The Greek word for Peter is Peˈtros, not Peˈtra. 00:13:11 Peˈtra means “Rock Mass,” 00:13:14 and that applies to Jesus, the cornerstone, 00:13:17 the head of the Christian congregation. 00:13:19 However, Peˈtros means “A Piece of Rock.” 00:13:23 What a beautiful description of Peter! 00:13:27 At times, Peter didn’t seem to be dependable. 00:13:31 But Jesus saw good qualities in him 00:13:33 and gave him the name Peter (Peˈtros, Piece of Rock). 00:13:39 In effect, 00:13:41 Jesus was saying that he would become as stable as a rock. 00:13:45 And that’s precisely what transpired. 00:13:48 What a great word picture, 00:13:50 or illustration, by Jesus! 00:13:53 At Revelation 1:1, 00:13:56 under inspiration to John, 00:13:58 Jehovah said that that book of the Bible was 00:14:00 “a revelation by Jesus Christ, which God gave him.” 00:14:06 The Insight book says: 00:14:08 “The book of Revelation concludes the Holy Scriptures 00:14:12 “with one of the most outstanding concentrations 00:14:15 of illustrations found in the entire Bible.” 00:14:20 You recall our theme is from Matthew 13:34: 00:14:24 “Without an Illustration He Would Not Speak to Them.” 00:14:29 As another example, Jesus gave his famous Sermon on the Mount. 00:14:33 In Matthew chapter 7, the last chapter of that sermon, 00:14:37 he used at least ten different illustrations. 00:14:42 Yes, “without an illustration he would not speak to them.” 00:14:47 Matthew 7:28 sums up the Sermon on the Mount, saying: 00:14:52 “When Jesus finished these sayings, 00:14:55 “the effect was that the crowds were astounded 00:14:58 at his way of teaching.” 00:15:01 First Peter 2:21 says that Jesus left 00:15:04 “a model for [us] to follow his steps closely.” 00:15:08 That includes his art of teaching, 00:15:11 which incorporated extensive use of illustrations. 00:15:15 They were pithy and to the point. 00:15:18 May each of us train ourselves to think that way 00:15:21 and strive to improve our teaching skills 00:15:24 by means of illustrations. 00:15:29 Jesus was able to reach hearts 00:15:32 not only by means of his teaching skills 00:15:35 but also because of his outstanding qualities. 00:15:39 Think of his empathy. 00:15:41 His compassion and fellow feeling 00:15:44 just drew people to him like a magnet. 00:15:48 What role can our empathy and fellow feeling play 00:15:52 as we preach to others in this loveless world? 00:15:57 Take a look at the following dramatization. 00:17:08 Here, an everything bagel with cream cheese 00:17:10 and a large latte—€8,50. 00:17:12 Uh, I think I forgot my purse. 00:17:15 Not my problem. 00:17:16 Come on. I’m here all the time. 00:17:17 I’ve been waiting forever. 00:17:19 And yet still not my problem. 00:17:20 Are you serious? 00:17:22 I can bring you the money after work. 00:17:24 Next customer! 00:17:25 Sorry, how much was her order? 00:17:27 €8,50. 00:17:28 Oh, I’ve got it. 00:17:29 And could you add a regular coffee with cream? 00:17:31 Fine—€12 even. 00:17:37 Do I know you? 00:17:38 Nope. I just wanted to help. 00:17:40 Thank you. 00:17:41 Of course. 00:17:42 How can I get your money to you? 00:17:43 Ah, don’t worry about it. 00:17:45 OK. Thank you! 00:17:57 Thanks. 00:18:01 But if you’d like a little something 00:18:03 encouraging to read on your way to work, 00:18:05 you might enjoy this. 00:18:11 I don’t believe in God. 00:18:14 May I ask why? 00:18:34 I just don’t. 00:18:38 But thanks again. You’re very sweet. 00:19:18 Mhm. 00:19:19 Mhm. 00:19:25 Mhm. OK. 00:19:34 How many years in the camp? 00:19:37 Eleven. 00:19:40 Will anyone else in your family 00:19:42 be requesting resettlement? 00:19:44 No. 00:19:47 Why? 00:19:51 They are all dead 00:19:54 —killed. 00:19:59 I need a copy of your identity card. 00:20:19 Hey, I saw your . . . 00:20:21 No! We don’t hire foreigners! 00:20:23 You ruined your country; 00:20:24 don’t come here and ruin ours! 00:20:26 Get out! 00:22:03 Never underestimate the power of empathy! 00:22:08 Even the smallest gesture of kindness on our part 00:22:11 can lead to someone opening their heart to the truth. 