160
Mind, Character, and Personality Volume 2
your heart. This will attract his thoughts to Jesus.—
Steps to Christ,
119
(1892).
Christ Came Right to the Point—In Christ’s teaching there is no
long, farfetched, complicated reasoning. He comes right to the point.
In His ministry He read every heart as an open book, and from the
inexhaustible store of His treasure-house He drew things both new and
old to illustrate and enforce His teachings. He touched the heart and
awakened the sympathies.—MS 24, 1891. (
Evangelism, 171
.)
Easy to Understand—Christ’s manner of teaching was beautiful
and attractive, and it was ever characterized by simplicity. He unfolded
the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven through the use of figures and
symbols with which His hearers were familiar; and the common people
heard Him gladly, for they could comprehend His words. There were
no high-sounding words used, to understand which it was necessary
[574]
to consult a dictionary.—
Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students,
240
(1913).
He Used Plain Language—Argument is good in its place, but far
more can be accomplished by simple explanations of the Word of God.
The lessons of Christ were illustrated so clearly that the most ignorant
could readily comprehend them. Jesus did not use long and difficult
words in His discourses; He used plain language, adapted to the minds
of the common people. He went no further into the subject He was
expounding than they were able to follow Him.—
Gospel Workers,
169
(1915).
Serious Subjects Versus Sentimental Nonsense—What is more
worthy to engross the mind than the plan of redemption? It is a subject
that is exhaustless. The love of Jesus, the salvation offered to fallen
man through His infinite love, holiness of heart, the precious, saving
truth for these last days, the grace of Christ—these are subjects which
may animate the soul and cause the pure in heart to feel that joy which
the disciples felt when Jesus came and walked with them as they
traveled toward Emmaus.
He who has centered his affections upon Christ will relish this kind
of hallowed association and will gather divine strength by such inter-
course; but he who has no relish for this kind of conversation and who
is best pleased to talk sentimental nonsense has wandered far away
from God and is becoming dead to holy and noble aspirations. The sen-