من متابع إلى تلميذ: الاستجابة لدعوة يسوع إلى التلمذة الحقيقية

Some of Jesus's final words before His ascension to Heaven were addressed to His followers, commanding them to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). Today, we often ponder what it truly means to be a disciple. In our daily meditations yesterday, we determined that a disciple is someone who not only follows but also helps propagate another's teachings.

Some individuals become disciples immediately upon believing, quickly engaging once they turn from sin and accept the good news. Others, however, develop their love for Christ gradually, moving from curious followers to committed disciples who deny themselves and strive to live out what they see in Christ's life. This process requires a conscious choice of the will. In the New Testament, 'Christian' is used only three times as a title for believers, whereas 'disciple' is mentioned over 270 times. Commentator William Barclay notes:

It is possible to be a follower of Jesus without being a disciple, a camp-follower without being a soldier of the king, to be a hanger-on in some great work without pulling one's weight. Someone was once talking to a great scholar about a younger man. He said, "So and so tells me he was one of your students." The teacher answered devastatingly, "He may have attended my lectures, but he was not one of my students." There is a world of difference between attending lectures and being a student. One of the Church's supreme handicaps is that there are so many distant followers of Jesus and so few disciples.^[1]

All believers face the call to discipleship, which involves embodying and sharing Christ's teachings. How we respond to this call will change both our lives and those around us. The famous Christmas film, It’s a Wonderful Life, exemplifies this beautifully. It has become a Christmas TV classic and staple worldwide. The American Film Institute ranked it among the top 100 American films ever, placing it at number one among the most inspiring American films of all time. Philip Van Doren Stern wrote the original story, The Greatest Gift, in November 1939. After facing difficulties publishing it, he transformed it into a Christmas card and sent 200 copies to family and friends in December 1943.

It wasn't until the story caught the attention of RKO producer David Hempstead that it became the movie we know today. He shared it with Cary Grant's Hollywood agent; the rest is history. For those unfamiliar with the story, it centers on George Bailey, a man whose imminent suicide on Christmas Eve prompts his guardian angel, Clarence Odbody, to intervene. Clarence reveals to George all the lives he has touched, his contributions to the community, and how things would be different if he had never been born.

The two stories unfold simultaneously, allowing viewers to compare two paths: one shaped by others' influence and the other by personal choice. While these may hold extreme examples, many of us face similar decisions. Imagine two films about your life: one showing you as a follower of Jesus Christ, and the other depicting a life lived for yourself. Think about the differences, the lives affected, and the rewards or sacrifices involved. Our lives echo into eternity in various ways. Which film will you star in? You will dedicate your life to one or the other. Keith Thomas

Taken from the Discipleship series, titled "What Does it Mean to be a Disciple of Christ." Here’s the link to the YouTube video teaching: https://youtu.be/BVNdrH4-6Ak

^[1] William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke, The Daily Study Bible Series (Philadelphia, Pa, Westminster Press, 1956), Page 203.