00:22:15 The video also taught us something else. 00:22:18 The ministry, in all of its forms, 00:22:20 can have a cumulative effect on a person’s heart, 00:22:23 softening it over time to accept the Kingdom message. 00:22:29 Of course, we have empathy not only for those in the field 00:22:33 but also for our own brothers and sisters 00:22:36 —and that includes our young ones. 00:22:39 Day after day, 00:22:41 they have to deal with peer pressure at school, 00:22:43 and it’s intense. 00:22:46 Take it from Dilan and Isaac. 00:22:49 They share their stories in this episode of My Teen Life. 00:23:02 I went to a vocational school 00:23:04 where I was able to fast-track 00:23:05 learning a trade. 00:23:07 Unexpectedly, I finished at the top of my class. 00:23:09 After that, my teachers and my classmates 00:23:12 started to expect a lot more from me. 00:23:14 They were saying: “You’re doing so well. 00:23:17 “You represent the school. 00:23:18 “You will have to work hard. 00:23:20 “You’ll do great things. 00:23:22 You’ll go far.” 00:23:23 They were constantly putting pressure on me 00:23:25 to go for higher education and to go to university. 00:23:28 There was this girl 00:23:30 in high school who was my age. 00:23:31 She was very friendly. 00:23:33 She always paid attention to me; she was a nice person. 00:23:37 I also thought she was cute. 00:23:39 My classmates were like: “Go, talk to her!” 00:23:43 or “Hey, Isaac, do you know that she likes you?” 00:23:47 And so I wasn’t sure what to do. 00:23:50 Of course, when I chose to go to that school, 00:23:52 higher education wasn’t the reason. 00:23:55 I wanted to fast-track getting a trade 00:23:57 and starting a job so that I could earn my income. 00:24:00 That’s what I thought. 00:24:01 It was a really difficult time for me. 00:24:05 I remember praying to Jehovah in tears for hours. 00:24:10 I didn’t ask for advice, 00:24:13 didn’t talk to friends or people I trusted about it, 00:24:15 not even my parents. 00:24:18 And little by little, I started to give in 00:24:21 to that pressure that I got because of this girl. 00:24:24 In the end, we started to flirt with each other. 00:24:28 We chatted and sent each other messages. 00:24:33 When I prayed to Jehovah, 00:24:35 I didn’t feel completely comfortable. 00:24:38 I thought, ‘If I’m not doing what Jehovah is asking of me, 00:24:41 ‘if I’m not behaving how Jehovah expects me to behave, 00:24:44 then how can I expect him to listen to my prayers or even consider them?’ 00:24:49 My family never told me to go or not to go to university, 00:24:52 but they reminded me of Jehovah’s thinking. 00:24:55 My dad read Proverbs 27:11 to me. 00:24:59 What I was doing was a barrier 00:25:01 between me and Jehovah. 00:25:02 He helped me see 00:25:04 that the decisions I make as a teenager affect Jehovah. 00:25:07 At that time, there were many videos, 00:25:10 articles, and publications about this topic. 00:25:12 Reading experiences of those who went through similar things, 00:25:16 doing personal study on the subject, 00:25:18 and talking with spiritually mature brothers while in the ministry 00:25:22 was very helpful for me. 00:25:24 Something that my parents did 00:25:26 that helped me a lot was that they used the book 00:25:29 Young People Ask in our family study. 00:25:32 And there’s a chapter that talks about peer pressure. 00:25:41 Afterward, I was able to cope. 00:25:43 What helped me the most was something I heard at a circuit assembly. 00:25:46 The speaker said in his talk: “Yes, our young people 00:25:50 “have a lot of challenges right now. 00:25:52 “And when it comes to higher education, 00:25:55 “maybe their classmates and teachers are pressuring them. 00:25:57 “But you young people (it felt like he spoke to me personally), 00:26:01 “your teacher or classmate might not even be 00:26:04 “part of your life in the future. 00:26:06 “But if you want Jehovah always to be in your life, 00:26:09 then you need to make your decisions accordingly.” 00:26:14 It was like a light went on in my head. 00:26:20 Now I was sure about what I needed to do. 00:26:23 I had to speak to her. 00:26:26 One day, I prayed to Jehovah and got up the courage. 