Exploration of Discipleship

Exploration of Discipleship

A disciple is a follower of someone or something. In the gospel this

means to follow Jesus' example, to care and love for other people and

never turn anyone away in any circumstance. Each generation has heroes

or idols to follow and look up to. This was the same two thousand

years ago. Jesus Christ was in demand for so many people.

Jesus was walking along the Sea of Galilee when he called the first

four disciples. He saw Simon and his brother Andrew fishing, "Come

follow me", Jesus said "and I will make you fishers of men" Their

response was immediate; they left their nets and followed him. He then

came across James, son of Zebedee and his brother John, preparing

their nets. He called them and without delay they left their father in

the boat and followed Jesus. This shows that God's call to them was

stronger than anything on earth.

The 12 apostles Jesus chose were Peter, Andrew, James, John, Matthew,

Bartholomew, Phillip, Thomas, Simon, Jude, James and Judas. His

choices were unusual because they were simple, ordinary men with no

particular rank or race. They were not holy, educated, rich or

successful men and some of them had sinned, for example Matthew was a

tax collector and Simon was a freedom fighter. What was important to

Jesus was that he could see their potential, their ability to change

and he could see into their hearts to their good qualities. Becoming a

follower of God does not require a life without sin because these can

be forgiven if they devote themselves to their faith.

When Jesus called the crowd and his disciples to him he told them "If

anyone wants to come with me he must forget self, carry his cross, and

follow me". By this he meant the cost of discipleship was to put other

people before themselves, to accept the suffering and burdens of being

a disciple, and to devote their lives to their faith. An example of

the cost of discipleship is the story of the widow's offering at the