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I. THE EVIDENCES WHICH CHRIST GAVE OF BEING A TEACHER COME FROM GOD.

1. His qualifications to be this teacher.

(1) In His nature: God and man. Hence He spake with authority and worked miracles.

(2) In His commission. The Father sent Him.

(3) In His endowments. He was filled with the Spirit (Isaiah 65:1).

2. The peculiarity of His instructions —

(1) What was their character? What sublime views He gave of God; what Divine revelations of grace; what Divine consolations; what holy precepts; what openings of the invisible world.

(2) Observe their manner. "Never man spake as this man" — with such authority, power, simplicity, consistency. He taught by events, anecdotes, parables.

(3) Mark their effects — conviction and conversion — Zacchaeus, Mary, Martha, dying thief, etc.

II. IN WHAT RESPECTS THIS GREAT TEACHER SHOULD BE IMITATED BY OTHER TEACHERS.

1. In His imitable qualifications —

(1)  His knowledge, particularly of God's Book. Every teacher should have a concordance, a commentary, and a companion to the Bible.

(2)  His various methods.

(3)  His possession of the Spirit.

2. In His Spirit —

(1)  The spirit of prayer;

(2)  of compassion;

(3)  of faithfulness.

3. In His conduit.

(1)  His self-denial.

(2)  His unwearied perseverance.

4. In His aim — to save souls.Conclusion.

1. Rejoice that you have such a teacher. Learn of Him if you would be successful teachers.

2. There is no cause for discouragement if you see not the success of your teaching. Christ's "own received Him not."

3. Let Scripture motives urge you to undertake and pursue this great work. Gratitude, the brevity of time, the present benefit, the future reward.

4. What a blessed day when teachers and taught will meet in heaven.

(James Sherman.)

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KJV: There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

WEB: Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.