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LUKE - ACTS
DISCUSSION GROUP (2)
THE CONCEPT OF DISCIPLESHIP
In groups discuss the significance of discipleship as see by
Luke in the Acts of the Apostles. For example, you may want to ask how
the believers as "disciples" relate to the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit,
the Scriptures and to each other. A word search on "disciple(s)"
is supplied. References are taken from the New International Version.
The Lucan teaching on discipleship
The early followers of Jesus confessed him as Lord, and became
his devoted followers or disciples (Acts 2:36;22:10). The Holy
Spirit was present in the charismatic communities and in the church's
mission. In the following references the study words are
italicised.
Acts 6:1,2. "In
those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian
Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their
widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.
So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, 'It would
not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order
to wait on tables'."
6:7. "So the word of God
spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a
large number of priests became obedient to the faith."
9:1. "Meanwhile,
Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's
disciples. He went to the high priest..."
9:10. "In Damascus
there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a
vision, 'Ananias!' 'Yes, Lord', he answered."
9:19. "After taking some
food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the
disciples in Damascus."
9:26. "When he came
to Jerusalem, he [Saul] tried to join the disciples, but they were all
afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple."
9:36. "In Joppa
there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas),
who was always doing good and helping the poor."
9:38. "Lydda was
near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they
sent two men to him and urged him, 'Please come at once!'."
11:26. "When
[Barnabas] found him [Saul], he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole
year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of
people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch."
11:29. "The
disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for
the brothers living in Judea."
13:52. "And the
disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit."
14:20. "But after
the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the
city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe."
14:21,22. "They
preached the good news in that city and won a large number of
disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch,
strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the
faith. 'We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God',
they said."
14:28. "And they
stayed there a long time with the disciples."
15:10. "Now then,
why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a
yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?"
16:1. "He came to
Derbe and then to Lystra, where adisciple named Timothy lived, whose
mother was a Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek."
18:23. "After
spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and travelled
from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia,
strengthening all the disciples."
18:27. "When
Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote
to the disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a
great help to those who by grace had believed."
19:1. "While
Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and
arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples..."
19:9. "But some of
them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned
the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and
had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus."
19:30. "Paul wanted
to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him."
20:1. "When the
uproar had ended, Paul sent for thedisciples and, after encouraging
them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia."
20:30. "Even from
your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw
away disciples after them."
21:4. "Finding the
disciples there, we stayed with them seven days. Through the
Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem."
21:5. "But when our
time was up, we left and continued on our way. All the disciples
and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city, and there
on the beach we knelt to pray."
Notes on discipleship
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