Lesson 4 April 18-24
The Call to Discipleship
Sabbath AfternoonRead for This Week's Study: Luke 5:1-11,6:12-16,9:1-6, Matt. 10:5-15, Luke 10:1-24, Luke 9:23-25, Matt. 16:24-28.
Memory Text: "Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me"" (Luke 9:23, NKJV).
Disciple means a follower, or a pupil. The word disciple occurs more than 250 times in the Bible, mostly but not exclusively in the Gospels and Acts.
Being a disciple energizes the spirit, challenges the mind, and demands our utmost in our relationship with God and our fellowmen. Without total allegiance to Christ and the demands of His life and message, there can be no discipleship. What higher calling could one have?
"God takes men as they are, and educates them for His service, if they will yield themselves to Him. The Spirit of God, received into the soul, will quicken all its faculties. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the mind that is devoted unreservedly to God develops harmoniously, and is strengthened to comprehend and fulfill the requirements of God. The weak, vacillating character becomes changed to one of strength and steadfastness. Continual devotion establishes so close a relation between Jesus and His disciple that the Christian becomes like Him in mind and character."-Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 251.
This week well look at how Jesus called those who were to follow Him and see what lesson we can learn that can help us in our continuation of the work that He had started on earth.
Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, April 25.
Sunday April 19
Fishers of Men
Simon and Andrew had toiled all night. Seasoned fishermen, they knew the art of fishing, and they knew when to quit. Nightlong work yielded nothing. In the midst of their disappointment came an unsolicited command: "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch" (Luke 5:4, NKJV). Simon's response was one of hopelessness and anguish: "We have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word . . ." (Luke 5:5, NKJV).
Who is this carpenter counseling a fisherman about fishing? Simon could have turned away, but is it possible that Jesus' comforting and authentic preaching earlier had some effect? Hence, the response: "nevertheless at Your word."
Thus, the first lesson of discipleship: obedience to Christ's Word. Andrew, John, and James also soon learned that the long and fruitless night had given way to a bright and astonishing dawn, with a multitude of fish caught. At once, Peter fell to his knees and cried out: "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man" (Luke 5:8, NKJV). Recognition of the holiness of God and the sinfulness of oneself is another essential step in the call to discipleship. As Isaiah had (Isaiah 6:5), Peter had taken that step.
Read Luke 5:1-11, Matthew 4:18-22, and Mark 1:16-20. Consider the miracle, the astonishment of the fishermen, the confession of Peter, and the authority of Jesus. What does each one of these accounts say about the path of discipleship?
"Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men" (Luke 5:10, NKJV). The transition from being fishermen to becoming fishers of men is extraordinary: it requires absolute self-surrender to the Master, recognition of one's inability and sinfulness, a reaching out to Christ in faith for the strength to walk the lonely and unknown path of discipleship, and continual reliance on Christ and Him alone. The life of a fisherman is uncertain and dangerous, battling ruthless waves, unsure of a steady income. The life of a fisher of men is no less so, but the Lord promises, "Fear not." Discipleship is not an easy road; it has its ups and downs, its joys and challenges, but a disciple is not called to walk alone. The One who said "Fear not" is by the side of the faithful disciple.
Go back and read again Peter's confession about being a sinful man. Notice how his sinfulness prompted him to want to be separated from Jesus. What is it about sin that does that to us, that pushes us away from God?
Monday April 20
Selection of the Twelve
Discipleship is not self-made. It is a result of responding to the call of Jesus. Luke mentions that Jesus has already called Peter, Andrew, John, and James (Luke 5:11, Matthew 4:18-22) and Levi Matthew, the tax collector (Luke 5:27-32). Now the writer places the selection of the Twelve in a strategic location in his narrative: immediately after the Sabbath healing of a man with a withered hand (Luke 6:6-11), which led the Pharisees to plot the murder of Jesus. The Lord knew that it was time to consolidate His work and prepare a team of workers whom He could train and prepare for the task beyond the Cross.
Read Luke 6:12-16,9:1-6. What do these verses tell us about the calling of the twelve apostles?
Among the multitudes that followed Him, there were many disciples-ones who followed Him as students would follow a teacher. But Christ's task is more than that of teaching. His was to build a community of the redeemed, a church that would take His saving message to the ends of the earth. For that purpose, He needs more than disciples. "From them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles" (Luke 6:13, NKJV). "Apostle" means someone sent with a special message for a special purpose. Luke uses the word six times in the Gospel and more than 25 times in Acts (Matthew and Mark use it only once each).
The Twelve were chosen not because of their education, economic background, social prominence, moral eminence, or anything that marked them as worthy of selection. They were ordinary men from ordinary backgrounds: fishermen, a tax collector, a Zealot, a doubter, and one who turned out to be a traitor. They were called for one purpose only: to be ambassadors of the King and His kingdom.
"God takes men as they are, with the human elements in their character, and trains them for His service, if they will be disciplined and learn of Him. They are not chosen because they are perfect, but notwithstanding their imperfections, that through the knowledge and practice of the truth, through the grace of Christ, they may become transformed into His image."-Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 294.
Let's face it: were not perfect, nor are others in the church perfect. We all are in a process of growing (even if others seem to grow more slowly than we would like them to!). How, in the meantime, do we learn to work with others and accept them as they are?