Part I: Living as a Disciple Maker
Week 1: What Is a Disciple?
Two thousand years ago, Jesus walked up to a handful of men and said, “Follow me.” Imagine being one of those original disciples. They were ordinary people like you and me. They had jobs, families, hobbies, and social lives. As they went about their business on the day Jesus called them, none of them would have expected their lives to change so quickly and completely. Iʼm sure the disciples didnʼt know what they were getting into when they accepted Jesusʼ call. Whatever expectations or doubts, whatever curiosity, excitement, or uncertainty they felt, nothing could have prepared them for what lay ahead. Everything about Jesus—His teaching, compassion, and wisdom; His life, death, and resurrection; His power, authority, and calling— shaped every aspect of the rest of their lives.
In only a few years, these simple men were standing before some of the most powerful rulers on earth and being accused of “turning the world upside down” (Acts 17:6). What began as simple obedience to the call of Jesus ended up changing their lives, and ultimately, the world.
What Is a Disciple?
What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? As you will discover, the answer is fairly simple, but it could change your life completely. The word disciple refers to a student or apprentice. Disciples in Jesusʼ day would follow their Rabbi (which means teacher) wherever he went, learning from the Rabbiʼs teaching and being trained to do as the Rabbi did. Basically, a disciple is a follower, but only if we take the term “follower” literally. Becoming a disciple of Jesus is as simple as accepting His call to follow. When Jesus called His first disciples, they may not have understood where Jesus would take them or the impact it would have on their lives, but they knew what it meant to follow Him. They took it literally and began going everywhere He went and doing everything He did.
Itʼs impossible to be a disciple or a follower of someone and not end up like that person. Jesus said, “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40). Thatʼs the whole point of being a disciple of Jesus: We imitate Him, carry on His ministry, and become like Him in the process. Yet somehow many Christians have come to believe that a person can be a “Christian” without being like Christ. A “follower” who doesnʼt follow. It doesnʼt make a lot of sense, if you think about it. Many people in the church have decided to take on the name of Christ and nothing else. This would be like Jesus walking up to those first disciples and saying, “Hey, would you guys mind identifying yourselves with me in some way? Donʼt worry, I donʼt actually care if you do anything I do or change your lifestyle at all. Iʼm just looking for people who are willing to call themselves Christians.” Seriously?
No one really believes that this is all it means to be a Christian. But then why do so many Christians live this way? It appears that weʼve lost sight of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. The concept isnʼt difficult to understand, but it requires everything.
1. Up to this point in your life, would you call yourself a follower of Jesus Christ? Why do you say that?
