Call to Discipleship – SS3 Christian Religious Studies Lesson Note (First Term)

A disciple is a follower, learner or apprentice who takes instruction from a leader or master, then goes out to practise and teach what the master taught.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. define a disciple;
2. describe how Jesus called Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John and Matthew;
3. list the qualities that discipleship demands;
4. explain the three prospective disciples who could not meet the demands;
5. state the moral lessons of discipleship and the factors that work against it.

Who is a disciple?

A disciple is a person who learns from a master and later carries on the master’s work.

• Training period: a disciple stays with the master for a set time to learn.
• After training: the disciple goes out to practise and teach the course of his role model.
• The twelve: Jesus had many followers, but he chose twelve to carry out his work of teaching, preaching and healing.
• Reason for choosing them: Jesus knew that his stay on earth was temporary.
• Sources: the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) give accounts of how the disciples were called.
• Cost: following Jesus demands self-denial, total commitment and loyalty.

How did Jesus call his disciples?

Jesus called his disciples while they were at their daily work, and they responded by leaving what they were doing.

Bible references: Matthew 4:18-22; 9:9-13. Mark 1:16-20; 2:13-17. Luke 5:1-11.

How did Jesus call Simon Peter and Andrew?

• Who they were: two brothers who were fishermen.
• Where: Jesus met them at the Sea of Galilee with their nets.
• The call: he asked them to follow him so that he would make them fishers of men.
• Response: they immediately left everything and followed Jesus.

How did Jesus call James and John?

• Who they were: brothers, the sons of Zebedee.
• Where: Jesus saw them with their father, mending their nets.
• The call: he called them to become fishers of men.
• Response: they too left everything and followed Jesus.

How did Jesus call Matthew (Levi)?

• Who he was: a tax collector at Capernaum, where the customs house was located.
• The call: Jesus saw him in his office and asked him to follow him.
• Response: Matthew obeyed.
• The meal: Jesus later went to Matthew’s house and ate with him and other tax collectors.
• The complaint: the Pharisees complained that he was eating with sinners.
• Jesus’ reply: those who are well have no need of a physician, but the sick.
• Meaning: he came for sinners and not for the righteous.

What is Luke’s account of the call?

Luke gives a different and more detailed account of the call of the first disciples than Matthew and Mark.

1. Jesus stood by the Lake of Gennesaret and saw two empty boats.
2. He entered Simon’s boat and taught the crowd from it.
3. He then told Simon to put his net into the sea for a catch.
4. Simon hesitated, but in obedience to Jesus’ word he put the net into the sea.
5. The net caught so many fish that it started breaking.
6. They had to call other people to help.
7. After this incident, they left everything and followed Jesus.

How do the calls compare?

What does discipleship demand?

Discipleship demands self-sacrifice, and anyone who wants to follow Jesus must have certain qualities.

• Self-denial: giving up personal comfort, pleasure and desires for the sake of the gospel.
• Positive and prompt response: answering the call at once, as Peter and Andrew did.
• Total commitment: giving oneself fully to the work, with no part held back.
• Love and perseverance: loving God above all and continuing when the work is hard.
• Humility and absolute loyalty: serving without pride and staying faithful to Jesus.
• Ability to face persecution: being ready to suffer for following Jesus.

Who were the three prospective disciples?

The three prospective disciples were three men who were drawn to Jesus but could not meet the demands of following him.

Matthew and Luke give accounts of these men.

The first man

• What happened: he volunteered to follow Jesus.
• Jesus’ reply: foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.
• Result: he changed his mind and left.
• Reason: he could not sacrifice his comfort and pleasure.

The second man

• What happened: Jesus called him, but he asked to go and bury his father first.
• Jesus’ reply: let the dead bury their dead.
• Lesson: the call to serve God should take first place and should not be delayed.
• Meaning of “the dead”: those who do not accept the gospel are spiritually dead, since they neglect spiritual things and attend to physical things.

The third man

• What happened: Jesus called him, but he asked permission to go home and bid farewell to his people.
• Jesus’ reply: “No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
• Lesson: service to God demands absolute loyalty with no distraction.
• Reason for failure: he lacked total commitment.
• Source: this episode is recorded only in Luke’s Gospel.

How do the three men compare?

What are the moral lessons of discipleship?

• Sacrifice: a good disciple gives up time, money, energy and pleasure for the sake of the gospel.
• Commitment: discipleship demands total commitment, absolute loyalty and dedication.
• Love for God: God must be loved more than any other person, such as father, mother, wife, husband or sibling.
• God’s call is open: God can call anybody into his service, even sinners.
• Careful decisions: we should weigh the demands first, to be sure we can cope before entering God’s service.
• Readiness to suffer: we should be ready to endure suffering, challenges and persecution in serving God.
• Renunciation: we should give up earthly things, as we cannot serve God and the world at the same time.

What factors work against discipleship?

Factors against discipleship are the attitudes and fears that stop people from answering Jesus’ call.

• Fear of discomfort: not wanting to lose shelter and ease (Matt. 8:20).
• Procrastination: putting off the call to a later time (Matt. 8:22; Lk. 9:59-60).
• Rationalisation: finding reasons to excuse oneself from the demands (Matt. 8:22; Lk. 9:59-61).
• Family and self-preservation: putting family ties and personal safety first (Lk. 9:60-61; 14:26-27).
• Ineffectiveness: a disciple who loses commitment becomes useless (Lk. 14:34-35).
• Fear of suffering: dreading the hardship that comes with following Jesus.

Does Jesus still call people today?

• The call continues: Jesus is still calling people to follow him.
• Response: sinners should repent and follow Jesus.

Evaluation

1. Who is a disciple?
2. Describe how Jesus called Matthew.
3. List five qualities that a disciple of Jesus must have.
4. Why did the third prospective disciple fail to follow Jesus?
5. State four factors that work against discipleship.

Assignment

Describe the call of Simon Peter and Andrew, and of James and John, then explain any three moral lessons of discipleship.