So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. (Acts 6:7, New International Version)
When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. (Acts 9:26, New International Version)
and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. (Acts 11:26, New International Version)
21They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. (Acts 14:21 – 22, New International Version)
Theme: Discipleship
Context:
Thanks again for your comments yesterday! You pointed out that submitting to the Holy Spirit as our teacher calls for attentiveness, humility, and obedience. Having considered the mandatory involvement of the Holy Spirit and Scripture in the definition of our identity as disciples, we now turn our attention to the definitions we will use for our journey. We refer again to Michael Wilkins who is recognized as having studied the terms disciple and discipleship extensively. He traces the meaning of the terms through the entire Bible. Also, by focusing on semantics he is able to addresses many of the issues raised in the five schools of thought we considered yesterday. Of course, the fact that Wilkins has studied extensively doesn’t make his opinion right, but he undoubtedly demonstrates the value of diligent Bible Study.
In support of his definitions of disciples and discipleship, Wilkins provides the following instructive conclusions:
- “It is not enough to ask what a disciple is. Rather, we must ask of whom the person is a disciple and at what period of time.” Jesus instituted a unique system of discipleship that is universally applicable but His ministry occurred in a particular place and at a particular point in time.
- While we can learn a lot from the experience of the twelve disciples, we must always bear in mind that they had a unique ministry as apostles. We must be careful not to equate discipleship with apostleship!
- For current day use, the book of Acts is instrumental in defining disciples and discipleship because of contextual relevance.
With these conclusions in mind, Wilkins offers the following definitions, which we will adopt for our journey:
“In the general sense, we may define a disciple as a committed follower of a great master.” “In the specific sense, a disciple of Jesus is one who has come to Jesus for eternal life, has claimed Jesus as Savior and God, and has embarked upon the life of following Jesus.” “Discipleship is the ongoing process of growth as a disciple.”
Bible Study Passages:
Today’s Scripture passages support the conclusion that in the Early Church, the terms Christians and disciples were synonymous. Please review the passages and consider the question below.
Question:
While mental images cannot replace the word of God, sometimes images help to clarify and communicate concepts. As you reflect on what the definitions above say about our identity as disciples of Jesus, what image(s) come to mind?
Sharing your thoughts could be a big help to someone else. Please leave a comment on the blog.
February 22, 2024 at 6:25 am
There are many images that come to my mind as a disciple of Jesus. One is the picture of a child walking while holding the hand of his father. It reminds me of how a child is being led by parents as he grew up. A disciple learns and apply Jesus’ teachings, making him strong with values rooted in Christ. Another good image is a small plant or tree planted and starting to grow with branches,leaves and then fruits being harvested. A disciple is like that, you grow and bear fruit. Another thing I can think of is an image of a person in the dark but found a light through the word of God, so I could picture an image of a person with a gloomy face in the dark and transformed into a joyful face in the light that shines from the sky. This bright light is a symbol of hope that Jesus gives to his disciples.
February 22, 2024 at 6:46 am
The mental picture I get of a disciple is one who is willing to not make earthly treasures or comfort or opinions of others a priority that stand in their way of serving or being committed to Christ. Some groups that come to mind who display these characteristics (as they carry out their own agenda) are Hari Krishna, Seven Day Adventists, Mormons, Monks, to name a few. Their dedication to a cause is impressive and raises the question, if they’re so committed to their cause, what should I be as a disciple of Christ?
February 22, 2024 at 10:53 am
When I think of disciples I see a man (Jesus) with a group of men and women sitting at His feet, looking up at Him and hanging on His every word.
February 22, 2024 at 2:16 pm
Two images come to mind as I reflect on the definitions. One is of someone carrying a cross and one is of someone sitting at the feet of Jesus (like Mary did). Interestingly, the definitions didn’t conjure up an image of disciples inviting other disciples to Jesus. I know this is implied but it made me wonder if that purpose should be stated more explicitly in the definitions.
February 22, 2024 at 5:26 pm
The image that comes to mind is, a group of disciples sitting in a relaxed outdoor environment, with Jesus in their midst, enjoying the cool breeze, trees & flowers, while focused on Jesus’ teachings, and taking notes.
February 22, 2024 at 11:59 pm
My thoughts envisioned a master workman (eg a carpenter) with a junior workman who is committed to learn everything that the master carpenter has to teach him.