The word disciple comes from the Greek word mathetes. It means “a learner” and is only found in the New Testament Gospels, as well as in the book of Acts. This word is found in the Bible when referring to followers of Moses (John 9:28), the Pharisees, and John the Baptist (Mark 2:18), but its most common use is when speaking of followers of Jesus. The Bible says the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch. (Acts 11:26)
(John 9:28) Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses!
(Mark 2:18) Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?”
(Luke 6:17) He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon,
What It Takes To Be a Disciple Of Jesus
(Luke 14:26) “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters–yes, even their own life–such a person cannot be my disciple.
(Luke 14:27) And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
(Luke 14:33) In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.
The disciples were privileged to say the least. They had the opportunity to learn what it takes to be a disciple from Jesus himself. For us today, we have the Bible and the Holy Spirit once we are born again that teaches us how to be a follower of God.
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