The Three, Part 2

We left off in Day 1 featuring the highlights of Jesus’ discipling James, John, and Peter – investing in their lives through the high times (like the Transfiguration), the intense times (like raising Jairus’s daughter back to life), the debrief times (sorting out prophecy), and the extremely emotional times (in the Garden of Gethsemane). 

But it wasn’t all smooth-sailing. One time, the ‘Sons of Thunder’ – James and John – asked Jesus (Mark 10:37), “Let one of us sit at Your right and the other at Your left in Your glory.” That didn’t go over well (Mark 10:41): “When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.” Even here, though, Jesus modelled for us what have come to be known as ‘teachable moments’, as He explained that if you want to be great, you should serve (see also Luke 9:53-55).

And we all remember instances of Peter messing up throughout the Biblical account. For example: 

Luke 5:8 [‘Get away from me, Lord’]; 

Matthew 16:22-23 [Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to You!”];

Matthew 26:35 [‘Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with You, I will never disown You.”’]; 

Acts 10:14 [“Surely not, Lord!”]. 

And, yes, all of that should be an encouragement to us, both as disciples – there is grace for growth in our lives; and for us as disciplers – there is grace for growth in our disciples’ lives! (even Jesus had disciples mess up multiple times! It gave Him opportunity to teach and model!)

Oh, and they turned out pretty well. James was a leader of the people of God until he got martyred (the only one of the Twelve martyred in the Bible). John wrote a Gospel, three epistles, and Revelation. And Peter is featured in the Book of Acts as well as authoring two Biblical letters. And their impact continues today. It most likely wouldn’t have been possible without the intense, intentional discipling of the Lord Jesus in their lives. Hallelujah.

Now, obviously, the dynamics were different for them, as Jesus, ‘in the room’ with them, didn’t need any apprenticing by them. But for us, today, with this approeach, we’re all on the same ‘level’, and can speak into each other’s lives and pray for and encourage and share ‘best Christian practice’ and hold accountable and ‘mutually apprentice’, all toward optimizing our intimacy with Jesus and our alignment with His character and will and the fulfillment of the great commission.

Let’s take the lessons from the examples, and as Jesus said in another context (Luke 10:37), “Go and do likewise.”