The Greek word translated disciple is mathetes. The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament says it means “more in the NT than a mere pupil or learner. It is an adherent who accepts the instruction given to him and makes it his rule of conduct.”
Is that the kind of disciples we are? Look at John 6:66-69:
After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
These “disciples” were among the five thousand men (plus women and children) who were fed earlier in the chapter with two fish and five loaves. They had followed Jesus because they had been fed physical food. They were looking for more of the same and thought Jesus was a sort of food dispenser. Jesus said rather that He was the bread of life, and they needed to eat His flesh and drink His blood to gain eternal life.
“Eat My flesh and drink My blood?” This was the hard saying Jesus shared with the crowd and the saying that had caused them to turn back and desert Him. The twelve stayed, though. When asked why they hadn’t left Jesus too, Peter answered where else could they go? Jesus alone has the words of life. He alone is the Holy One of God.
In reading this I began to think how much of a disciple I truly am. When God tells me to do something hard, do I do that gladly? When I read a convicting passage, do I turn to God or turn away to my fleshly desires?
A few blogs back, I pointed out that Jesus forced or coerced His disciples into the boat to cross the Sea of Galilee. I think they could have refused. Four of these men were experienced fishermen extremely familiar with the Sea of Galilee, yet they got into the boat and crossed over through a violent story.
How often in our Christian walks has God asked us to do something extremely difficult, something we know will be dangerous or cost us greatly? When this happens, do we act like the disciples who turned away from Jesus because His sayings were hard, or are we like those who got into that boat while recognizing the severe trial they were about to face? The latter is the type of disciple we want to be, the type we see in John 6:65-69, someone who can see no alternative but to do as we’re told or as we’ve been taught by the Holy Spirit.
Why is this important?
Too often I find myself with the crowd who turned their backs and walked the other way. It’s a good thing we have a God Who is loving, forgiving, and longsuffering. The times I run back to Him for forgiveness saying as Peter did: “Lord, to Whom shall I go?” are countless.
I find we still serve a God who accepts the prodigal with open arms, dresses him in a fine robe and places a ring on his finger. We serve a God Who alone has the words of eternal life.
Then I remember I am to be a disciple, an adherent to the Word of God who accepts the instruction given to him and makes it his rule of conduct.
Believers Armed and Dangerous 