Our focus is on making disciples of Christ, and we learn a lot from how Jesus modeled techniques and teaching methods with his original 12 disciples. 

The concept of disciple is actually much older than in Christ's day.  In the ancient Jewish culture in particular, rabbis would commonly have disciples.  "Disciples often traveled with, lived with, and imitated their rabbis, learning not only from what they said but from what they did..."  Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus, by Spangler and Tverberg, does a beautiful job of illustrating the Jewish culture in which Jesus lived and taught during his time on earth.  Understanding that culture can help us see more relevance for how and why Christ taught as He did. 

Following this tradition was natural and efficient for Jesus in order to disciple his immediate circle of chosen men.  It would have been a comfortable pattern for the disciples, also – a lifestyle that they knew about.  Perhaps some of them had even longed for a chance like this before they had entered into their "blue collar" life work. 

In our series and discussion:

1. We will see Christ's examples and examine the purposes of discipleship. 
    
2. From the first church, our lessons pursue the practices of discipleship in the local church body. 
    
3. Later we will outline responsibilities of today's church leaders to teach, cultivate and encourage discipleship in the direction of the purposes the Lord intends.

As we noted last time, discipleship is not optional.  It was a command of our Savior that we often refer to as the Great Commission.

^{Mt 28:18}Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

That is where we pick up next time.

Blessings and many thanks, 

Larry