Jesus Calls His Disciples

As a family, read Matthew 10:1-14 together.  Afterwards, share the following discussion.

What happened?

After the temptation by the devil, Jesus went into cities to teach people about God and tell them what the Scriptures said.  He healed many people, and then He went off by Himself.  He climbed a mountain and He prayed.  Jesus prayed all night.  The next morning Jesus called His followers, choosing twelve of them to be His special helpers. The twelve He chose were also called Apostles. It is interesting to know how Jesus met each of the twelve.

Jesus met Andrew and his brother Simon Peter by the Sea of Galilee.  They were fishermen.  When Jesus called them, they followed Him.  Jesus called two other brothers who were fishermen. Their names were James and John. They left their fishing nets and went with Jesus.

Later Jesus saw a man named Philip. He became one of Jesus’ disciples. One of Philip’s friends, Bartholomew (sometimes called Nathanael) also became one of Jesus’ disciples.

One day Jesus saw Matthew, a tax collector. Matthew left what he was doing and became one of the disciples. Five other disciples were called. They were Thomas, Thaddeus, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon, and Judas Iscariot.

After choosing the twelve, Jesus gave them instructions to go to the Jews and heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out demons.  He also told them to give freely and trust in God’s care because things would not always be easy. He told them to get ready because they would be the ones who would share the Gospel, God’s good news about Jesus!

Why is this important to us today?

Jesus chose men from different types of families and backgrounds.  Some were educated, some were fishermen, and one was a tax collector.  Each of them wanted to serve Jesus so much that he was willing to give up his life work to help.  These men were with Jesus throughout His earthly ministry. These were the men who saw a dead girl come back to life, a blind man receive his sight, and a lame man walk.  And even more than these miracles, they saw Jesus – Who was crucified and buried – come alive again, fix them breakfast, and talk to them.  Before Jesus went back to Heaven, He said: “Go into the entire world and preach the Gospel to every person.”

If you have received Jesus as your Savior, you are a disciple, a follower of Jesus.  He counts on us to do His work on this earth until He takes us to live in Heaven with Him. Like the Apostles, we come from different kinds of families and backgrounds, but each of us has a unique job to do for Christ.

Spend a few minutes talking about what you just read by answering these questions together:

1. Why do you think Jesus chose people who were different from one another?

2. What job did He give them to do when He left?

3. How can you, too, do the work of a disciple?

How can we better follow God this week?

Jesus loved people and always looked for ways to help and comfort those who were hurting in some way. Who in your life needs your help? Do you know someone who needs a friend? Who needs to know the good news about Jesus? Spend a few minutes brainstorming ways to show the love of Jesus in each situation. As a family, decide on something that each of you will do this week that is the work of a disciple. Finish today by praying for the names you’ve mentioned.