THE DEMANDS FOR DISCIPLESHIP
FIRST TERM SS 3
CRISTIAN RELIGIOUS STUDIES
CRS
WEEK FOUR
TOPIC: The Demands of Discipleship
CONTENT
· What discipleship entails.
· Lessons to Learn from demands of discipleship and call to discipleship.
What discipleship entails
In anything one wants to do, there must be some difficulties. In most cases, one has to sacrifice something very costly before he can undertake a particular venture. For instance, for one to learn a trade or study any course at school, one has to sacrifice his time, energy, money or even his pleasure. Jesus teaches that demands of discipleship are even harder.
In the teachings of Jesus, we learn that discipleship involves a number of challenging aspects. Firstly, it requires total dedication to God and a willingness to put others before ourselves. This means that we must be willing to make sacrifices in order to uphold our faith and follow Christ’s example. Additionally, it requires us to be open-minded and open to new ideas, even if they go against our previous beliefs or traditions.
Another important lesson that we can learn from the demands of discipleship is the importance of perseverance and resilience. As Jesus himself faced many challenges and trials during his ministry, we too will encounter difficulties on our spiritual journey. However, if we stay steadfast in our faith and trust in God’s guidance, we can overcome any obstacle that comes our way.
The call to discipleship is a lifelong commitment that requires us to be steadfast in our faith and values. While it may be challenging at times, the rewards of following Christ are truly beyond measure and more than worth the effort.
Matthew and Luke gave an account of three prospective discipleship of Jesus who apparently declined to follow him upon learning the hard demands which discipleship entails. The first disciple, who volunteered to follow Jesus later changed his mind when Jesus told him that he (Jesus) had no house of his own, where they could go in and relax. The second disciple also refuses to follow Jesus when he learned that he had to abandon everything he owned and follow Jesus. The third disciple was not won over by all of the things that Jesus offered him, but rather by the idea that only God can give true life.
Christ wanted the man to understand that contrary to his expectation, discipleship involves some difficulties and uncertainties and therefore requires some personal sacrifices and commitment Jesus also invited a second man to be his disciple, to which the man asked Jesus to wait so he could bury his father, after which he would follow him. Jesus advised this second fellow to “Let the dead bury the dead”. By this, Christ meant that whoever did not receive the gospel was spiritually dead and they should therefore attend to the physically dead. He also meant that Christians should give the service of God preference before other services.
The third invitee obtained permission to go home and bid farewell to his people. Jesus replied “No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Lk 9:62) What Jesus meant was that the service of God demands absolute loyalty-not divided loyalty, no distraction and no disturbance. One just has to make up his mind before beginning or deciding. The issue Jesus stresses here is that one should consider the cost or demands of discipleship before entering into it.
EVALUATION
1. Enumerate the demands of discipleship.
2. Examine the significance of discipleship.
3. Analyze the lessons we can learn from the challenges and trials of discipleship.
4. Evaluate the importance of perseverance and resilience in our spiritual journey.
5. Consider how a lifelong commitment to discipleship can impact our lives, both personally and spiritually.
Lessons to learn from call to discipleship and demands of discipleship.
1. No matter our profession we can be called to serve God. Even as sinners, God can still call us. Matthew was a tax collector, a profession Jews hated. To them, a tax collector was a Roman agent of profession, a traitor, a sinner and a profiteer.
2. The first apostles left everything and followed Jesus. Likewise, we should respond to God’s call promptly.
3. We cannot combine the work of God with earthly duties.
4. The work of God demands full concentration and commitment.
5. Serving God may demand abandoning our loved ones, our family, our cherished professions etc.
6. We must be prepared to embrace the challenges of discipleship and trust in God’s guidance and strength as we seek to serve Him faithfully.
7. Ultimately, the rewards of discipleship are worth the effort – not only a closer relationship with God but also a sense of peace, purpose, and meaning in our lives. Whether we are called to serve God in our families, communities, or the wider world, we can rest assured that our efforts will be rewarded and that He will never forsake us.
EVALUATION
1. Enumerate the demands of discipleship.
2. Discuss the different ways God calls people today to serve him.
3. Examine the challenges and benefits of discipleship in our modern world.
4. Analyze the importance of perseverance and resilience in our spiritual journey.
5. Evaluate how a lifelong commitment to discipleship shapes one’s life and faith today.
6. Discuss ways in which we can help support and encourage others who are seeking to live out their faith journey as disciples of Christ.
GENERAL EVALUATION
1. Enumerate the demands of discipleship.
2. Discuss the different ways God calls people today to serve him.
3. Do you agree that Moses was a good nationalist? Why?
4. What advice did Paul give on the use of individual talents in his epistle?
5. Identify any two ways of applying your talents.
READING ASSIGNMENT
· Comprehensive Christian Religious Knowledge fr SS 1-3. By Matins I. Amaechi RSV Bible
· Matt. 8:18-22, Lk 9:57-63, 14:25-33.
WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT
1. According to Jesus, discipleship require_____.(a) rejection to participate in local politics (b) renunciation of one’s family ties (c) denial of basic life necessities (d) thinking on priorities
2. The first four men Jesus called were____. (a) Boatmen ferrying passenger (b) Fishermen (c) Masons (d) stone carvers
3. The first two disciples called by Jesus were_____. (a) Peter and Andrew (b) James and John (c) Andrew and Judas (d) Matthew and Philip
4. The Statement…. “the son of man has nowhere to lay his head”, was directed to____. (a) the tax collector (b) the voluntary disciple (c) James
5. By Profession, Matthew the disciple was a (a) Tax collector (b) Tent maker (c) Fisherman (d) Cattle rearer
6. The statement, “All things are taught to those who have leaving all”, is not a good assessment of the demands of discipleship because___
(a) it was made by Jesus (b) it contradicts Christ like attitude expressed in other part of the Bible (c) it denigrated the role of parents (d) it was directed to a person who was mentally deranged.
7. The statement, “whoever does not hate his father and mother cannot be my disciple” is true because___
(a) Jesus was teaching one of the most important requirements for discipleship (b) Jesus has contempt for parents (c) hatred for parents is a sign of maturity (d) Jesus was contradicting the Ten Commandments
8. The statement, “whoever does not hate his father and mother cannot be my disciple” is false because___
(a) it contravenes love commandment (b) it is a lie (c) it contradicts other teachings of Jesus (d) hatred for parents is not good in Christianity.
THEORY
1. Enumerate the demands of discipleship.
2. Discuss the different ways of God calls people today to serve him.
3. What are the challenges and benefits of discipleship in our modern world?
4. Analyze the importance of perseverance and resilience in our spiritual journey.
5. How does a lifelong commitment to discipleship shape one’s life and faith today?