Disciples

What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus?

A disciple's job is to learn his teacher's words, imitate his actions, and raise more disciples. Discipleship is costly, and we should count the cost before becoming a disciple. Jesus chose the institution of discipleship to pass His teachings to future generations. 

The Hebrew word "talmid" is a term that translates to "student" or "disciple" in English. In first-century Judaism, disciples had four responsibilities:

• Memorize their teacher's words.

• Learn his traditions.

• Imitate his actions.

• Raise more disciples.

These four jobs of a disciple represent our calling: to learn Jesus' words and interpretations of Scripture, imitate His actions, and raise disciples for Him. That is what a disciple does:

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:19, ESV Bible)

Imitating Jesus and looking to him as our rabbi/teacher is the heart of becoming more like Jesus daily. 

Becoming a disciple of Jesus is a commitment to a difficult life of obedience and self-sacrifice. Jesus employed the Jewish ritual of immersion—baptism—to symbolize entrance into His school of discipleship. The community of Jesus' disciples is called the ekklesia in the New Testament. Ekklesia, commonly translated as "church" in English Bibles, means "assembly." 

Jesus invites us to take on the responsibility of discipleship. This duty may not mean leaving our homes or jobs, but it does mean reorienting our calling in this life. No matter what you do for work, your primary job is to be a disciple of the king, building the kingdom. You use your career, which provides you with money, to achieve your real goal and identity: being a disciple of Jesus.