Being a Disciple: Counting the Real Cost

New American Standard Bible (NASB) WEEK ONE Being a Disciple: Counting the Real Cost As we begin, let s look at a passage that shows us how Jesus called His first disciples. Leader: Read aloud Matthew 4:17 22. Mark the word follow by underlining it and putting an arrow on the end of the line, like this: follow Matthew 4:17 22 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 18 Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 And He said to them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 21 Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him. The pond from which the disciples were going to fish was the world! You might say this was the private lake of the devil or so the devil thought! But Jesus knew He had many fish who needed to be netted into the kingdom of God. Leader: In Matthew 10:16 22, we have a portion of Jesus instructions to the twelve disciples (whom He also appointed as apostles) before He sent them to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Read the passage aloud and have the group Circle every instruction that Jesus gives them. Underline everything that is going to happen to them. Matthew 10:16 22 16 Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues; 18 and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. 20 For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. 21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 22 You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. 1

Leader: Read aloud Matthew 10:24 31. Mark every reference to disciple, including pronouns, in the same way you marked follow, underlining it and putting an arrow on the end of the line. Mark every occurrence of the word fear with a series of short lines. Matthew 10:24 31 24 A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household! 26 Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. 28 Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. Jesus has more to say to His disciples, so let's continue with Matthew 10:32 40. Leader: Read aloud Matthew 10:32 40. Circle the words everyone, whoever and He. Mark with a cross every reference to Jesus including pronouns. Mark therefore with three dots in the form of a triangle. Matthew 10:32 40 32 Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. 34 Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter in law against her mother in law; 36 and a man s enemies will be the members of his household. 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it. 40 He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 2

WEEK TWO Leader: Read aloud Mark 8:34 38. Have the group say aloud the words they will mark when you read them. Jesus is speaking in this passage; therefore mark with a cross every pronoun referring to Him, such as He, Me, My, His. Mark disciples by underlining it and putting an arrow at the end of the line Mark anyone (and all the pronouns or synonyms that relate to anyone ) with a big A Mark 8:34 38 34 And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 35 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? 37 For what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels. Leader: Read aloud Luke 14:25 27. Have the group Mark every occurrence of disciple. Put a cross over every reference to Jesus. He is the one speaking in this passage. Luke 14:25 27 25 Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, 26 If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 3

Leader: Continue by reading Luke 14:28 33 Mark any reference to Jesus, who is speaking, with a cross. Mark every occurrence of disciple. Luke 14:28 33 28 For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish. 31 Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions. Leader: Read aloud Luke 12:51 53 Jesus is speaking here; mark every pronoun that refers to Him with a cross. Mark the words division and divided with a slash after the v, like this: div/ision div/ided Luke 12:51 53 51 Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; 52 for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother inlaw against daughter in law and daughter in law against mother in law. 4

WEEK THREE Is it possible for a person to think he or she is Christian and on the way to heaven, yet be deceived? Let s examine what Jesus said to some of His followers one day on a grassy mount overlooking the Sea of Galilee. It s the conclusion of a message Jesus gave to His disciples and others who were drawn to Him because of all the amazing things they heard Him say and saw Him do. Leader: Have the group read Matthew 7:13 14 aloud. Then have them read through it again on their own and list under the headings Narrow Gate and Wide Gate that they learn from the text about these two different gates and those who enter through them. Narrow Gate Wide Gate Matthew 7:13 14 13 Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Leader: Read aloud Matthew 7:15 23 Mark every reference to false prophets (including synonyms and pronouns) with an X When you come to the word prophesy, put an X over it and circle it. Mark every reference to fruit with this symbol: To distinguish the bad fruit from the goody put a slash through the bad fruit, like this: Leader: Before you discuss what you observed in the text, read aloud the Insight Box. INSIGHT False prophets claimed to be spokesmen for God. Like true prophets, they would deliver a message supposedly from God to the people that dealt with either the present situation or with the future. Throughout the Scriptures you ll find references to true prophets, such as Daniel, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah, who had genuine messages from God. There are also many references to false prophets who would deliver messages or relate dreams and visions that were not from God. False prophets often brought messages that were contrary to those of the true prophets. Their messages were often more appealing, because people would rather hear positive messages that promise good things than messages that warn of judgment and call people to repentance and righteousness. The true prophets confronted sin; the false whitewashed it. 5

The dilemma facing the people was this: How could you tell a true prophet from a false prophet? Matthew 7:15 23 15 Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, you will know them by their fruits. 21 Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? 23 And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness. Leader: Read aloud Matthew 7:13 15, 22 again and have the group underline the commands. Matthew 7:13 15, 22 13 Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. 15 Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? Leader: Read aloud Matthew 7:13 and 7:22 to the group. Have the group say the word many when you read it and have them mark it with a squiggly line In verse 22, what three things did the many have done? Have the group put a number (1,2,3) with a circle around it near each of the points in the text. 6

