Religious Education. Discipleship coursework by Atong Ateny-Wek. 10 L

This extract from the story of Gospel portrays many factors of discipleship the first disciples were to undergo. The main point this story is proving is that to be a disciple you must respond immediately to Jesus' demands even if that means leaving your friends, family and property behind.

In chapter two of Mark's Gospel Jesus was once again back to the shore of Lake Galilee where he started to teach a crowd of people. As he walked along, he saw a tax collector, Levi son of Alphaeus, sitting in his office. Jesus said to him, "Follow me." Levi got up and followed him.(Mark's Gospel - 2:14)

This displays the fact that Jesus wasn't afraid to work with social outcasts and that he treats everyone with equality. Levi demonstrates true discipleship by also responding to Jesus' request by immediately following him even if he is to leave everything behind.

The rich man was asked to go and sell all he had and give the money to the poor so that he would have riches in heaven. Mark 10 v 12

The call of blind Bartemaus was silent through his healing he became a disciple.

Joseph of Aramathea asked to buy Jesus' body, being a member of an important council he broke the law of the Sabbath and risked his life by asking to do so from the man who had Jesus crucified. This was his calling.

The widow's calling was through her faith and how she gave all she had and put her trust in God.

Challenges the disciples faced.

The disciples all had different challenges some spiritually others had worldly challenges and others had their faith tested. Peter's name means rock which made him the founder of the church and he often had to take charge and he found this hard at times. When he was tested to the limit the night that Jesus was crucified he denied knowing Jesus and the third time he denied him and then he felt guilty afterwards. Earlier in the gospel when Jesus predicted his death Peter asked him if there was any means of him escaping the death and Jesus replied to him " devil get behind me..." this showing that peter did not understand the nature of Christ's sacrifice and was once again being as hard as a rock. Jesus was fully aware that his disciples were to find it difficult to give up everything without the thought of a reward and when Peter emphasised the point by telling Jesus, "Look, we have left everything and followed you." Jesus replied, "Yes"..."and I tell you that anyone who leaves home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and for the gospel, will receive much more in this present age. He will receive a hundred times more houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields - and persecutions as well; and in the age to come he will receive eternal life. But many now who are first will be last, and many who now are last will be first." (Mark's Gospel - 10:29-31)

The names James and John mean power and service. They had difficulties understanding power and the kind of leader Jesus was in the gospel of mark they had a few challenges including their request. James and John thought that a kingdom would begin on earth immediately. However the kingdom that Jesus spoke about is God's kingdom. Everyone who loves God belongs to his kingdom. But God's kingdom is not yet complete. The apostles wanted power for themselves. It was like a request for an important job in government. They wanted great honour and power for themselves. They did not ask to be servants in the kingdom. They did not ask Jesus to use them. They just asked for honour and power.

Matthew was an outcast because he was a tax collector according to Jewish customs he was seen as unclean because his job his biggest challenges was that he had to give up earning a lot of money in order to serve Jesus and he also lost his wealthy lifestyle. He also had to deal with the fact that some people did not accept him.

The rich man had done all the things that Jesus said he had to do in order to be righteous in the eyes of God. He gave to charity and went to the synagogue and followed the rules of the Sabbath. He failed in his challenge because he refused to sell all his possessions and giving the money to the poor in order to become a disciple so initially he refused the calling and therefore he failed.

The widow had the greatest challenge. This was to trust in God, she did so by giving all she had to him and having the faith to believe that she would be rewarded.

Joseph of Aramathea had high status and he had the courage to ask for Jesus body in order to bury him. His challenge would have been the fact that he could have lost his status and would have been seen by his friends as an outcast, which would have resulted in him being bullied by them.

Blind Bartemaus had faith and trust and spoke up against the crowd. He followed on the road and did what Jesus did as a result he suffered in the same way Jesus did and was crucified because of his faith.

Judas Isascariot lacked faith and trust and failed his challenge because he accepted the bribe and betrayed Jesus for thirty silver pieces.