First Disciples
Discipleship is usually thought of as following Jesus, being a preacher, teacher. Somebody who believes in something, or who believes in someone, and leaves everything behind them to try to make others believe the same is my personal definition of a disciple. In actual fact, the Old Testament word 'Talmid' is a 'learner', and more obviously in the New Testament, a 'Diskipolos' is a 'follower'. The other crucial area of discipleship is serving others. When a disciple is healing a person, he is serving them, as he serving Jesus and God. So discipleship can be summed up; to follow, to learn, to preach, to believe, to serve. All factors are crucial to be a true disciple. But to be a disciple, you must be a Christian, 'one who belongs with Christ', 'Christ's one'. The disciples share Jesus' faith, and his freedom to rise above all immediate concerns.
The disciples of Jesus received their 'call' from Jesus, and they responded with immediate willingness.
Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglican Ch...
English: Icon of Jesus Christ
First page of the Gospel of Mark, by Sargis Pitsak...Jesus called, and the disciples went to him. "Jesus said to them, come with me, and I will teach you to catch people. At once they left their nets and went with him". (Mark 1:17-18) In Mark Chapter Two, verse fourteen, Jesus tells Levi to "Follow me"; "Levi got up and followed him". The response to Jesus' calling is clearly that of a wanting to follow, to be with Jesus. When Jesus chose the twelve disciples in 'Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles', all twelve were willing and went ahead to preach the word of Jesus Christ.
Their mission was simple. To do as Jesus does. Jesus gave his disciples authority over evil spirits and ordered them to take as little as possible, to leave all behind and go ahead to preach and heal (Mark 6:7-11). The...