Leader: Read aloud Matthew 7:24 29. Have the group say wise man when you come to that phrase in the text and say foolish man when you come to it. Put a box around the references to the wise man and the foolish man. However, put a slash through the box for the foolish man. Underline every occurrence of the phrase everyone who hears these words of Mine. Matthew 7:24 29 24 Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26 Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell and great was its fall. 28 When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; 29 for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes. 7

WEEK FOUR By the third year of Jesus ministry, His popularity was waning. Opposition was increasing. In John 6 we read that, as Jesus taught in the synagogue in Capernaum, He made it explicitly clear that He was the living bread sent by the living Father and that only those who ate His flesh and drank His blood would abide in Him and live forever. In other words, abiding (continuing, remaining) in Jesus was the only means to eternal life. Jesus words were not well received by all. Leader: Read aloud John 6:60 71. Mark every occurrence of the word disciples (including any relative pronouns or synonyms, such as the twelve) Put a big B over every occurrence of the word believe. John 6:60 71 60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it? 61 But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, Does this cause you to stumble? 62 What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. 65 And He was saying, For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father. 66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, You do not want to go away also, do you? 68 Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. 69 We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God. 70 Jesus answered them, Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil? 71 Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him Let s see what Jesus says about true discipleship. Leader: Have the group read aloud with you John 8:31. Mark the references to disciples. Mark believe with a big B. Circle the word if and double underline the phrase truly disciples of mine. 8

John 8:31 31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; Leader: Read aloud the Insight Box. INSIGHT The verb translated as continue in John 8:31 means to remain or stay (in a given place, state, relation, or expectancy). It is also translated in some English versions as abide. It is presented in the Greek of this verse as a conditional statement If you continue something that remains to be seen. The text is saying that if you remain or continue in Jesus teaching then it proves you re a genuine disciple. The validation of true discipleship is to not depart from the Word of God, but to continue in it to keep on believing, to keep on following and thus ordering your life accordingly. Chapters 13 through 16 of the gospel of John are often referred to as the Upper Room Discourse. In John 13 we have an account of Jesus final celebration of the Passover, commonly called the Last Supper. This account tells of Judas s betrayal of Jesus. Judas s commitment ended. He would not abide, remain faithful to Jesus Christ. He would deny Him as the Christ for thirty pieces of silver. After Judas left the Upper Room, Jesus spoke to the eleven who remained. Leader: Read aloud John 13:34 35. Mark again any reference to the disciples. Put a heart over every mention of love Circle the phrase even as John 13:34 35 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. We are now going to look at John 15, but first let s put ourselves into context. In chapters 13 and 14 of John, Jesus is still in the Upper Room with His disciples. Judas leaves to betray Him. John 14 closes with this statement from Jesus: Get up, let us go from here. Jesus and His eleven disciples then leave the Upper Room to proceed to the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives, where Jesus will eventually be arrested after Judas betrays Him with a kiss. 9

Eleven of the twelve have remained faithful one has walked away. Judas didn t walk away in John 6, when Jesus turned to the Twelve and said, Will you go away also? However, he has now! Judas chose not to abide, not to remain in his relationship with Jesus Christ. This, we believe, is what prompted Jesus to teach what it means to abide and what happens if you don t. Leader: Read aloud through John 15:1 8. This is an allegory. An allegory is like an extended metaphor; in a description of one thing using the image of another. Mark every reference to Jesus with a cross. Mark every reference to fruit with this symbol: Put a box around every reference to abide. If it says does not abide, then add a slash through the box. John 15:1 8 1 I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Leader: Have the group read aloud John 15:16. Jesus is speaking to eleven of the Twelve. Mark every reference to the disciples. Mark every reference to fruit. John 15:16 16 You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. 10

WEEK FIVE As Jesus moved across the Kidron Valley to His favorite spot in the Garden of Gethsemane, He knew fully well what awaited Him and His disciples. Therefore He used those precious moments to prepare them for the tribulation they would face as His followers for the disciple was to become like His teacher. Let s pick up where we left off last week in John 15. Leader: Read aloud John 15:16 20. Jesus is speaking to the eleven disciples. Mark every pronoun referring to the disciples as you have done previously. Mark the word have with a heart and hate with a heart and a slash through it. John 15:16 20 16 You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. 17 This I command you, that you love one another. 18 If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, A slave is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. After Jesus tells the Eleven that the world hated Him, persecuted Him and would do the same to them, He reminds them that although He is going away, God is sending them a Helper, just like Him. The Helper is the Holy Spirit who will live within them. This is the promise of the Father. Leader: Read aloud John 15:26 27. Mark every reference to the Helper with a big H, including all synonyms and pronouns. Mark the word testify by underlining it and adding an arrow pointing up. John 15:26 27 26 When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, 27 and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning. 11