00:26:30 I told her that it couldn’t continue with us. 00:26:34 Of course, explaining that to my classmates 00:26:37 and to my teachers was a little hard. 00:26:39 I mean, it was difficult for them to understand. 00:26:42 Sure, I explained it, but they said, “Why would you do that?” 00:26:47 For whoever is in the same situation that I was in, 00:26:52 the best thing to do 00:26:53 is to talk to someone you trust, tell them how you feel, 00:26:57 and ask for help. 00:27:06 Our Creator, Jehovah, is the one who thinks about me and loves me most. 00:27:12 He hasn’t deprived me of anything good. 00:27:15 He always helps us and never leaves us. 00:27:18 I’m so grateful to Jehovah. 00:27:42 Dilan and Isaac both admitted that the pressure they faced 00:27:46 was almost too much, almost got the best of them. 00:27:52 What helped them turn the corner? 00:27:55 Isaac said that it was reaching out and getting help. 00:27:58 If you’re facing similar pressures in school, don’t keep it to yourself. 00:28:03 Talk to someone you trust 00:28:05 —that can open the door to getting just the help you need. 00:28:12 Now we’d like to share something special with you: 00:28:15 a recent discovery that has rewritten a part of our theocratic history. 00:28:21 Enjoy the following story, more than 80 years in the making. 00:28:27 Jehovah’s Witnesses love the Bible. 00:28:31 Long before taking on the monumental task 00:28:34 of Bible translation, 00:28:35 they acquired licenses 00:28:37 to print already existing translations of the Bible. 00:28:41 And then in the 1950’s, 00:28:43 the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society 00:28:45 printed the first Bible ever to be translated by Jehovah’s Witnesses 00:28:49 —the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. 00:28:52 At least we thought it was the first Bible 00:28:55 ever to be translated by Jehovah’s Witnesses. 00:28:58 Well, in the fall of 2017, 00:29:01 the World Headquarters Museum Department 00:29:03 received a Bible donated 00:29:04 by a brother in Germany. 00:29:06 Accompanying the Bible was a letter referring 00:29:09 to a rare Bible printed in 1934 00:29:13 at Magdeburg, the location 00:29:15 of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society’s 00:29:17 Germany Branch and printery at that time. 00:29:20 Little was known about this Bible, 00:29:22 and to those who did know of it, it was thought of as something 00:29:26 unapproved by the then-president of the Society, J.F. Rutherford. 00:29:30 By 1934, Adolph Hitler’s campaign against Jehovah’s Witnesses 00:29:34 was well underway. 00:29:36 Our religious activities were banned, 00:29:39 65 tons of literature had been seized 00:29:42 and burned by Nazi authorities, and the branch office and printery 00:29:46 at Magdeburg had already been confiscated and released several times. 00:29:53 And this may explain why the Magdeburger Bible 00:29:56 doesn’t have a typical publishers’ page listing 00:29:59 of who published it, who translated it, when and where it was printed. 00:30:04 But on the bottom of one of the last pages, 00:30:08 there is just one line in small letters, and it reads: 00:30:12 “Printed: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, Magdeburg.” 00:30:17 Interestingly, on September 13, 1934, 00:30:21 the Ministry of the Interior of the German government 00:30:24 granted permission for the Magdeburg office 00:30:26 to resume the printing and distribution of Bibles. 00:30:32 However, everybody knew that the facilities could be shut down again, 00:30:36 perhaps permanently, at any time. 00:30:39 What really could be accomplished in the limited time they had? 00:30:43 The Magdeburg office informed Rutherford 00:30:45 that they had possession 00:30:47 of a New Testament manuscript ready for printing and, additionally, 00:30:51 a translation of the Old Testament was nearly complete. 00:30:54 In October 1934, 00:30:57 Rutherford approved the printing of 100,000 copies. 00:31:01 But time was running out. 00:31:05 Brother Rutherford received the following letter dated August 6, 1935, 00:31:09 and it says: “In the afternoon of July 10th 00:31:13 “a number of officials of the secret Police of Berlin and Magdeburg 00:31:17 “appeared and sealed the factory, 00:31:19 “rooms and offices at Magdeburg, closed all factory rooms, 00:31:23 “attached the property 00:31:24 “and money of the Society . . . 