Journey of Discipleship: Following Christ's Call

1. 2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV) • All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

2. The account of Jesus calling His disciples is found in all four Gospels • Matthew 4:18-22 • Mark 1:16-20 • Luke 5:1-11 • John 1:35-42

3. Mark 1:16-20 (NIV) • 16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed Him.

4. 19 When He had gone a little farther, He saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Him.

5. Luke 5: 1-11 • 1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around Him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.

6. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then He sat down and taught the people from the boat.

7. 4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” • 5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because You say so, I will let down the nets.”

8. 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

9. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

10. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed Him.

12. Luke 1:1-4 (NIV) • 1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.

13. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

14. John 1:35-42 (NIV) • 35 The next day John (the Baptist) was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

15. 37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”

16. They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are You staying?” • 39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” • So they went and saw where He was staying, and they spent that day with Him. It was about four in the afternoon.

17. 40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.

18. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).

20. Mark 1:14-15 (NIV) • 14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

21. Matthew 4:12 (NIV) • 12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee.

22. Luke 6:12-19 (NIV) • 12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. 13 When morning came, He called his disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated apostles:

23. Mark 8:31-34 (NIV) • 31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that He must be killed and after three days rise again.

24. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. • 33 But when Jesus turned and looked at His disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” He said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

25. 34 Then He called the crowd to Him along with His disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me.

26. Becoming a disciple, a follower, of Jesus is not an event. • It's a process.

27. Unbeliever • Seeker • Believer • Follower (disciple)

28. A disciple is someone who follows the teaching and leadership of someone else • Disciple = Follower

29. Luke 6:12-19 (NIV) • 12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. 13 When morning came, He called his disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated apostles:

30. 14 Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

31. Mark 8:31-34 (NIV) • 31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that He must be killed and after three days rise again.

32. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33 But when Jesus turned and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” He said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

33. 34 Then He called the crowd to Him along with His disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me.

34. John 10:10 (NASB) • The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

35. John 15:8-11 (NIV) • 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples. • 9 “As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love.

36. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commands and remain in His love. 11 I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

37. What does it mean to be a disciple?

38. Discipleship means making an informed decision to receive Jesus as Messiah

39. Discipleship means being part of His community

40. Hebrews 10:24-25 • 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

41. Discipleship means embracing Jesus's call to influence others for Him

42. 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV) • 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

43. Discipleship means allowing Jesus to continually change your life

44. Romans 12:2 (NIV • Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

45. Luke 14:27 (NIV) • 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

46. What stage of discipleship are you in? • What's your next step?