What is a 'A true disciple'?

An example of an untrue disciple is the story of the rich young man. In this story Jesus asked the young man to give up everything but he could not. The rich young man was not a true disciple because he refused to give up all he possessed to follow Jesus unlike 'The widow's mite'.

The disciples made a lot of sacrifices especially Levi the tax collector.

He gave up his wealthy job to become a disciple. The twelve disciples

had to leave everything behind to become a follower of Jesus.

Jesus' disciples had to go out and preach the Good News. Whenever

Jesus told them to go out they were to take nothing with them only

a staff and a pair of sandals. The twelve disciples were very committed

to Jesus whenever he told them to follow him. As Jesus was calling

them they left their things and did exactly what he said. This shows us

How committed they were to him and how they wanted to help him.

If anyone wanted to follow him, he told them 'If anyone wants to be a

follower, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me'

(Mark 8:34-38).

Even though Jesus was put to death on a cross, he accepted it although he did not make the decision.

Jesus challenged the twelve disciples to do many things. He told them to go out and preach and to drive out demons, from many people who were sick. When the twelve disciples were following Jesus, he told them he would make them 'fishers of men'. They knew that Jesus wanted them to go out and get men and preach to them about the Good News and the Word of God. Jesus told the disciples that they would be rewarded in heaven with eternal life with Jesus. Jesus told them that if they left their families, in heaven they would get a new family.

The twelve disciples had a lot of faith in God. They put everything in it to follow him. Because they had faith, some disciples were executed. Herod Agrippa executed Jesus the brother of John in the early days of the church. The early church tradition says that Peter and Paul were put to death in Rome. The church was always familiar with opposition and persecution.

Some stories, which showed faith in them, are the Syrophoenician woman, the boy with an evil spirit and the sick girl. All these stories showed faith as Jesus healed them all, and took away whatever they had. Some people say Judas did not have a lot of faith in Jesus because he betrayed him.

The twelve disciples had commitment to Jesus by listening and obeying him all the time. The showed their commitment when Jesus asked them to do three things, preach, be with him and drive out demons. They had to put a lot of trust in Jesus even after Jesus had died they still were committing themselves to Jesus and also to God.

Nearly all of the twelve had come from different backgrounds. Levi was a tax collector, who would not have been an outcast as he worked for the Jews. He also chose four fishermen to show that whatever job you have you can still become disciples of God.

Discipleship meant hardship for the twelve disciples. Jesus knew hardship because he knew he had to die for us because he predicted his death. Jesus said to them that they must lose their life if they want to gain eternal life. Some of Jesus' disciples were not true to him. Peter denied him three times, even though Jesus had done so much for him. Peter's real name was Simon. Jesus changed it because Peter means 'rock' and Jesus was going to build a church on a rock. Another disciple that doubted Jesus was Thomas. He doubted that Jesus was the Son of God but his beliefs changed when Jesus appeared to him.

Discipleship for the first disciples meant carrying on Jesus' work after he died. The meaning of discipleship was making sacrifices and giving up everything they had to they had to follow him. The disciples had a lot of faith in Jesus, the also had a lot of commitment to him by listening to him and obeying him. Even though the had to overcome obstacles a disciples the knew that their reward would be eternal life with Jesus in heaven.

Ronan O'Neill 12/A