00:31:25 “Several thousand Bibles 00:31:27 “were just been bound 00:31:28 and the rest is printed.” 00:31:30 Sadly, only a small number 00:31:33 of those Bibles actually made it out of the printery. 00:31:36 In November 2017, 00:31:38 after a careful search, 00:31:41 we were able to obtain three copies of the Magdeburger Bible. 00:31:44 Little did we know what a treasured place 00:31:48 in our organization’s history of Bible translation 00:31:51 and printing this Bible deserves! 00:31:55 It’s not a mere compilation of existing translations 00:31:58 but a fresh, unique translation of the Bible. 00:32:02 Jehovah’s name is used extensively 00:32:06 in the text of the Hebrew Scriptures 00:32:07 as well as in footnotes of the Christian Greek Scriptures. 00:32:11 The Magdeburger Bible was also 00:32:14 cited in German-language editions of The Watchtower. 00:32:17 And nearly a century later, 00:32:19 the text can still be easily understood 00:32:23 by the German reader. 00:32:25 This Bible translation truly has a remarkable story. 00:32:28 It’s print run was small by normal Bible-printing standards, 00:32:33 and its distribution was even smaller. 00:32:35 And although it was produced in record time 00:32:38 and under highly dangerous circumstances, its story 00:32:42 lay forgotten for decades until it was rediscovered. 00:32:45 The Magdeburger Bible is the first-known Bible 00:32:49 to be translated and published by Jehovah’s Witnesses, 00:32:52 predating the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. 00:32:56 It was able to survive in a time of Nazi government opposition 00:33:01 and is now part of our Bible Museum at Warwick. 00:33:04 This Bible truly is a testimony 00:33:07 to the words we find at Isaiah 40:8: 00:33:12 “Aber Jehovas Wort bleibt ewiglich!” 00:33:24 Not even the threat of Nazi oppression 00:33:27 stopped our brothers in Germany 00:33:29 from doing what they could to make the Bible more available. 00:33:33 Why not? 00:33:34 Because as Jehovah’s Witnesses, 00:33:37 we love the Bible and love teaching others about it. 00:33:42 But what does it take to be a good teacher of God’s Word? 00:33:47 In a Morning Worship program, 00:33:49 Brother Geoffrey Jackson discussed 00:33:51 what we can learn from the apostle Paul 00:33:54 and how to reach the heart. 00:33:58 How would you define a good teacher? 00:34:01 That’s an interesting question, isn’t it? 00:34:04 For many of us, 00:34:05 perhaps we might answer by saying 00:34:08 what we think a good speaker is like. 00:34:10 We might say, 00:34:11 “The brother uses many illustrations in his talk” 00:34:15 or “He was able to highlight a scripture that I’ve read many times, 00:34:20 “and yet for the first time, I’ve seen something interesting 00:34:22 in that that I’ve never seen before.” 00:34:25 Or perhaps we might say, 00:34:27 “He was able to keep my interest right through the 60 minutes.” 00:34:32 Well, there are all sorts of different ways 00:34:35 we could say that someone is a good teacher. 00:34:38 Of course, the best compliment someone could receive is if they’re told 00:34:43 that their teaching is similar to that of Jesus Christ, 00:34:46 because we know he set a wonderful example for all of us. 00:34:51 But as we’re thinking about the qualifications 00:34:54 for someone to be a good teacher, 00:34:56 let’s turn our attention to the words of the apostle Paul. 00:35:00 And if you turn with me, please, 00:35:02 to 1 Thessalonians 2:7, 8, 00:35:07 here we see, in addition to some of the matters that we just discussed, 00:35:12 other aspects or other qualities that are required 00:35:16 for someone really to be an effective teacher. 00:35:19 So that’s 1 Thessalonians 2:7, 8: 00:35:23 “On the contrary, we became gentle in your midst, 00:35:28 “as when a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. 00:35:33 “So having tender affection for you, 00:35:35 “we were determined to impart to you, 00:35:39 not only the good news of God but also our very selves.” 