Discipleship

Intro

You don’t have to read far into the story of Jesus before it starts mentioning the concept of discipleship. As Jesus went from town to town, he was followed by this rag-tag group of people known as his disciples. Some were of questionable backgrounds, others were stubborn, judgmental, and foolish, and collectively they were a group like no other rabbi had ever assembled (Jesus also challenged the culture of his day by including several women as his disciples – see Luke 8:1-3). These people were deeply flawed, but Jesus saw world-changing potential in every one of them. And Jesus sees this same world-changing potential in us.

Question: What comes to your mind when you hear the word disciple?

Exploring the Scriptures

Matthew 4:18-22 | What might it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? 

Matthew 4:23-25; Luke 9:1-6 | How did the work that Jesus did compare with the work he called his disciples to do? How did they learn to do all these things?

A disciple is an apprentice of Jesus. How can we watch and imitate Jesus today? 

Luke 5:15-16 | How did Jesus model to his disciples how to get spiritual strength?

John 13:34-35 | What did Jesus say was the test of a true disciple?

Luke 9:23-24 | What warning does Jesus give to those who want to follow him?

Why would anyone want to be a disciple of Jesus if it involves making daily sacrifices? 

Matthew 28:16-20 | What was the last instruction that Jesus gave to his disciples? What might these words mean for us today?

The Gift of Jesus

When God gave Jesus to our world it wasn’t just to save us from our sins. It was also to give us a forever example of how to live the Christian life. The way of discipleship is simple: invest yourself in spending time with Jesus each day, absorb yourself with the story of his life, and let him be your example in everything.

Living It

Discuss: What appeals to you most about being one of Jesus disciples?

Discuss: What challenges you most?

Decide: Will you except Jesus’ invitation to follow him, wherever it leads, as one of his disciples?