Clay Staires recently taught this material during a Timothy Project in Tulsa Ok. These notes are about Jesus training the twelve.

Jesus’ Discipleship Training Program

I.            Introduction to Jesus:

Declaration of Jesus

With the message of Repentance by John the Baptist

            “Jesus is coming with fire and he will separate the wheat and chaff.”

Introduction of Jesus

            John baptizes Jesus.

Jesus goes into the wilderness under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

            Jesus comes out of the wilderness in the power of the Holy Spirit.

            Jesus begins his ministry with the message of Repentance (Matt. 4:17)

            John declares him to be the Lamb of God

            Invitation to Get to Know Jesus

First 3 Disciples Introduced to Jesus (followed at John’s declaration)

                        Andrew, John and Peter

            Next 2 are introduced to Jesus (invites to “come follow me”)

                        Philip and Nathaniel

            Relationship with Jesus

What these disciples saw and experienced

                        Turning water to wine: John 2

                        Cleansing of the temple: John 2

                        Nicodemus: John 2

                        Baptizing with  John the Baptist: John 3

                        Many more follow

                        John imprisoned: Luke 3

                        Woman at the well: John 4

                        Many more follow

                        Jesus reading from the book of Isaiah in the Temple: Luke 4

                        Jesus teaching in the temple

                        Many more follow

Healing of man with the unclean spirit: Mark 1

                        Miracles at Peters house: Matthew 8

                        Many more follow

                        Cleansing of the leper: Matthew 8

                        Man lowered from the roof and healed: Matthew 9

                        (Matthew is invited to “follow me”.)

                        Man at the pool of Bethesda

                        Man with withered hand healed

                        Many more follow

                        Jesus teaching about eternal life and the Father

II.        Calling and Choosing of Leaders:

Finally, the Calling of the 12!!!  After all this time!  Now Jesus went to the mountain and calls unto him his disciples.  Now, after about 18 months of following, the 12 are set apart.  Up until this point, they were simply a part of the many.  Mark 3

The Twelve Princes of the Kingdom

Peter

            Andrew (Peter’s brother)

            John

            James (John’s brother)

Philip

            Bartholomew, or Nathaniel

            Thomas

            Matthew

            James (the lesser)

            Judas (son of James)

            Simon (the zealot)

            Judas (the traitor)

III.       More training and relationship building with Leaders

After choosing the 12, Jesus immediately comes down the mountain and gives the Sermon on the Mount; his great discourse of the moral responsibility of every follower.  Matthew 5-8

            Healing of Centurion’s servant: Matthew 8

            Raising widow’s sons: Luke 7

            Talking to John’s disciples and confirming that He is the One: Matthew 11

            The anointing of Jesus’ feet: Luke 7

            Healing of the demoniac: Matthew 12

            More teaching

                        9 Parables: Matthew 13

            Jesus stills the sea: Mark 4

            Daughter raised from the dead: Mark 5

            Woman touches hem of Jesus’ garment: Mark 5

IV.       First Attempt at Sending Out the Leaders:

            Matthew 10, Mark 6 and Luke 9

2 Objectives:

Now it’s time for the disciples to become active agents in advancing the kingdom.  They were sent out individually.

They were prepared

5 Step Preparation Process:

                        1.            They have, for some time, been in the company of Jesus.

                        2.            They have witnessed miraculous works.

                        3.            They have heard the doctrine concerning the Kingdom.

                        4.            They have learned how to pray

                        5.            They have learned how to live each day

They were empowered

Disciples given power to cast out unclean spirits and to heal all manner of diseases

            They were instructed

                        Don’t go to the Gentiles, but to the lost sheep of Israel

                        Don’t take anything with you

                        Heal the sick; cleanse the lepers, cast out devils (NO RESTRICTIONS)

Preach saying “Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand”: Mark 6

                                    (RESTRICTIONS ON WHAT TO SAY!)

            They were warned

                        Warns about persecution

                        Brief discussion on cost and rewards of discipleship

            Upon their success, they are cautioned

“Rejoice not that spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in the book of life.”

They are still very immature.

Jesus then calls them to come away to a desert place and rest a while.  They were jazzed up and ready to go.  Jesus knew they still needed more depth.  You know this was tough for them.

V.        More Training and Relationship Building with Leaders

                        Feeding of the 5000: Mark 6

                        Jesus walks on water: Mark 6

                        More teaching: Mark 6-7

                        “I am the bread of life”

Many leave and no longer follow: John 6 (the first “sending out” produced superficial decisions, based upon the emotional highs and the selfish benefits of following.  Hmm, sounds familiar!)

                        More miracles

                        Feeding of the 4000: Mark 8

VI.       The Disciples get a glimpse of Reality

Peter’s confession: “You are the Christ” Matthew 16

VII.     First Lesson on the Cross

                        Now, for the first time, Jesus begins to tell them about his true purpose.

                        “I’ve come to die”

                        Then he really freaks them out when he says after all this time

                        Now “if you want to follow me, you must die too”

                        “Deny yourself, pick up your cross daily and follow me”

                        They didn’t get it!

            The Transfiguration: Matthew 17

            More miracles

VIII.    Second Lesson on the Cross

                        “I will be delivered into the hands of men and killed”

                        They still didn’t get it.

            Jesus teaches on Humility: Matthew 18

            John rebuked for his zeal: Mark 9

            More teaching and parables

            Woman caught in adultery: John 8

            “I am the light of the world”: John 8

IX.       Second Attempt at Sending out the Leaders:

Luke 10

The Seventy sent out.  (yes, there were more than 12 followers)

The harvest is great, but the laborers are few.

The disciple is defined as a laborer!

They were sent out in two’s.

Same instructions about taking things with them. However this time he sent them into “every” city.  But with the same message!  “Repent, the Kingdom of heaven is near.”

They had good success!  However, the test of the heart will always come in times of hardship.

X.        More Training and Relationship Building with Leaders

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

Martha and Mary

Healing of man born blind

Teaching on the good shepherd: John 10

Warnings about Pharisees: Luke 11

Teaching and Parables Luke 12-17

The Raising of Lazarus: John 11

Jesus teaches on the coming Kingdom: Luke 17

John and James’ ambition (they still don’t get it!)

Zaccheus

XI.       Jesus’ last week

Triumphal entry: Mark 11

Second cleansing of the temple

Cursing of the fig tree: Mark 11

Parables about working in the vineyard: Matthew 21

Parable of the Wedding Feast: Matthew 22

The Greatest Commandment: Matthew 22

Signs of the end time: Matthew 24

Jesus is anointed: Matthew 26

The Last Supper

“Who is the greatest?” Luke 22 (they still didn’t get it!)

Jesus washes feet: John 13

Peter says he’ll never leave

Jesus tells the disciples that he is the only way to heaven

Promise of the Holy Spirit

Jesus comforts the disciples

Prayer for disciples

Garden

Arrest

Disciples disperse

XII.     The Commissioning: Moving from the Call to the Assignment!

Jesus reinstates Peter and makes the ultimate connection between loving Jesus and feeding and tending to His sheep.

Jesus tells the disciples to go to the entire world but not until they have received a gift from him.

            Go to Jerusalem and wait!  No mistake that he sent them to Jerusalem.

            The Great Outpouring of the Holy Spirit gives them power to be Apostles (Sent Ones)

Clay Staires