00:35:44 Do you notice some of the qualities, or attributes, 00:35:48 here that the apostle Paul mentions 00:35:50 as being very important with regard to our teaching? 00:35:53 In verse 8, it mentions “tender affection.” 00:35:58 So love is very much connected 00:36:01 with someone having the ability to be a good teacher. 00:36:05 In fact, to reach the heart of the student, 00:36:08 we have to display love as well, don’t we? 00:36:11 Without reaching the heart of the student we’re trying to teach, 00:36:16 it’s like enjoying a meal in a dream. 00:36:20 There really is no benefit at all. 00:36:23 So if we teach but don’t reach the heart of the student, 00:36:27 then it really is of very little value to the student. 00:36:30 Then looking on, notice it says that Paul 00:36:33 was “determined to impart” 00:36:36 not just the message of the good news 00:36:39 but his very self. 00:36:42 In other words, he put his whole heart into teaching others. 00:36:47 But let’s look up at verse 7. 00:36:49 Now, I feel quite confident in saying that probably none of us 00:36:53 would have listed this quality as being essential for a good teacher. 00:36:57 How does he start? 00:36:59 “We became gentle in your midst.” 00:37:02 Now, honestly, that probably isn’t the first quality 00:37:06 that would come to your mind with regard to a teacher. 00:37:09 But what’s meant by this expression to be “gentle”? 00:37:14 Well, one Bible scholar made this comment. 00:37:17 He said that this word that’s translated “gentle” 00:37:20 “was frequently used by Greek writers 00:37:23 “as characterizing a nurse with trying children 00:37:28 or a teacher with refractory scholars.” 00:37:32 Now, I had to look up the word “refractory” and add it to my vocabulary. 00:37:36 It means, basically, “difficult to control, 00:37:40 resisting authority, unmanageable, unresponsive.” 00:37:46 Well, do we see an interesting thought here? 00:37:50 This gentleness has a firmness and stability about it 00:37:55 that isn’t rocked or shaken easily 00:37:58 by the negative response of the one that’s being taught. 00:38:03 Isn’t that an interesting quality? 00:38:05 And no doubt we’ve all tried to display that, 00:38:08 perhaps as we’re trying to teach someone something about the Scriptures 00:38:13 and come across the thought that this person doesn’t really accept it. 00:38:18 We state the fact, 00:38:21 we show our scripture, but they still may have a problem. 00:38:24 Well, how do we react? 00:38:26 You see, if we were to demand that they accept what we say 00:38:31 because we said it or because the Scriptures say it 00:38:34 without reasoning with that person, 00:38:37 then, really, we don’t have that gentleness 00:38:41 that the apostle Paul is referring to here. 00:38:44 So that stability under pressure 00:38:47 in a loving way convinces someone 00:38:52 of something that perhaps they’re not so responsive to. 00:38:57 Doesn’t that open our minds 00:38:59 to another aspect of what is involved with good teaching? 00:39:02 Now, by contrast, if we look back at 1 Thessalonians chapter 2, 00:39:07 we’ll see that the apostle Paul in verses 5 and 6 00:39:12 gives us a contrast about the type of things 00:39:14 that we wouldn’t want to do as a teacher. 00:39:18 Let’s read that in verses 5 and 6: 00:39:22 “In fact, you know that we never used flattering speech 00:39:27 “or put on any false front with greedy motives; 00:39:30 “God is witness! 00:39:32 “Nor have we been seeking glory from men, 00:39:35 “either from you or from others, 00:39:38 though we could be an expensive burden as apostles of Christ.” 00:39:43 So, what are these negative things that we certainly would want to avoid 00:39:47 if want to be an effective teacher? 00:39:49 Well, notice that first one, “flattering speech.” 00:39:53 Now, this reminds us of another scripture. 00:39:55 Let’s turn across to Proverbs 28:23, 00:40:00 and this is a good reminder for all of us. 00:40:04 It says: “Whoever reproves a man 00:40:08 “[or corrects his thinking] 00:40:10 “will afterward find more favor 00:40:13 than someone who flatters with his tongue.” 00:40:17 Do we see the point that is being made there? 