The fishermen possessed the greatest quality of all, which is faith. The word faith is described as 1. Trust 2. Belief (without proof) and 3. Loyalty in Collins dictionary. These were the qualities that were important to Jesus while he was choosing his disciples. These quality’s are important for Christian discipleship because if you cannot trust or believe what you are taught, there is no reason for you being taught it. You also have to have faith in who is teaching you or you will not believe what they are teaching you and you will not learn it.
Blind Bartimaeus knew that Jesus could heal him because Bartimaeus had faith in Jesus. Bartimaeus recognised Jesus as the Son Of David because The Old Testament tells us that the messiah would be the descendant of King David. Jesus was indeed a Descendant of David.
The Parable Of The Sower. The Sower represents Jesus, who has come to bring the message of God to Earth. It is his task to bring God’s Kingdom to people, and is the Sowers task to spread his seeds among the soil. Seeds 2-3 are Christians who lose faith in God because they may not be able to give up things, which they thought they could, or for example, someone has died. These type of Christians believe that God will protect everyone from the elements, but when they find that , that is not his job they do not see the point in having faith in God. Seeds 4 realised the real meaning of God and having faith in God. These Christians spread the word and teach other people. These are also the people who give up everything. Seeds 2-3 can be compared to the story of the Widows Offering, seeds2 and 3 are compared to the Rich man who puts a large amount of money into the collection box whereas seeds 4 who is compared to the old widow, puts all that she has in the collection. It is clear that seeds 4 are offering more because they are giving all they have got.
The Rich Man story states that in some cases some people will find it impossible to join the Kingdom Of God because of everything they have to give up. Jesus says to the disciples that it is harder for some people to give up everything. What the Rich Man does not understand is that he will inherit so much more if he is in the Kingdom Of God.
The Rich Man could not put God as number one priority; it was obvious that his number one priority was to stay wealthy. This is where most Christians find that they do not posses enough faith. The Rich Man cannot enter the Kingdom Of God until he gives up everything and puts his complete faith in God. This story can be compared to the Parable Of The Sower. In the Parable Of The Sower, the seed, which fell among the thorns, grew, but was choked by the thorns. Jesus compared this to the people who hear the message, accept it, but soon “The worries about this life, the love for riches, and all other kinds of desires crowd in and choke the message”. This is what happened to the rich man, he heard the message of the Kingdom and really wanted eternal life, but his love for riches had grown so great that it choked his faith. If Christians in the modern world want to follow God they have to give up everything. You have to put God as your number one priority. This means not caring about your money and what other people think of you.
Children were brought to Jesus because they were to be blessed. But the disciples stopped the people who brought the children. Jesus was angry at the disciples. He asked them to “Let the children come to me, and do not
stop them because the Kingdom Of God belongs to such of these”. Jesus then blessed the children. The disciples lacked humility. The disciples thought they were better than anyone else because Jesus chose them. The disciples were not supposed to put themselves first. The disciples had obviously not acquired childlike qualities. Meaning that they had to be more open, children do not think highly of themselves as adults and they had to accept others more readily. Children are also more trusting than adults. They have trust in their parents and rely on them totally. This also sets an example for people who want to be Christians. Christians have to place trust in God. Finally, children are pure in spirit, because they have not experienced a great deal of life. But also adults also need to be pure, if they are to enter God’s Kingdom. So childlike qualities should be and example for all Christians if they want to follow Jesus.
The following account is based on James and John, when they thought Jesus would sit on the throne at Palestine. Most Jews thought the Messiah would sit on the throne once he had defeated the Romans. But Jesus saw the Kingdom in terms of suffering and told them to be prepared to suffer like him. “You don’t know what you are asking for. Can you drink the cup of suffering that I must drink? Can you be baptised in the way I must be baptised?” (10:38).
Jesus often used a cup to represent suffering. Baptism also represents suffering. When someone is baptised they give up an old way of life, to start another. Jesus corrects the disciples about greatness. Jesus says to the disciples that if you want to be the first to the Kingdom Of God you have to be a “Servant To All”.
In this account Jesus showed his power over the forces of nature. He calmed a storm. Jesus and the disciples set sail in a boat. During their travels a storm occurred. Waves blew over into the boat while Jesus was asleep. The disciples in disbelief saw Jesus still asleep. They woke Jesus and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are about to die”. Jesus then stood and called for the storm to stop. It stopped and Jesus answered,
“Why are you frightened, do you have no faith?”.
