Treasures New and Old

God’s Pattern for His Disciples: What is a Disciple

In the year 2020, we did a series on discipleship. In 2024 it’s my hope that we can take a good look at that discipleship lifestyle deeper than we did in 2020 by looking at what I call God’s pattern for His disciples.

The topics will be:

• What is a Disciple
• Guard Your Heart
• Making Your Calling and Election Sure
• Being of One Mind
• Make No Provision for the Flesh
• Binding and Loosing and Blessings and Cursings
• Hold fast to the Truth
• Our Kinsman Redeemer
• Beware of False Doctrines
• The Way We Need to Think
• Passover Lessons for Disciples
• Understanding the Sovereignty of God

It’s my hope that as we attack these different subjects we will get a deeper understanding of what God expects of us. As well as learning how to walk in the light as He is in the light, guarding our heart, being of one mind with Christ, learning to make no provision for the flesh, holding onto the truth that is in God’s Word, and these other subjects that I mentioned.

So, join me as we jump into this new series called God’s Pattern for His Disciples, and we will start that series with the lesson called “What is a Disciple”.

Some of these lessons were the subject of sermons I have shared in the past year. Several folks have expressed an interest in my notes which is why I have decided to include those messages as part of this series.

Who is My Disciple?

To start out this article, we will begin with a couple of important concepts including a definition of what a disciple is, as well as where we see the evidence of disciples in the Old Testament. The word disciples is only used in the New Testament and is generally only used when talking about Christians who follow Christ (John the Baptist had disciples as well). In the Old Testament, disciples were called prophets or students of prophecy schools. They were also called accolades and followers. We see evidence of the Old Testament schools “disciples” when we look at Elisha who held a school and when we read other Old Testament evidences of those who were following the teaching of a rabbi.

In the New Testament, besides seeing the word disciples following either John the Baptist or Jesus Christ, we have evidence of people like Saul, who became Paul, a Pharisee of the Pharisees, and a follower of Gamaliel who was a famous rabbi. Gamaliel himself followed another rabbi who was also famous called Hillel. Although the Bible does not trace the linage of rabbis down through the centuries, we assume that Hillel learned from a rabbi, and that rabbi learned from a rabbi, and – well, you get the picture.

Disciples makes other disciples who make other disciples, and that is how the church grows through the centuries.

The word disciples is used over 274 times in the New Testament. The “school of prophets”, or the “sons of prophets”, or the “company of the prophets” only appears a few times, but it’s clear that they were a continuous thing throughout the timeline of Israel the nation. These groups of people, these students, were known as a talmidim. Generally, you had to be asked to join and become a member of a talmidim. For example, Jesus, when He selected the twelve disciples, He went and found them. They did not come to Him.

In fact, that’s a lot like what happens when anyone comes to Christ. The Bible teaches that God finds/seeks us. Man is not looking to find God, especially in his fallen condition, as the Bible teaches that we are dead in trespasses and sin. I will note many seek some deep spiritual enlightenment. But rarely does that seeking lead to God, but to false gods, false spiritualism, pyramids, strange prophecies with no basis in Scripture, and other false spiritualism. And I am so thankful that one day God sought me, quickened me, and brought me to Christ.

So, as we dip in into this subject of being a disciple, we will be looking at some things we’ve already shared in 2020 and 2023. I hope to stimulate your thinking in terms of how we are to behave, how we are to respond to the Master, to our Rabbi. I would like you to think of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, also as your teacher, your rabbi, as you join His talmidim as one of His students. As we go through this series, let’s enjoy our new relationship with our Rabbi and dip in and try to understand in deeper ways than perhaps we have in the past, how we are to live as a disciple of Christ.

Some Key Definitions:

Disciple (American Dictionary of the English Language): “. . . A follower ; an adherent to the doctrines of another. Hence the constant attendants of Christ were called his disciples ; and hence all christians are called his disciples, as they profess to learn and receive his doctrines and precepts.”

Disciple is used some 274 times in the New Testament (Strong’s)

• School of the prophets: In 1 Samuel 19:18-24 and in 2 Kings 2 and 4:38-44 they are referred to as the “sons of the prophets” and the “company of the prophets”. We also know that there were Talmud schools, and rabbis held and taught special groups as his talmidim.

• Mathetes: a learner, pupil, disciple (Strong’s G3101).

Apprentice: (American Dictionary of the English Language): “. . . One who is bound by covenant to serve a mechanic, or other person, for a certain time, with a view to learn his art, mystery, or occupation, in which his master is bound to instruct him . . .”

A Modern Day Disciple

I recall when I gave this message in 2023, I shared a resume of someone who I called a disciple of computer science. Rather than going through the details like I did that morning, I will summarize that resume for you to give you an idea of what a modern disciple might look like, just as I did that particular Sunday morning.

A modern-day disciple of computer science:

• The person had two degrees, and extra diploma, and numerous (fifty) extra courses in both hardware and software technologies.

• This person was proficient in twelve computer languages and familiar enough to be articulate in several more.
  

• This person was knowledgeable of numerous vendor software packages that enhanced various program languages.
  

