Meeting Jesus for the First Time

• What Is a Disciple?

       The purpose and mission of the church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. This is to be our first and central aim. So that begs the question, What is a disciple? If we want to know if we are succeeding at our mission, we must know what it is that we are trying to accomplish.

       First of all, a disciple is someone who follows. While walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus said to Simon, Andrew, James, and John, “Follow me.” They left their nets and followed him. While walking past the tax collector’s booth, Jesus called out to Matthew, “Follow me.” And he got up and left everything behind to follow Jesus.

       And so it went, Jesus called out “follow me” and they did: Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananaean, and Judas - the Twelve Disciples. But also Mary Magdalene, Martha and Mary of Bethany, Salome, Joanna, and Susanna and many others followed Jesus. 

       To follow someone means more than just going from one place to another after them. To be a follower means to live according to their way. The Twelve and all the rest had to learn how to live Jesus’ way. They had to learn to turn the other cheek, to love their enemies and pray for those who persecuted them. They had to learn not to worry about food or clothes or anything else they needed but to rely on their heavenly Father would give them their daily bread. They had to learn to ask and seek and knock and trust that God would give good gifts. 

       Even more than that, they watched as Jesus healed those who were blind, lame, or sick to the point of death. They watched as he fed thousands with a young boy’s lunch. They watched as he raised the dead and cast out demons. They watched as he welcomed sinners and outcasts, inviting them into the family. They watched as he offered the ministry of reconciliation to all who were in need. After his death and resurrection, Jesus sent his followers to do what he had done. He gave them his Holy Spirit so that they, too, could offer the Father’s gift of mercy and forgiveness to those in need.

       To follow Jesus, to be his disciple, means to know him and love him with all your heart. And it means to live according to his way. These men and women followed Jesus from Capernaum to Samaria to Jerusalem. And after Jesus ascended to heaven, they did not stop following. Their lives were forever changed and every day they followed Jesus out into their neighborhoods, out into the world, to offer to others the life they had themselves received. This is what it means to be a disciple.

  

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