Good Shepherd Church Seminary; Module 15 Following Christ

Yeshu'a Bar-Yosef - Jesus Son of Joseph

GOOD SHEPHERD CHURCH SEMINARY 

MODULE 15

FOLLOWING CHRIST

OBJECTIVES; 

By the end of this Module you should;

1. Be able to reflect on the Call to Follow Jesus

2. Know that our life's decisions make an impact on our eternal future

3. Know what criteria Jesus used when choosing His disciples

4. Know that, as the disciples were called in Jesus' time, we too are called to     follow Him

5. Be able to complete the Reflection Assignment for your own personal spiritual

growth

CONTENTS;

1. Our Life's Greatest Decision

2. The Call to Follow Jesus

3. The First Disciples

4. Assignment (for personal reflection only)

1. OUR LIFE'S GREATEST DECISION; 

Our life's greatest decision is our choice as to where we want to live our eternal life after human death.

We, as humanity, have been invited through God's Words and Inspiration in the Old Testament and New Testament to spend our eternal life in the joy of the company of God, our Creator, and Jesus Christ His Son.

Our whole life's purpose is to discover ourselves - who we are, what we want from life, and what our eternal destiny will be.

Each one of us was created personally by God, from Whose Hand our soul is infused into our beginning body at conception.

Each one of us is created personally by the Hand of God for a reason - a Divine purpose.

Our lives are not accidents or fate.

God has a personal plan for each of us.

2. THE CALL TO FOLLOW JESUS;

Jesus invited disciples to come and follow Him at the very outset of His Ministry. 

Jesus invited both men and women to witness to Him.

Jesus called people from all walks of life to be His disciples.

He called Matthew from his work as tax collector, 

"As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. 

'Follow Me,' He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him."

(The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 9 verse 9).

Jesus inspired the woman at the well as missionary preacher, to give the news that He is the Messiah .

The woman said, "I know that Messiah"(called Christ) "is coming.

When He comes, He will explain everything to us."

Then Jesus declared, "I Who speak to you am He."

Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find Him talking with a woman.

But no one asked, "What do you want?" or "Why are you talking with her?"

Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people,

"Come, see a man Who told me everything I ever did.

Could this be the Christ?" a

They came out of the town and made their way toward Him . . . 

Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman's testimony.'

(The Gospel of John, Chapter 4, verses 25 to 30 and verse 39.)

3. THE FIRST DISCIPLES

Jesus' disciples were exceptional in their ordinariness.

The first disciples Jesus invited were Simon and his brother Andrew, and the two brothers James and John. 

At the time of their call they were busy plying their family's trade - fishing.

They were "unschooled, ordinary men" 

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 3, verse 13).

Jesus called them -and others like them - to follow Him and be His disciples.

As He is calling us today.

It has been said that Jesus doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

Jesus had confidence in His first disciples, as He has confidence in us.

Jesus is the One Who qualified them by teaching them by word and example, and He qualifies us as we reflect and try to live His Teachings as laid out in the Gospels.

Jesus' invitation to the first disciples led to them learning at the Feet of Jesus.

His Words, His Teaching, His example of life was the perfect blueprint for them to follow - as it is for us today.

Jesus called his first disciples to follow Him, to become like Him and to do the things He did - bring the message of Mercy, Forgiveness and God's Love to the World.

He asks the same of us.

So, as called priests and ordained, it is important for us to continue our lifelong study of the Life of Jesus and His Teachings.

By attempting to live the guidance in the Gospels, and studying at Seminary and further courses within our budget, living area and scope, we will continue to grow as disciples of Christ.

True disciples of Christ preach by their words, but preach more by example.

4. ASSIGNMENT;

Reflect on your own personal call from Jesus Christ to follow Him.

1. What is the ministry to which Jesus is calling you?

2. How can you go about preparing yourself to do this ministry?

3. What do Jesus' words, "Follow Me" mean to you personally?

You may wish to write the answers down in a spiritual journal for yourself.

It is helpful to refer to them later, as you grow in your ministry and following of Jesus.

However, this is not essential.

The time spent in reflection and prayer is the most important purpose of the Assignment. 

 

a - Or Messiah