CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP
WEEK THREE
TOPIC: DISCIPLESHIP
CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP
Matthew 4: 18 – 25, 9: 9 – 13, Mark 1: 16 – 20, 2: 13 – 17; Luke 5: 1 – 11, 27 – 32
Matthew and Mark’s account
In Matthew’s account of the call of the first disciples, it was done by Jesus himself. Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee and saw two brothers – Peter and Andrew, fishing or casting their nets into the sea; Jesus said to them “come follow me and I will make you fishers of men”. This shows that both men were fishermen. The implication here is that both men were now disciples to win souls for Christ. Matthew had it that both men abandoned their work and followed Jesus.
As he moved on, Jesus saw two brothers also, James and John the sons of Zebedee. They were mending their fishing nets with their father. They also were fishermen. Jesus called them and they left what they were doing alongside their father and followed Jesus.
Jesus’ choice of his next disciple was recorded in Matthew 9: 9-13. He met a tax collector named Matthew at his duty post and called him. He left his profession and followed Jesus. In Mark’s account, he called the tax collector Levi the son of Alphaeus. Both the accounts of Matthew and Mark in the call of Peter, Andrew, James and John are similar.
EVALUATION
- Who are disciples?
- Who are the first four disciples of Jesus?
Luke’s Account
The account of Luke differs from that of Matthew and Mark. In his own version, Jesus was preaching at the shore of Gennesaret, where he saw two empty boats, owned by fishermen washing their nets. He entered that of Peter and asked him to push the boat a bit into water so that he could preach freely without confusion from the crowd.
After He had preached, Jesus asked Peter to throw his net into the sea, Peter refused with the excuse that they had caught nothing since the night. When he obeyed Jesus, he was surprised at the catch. He knelt on his knees confessing to Jesus that he was unworthy to be in His presence. Jesus then decided to make him fishers of men. Luke also had it that James and John witnessed this miracle and decided to follow Jesus.
Despite the disparities in their accounts, the striking and similar thing is that the teachings and invitation of Jesus was irresistible by these men. They abandoned their profession, possession, and even families and followed Jesus.
EVALUATION
- Narrate Luke’s account of the call of the disciples.
- What is your view about this difference in Luke’s account?
The demands of discipleship
Matthew 8: 18 – 22, Luke 9: 57 – 63, 14: 25 – 33
The overall demands of true discipleship are that we should as true believers sacrifice a lot of things for the kingdom of God. Matthew and Luke gave the accounts of three prospective disciples but they changed their minds when they understood the task and challenges of being disciples.
The first disciple turned back when Jesus told him that he had no place to call his home where they always relax. Christ said to him “Foxes have holes and bird of the air has nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head”. Christ wanted the man to know that discipleship involves some difficulties and requires personal commitment and sacrifices.
Jesus also encountered and invited another man, but he gave excuse that he be allowed to go and bury his father before he became a disciple. Jesus advised the man to “let the dead to bury the dead”. In this statement, Christ meant that Christians should give the service of God preference before other services.
The third invited man sought for permission to go home and say final goodbye to his people. Jesus said to him “ no one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God”(Luke 9:62). What Jesus meant by this was that the service of God needed absolute loyalty and not divided attention or distractions.
Through these teachings, Jesus made us to understand that the task of discipleship needs utmost commitment. He advises that we should consider the demands of discipleship before going into it.
The first set of Jesus’ disciples were fishermen, as indicated by Scripture. According to Luke’s account, Matthew was named Levi, while Peter and Andrew were called by the sea of Galilee. The third invited disciple who declined Jesus’ offer went to say farewell to his disciples. According to John’s gospel, several of Jesus’ disciples were present at the wedding in Cana as well as his transfiguration on Mount Tabor. Finally, many of Jesus’ disciples were present during the raising of Lazarus
While many different accounts exist about Jesus and his disciples, it is clear that the first set of followers were fishermen by trade. They devoted their lives to spreading the teachings and message of Christ, becoming some of the most iconic figures in Christian history. Ultimately, their dedication helped to shape the church and faith as we know it today. Despite their status as disciples, many of them continued to face trials and persecution during their lives, ultimately sacrificing everything for the cause of Christ. Thus, even in the face of adversity and hardship, these men remained faithful to their calling, becoming powerful examples for future generations to follow.
EVALUATION
- How did Jesus call the first four disciples
- Why must the task of discipleship require sacrifice?
GENERAL EVALUATION
- Mention three demands of discipleship.
- Describe the life of Joseph in Potiphar’s house.
- Describe the skills of Joseph as governor of Egypt.
- What five lessons can we learn from Paul’s reconciliation bid?
- State two reasons why a Christian should forgive others
READING ASSIGNMENT
R.S.V Bible Read Matt. 4: 1-11, 1:12-13, Luke 4: 1-13
WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT
- The first set of Jesus disciples were____.(a) traders (b) fishermen (c) sailors (d) tentmakers
- Peter and Andrew were called by the sea of (a) Samaria (b) Gennesaret (c) Galilee
- According to Luke’s account, Matthew was named_____.(a) Thaddeus (b) Levi (c) Alphaeus (d)Thaddeus
- The third invited disciple who declined Jesus offer went to ____ (a)Marry a wife (b) bury the dead (c) say farewell to his disciple (d) pack his clothes
- Peter and Andrew were called by the Sea of ________ (a) Samaria (b) Gennesaret (c) Galilee (d)Bali
THEORY
- Give an account of how Jesus called his first disciples.
- Enumerate the demands of discipleship.