00:40:20 That flattery is not really an effective way 00:40:25 for us to gain someone’s confidence, 00:40:28 but, rather, it’s by honestly correcting the thinking of someone else. 00:40:32 So with our Bible students or whatever level of teaching that we’re doing, 00:40:37 we need to remember that part of the process of teaching involves 00:40:42 giving counsel or direction in correcting wrong viewpoints. 00:40:47 For us not to do that in a loving way 00:40:50 really shows that we don’t love the person properly 00:40:54 because we don’t really want them to change their wrong thinking. 00:40:58 So avoiding “flattering speech” is very important. 00:41:02 Going back to 1 Thessalonians chapter 2, 00:41:06 what’s the second point that Paul mentions? 00:41:08 A “false front with greedy motives.” 00:41:13 So a false front is pretending to be someone that you’re not. 00:41:18 So none of us would ever want to put across 00:41:22 a self-righteous viewpoint 00:41:24 to try to convince others that we are holier than they are, 00:41:29 but as it says here, it’s to not have that “false front.” 00:41:31 And then it mentions “greedy motives.” 00:41:35 You see, there’s a marginal reference 00:41:37 that takes us across to Acts 20:33. 00:41:42 There the apostle Paul says: 00:41:44 “I have desired no man’s silver or gold or clothing.” 00:41:49 So certainly as a teacher of the good news, 00:41:53 we wouldn’t want to expect some benefits or something 00:41:58 that would come back to us by means of our teaching. 00:42:01 There the apostle Paul sets a good standard for us. 00:42:05 And then in verse 6, 00:42:08 he said that he wasn’t ‘seeking the glory of men,’ 00:42:11 or as one translation says, “insisting on our own dignity.” 00:42:17 So it could be that if we’re a teacher, 00:42:20 we may feel that we deserve a certain measure of respect. 00:42:25 Yes, our position is a little higher than the student. 00:42:30 If we really feel that way deep inside, 00:42:33 that’s going to affect our attitude 00:42:36 with regard to being gentle, won’t it? 00:42:38 Because if someone questions what we say 00:42:42 or if it looks like they’re not dignifying us in a proper manner, 00:42:46 then we will lose that firm gentleness 00:42:49 that helps correct the thinking of others. 00:42:53 Well, when we think about all these various attributes and qualities 00:42:57 that are needed for us to be a good teacher, 00:43:00 perhaps we might feel that there’s a lot we can work on, I’m sure. 00:43:03 I feel that way as well. 00:43:04 It’s a continual battle —isn’t it?—for us to continue 00:43:08 to try to be effective teachers. 00:43:10 Here is one word of encouragement we gain from the book of Philippians. 00:43:15 As a final scripture, 00:43:17 Philippians 2:13: 00:43:21 “For God is the one who for the sake of his good pleasure energizes you, 00:43:27 “giving you both [notice] the desire 00:43:30 “[yes, so the desire for us to impart the truth 00:43:34 “in a loving manner to others and then also] 00:43:37 and the power to act.” 00:43:39 So as we consider our teaching abilities, 00:43:42 don’t just think of techniques. 00:43:45 But always remember that when we’re a good teacher, 00:43:48 we need to be gentle in the midst of others 00:43:51 and help them in a loving way to correct wrong thoughts. 00:43:56 Like Jesus, Paul put his whole heart into his teaching. 00:44:02 His concern for others moved him 00:44:04 to share the good news with as many as possible. 00:44:08 In modern times, many have shown that same spirit, 00:44:12 moving them to preach even in the face of opposition. 00:44:17 One of those sisters is Maria Kaloyanoff. 00:44:22 So my mother was born in the country of Bulgaria in 1922, 00:44:27 and in the early 1950’s, 00:44:30 my family emigrated from Germany to the United States. 00:44:34 We settled in New York City, 00:44:36 and it was there that my mother 00:44:38 learned the truth. 00:44:40 That is the first time I opened a Bible. 00:44:43 I went and opened Revelation chapter 21. 00:44:48 But what hit me was the point 00:44:51 that there will not be sickness, 00:44:53 sorrow, and death anymore. 00:44:57 Anyone that comes into the truth 00:45:00 wants to share that with their family. 