Following Jesus · Study Guide
Week Three
What Does It Mean to Be a Disciple of Jesus?
A disciple is someone who learns from Jesus, follows Him, becomes more like Him, and helps others follow Him.
The word disciple is central to the New Testament. Yet many Christians are more familiar with words such as believer, church member, or Christian than with the word disciple.
A disciple is more than someone who agrees with certain truths about Jesus. A disciple learns from Jesus, follows Jesus, becomes increasingly like Jesus, and joins Jesus in helping others follow Him.
This week will help us understand discipleship not as an advanced level of Christianity, but as the normal life of everyone who follows Christ.
A disciple of Jesus is someone who trusts Him, learns from Him, obeys Him, becomes more like Him, lives in community with His people, serves others, and helps other people follow Him.
Read Before You Begin
When you hear the word “disciple,” what kind of person comes to mind?
Teaching Summary
A Disciple Is a Learner
The word disciple carries the idea of a learner or apprentice.
Jesus' first disciples did not merely attend occasional lectures. They lived alongside Him, listened to His teaching, watched His life, asked questions, made mistakes, received correction, and gradually learned His way of life.
— Luke 6:40
The goal is not simply knowing more about Jesus, but increasingly becoming like Jesus.
A Disciple Continues in Jesus' Word
— John 8:31
Disciples remain in Jesus' teaching. They allow His truth to reshape the way they think.
A disciple continually asks what Jesus says is true, good, wise, and faithful.
Am I willing to let Jesus correct the way I already think?
A Disciple Follows Jesus as Lord
Discipleship is not merely academic.
Jesus does not only say, “Learn My ideas.” He says, “Follow Me.”
His teaching carries authority over our relationships, habits, priorities, plans, money, words, private choices, and future.
Jesus has the right to lead my life.
A Disciple Becomes Like Jesus
— Luke 6:40
Christian maturity is ultimately Christlikeness.
We grow in love, compassion, humility, truthfulness, holiness, patience, courage, forgiveness, faithfulness, and service.
Knowledge matters, but discipleship turns truth into character.
A Disciple Remains Connected to Jesus
— John 15:4
A branch does not produce fruit by straining harder. It produces fruit because it remains connected to the source of life.
Discipleship is not simply religious effort. We depend upon Christ, His grace, His Word, His Spirit, and His strength.
A Disciple Bears Fruit
Spiritual fruit is visible evidence that something living is happening internally.
It may appear through changed character, growing obedience, greater love, patience, generosity, faithfulness, self-control, compassion, and service.
Is Christ producing something in me that was not there before?
A Disciple Loves Other Believers
— John 13:35
Jesus identifies love as a visible mark of discipleship.
Christian community gives us opportunities to practice patience, forgiveness, humility, grace, and service.
Church community is not simply where disciples receive teaching. It is one of the places where disciples learn to love like Jesus.
A Disciple Serves
— Mark 10:43
Jesus turned the world's idea of greatness upside down.
Discipleship gradually changes the question from: “What am I getting?”
How can I serve?
A Disciple Learns Through Failure
The original disciples were not examples of instant spiritual maturity.
They misunderstood Jesus, argued, panicked, failed to understand, fell asleep when He asked them to pray, and even abandoned Him.
Yet Jesus continued teaching, correcting, forgiving, and restoring them.
Failure should not make us abandon Jesus. It should teach us to return to Him more quickly.
A Disciple Is Teachable
One of the most important qualities of a disciple is humility.
A disciple can say:
I may be wrong.
I need to learn.
I need correction.
I do not understand this yet.
If Jesus never challenges our assumptions, we may not actually be listening very closely.
A Disciple Lives Differently
Jesus' teaching eventually reaches everyday life.
How we speak. Forgive. Handle conflict. Use money. Treat people. Respond to temptation. Use our time. Serve.
What would following Jesus look like here?
A Disciple Helps Make Other Disciples
— Matthew 28:19
Discipleship eventually reproduces.
Someone teaches us, encourages us, walks beside us, and helps us understand Scripture.
Eventually we begin doing the same for someone else.
You do not need to know everything before helping another person follow Jesus.
Take Time to Reflect
- Before this study, did I think of myself as a disciple of Jesus? Why or why not?
- Which part of discipleship comes most naturally to me: learning, obeying, serving, community, or helping others grow?
- Which area is most difficult?
- Is there an area where Jesus has been challenging my thinking?
- Am I becoming more teachable, or do I tend to become defensive when corrected?
- What spiritual fruit can I see God gradually developing in my life?
- Who is helping me become a stronger disciple?
- Is there someone I could begin encouraging in his or her relationship with Jesus?
Talk About It Together
- What is the difference between being a Christian consumer and being a disciple?
- Why is teachability essential to discipleship?
- What does Jesus mean when He says a trained disciple becomes like the teacher?
- Why is Christian community necessary for growth?
- How can failure actually become part of the discipleship process?
- What does spiritual fruit look like in everyday life?
- Why can serving others help us grow spiritually?
- What would change in a church if everyone saw himself or herself as both a disciple and someone who helps make disciples?
John 15:1–8
Read John 15:1–8 slowly.
Jesus uses the picture of a vine and branches to explain the disciple's relationship with Him.
“Abide in Me.”
“Without Me you can do nothing.”
The connected branch begins producing what the life of the vine creates within it.
Christian growth is not primarily: Try harder. It is: Remain close to Jesus.
Lord Jesus, thank You for calling me to be Your disciple. Teach me to remain close to You, listen to Your Word, receive correction with humility, obey what You show me, and increasingly reflect Your character. Help me love Your people, serve others faithfully, and become someone who helps other people follow You. When I fail, teach me to return quickly to Your grace. Amen.
Five Days in Scripture
What does Jesus say about learning, character, and obedience?
What does it mean to continue in Jesus' Word?
What does discipleship look like through service and love?
How does abiding in Christ produce fruit?
What mission does Jesus give His disciples?
For each reading, ask:
What does this show me about a disciple?
What is Jesus forming in His followers?
What is one response I can make?
Keep Learning from Jesus
A disciple is not merely someone who knows about Jesus. A disciple is someone who is learning to become like Jesus.
We learn from Him. Remain in Him. Obey Him. Love His people. Serve others. Grow through failure. Bear fruit. And help others follow Him.
Discipleship is not an advanced course we eventually graduate into.
It is the everyday life of following Jesus.