The Disciple Wcw
Jan Dominquez
In Christianity, a disciple is a dedicated follower of Jesus. This term is found in the New Testament only in the Gospels and Acts. In the ancient world, a disciple is a follower or adherent of a teacher. Discipleship is not the same as being a student in the modern sense. A disciple in the ancient biblical world actively imitated both the life and teaching of the master.[1] It was a deliberate apprenticeship which made the fully formed disciple a living copy of the master.[2]
The New Testament records many followers of Jesus during his ministry. Some disciples were given a mission, such as the Little Commission, the commission of the seventy in Luke's Gospel, the Great Commission after the resurrection of Jesus, or the conversion of Paul, making them apostles, charged with proclaiming the gospel (the Good News) to the world. Jesus emphasised that being his disciples would be costly.
The term "disciple" represents the Koine Greek word mathētḗs (μαθητής),[3] which generally means "one who engages in learning through instruction from another, pupil, apprentice" [4] or in religious contexts such as the Bible, "one who is rather constantly associated with someone who has a pedagogical reputation or a particular set of views, disciple, adherent."[5] The word "disciple" comes into English usage by way of the Latin discipulus meaning a learner, but given its biblical background, should not be confused with the more common English word "student."
Cleanthes could not have been the express image of Zeno, if he had merely heard his lectures; he also shared in his life, saw into his hidden purposes, and watched him to see whether he lived according to his own rules. Plato, Aristotle, and the whole throng of sages who were destined to go each his different way, derived more benefit from the character than from the words of Socrates.[9]
In the world of the Bible, a disciple was a person who followed a teacher, or rabbi, or master, or philosopher.[10] The disciple desired to learn not only the teaching of the rabbi, but to imitate the practical details of their life.[2] A disciple did not merely attend lectures or read books, they were required to interact with and imitate a real living person. A disciple would literally follow someone in hopes of eventually becoming what they are.[11]
In addition to the Twelve Apostles there is a much larger group of people identified as disciples in the opening of the passage of the Sermon on the Plain.[12] In addition, seventy (or seventy-two, depending on the source used) people are sent out in pairs to prepare the way for Jesus (Luke 10). They are sometimes referred to as the "Seventy" or the "Seventy Disciples". They are to eat any food offered, heal the sick and spread the word that the Kingdom of God is coming.
The gospels use the term "sinners and tax collectors" to depict those he fraternized with. Sinners were Jews who violated purity rules, or generally any of the 613 mitzvot, or possibly Gentiles who violated Noahide Law, though halacha was still in dispute in the 1st century, see also Hillel and Shammai and Circumcision controversy in early Christianity. Tax collectors profited from the Roman economic system that the Romans imposed in Iudaea province, which was displacing Galileans in their own homeland, foreclosing on family land and selling it to absentee landlords. In the honor-based culture of the time, such behavior went against the social grain.
Other gospel writers differ as to which women witness the crucifixion and witness to the resurrection. Mark includes Mary, the mother of James and Salome (not to be confused with Salom the daughter of Herodias) at the crucifixion and Salome at the tomb. John includes Mary the wife of Clopas at the crucifixion.
In Luke, Cleopas is one of the two disciples to whom the risen Lord appears at Emmaus (Luke 24:18). Cleopas and an unnamed disciple of Jesus are walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus on the day of Jesus's resurrection. Cleopas and his friend are discussing the events of the past few days when a stranger asks them what they spoke of. The stranger is asked to join Cleopas and his friend for the evening meal. There the stranger is revealed, in blessing and breaking the bread, as the risen Jesus before he disappears. Cleopas and his friend hasten to Jerusalem to carry the news to the other disciples, to discover that Jesus has appeared there also and will do so again. The incident is without parallel in Matthew, Mark, or John.