00:45:03 I had a desire, 00:45:05 really, to tell them the truth, 00:45:08 how they can get free 00:45:11 from oppression and sickness and death. 00:45:17 So she very much saw the need and desired 00:45:20 to have literature in the Bulgarian language. 00:45:24 She was able to ask the brothers in Brooklyn, 00:45:27 specifically offering if she could 00:45:30 translate some literature into Bulgarian. 00:45:34 The brothers approved for her to do that, 00:45:36 starting out with some of the tracts. 00:45:41 So Bulgaria was behind the Iron Curtain, a Communist country. 00:45:46 Literature about God and the Bible 00:45:48 is not acceptable and banned, 00:45:52 so you can’t just mail it. 00:45:54 So as literature became available, people have to take it in. 00:46:00 My family was one of those families that volunteered to do that. 00:46:04 We traveled into Bulgaria by train. 00:46:08 We had a lot of luggage because every time we would go to Bulgaria, 00:46:12 we stayed two and a half months. 00:46:14 That was the summer vacation. 00:46:17 In that luggage, in various places, 00:46:23 we put literature. 00:46:25 Traveling into a country with banned literature 00:46:29 is not without its problems or dangers. 00:46:34 They knew that we had some literature, and that was the tracts. 00:46:38 My mother realized that we were going to be searched. 00:46:43 We had the ability 00:46:47 to take the literature out of each luggage that we had hidden it in 00:46:51 and to put it into one small briefcase. 00:46:55 And what we couldn’t, 00:46:57 like unfolded tracts, 00:47:00 we put around our arm 00:47:02 with our overcoats over it. 00:47:05 I was only worrying about how I can 00:47:08 hide that literature so he cannot find it. 00:47:13 Because if he finds it, 00:47:15 then there really are consequences. 00:47:18 So as the guards would search through the luggage, 00:47:21 they would rifle through it. 00:47:22 They didn’t straighten anything out, 00:47:24 so my mother quickly thought and asked them, 00:47:27 “Can I now go over there and straighten out 00:47:30 what you’ve messed up?” 00:47:32 And they said, “OK.” 00:47:35 I took my tracts, 00:47:38 which I had around my hand, 00:47:41 and I put them in the already checked bag over there. 00:47:46 One of the guards gets to the point that it’s my little briefcase. 00:47:52 He says, 00:47:54 “This is so small; 00:47:56 nothing could be in here!” 00:47:58 And he just takes it over there. 00:48:02 The man who was looking was getting very nervous 00:48:06 because he knew we had something, 00:48:09 but he was not able to find it. 00:48:14 So in one trip years later, my mother was on her own. 00:48:19 The officials at the border of Bulgaria found literature. 00:48:23 They arrested her. 00:48:26 They put her in prison. 00:48:28 They interrogated her for two weeks or more every day. 00:48:35 And in time, the Bulgarian government changed their mind 00:48:39 and decided that as a foreign national, 00:48:42 they would just expel her from the country. 00:48:47 To this day, my mother continues her spiritual routine 00:48:51 of worshipping Jehovah 00:48:53 —being at the meetings, preparing for the meetings, reading her Bible, 00:48:57 and zealously sharing the truth with others. 00:49:02 It helps me practically 00:49:05 every minute in my life. 00:49:07 And I want to use my last bit of energy 00:49:13 to make his will known. 00:49:20 Once Sister Kaloyanoff heard the Bible’s message, 00:49:23 she just had to share it with those in her home country. 00:49:28 As she’s gotten older, her circumstances have changed, 00:49:32 but not her determination. 00:49:34 She still wants to do whatever she can, 00:49:37 using her ‘last energy,’ as she put it, 00:49:41 to make God’s will known. 00:49:44 Do you have faithful ones like Sister Kaloyanoff in your congregation? 00:49:49 Keep them in mind as you enjoy this month’s music video. 00:49:53 It’s called Two Small Coins. 00:50:10 Two small coins Are all that she can give. 00:50:21 As she waits, The courtyard echoes with bountiful gifts. 