16.1 Discipleship (Costs of Discipleship)

Question 1

STORY Mark 3:31-35

The true family of Jesus

Answer 1

• Jesus’ brothers would not be divine but fully human as they were conceived normally and not of the Holy Spirit-they’re half brothers: “his mother and brothers came”
• Jesus didn’t immediately return to his mother and brothers because he wanted to remain teaching an important message, staying with the crowd: “Who are my mother and my brothers?”
• Jesus said that his true mothers and brothers are whoever do the will of God- so his fellow believers: “Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother”

Question 2

PROBLEMS

true family

Answer 2

• ‘Honour your father and mother’ is one of the ten commandments in the OT
• It appears Jesus broke this by not seeing his mother when she asked him
• However, Jesus put the commandment to love God first and neighbour next as the Greatest Commandments
• This makes it contradictory
• Is blood thicker than water?…

Question 3

STORY Mark 9:33-37

True greatness

Answer 3

• The disciples were arguing about who was the greatest
• “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all”
• Jesus chose a small child to illustrate his point because they are innocent, humbling disciples that they should care for the least important in society to be truly great.
• “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not only me but the one who sent me”
• When you accept Jesus into your life, you also accept God and the whole trinity because Jesus is divine

Question 4

PROBLEMS

true greatness

Answer 4

• Jesus is encouraging Christians to be servants which means they may be treated as ‘doormats’- is it right?
  Yes: shouldn’t matter if we get our reward in heaven, self sacrifice, working for the good of others (e.g. Mother Teresa)…
  No: unfair, can’t get Jesus’ message across if we are in the background…

Question 5

STORY Mark 10:17-31

The rich man

Answer 5

• A man wanted inherit eternal life and asked Jesus what to do…
• “You know the commandments”: these are the ten commandments God gave to Moses
• “Go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me”: here Jesus explains the cost of discipleship- giving up everything. The disciples gave up their families but this man must give up his wealth
• “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God”: Jesus said that riches can be a barrier to God
• “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God”: It is impossible for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle- same as a rich person will find it hard to enter into heaven
• “For men it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible”: Jesus reassured his followers they would not be on their own- God will be there to help them
• “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age- houses, brothers, sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions- and in the age to come eternal life”: Jesus told his disciples that God will repay them for their sacrifices
• “Many who are first will be last, and the last will be first”: this section links to the teachings about true greatness

Question 6

PROBLEMS

rich man

Answer 6

• gives the impression that you have to be poor to be a good Christian
• indicates that not everyone has access to the kingdom of heaven
• indicates that rich people are just as bad as sinners

Question 7

STORY Mark 12: 1-12

The parable of the tenants

Answer 7

• (vineyard owner far away= God
  vineyard= the Jewish nation
  owner’s servants= prophets who brought God’s message to people in the past
  owner’s son= Jesus
  abusive tenants= Jewish leaders)
• Jesus used parables to teach the people as they were easier to understand and had an underlying message
• Jesus’ baptism: “this is my son, who I love”- similar so owner represents God
• Jesus predicts his death when the Jewish leaders would condemn him to death (they were afraid of Jesus’ power and his teaching)

Question 8

PROBLEMS

tenants parable

Answer 8

• suggests that Christians today should be prepared to face torture and death for their religion
• people should stand up for their beliefs and faith but not have to risk their life
• some see it that life is a test and is short but heaven is eternal
• high price to pay etc…