Greetings from Rajeesh.
Today’s Sunday was Education Sunday.
Almost all school level examination results have been announced. In Tamil Nadu SSLC board exam, 9 students shared first place with 498 marks out of 500. Many students were enjoying and of course still happy since they are going to get admission as they expected.
But it is very sad for a group who are disappointed with their marks which may be unexpected for them. This year also some students committed suicide after their disappointment over their results.
Our pastor has given a wonderful sermon on this Educational Sunday Service. I am going to share the same with you adding some of my observations and understandings over that in short.
Our pastor met a parent of a student who attended Tamil Nadu SSLC Examination. When enquiring about his/her marks, with great disappointment they told that he/she secured only 244 marks out of 500. Every day after their child finishes his/her exam, they used to ask the question which every parents used to “How was today’s exam paper?” without any disappointment their child answered “good”. But when the results were published, all expectations were broken.
What did go wrong? They have the question in their mind. But asking such question now, especially after the announcement of the results is totally unworthy. Pastor started his sermon with this incident.
He chose Bible verses Luke 5:4-8
1. Towards depth.
He (Jesus) said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” (Luke 5:4).
Why he said like that to Simon. When we see the next word, we get the answer Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything.” (Luke 5:5).
Most of the students also do as Simon did. They will start to study a particular subject. Their ambition is to finish it. Some will mug up it if they cannot understand. Some will study like animals which they just eat tip of the grass and not whole or deep.
Nowadays most of the schools especially in Kanyakumari district, they won’t take 9th std or 11th std subject. Instead, they will take 10th or 12th subject to prepare students for the public exam. Their ambition is not imparting knowledge but just getting good results. They have spoiled the purpose of education.
Pastor said that Successful school completion of schooling finishes only when a student studies his/her subjects and passes right from standard one to standard twelve. It fails even if he/she skips or fails a standard between that.
A student gets knowledge only when he/she studies the subject in depth. He / She becomes successful in the present standard which he / she studies only when he/she was through with the previous standard’s subjects.
Not only students, others also follow same procedure as students. We do not look our day to day matters in depth. What we need is just finish.
Simon didn’t get any fish and the reason behind was revealed by Jesus Christ. He didn’t go deep. When he went depth as Jesus said, we know what happened in Verse “they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break” (Luke 5:6).
Problems for not successful in many of our day to day engagements was because we didn’t go depth.
Here after we should go or look deep to get the success. Every learner should study the subject in depth to get success.
2. Obedience
The verse “But because you (Jesus) say so, I (Simson) will let down the nets.” (Luke 5:5) shows the obedience of Simon. Due to his obedience we can see what happened in the verse “When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break”.
He did as Jesus said Obediently even when he failed in his whole night try and became successful.
We should be obedient to God, for the word of God (Bible). Then we should obedient to our parents, our teachers and our elders. We should be obedient not only to elders but also sometimes to our youngsters. For example, obedient to our younger brothers/sisters.
When we look Ephesians beginning of chapter 6 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)”
Pray and read bible daily morning before you start your day’s schedule follow word of God and as said above. Your Obedience will bring success to you.
3. Sharing
Look in to the verse “So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.” (Luke 5:7 ).
When Simon got plenty of fishes, he did not take whole. He signalled other fishermen to help him and he shared what he get.
Knowledge improves by sharing. When I was doing MBA, I observed my classmates’ (also hostel mates) strategy to study a particular subject completely on day before the exam date. They divide subjects in to parts and share between them to study the allocated part only. After finishing dinner, they start to share one by one. They take notes while sharing. After one presentation gets over, everybody will call back the shared subject in their mind once. Then second person will continue.
Few times I also participated in that. Even without participation, they asked me to share which I learned. I made good presentation in examination on those subjects which I shared. Few reasons are I revised the subject, I looked the areas indepth where they asked doubts, etc. Still I am following the same even with my colleagues also. When I find new method or something others do not know, I share immediately with them.
So share what we learn then our knowledge improves and we can go depth of the subject.
4. Humbleness
Look verse Luke 5:8 “When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”.’. Be humble to others. You can secure whatever you want with humbleness. But it for right thing not for wrong.
Simon’s humbleness made him to secure a good place in the scripture. He was called as rock by Jesus Christ and He was blessed as the first Bishop.
Verse Philippians 2:3-11 says “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men “.
Be humble to God, our parents, elders and even youngsters. We could be successful on whatever we do.
While finishing, Pastor told that every student should put time schedule(time table) for their day to day duties right from getting out of the bed to till going back to the bed which must include time to pray, bible reading, study time, etc. He also told that, he will ask them to show the time table while during his house visiting and he will enquire about that with their parents.
Our classes are yet to start. So today put a time table as pastor said. Definitely we will get a good result in the end of the year.
Pray and read bible daily morning before you start your day’s schedule, follow word of God.
Go towards depth, be obedient, share with others, and be humble. Being as said will bring success to you.
God bless you.