I often find myself wondering what does it mean to be a disciple today?  Jesus had many followers and large crowds that gathered around him.  Jesus even sent out the 70.  But what was it like to be one of the 12 disciples of Jesus.

It’s interesting. You see, how Jesus made his disciples. Jesus didn’t choose any of his disciples that went to a university or that graduated from seminary. Jesus chooses from a small fishing community called Bethsaida. He chooses 5 boys from one village. Jesus came to this ordinary and some would think insignificant place.

Jesus chooses brothers, Peter and Andrew, and Philip who were from Bethsaida. Jesus also called James and John who were fishing right beside Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee. Out of this small community Jesus called 5 young boys who were the leaders of the first church. Jesus went to Bethsaida to make disciples. But why here in Bethsaida.

Well, I don’t know. But I am sure it had to do with their heart and their passion to know God. You see. Young boys and girls learned the Torah, the first 5 books of the Bible. Many of them could recite and explain portions of it. If someone wanted to be a disciple of a rabbi, the rabbi would ask them to, “come, follow me.” Jesus has called us to do that. 

Jesus says to you today. “Come, follow me.”

He has called us to be a student of the teacher. It is so much more than just knowing the Word. It is, I want to be just like the rabbi. A disciple of a rabbi, lived with the rabbi 24/7. A disciple had to have a consuming passion. You had to have a FIRE within you to memorize the entire Old Testament. You had to have a passion to walk daily with him.

Jesus went out to find people doing ordinary things. Jesus went out and said, “Come, follow me.” Jesus said, “you did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”(John 16:15)

Jesus knows us. He knows what we are like. The good and bad. The perfect and imperfect. He is calling us to be like him. He knows we can be. We need to have that passion and seek Him every day and at every moment.

If you take a look at the scriptures you see it didn’t happen over night for the disciples. It took a long time. They walked with Jesus, they eat with him, they saw the miracles, they doubted. Slowly these men become more like Jesus. And now it’s our turn. These 12 changed the world and spread the gospel.

Are you a disciple? How well do you know the scripture? How often do you have the passion to be like him? Are you consumed every minute of everyday to be like Jesus? Are you deeply looking and knowing the scriptures? How badly do you want to be like Jesus in everything?