• This person over the years worked on some twelve different hardware platforms and their various daughter products as they came out year after year (like IBM 340, to 360, to 370, etc.)
  

• Special classes taken in college included operating systems, advanced algorithms, advanced computer languages, datasets and databases, and others.
  

• Work assignments varied across a wide spectrum of disciplines for agencies like NASA, NOAA, Forestry, the Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, to name a few.
  

• This person gave lectures, symposiums, presentations, and wrote dozens of articles.
  

• This person did too many things to recount including developing some things that were the first to be done in the country.
  

Bible times disciples

• Becoming a member of a talmidim or following and being taught by a rabbi.
  

• Paul was a disciple under Gamaliel who himself studied under Hillel – another famous rabbi-teacher.
  

• Apprenticeship is different than discipleship and usually started at thirteen. Many apprenticeships didn’t end until thirty. Often pay was just room and board and very little wages. The expectation was that one day the apprentice would either take over the work of the teacher, leave and start his own business in the trade, or be a paid assistant (journeyman) with the same boss.
  

• Many of Jesus’ talmidim (the twelve disciples) had already completed apprenticeships and were working as skilled laborers in their trade (exception of maybe John). Matthew was a tax collector and four others were established fisherman. We don’t know of the six and seven others.

• Before they were called apostles, they were called the disciples. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts all use the term disciples when referring to the twelve.

• They seem to have graduated to apostleship after Jesus’ resurrection and when they received the Holy Spirit. The term apostle only shows up in some of the epistles. I would like to note that apostleship isn’t a career change like being a software developer and becoming a manager, but rather a distinction of being a disciple with a focus on also being a messenger of Christ. Apostles were still disciples all of their lives.

• There were different levels of disciples: the inner 12, the 70 sent out by Jesus (Luke 10), a larger group of followers – 120 in the upper room at Pentecost (Acts 1:15), and possibly even a larger group who followed the Rabbi but for less than pristine reasons (5,000).
  

• John the Baptist had his disciples.
  

• Sixty-eight verses in Matthew have the word disciples. John has sixty-two verses, Mark has forty-three, Luke has thirty-three, and Acts twenty-six verses (Strong’s). This does not include the number of times the singular disciple occurs.
  

• Disciples followed and listened to what their master/rabbi taught them. Simply put, I would call a disciple an ardent student of their master. Please note I said an ardent student. This isn’t the kid who daydreams in class as the professor lectures. But is the person who carefully listens, takes copious notes, and then applies them after class.
  

• Disciples often prepared things for their master as when Jesus asked two disciples to prepared for the Passover, get food at the well, distributing the food at the feeding of thousands, etc.

Twelve Characteristics of Disciples of Jesus

• All the teaching of Jesus in the Four Gospels must be considered important lessons for anyone who wishes to be His disciple. But here are some highlights:
  

• Be children of the light, not of the darkness.

• John 12:46: “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.”

1. Jesus’ disciples need to love God with all their heart

• Matthew 22:36-38: “Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.”
  

2. Disciples are to love one another

• Matthew 22:39: “And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”
  

• Even love our enemies: Luke 6:27: “But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,”
  

3. Don’t love money

• Matthew 6:24: “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

4. Love not the world (two masters again)

• John 15:18-19: “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”
  

5. Trust God to provide for your earthly needs

• Matthew 6:25: “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than mean, and the body than raiment?“
  

6. Spiritual greatness is achieved through serving others and being humble

• Matthew 23:10-12: “Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.”
  

7. Learn to walk the straight and narrow – through the strait gate

• Matthew 7:13-14: “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.“
  

8. Disciples need to live forgiveness every day

• Matthew 6:14-15: “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
  

• Matthew 18:21-22: “Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.“
  

9. Disciples must learn to live by faith

• Luke 7:9: “When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.”
  

10. Following Christ means denying self

• Matthew 16:24-25: “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”

11. Disciples strive to keep the master’s sayings and commandments

• John 14:15: “If ye love me, keep my commandments.“
  

12. Disciples must learn to abide in Christ

• John 15:4-8:

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gathered them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

• John 7:37-38: “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”

• Matthew 11:28-30: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Believer or Disciple?

I will be the first one to admit that to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ today is not very easy. We have pressures, distractions, political issues, demands, and a variety of other problems that we face on a daily basis that makes being a disciple difficult. But like Joshua who gave the people a choice, we must also decide who we will serve. Who will we be students of, who will be our master: the world, ourselves, or the Lord Jesus Christ.

Consider these three sections of Scripture:

• Joshua 24:14-15 (emphasis added): “Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
  

• Luke 6:46-49:

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built a house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built a house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.“

• Galatians 5:13-26:

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is not law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Now, let us go forth and be disciples of the Master, and also make disciples in our going.

Maranatha!

Bro. Joe

References

Strong, J. Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries. Meyers, R. (2005). e-Sword. [computer software] . Franklin, TN: Equipping Ministries Foundation. (Original work published 1539)

Webster, Noah. Noah Webster’s First Edition of an American Dictionary of the English Language Facsimile Fifth Edition. San Francisco, CA now at Chesapeake Bay, VA: The Foundation for American Christian Education. 1987. (Original work published 1828)

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