What Does it Take to Become a Disciple?

Standing in front of the pre-service class, or sitting in the middle of it, you can’t help but notice. The same people show up, week after week after week. They are there with Bibles in hand (or their Bible app open), notebook- and-pen-ready. They are hungry or faithful or perhaps — ideally — both.

We have a name for them: disciples.

Disciples aren’t know-it-alls, but they know this: there is always more to know. A disciple of Jesus doesn’t listen to grow his head, but to enlarge his heart. He has more than a desire to learn the written word; he has a hunger to know the living Word. Jesus is precious to disciples.

In perhaps His most often-taught parable, Jesus talks about the effect growing conditions have on a seed, and He ends His agronomy lesson with this: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Now, if you and I were there, sitting before the Teacher, when He said “sower” we’d see Jesus. When He said “seed,” we’d see words dropping into our hearts. We get it.

Ah! But we have the privilege of knowing the rest of the story.

What of the people hearing this parable for the first time? Sitting on a hill, never had a Bible in their hands, many farmers themselves. When Jesus said “sower” they saw their neighbor, or themselves, and when He said “seed”, they saw, well…seed.

Clueless. Even His closest followers.

So as soon as He was alone, they, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parable.

And He said, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. (Luke 8:10, NASB 1995)

He’s quoting from the scroll of Isaiah; it seems there have always been some — make that most — who don’t get it. Isaiah, and now Jesus, said it’s because of the hardness of their hearts.

Wait a minute. Those following Jesus all around the countryside had hard hearts? They had walked miles! Now they were seated on the hard ground, hours without eating.

But there, seeing Jesus speaking, they didn’t see what He was saying. Hearing His words, they couldn’t understand His meaning. Only a few there would get it. And that, in fact, is what “the parable of the sower” is all about.

“Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved. Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away. The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.” (Luke 6:11–15 NASB 1995)

Some were just there for the show, curious, watching intently until they were distracted by the next attraction. And there were many.

There were some whose hearts leaped for joy as they listened, but they never pressed in for understanding, and, well, you know what happens to a plant with a short root.

Some walked in with baggage and walked out with baggage, never learning to lay their baggage down. With bags in hand, they did their best to follow, but exhausted, they finally just sat down.

But there were some there who would become disciples and heirs of the mysteries of God.

In the months to follow Jesus made His way around the country preaching, teaching, and healing, and multitudes followed to get what was free. Until one day Jesus said to them,

“Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.” (John 6:26, NASB 1995)

Oh-oh.

And in the synagogue at Capernaum, He began to speak in riddles:

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me.” (John 6:53–57, NASB 1995)

Even now, it sounds strange. Think of how it sounded to those who had never heard it before, who hadn’t had time to ponder what he’d just said. It was shocking, offensive, an affront to their sensibilities.

And the numbers began to dwindle. Until there were twelve.

Twelve whose hearts were good soil, who heard His words and held fast. Twelve who listened long enough to hear the whole truth, who stuck close enough to soak up living water, hungry enough to ask questions:

Simon Peter asked, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. (John 6:68 NASB 1995)

Twelve who came to believe and know that Jesus was the Holy One of God.

When those twelve went out, they faced off with demons and won. They proclaimed the kingdom and healed diseases. They learned to live with little for the sake of the gospel. And they bore the fruit that Jesus had promised.

Twelve became seventy and seventy became one hundred and twenty and one hundred and twenty became more. Hundreds of disciples who squeezed through the narrow places and yet said, “Increase our faith.” Thousands, millions, and perhaps someday — ideally — billions, who stumble and fall and get up again and live hungry for the kingdom of God.