This document outlines a study series on discipleship. It includes instructions to write out scripture passages, points from passages, and purposeful questions. It then provides examples of analyzing passages on what it means to follow Jesus by summarizing the passage, relevant scriptural context, key points, and discussion questions. The goal is to use scripture to clarify misconceptions about discipleship, convict believers of failing to follow Jesus fully, and inspire true commitment to his call.

1. Study Series: DISCIPLESHIP

2. Write out all 5 scriptures for the word study
Write out the Memory Scripture.
1 Timothy 4:16
Write out two points from the
following Passage: John 8:31-32
Write out one Purposeful Question for
the following passage: John 12:47-49

3. 5 scriptures for the word study
Memory Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:16
Two points from John 8:31-32
Purposeful Question John 12:47-49
2 Timothy 3:16-17/Hebrews 4:12-13/1 Timothy 4:16/
John 8:31-32/John 12:47-49/Acts 17:10-12
“Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them,
because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”
♦ Intellectual belief is not enough!
♦ Everyone must hold on to and follow the teachings of Jesus to be a true a disciple
♦ Sincerity does not equal truth.
 Why would the people of Jesus’ day not accept his word?
 What role will the bible play in our eternity?
 Which words of Jesus do you find it easy to accept? Reject?

5. What is the Aim of this Study?
These Scriptures should: clear up common misconceptions
about following Jesus, convict us of our rejection of true
discipleship, and inspire us to answer the true call of Jesus.

6. Acts 11:25-26
Luke 9:23-27
Luke 9:57-62
Mark 1:16-20
Matthew 28:18-20
*Matthew 22:34-40

7. THE PASSAGE(1)
Read the selected passage that is to be
studied with those seeking to understand
what it means to be a disciple of Jesus
SCRIPTURAL
BACKGROUND(2)
Read and understand the scriptures before the
passage to get a deeper understanding. Also,
investigate other passages that the scripture may
directly point
PURPOSEFUL
QUESTIONS(3+)
Ask the questions that will help the
seeker to understand the passage,
apply it to their personal lives and
make life changing decision.
THE POINT
OF THE PASSAGE(3)
Write out at least two points that
can made from this passage
What would the audience have understood
from hearing these words? What would God
want us to get from this passage today?

8. STUDYING THE PASSAGE
Passage: Acts 11:25-26
Greenbrier (Abeleda)
Passage: Luke 9:23-27
Chesapeake (Tahj/Spearman)
Passage: Luke 9:57-62
Portsmouth/Suffolk/Singles
Passage: Mark 1:16-20
Teens/Deep Creek
Passage: Matthew 28:16-20
VA Beach (Foxworth/James)
THE PASSAGE(1)
SCRIPTURAL
BACKGROUND(2)
PURPOSEFUL
QUESTIONS(3+)
THE POINT OF
THE PASSAGE(3)
Act 11:25-26 ► Acts 8:1-3; Acts 11:19-25
Luke 9:23-27 ► Luke 9:18-22
Luke 9:57-62 ► Luke 9:51-56
Mark 1:16-20 ► Mark 1:9-15
Matthew 28:16-20 ► Matthew 28

24. THE PASSAGE
Acts 11:25-26
“ Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for
Saul, and when he found him, he brought
him to Antioch. So for a whole year
Barnabas and Saul met with the church
and taught great numbers of people. The
disciples were called Christians first at
Antioch.”
SCRIPTURAL BACKGROUND
Background scriptures: Acts 8:1-3, 11:19-21
These followers were scattered because of the
persecution that broke out in Jerusalem. Acts 11:19
The Apostles stayed in Jerusalem so these were your
every day believers. Acts 8:1
They continued to preach everywhere they went, to all
nations and were effective in helping people come to
know Christ- Acts 11:19-21
THE POINT OF THE PASSAGE
 1st Century believers preached
everywhere they went, to all nations and
helped many become believers. They
were called Christian because of their
lifestyle.
 Disciple and Christian are synonyms.
 Christian = Disciple = Believer
PURPOSEFUL QUESTIONS
 What is the relationship between a Christian and
a Disciple? How does this change your view of
what it means to be a follower of Christ?
 What would it have meant to be called a
“Christian” to these 1st Century believers?
 Do you live your life like the disciples in the 1st
Century? If not why?

