Explain how this teaching of discipleship might affect the life of a Christian today. In Mark 8: 27-33 Jesus says: "If anyone would come after me, they must deny him and take up his cross and follow me
These passages show how people responded to Jesus. We see how the apostles were in awe of him, how they wondered at what he could do and what he knew. We see Peter being so awed by Christ that he asked him to go away. Jesus, however, did not go away, and Peter followed him. Levi, who is often thought to be identical with Matthew, was a tax collector. This made him an outcast and a collaborator with the enemy. Jesus called him as a disciple. The message of these passages is that God can call whomever he wishes to be his disciple. Even if a person has been a sinner they can be called by Christ. All that matters is that the person called gives a positive response to Christ. This can also introduce to Christians the idea of vocation and our responsibility as Christians to follow it. A vocation is a calling to live a particular way of life. Everyone has their own particular vocation. For some it means being a priest, a brother or a nun. Some people find their vocation in the professions such as nursing or teaching. There is something about how Christians live their lives which makes us value the caring professions and public service, but any job