Discipleship

As a former football player I have played under all types of coaches.  From very angry and animated coaches that I was sure were going to have a heart attack in the middle of a game to very relaxed and almost carefree coaches, I have played under them all.  One of my favorite (and most successful) coaches I played under was my sophomore year in high school.  At our first practice he made it clear that he wasn’t a “yelling and screaming” type of coach.  If he ever yelled at us we knew we had done something extremely wrong.  His coaching style was one of teaching, correcting, guiding, and never being idle.  Instead of yelling at a player he would pull them aside and calmly correct their mistakes.  It was possibly the most enjoyable year of football I had ever played.

 

Paul has spent eighteen months in Corinth, preaching the gospel message and encouraging those who come to faith in Christ.  After this significant time in Corinth he moves on to Ephesus, but doesn’t stay for long.  He begins to move from city to city, “strengthening all the disciples” (Acts 18:23).  But something amazing happens while Paul is on the move.  A man named Apollos appears, teaching the truth of the Gospel Message.  Priscilla and Aquila hear him speak, but then pull him aside and do something unexpected.

 

What is a disciple of Jesus Christ?  How does one become a disciple of Jesus Christ?  What is the role of a disciple of Jesus Christ?  The answer to these questions is more simple than we may assume.  And like my favorite football coach it may not be what we expect.

 

May God prepare us this week as we study and explore the role of discipleship in the life of a believer.  This passage may be challenging to our hearts and so we pray that we would be open to God’s movement of change within us so that we may become more obedient children of our Father in Heaven.