THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
to KNOW HIM MORE and to MAKE HIM KNOWN
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.
Matt 16:24 (NLT)
Today, all Christians are disciples of Christ; some accepted and some rejected by people. Today's disciples need not be discouraged when they are rejected. People reject disciples because they do not know Jesus. Also, Jesus said, “Anyone who accepts your message is
also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And
anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me.” Luke 10:16. Disciples are to become disciple-makers, regardless. Disciples please God.
True Disciples
“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. Matt 7:21 (NLT)
Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles
13 Afterward Jesus went up on a mountain and called out the ones he wanted to go with him. And they came to him.
14 Then he appointed twelve of them and called them his apostles. They were to accompany him, and he would send them out to preach,
15 giving them authority to cast out demons.
16 Here are their names:
Simon (whom he named Peter),
17 James and John (the sons of Zebedee, but Jesus nicknamed them “Sons of Thunder” ),
18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon (the zealot ),
19 Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him). Mark 3:13-19 (NLT)
The First Disciples
1 One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God.
2 He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets.
3 Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”
5 “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.”
6 And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear!
7 A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.
8 When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m too much of a sinner to be around you.”
9 For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him.
10 His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed. Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!”
11 And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus. Luke 5:1-11 (NLT)
The Prayer of Jesus for His disciples:
9 “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you.
10 All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory.
11 Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are.
12 During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.
13 “Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy.
14 I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.
15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one.
16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do.
17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.
18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world.
19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.
20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.
21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.
22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one.
23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.
24 Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!
25 “O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me.
26 I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them.” John 17:9-26 (NLT)
REMARKABLE PURPOSE®
WE KNOW HIM AND WE WILL MAKE HIM KNOWN