Leader: Read aloud John 16:7 14. Again mark every reference to the Helper with big H and the Spirit with big S, including synonyms and pronouns. Mark any reference to the world, including pronouns, with a big circle. John 16:7 14 7 But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; 11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. 12 I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. After Jesus died for the sins of mankind, was buried and raised from the dead on the third day, He spent the next forty days with His disciples, instructing them about the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3) Before He left them to go to the Father, He commissioned them. Leader: Read aloud Matthew 28:16 20 Mark every reference to the disciples with an arrow underline, as before: Mark therefore with three dots in the shape of triangle. Again ask the group to say aloud the words they will mark. When that has been done, have the group read through the passage a second time. Circle every all and the word or phrase it modifies. Also underline all the verbs in verses 19 20 that tell what Jesus wants the disciples to do. Matthew 28:16 20 16 But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. 18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. 12

We talked at the beginning of this lesson about the cost of being His disciple the persecution, the suffering that accompanies it. Now let s look at the promises Jesus gave His disciples. Leader: Read aloud Jesus words to Peter in Mark 10:28 30 and have the group say the words they will mark. Mark left with a slash. Mark follow the same way you marked the word disciple. Mark 10:28 30 28 Peter began to say to Him, Behold, we have left everything and followed You. 29 Jesus said, Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel s sake, 30 but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. 13

WEEK SIX As we begin, let s go to a passage in Luke and see what Jesus said to those who wanted to follow Him. Leader: Read aloud Luke 9:57 62. Mark the word follow as you marked disciple. Circle every reference to the Kingdom of God. Luke 9:57 62 57 As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, I will follow You wherever You go. 58 And Jesus said to him, The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head. 59 And He said to another, Follow Me. But he said, Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father. 60 But He said to him, Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God. 61 Another also said, I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say goodbye to those at home. 62 But Jesus said to him, No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. Jesus commissioned the disciples to go into all the world and make more disciples, and that is exactly what they did. After Paul had visited and ministered in Thessalonica, he (together with Timothy and Silvanus) wrote a letter to the believers there. In that letter Paul recounted what happened as a result of his visit and the presentation of the gospel. In reading this, we can gain valuable insights into making disciples. Leader: Read aloud 1 Thessalonians 1:5 8 Mark gospel and word (when it is a synonym for gospel) with a megaphone like this: Then have the group read this passage a second time. Circle every pronoun that refers to Paul, Silvanus and Timothy. Underline every reference to the Thessalonians. 1 Thessalonians 1:5 8 5 for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. 6 You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. 14

In 1 Thessalonians 1:5 you saw that the gospel came by example. The verse says, You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. Let s look at their example. What were they like among them? What can we learn to apply to our own lives? Leader: Read aloud 1 Thessalonians 2:1 12. Circle every pronoun referring to Paul, Silvanus and Timothy. Mark every occurrence of gospel. 1 Thessalonians 2:1 12 1 For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain, 2 but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition. 3 For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit; 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts. 5 For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed God is witness 6 nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority. 7 But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. 8 Having so fond an affection for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us. 9 For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; 11 just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, 12 so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. As Paul was facing death for the sake of the gospel, he wrote his last letter to his disciple Timothy, who had become his son in the faith. Leader: Read aloud 2 Timothy 3:10 14 as Paul reminds his son in the gospel of their relationship. Put a circle around every reference to Paul every I, me and my. Put a box around every reference to Timothy. Mark followed with an arrow underline, as you marked disciple. 2 Timothy 3:10 14 15

10 Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, 11 persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me! 12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13 But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them. Do you think Christians in general understand this? Why or why not? Leader: Read aloud 2 Timothy 2:1 7. Circle every reference to Paul. Put a box around every reference to Timothy. 2 Timothy 2:1 7 1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3 Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. 5 Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. 7 Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. Leader: Read aloud Acts 11:26. Mark the word Christians with a cross and put a circle around the cross. Mark the word disciples. Acts 11:26 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. Leader: Read aloud the Insight Box. INSIGHT The Greek word for Christians is Chris tianous, which simply means followers of Christ. It is taken from the word Christos, which corresponds to the Hebrew word Messiah, meaning the anointed one. 16