00:50:33 Lost in the crowd, Like a single grain of sand, 00:50:43 Will her Father take note Of the two small coins in her hand? 00:50:58 No matter how small, Don’t wonder at all, 00:51:04 ‘Does he notice my sacrifice?’ 00:51:09 It’s not hard to believe If we see how he sees— 00:51:16 If we see through Jehovah’s eyes— 00:51:23 Two small coins. 00:51:32 Would she have thought Of all she’d given before— 00:51:43 Of easier times When she had the means to give so much more? 00:51:55 She drops in her coins, Unheard by others around. 00:52:05 But for Jehovah God, This small gift made a thunderous sound. 00:52:20 No matter how small, Don’t wonder at all, 00:52:27 ‘Does he notice my sacrifice?’ 00:52:31 It’s not hard to believe If we see how he sees— 00:52:38 If we see through Jehovah’s eyes— 00:52:45 Two small coins. 00:52:48 He looks far beyond what you and I see. 00:52:55 He knows who we really are underneath. 00:53:02 He sees all we can be. 00:53:10 No matter how small, Don’t wonder at all, 00:53:17 ‘Does he notice my sacrifice?’ 00:53:21 It’s not hard to believe If we see how he sees— 00:53:28 If we see through Jehovah’s eyes— 00:53:36 Two small coins. 00:53:45 Do you see through Jehovah’s eyes? 00:53:55 What a beautiful reassurance 00:53:57 that no matter what our limitations may be, 00:54:00 our gifts have great value in Jehovah’s eyes! 00:54:06 For this month’s video postcard, 00:54:09 let’s travel to a land of incredible scenic beauty 00:54:13 —New Zealand. 00:54:16 New Zealand is made up primarily of two main islands 00:54:20 about 1,600 kilometers, or more than 1,000 miles, 00:54:24 southeast of Australia. 00:54:27 On those islands, you’ll find snowcapped mountain ranges, 00:54:31 crystal clear lakes, 00:54:34 miles of beaches, and a sweeping coastline 00:54:37 with many harbors and fjords. 00:54:40 It’s also an area 00:54:42 of dramatic geothermal activity, 00:54:45 with active volcanoes, geysers, 00:54:48 bubbling mud pools, 00:54:51 and one of the largest hot springs in the world, 00:54:55 the fittingly named Frying Pan Lake. 00:54:59 Residents of New Zealand are often nicknamed “Kiwis” 00:55:03 —a nod to one of the country’s most unique indigenous birds, 00:55:08 the long-billed and flightless kiwi. 00:55:12 The good news first reached New Zealand in the late 1890’s 00:55:17 when one local reader of the Watch Tower publications 00:55:19 started preaching on his own. 00:55:23 A few years later, 00:55:25 colporteurs from Australia and the United States arrived, 00:55:28 and the good news began to spread. 00:55:31 The early Witnesses in New Zealand 00:55:33 were intrepid preachers, 00:55:36 crossing rugged terrain on foot, horseback, 00:55:40 and bicycle to reach remote towns. 00:55:44 One New Zealander 00:55:46 who became a zealous preacher in those early days 00:55:48 was William Barry, 00:55:50 who read the six volumes of Studies in the Scriptures in 1909 00:55:55 and immediately recognized he had found the truth. 00:55:59 He diligently taught the truth to his children. 00:56:02 And in 1975, his son Lloyd Barry 00:56:05 became a member of the Governing Body. 00:56:09 The truth has also spread quickly among the Maori, 00:56:12 the indigenous people of New Zealand. 00:56:15 The first Maori-language convention was held in 1928. 00:56:20 Today, we have many Maori brothers and sisters 00:56:23 who enjoy sharing their rich culture with others. 00:56:28 Altogether, there are now more than 15,000 publishers in New Zealand, 00:56:32 preaching in 18 different languages, 00:56:36 including New Zealand Sign Language. 00:56:40 Here on the South Island is the seaside town of Picton 00:56:44 —home to the Picton Congregation. 00:56:47 With a busy waterfront and ferry terminal, 00:56:50 Picton welcomes many tourists 00:56:53 and international workers, 00:56:55 so there are plenty of opportunities 00:56:57 for public witnessing. 00:57:00 To reach those living in homes around the many bays of Picton, 00:57:04 the preaching work involves using boats owned by brothers. 00:57:09 The 39 publishers and the pioneers in the Picton Congregation 00:57:13 send their love and greetings. 00:57:17 From the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 00:57:20 this is, yes, this is JW Broadcasting!