The canonical gospels, Acts, and the Pauline epistles urge disciples to be imitators of Jesus Christ or of God himself.[citation needed] Being imitators requires obedience exemplified by moral behavior.[14] With this biblical basis, Christian theology teaches that discipleship entails transformation from some other worldview and practice of life into that of Jesus Christ, and so, by way of Trinitarian theology, of God himself.[15]
In several Christian traditions, the process of becoming a disciple is called the Imitation of Christ. This concept goes back to the Pauline epistles: "be imitators of God" (Ephesians 5:1) and "be imitators of me, as I am of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1).[18] The Imitation of Christ by Thomas Kempis promoted this concept in the 14th century.
The "Discipleship Movement" (also known as the "Shepherding Movement") was an influential and controversial movement within some British and American churches, emerging in the 1970s and early 1980s.[citation needed] The doctrine of the movement emphasized the "one another" passages of the New Testament, and the mentoring relationship prescribed by the Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 2:2 of the Holy Bible. It was controversial in that it gained a reputation for controlling and abusive behavior, with a great deal of emphasis placed upon the importance of obedience to one's own shepherd.[citation needed] The movement was later denounced by several of its founders, although some form of the movement continues today.[20]
Radical discipleship is a movement in practical theology that has emerged from a yearning to follow the true message of Jesus and a discontentment with mainstream Christianity.[21] Radical Christians, such as Ched Myers and Lee Camp, believe mainstream Christianity has moved away from its origins, namely the core teachings and practices of Jesus such as turning the other cheek and rejecting materialism.[22][23] Radical is derived from the Latin word radix meaning "root", referring to the need for perpetual re-orientation towards the root truths of Christian discipleship.
Radical discipleship also refers to the Anabaptist Reformation movement beginning in Zurich, Switzerland in 1527. This movement grew in part out of the belief that the Protestant Reformers such Martin Luther, John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli were not going far enough in their respective reforms.[citation needed]
So good to be here with you today. My name is J.T. English. I am one of the pastors here on staff. I oversee The Village Church Institute, our classes, training program, and all those things, but I am excited to preach today. We're going to be taking a second look at the Great Commission, which we looked at last week, but taking a second look at it today. If you have a Bible (if you don't have one there is one in the seat in front of you), we're going to be in Matthew 28:16-20.
As you're turning there, a lot of you know this, some of you don't, but I do want to give you a brief update on my family. I was able to preach in June and gave a story of kind of what's going on in my family's life. So many of you have been kind enough to reach out and pray, I thought it would be appropriate to give you another update.
In May, we found a tumor in my wife's leg, kind of in her hip. Originally we had a diagnosis of cancer. It was just devasting. We lived for a few weeks believing it was cancer, considering treatments. They did a biopsy. They still thought it was cancer. Sent it to an expert, and he said, "Actually, I don't think it's cancer." Which is incredible news. Praise the Lord that this is not originally what we thought it was. Right?
At the same time, we're still walking through. It's been a really challenging season. I think I can safely say one of the most challenging seasons of our lives together. She is still in a lot of pain, and it's kind of a day-to-day process of just seeking the Lord. The Lord's Prayer, "Give us this day our daily bread." It's been a very intimate reality for us. We're not living tomorrow today. We're living today today. Just trusting the Lord to be gracious to us today.
This is an emotional service for me as she is here. She is in this service and hasn't been here in months. Yes, so grateful she is here. The most important thing I can tell you is thank you. The Lord draws near to his people through his people most often. That has been our story here, that the Lord has been nearer.
In the midst of our brokenness and hurt and pain and fear, and it's often been because your faces have walked through our door or you've called or you've texted or whatever it's been. Or you just prayed for us, and maybe you don't even know us. The Lord has drawn near to us here. What I want to tell you is thank you.
Macy and I have said over and over and over again, we could not imagine being anywhere else because The Village Church is our family. This is a church that knows how to suffer well and walks through suffering well with people. I came here to be a minister and try to minister the gospel to you, but I've been a recipient of the gospel, and my family has been a recipient of your generosity and grace. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. I want to invite you to continue to pray for us.
We don't have another scan until October, so we're continuing to walk through, just kind of a slow treatment process, totally trusting on the Lord, believing he is doing something beautiful in the midst of us so we might be more conformed to his image as a result of this trial. Thank you for praying for us. I would invite you to continue to. That's the update.
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