What does it mean to be a disciple? pt.5

People are attracted to Jesus; often because of miracles that authenticate His position as the Son of God. People are attracted to people who care for them, love them and meet their needs. Listening is the next step of growth. Learning follows listening actively and putting into practice what we have learned is called application.

Being a disciple means being a learner, a follower, someone who seeks to be like the person they are following. So being a disciple of Jesus Christ means we get our identity and purpose from following Him.

Luke 6:40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.

Correction is they next step: I’ve been told there is no point in playing if you don’t keep score.  Skills are improved when they are corrected. That is the truth however it is not a popular truth.  Jesus corrected His disciples when they came back from their teaching tour.

Matthew 14: 15 ff  When it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This place is desolate and the hour is already late; so send the crowds away, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!” They *said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.” And He said, “Bring them here to Me.” Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds, and they all ate and were satisfied. They picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve full baskets. There were about five thousand men who ate, besides women and children.

They had been out healing the sick and raising the dead and needed to be reminded- corrected as to where the power came from.

Matthew 17:14-21 When they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus, falling on his knees before Him and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic and is very ill; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him.” And Jesus answered and said, “You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.” And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured at once. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not drive it out?” And He *said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. [But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”]

Jesus corrected them by using a difficult situation to bring Glory to God; and teach them to pray.

Jesus corrected each of them in their area of weakness and if we are looking for learning and correction we will find it as it seems we (me especially) have enough areas of weakness to last until we get to eternity. When we are perfected the correction stops.