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The twelve disciples

Follow the disciples’ calling, learning, service and sending.

1. 1. Read and discover - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Luke 6:12-16

   ¹² In these days, he went out to the mountain to pray, and he continued all night in prayer to God.

   ¹³ When it was day, he called his disciples, and from them he chose twelve, whom he also named apostles:

   ¹⁴ Simon, whom he also named Peter; Andrew, his brother; James; John; Philip; Bartholomew;

   ¹⁵ Matthew; Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus; Simon who was called the Zealot;

   ¹⁶ Judas the son of James; and Judas Iscariot, who also became a traitor.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Jesus prays before calling the twelve; the list places named people within a community being formed.

   Reflect

   • What does Jesus do before choosing the twelve, and what might we learn from his example?

   Put it into practice

   Learn the name and story of someone serving alongside you.

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2. 2. Being with Jesus and being sent - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Mark 3:13-19

   ¹³ He went up into the mountain and called to himself those whom he wanted, and they went to him.

   ¹⁴ He appointed twelve, that they might be with him, and that he might send them out to preach

   ¹⁵ and to have authority to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons:

   ¹⁶ Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter);

   ¹⁷ James the son of Zebedee; and John, the brother of James, (whom he called Boanerges, which means, Sons of Thunder);

   ¹⁸ Andrew; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus; Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot;

   ¹⁹ and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. Then he came into a house.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   The calling of the twelve joins being with Jesus and being sent; activity grows from relationship and community.

   Reflect

   • How does Jesus connect being with him and going out to proclaim the message?

   Put it into practice

   Combine service with time for listening and learning.

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3. 3. Confessing and following - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Mark 8:27-35

   ²⁷ Jesus went out, with his disciples, into the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that I am?”

   ²⁸ They told him, “John the Baptizer, and others say Elijah, but others, one of the prophets.”

   ²⁹ He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”

   ³⁰ He commanded them that they should tell no one about him.

   ³¹ He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

   ³² He spoke to them openly. Peter took him and began to rebuke him.

   ³³ But he, turning around and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you have in mind not the things of God, but the things of men.”

   ³⁴ He called the multitude to himself with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

   ³⁵ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Peter recognizes the Messiah but rejects the announced path; Jesus connects discipleship with relinquishing self-preservation at any cost.

   Reflect

   • Why does Peter still need to learn after recognizing Jesus as the Messiah?

   Put it into practice

   Examine a comfort blocking a just action, without seeking personal harm.

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4. 4. The teacher who serves - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   John 13:1-17

   ¹ Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his time had come that he would depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

   ² During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him,

   ³ Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came from God and was going to God,

   ⁴ arose from supper, and laid aside his outer garments. He took a towel and wrapped a towel around his waist.

   ⁵ Then he poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

   ⁶ Then he came to Simon Peter. He said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”

   ⁷ Jesus answered him, “You don’t know what I am doing now, but you will understand later.”

   ⁸ Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”

   ⁹ Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”

   ¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “Someone who has bathed only needs to have his feet washed, but is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.”

   ¹¹ For he knew him who would betray him; therefore he said, “You are not all clean.”

   ¹² So when he had washed their feet, put his outer garment back on, and sat down again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?

   ¹³ You call me, ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord.’ You say so correctly, for so I am.

   ¹⁴ If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.

   ¹⁵ For I have given you an example, that you should also do as I have done to you.

   ¹⁶ Most certainly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his lord, neither is one who is sent greater than he who sent him.

   ¹⁷ If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Jesus washes feet and offers his example to the disciples; service challenges hierarchies based on superiority.

   Reflect

   • What makes the teacher’s gesture surprising?

   Put it into practice

   Take on a caring task that often goes unnoticed.

   Next lesson →

5. 5. Peace and questions - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   John 20:19-29

   ¹⁹ When therefore it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the middle and said to them, “Peace be to you.”

   ²⁰ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord.

   ²¹ Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.”

   ²² When he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit!

   ²³ If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have been forgiven them. If you retain anyone’s sins, they have been retained.”

   ²⁴ But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, wasn’t with them when Jesus came.

   ²⁵ The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

   ²⁶ After eight days, again his disciples were inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors being locked, and stood in the middle, and said, “Peace be to you.”

   ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don’t be unbelieving, but believing.”

   ²⁸ Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

   ²⁹ Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Jesus visits fearful disciples and addresses Thomas’s questions; the account joins peace, mission and faith.

   Reflect

   • How does Jesus approach fear and doubt?

   Put it into practice

   Make space for an honest question in your community.