Disciples of God
June 24, 2026
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town
Apostles, disciples, followers, pastors, evangelists, teachers, saints—what about all these different classes of Jesus people? Where do I fit in? Is there simply a spectator class or a ‘I-agree-with’ group?
The followers of Jesus were a mixed multitude of reasons, interests, commitments and perceptions. AfterJesus had completed forty days fasting and being tempted by the devil, He returned to Galilee and began teaching in the synagogues and outdoors to the masses who were interested, curious, had heard rumors, wanted to see healings or be healed. And the responses were varied: in His hometown, they tried to throw him off the cliff.1
Mark records the same event from Peter’s perspective,
Within weeks this initial band of four would come to total twelve and they would go from being disciples to being apostles of Jesus.
In that age, ‘disciples’ were considered to be those who followed the teachings of a teacher and changed their lifestyles to agree with that taught by the teacher. This followed the model of the younger coming alongside of the older to learn a trade or as Elisha coming alongside Elijah to learn the ways of the prophet. Joshua was servant/aide to Moses and was near him on the Mountain or at the Tent of Meeting and learned the ways of the leader. In the Greek model, the great philosophers had a ‘school’ the follower-students lived in close proximity with sageand learned their teachings and the way they lived out those teachings.
With Jesus there were the masses following to see and hear, to have the experience; then there were the disciples who not only heard but followed, actting in the content of the teaching, who believed and lived accordingly. Out of these who were committed to living out the disciplines of Jesus, Jesus had a smaller group actually with Him not only hearing and witnessing but then being prepared to continue His work. The disciples learned, believed, lived and expressed the Way while the Apostles were ‘sent’ out with what they witnessed. That is not to say the disciples were mere learners for while the Twelve were to be sent ones, the disciples also were missioned by Jesus to represent Him.
This is not the inner Twelve but seventy-two disciples. Were they effective?
Yes they were in Jesus. It was not in themselves that did healings and wonders but throughJesus’s authority delegated in them. The ability to be able to serve in the image of Jesus, to do the will of God, is not limited to the apostles. The special-ness of the apostles was in transmission to others of what Jesus had personally taught them in daily living. They were appointed to transmit authoritatively His direct teaching. While we do not have a specific list of these seventy-two disciples, they had spent enough time with Jesus to know His Way and be entrusted with His authority to act in His Name. I’m going to guess Barnabas, John Mark, Lazarus and likely even some of the women who supported the ministry were part of this group.
But there is also all the other committed disciples such as those to whom Paul or Peter or John write their letters. Peter is clear in his salutation beginning 2 Peter that all true disciples have equal standing in the Kingdom of God to live out God’s desires.
In his first letter to disciples, Peter had given a broader view of who disciples of Jesus are in Him:
More than you aspired to be? You need clarity on how God sees you in Jesus and His expectations for you in the LORD. You are not still the clod-kicker you may have been before but you are elevated to full servant of God able to minister to Him and in His image to those around you. There is another word that designates you in the LORD—you are a saint! While some church traditions limit the name ‘saint’ to only those who have performed a verified miracle, the Bible uses that for all true disciples living in the image of Jesus. The word actually is translated from hagios meaning ‘holy one’ which is exactly what were are if we are in the image of Jesus. Paul attests to that in his ‘to all the saints’ which includes all the disciples in Philippi:
Paul expands on God’s intention for disciples:
Paul urges those in the body of Christ, the Church, that inclusive name of all disciples to “walk worthy” or to fulfill the desire and intent of the LORD for all who truly believe and are committed to Him. There is not a lower class of those in Christ, non-participators who are less casual than disciples. We are all to grow up in Christ, to be saints equipped for the work of ministry. Those who we often refer to as ministers are actually equippers of all of us who haven’t grown up into ministry yet. There is a maturing and equipping expected of all disciples and not to remain as immature, ungrown disciples.
Jesus Himself emphasized His intention and enabling for us is to become fully trained, able to be used of God like Himself:
We need to get comfortable with God’s high expectations for us, that we are more than those who know about God and that is good enough. We are to be saints, Light and Salt, and in the image of Jesus, living out life as representatives of God filled with His presence in the midst of our generation. Amen.
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town
“But concerning the day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the
“Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who
“Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries…”
Christ Jesus… who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from
You have wearied the Lᴏʀᴅ with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who