Sit With Me Awhile!

A few weeks back, we read a scripture passage that started with Jesus sitting down and teaching those around Him. That was not the focus of the message but God stuck it in my mind and I had to go look into what was the significance of that thought.

Today, I want to share with you what God has pointed out to me about “Sit with me awhile.” Jesus sat amongst the people and taught them. The people sat with Jesus and listened.

I started by finding passages that specifically state Jesus sat with His disciples and the crowds to teach them about God’s plan for everyone. Then I looked at what He taught as He sat, what importance did it have and what happened when Jesus did that.

The NIV Study Bible, in its notes, gives this thought to “sat down.”
“It was the custom for Jewish Rabbis to be seated while teaching but to stand while reading scripture.”

Now, let us go see Jesus as He sat down and taught individuals, Disciples and crowds of people.
Matthew 5:1-2 NIV
1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him,
2 and he began to teach them.
(The Beatitudes-first-part of the sermon on the Mount. Over 3 chapters, Jesus speaks of Blessedness, ethical admonitions, contrasts between Jesus’s ethical teachings and Jewish legalistic tradition and a parable stressing the importance of practicing what He just taught.)
Matthew 7: 28-29 NIV (This is the end of the sermon on the Mount)
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at His teaching, 29 because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

Matthew 13:1-3 NIV (Also in Mark 4:1-2)
1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake.
2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then He told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed.” (The Parable of the sower is the first of several parables in this chapter)
Matthew 13:51 NIV
“Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked. “Yes,” they replied.

Matthew 24: 3 NIV
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?” (Jesus tells them of the coming end of the age and uses some parables to enhance those thoughts.)
Matthew 26:1-2 NIV
1 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, He said to His disciples,
2 “As you know, the Passover is two days away – and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

Mark 9: 35 NIV
Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant to all.” (Who is the greatest?)
Jesus teaches about welcoming children, others proclaiming Him and the consequences of leading children astray and having sin in your life. He ends with this verse: 9:50 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”

Luke 4: 20-21NIV
20 Then He rolled up the scroll (Scroll of Isaiah), gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on Him,
21 and He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Verse 22: All spoke well of Him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from His lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.

Luke 5:1-3 NIV
1One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God,
2 he saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.
3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
(The calling of the first Disciples)
Then we have a real fish story and Jesus hooks Simon, James and John.
Verse 11: So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed Him (Jesus).

John 4: 4-7 NIV
4 Now He had to go through Samaria.
5 So He came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (Samaritan woman visit)
Verse 42: They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

John 8:1-2 NIV
1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.
(Whoever has no sin can Cast the first stone – women in adultery)
Verses 10-11:
10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11 “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Jesus sat amongst the people and taught them. The people sat with Jesus and listened. This is how the Christian church got its start. Jesus gave life to the Scriptures and encouraged those that were around Him to follow His teachings. Here we are today doing just that. Jesus continues to say, “Sit with Me awhile!”