25. Matthew 28:18-20
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All
authority in heaven and on earth has been
given to me. Therefore go and make disciples
of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you
always, to the very end of the age.”

26. THE PASSAGE
Luke 9:23-27
“ Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple
must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and
follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it,
but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is
it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit
their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words,
the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in
his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy
angels.
“Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste
death before they see the kingdom of God.”
SCRIPTURAL BACKGROUND
Background scriptures: Luke 9:18-22
 Peter acknowledges that Jesus is the Messiah
 Jesus warns them to not tell anyone
 Jesus predicts his death
 Jesus now calls anyone who is to follow him
to die to themselves as well
THE POINT OF THE PASSAGE
 To follow Jesus takes: Daily self-denial and
cross-bearing.
 To follow Jesus means to forfeit our worldly lives
 To follow Jesus is to stand up for Jesus
PURPOSEFUL QUESTIONS
 What are the three demands of discipleship?
 What does it mean to "deny yourself? Take
up you cross daily?
 How can we be “ashamed of Jesus and His
words?”
 Are you following Jesus the way that Jesus
expects you to follow him?

27. Matthew 28:18-20
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All
authority in heaven and on earth has been
given to me. Therefore go and make disciples
of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you
always, to the very end of the age.”

28. THE PASSAGE
Luke 9:57-61
The Cost of Following Jesus
“As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will
follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens
and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay
his head.” He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied,
“Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him,
“Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the
kingdom of God.” Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but
first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus
replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is
fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
SCRIPTURAL
BACKGROUND
Background scriptures: Luke 9:51-56
 Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem
 His disciples were with him and
people wanted to follow him
THE POINT OF THE PASSAGE
 Following Jesus will not be comfortable
 Following Jesus means making Him your number
one priority
 Following Jesus means not looking back but
going forward to proclaim the gospel
PURPOSEFUL QUESTIONS
 What did it mean for each
individual to follow Jesus?
 What would be your biggest
challenging in following Jesus?

29. Matthew 28:18-20
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All
authority in heaven and on earth has been
given to me. Therefore go and make disciples
of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you
always, to the very end of the age.”

30. THE PASSAGE
Mark 1:16-20
“As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he
saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net
into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come,
follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to
fish for people.” At once they left their nets and
followed him.hen he had gone a little farther, he
saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John
in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he
called them, and they left their father Zebedee in
the boat with the hired men and followed him.”
SCRIPTURAL BACKGROUND
Background scriptures: Mark 1:9-15
 Jesus has just been baptized by John
 John the Baptist has been put in prison
 Jesus is now beginning his ministry
 He is calling those who would follow to
repent and believe the good news
 Now, Jesus is calling his first disciples.
THE POINT OF THE PASSAGE
 Following Jesus means, being taught,
discipled, trained for his mission
 Those who followed Jesus responded
immediately and without delay
PURPOSEFUL QUESTIONS
 What would it have looked like to be a
follower of Jesus during his day?
 How does one go about fishing for
men?
 Can you be a follower of Jesus and not
be a fisher of men?
 Are you involved in the process of
following and fishing?

31. Matthew 28:18-20
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All
authority in heaven and on earth has been
given to me. Therefore go and make disciples
of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you
always, to the very end of the age.”

32. THE PASSAGE
Matthew 28:16-20
“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the
mountain where Jesus had told them to go.
When they saw him, they worshiped him; but
some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and
said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has
been given to me. Therefore go and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey
everything I have commanded you. And surely I
am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
SCRIPTURAL BACKGROUND
Background scriptures: Matthew 28
 Jesus has risen from the dead
 The women encounter Jesus’ risen body
 Jesus gives the women instruction to tell
the disciples to go to Galilee
 The disciples obey and meet Jesus at the
location that Jesus had directed
THE POINT OF THE PASSAGE
 This is God’s plan to save the world
 Every person must be taught to be a
follower of Jesus, baptized and taught to
obey the commands of Jesus
PURPOSEFUL QUESTIONS
 How would the disciples have responded
to Jesus’ words?
 How would the world be different if every
follower of Jesus obeyed this command?
 Have you ever been taught to be a disciple
of Jesus?

33. Additional
Scriptures
Luke 14:25-35
Matthew 25:31-46
Matthew 10:26-39
Colossians 3:13
Matthew 7:21-27
Luke 11:1-4

34.  Prayer
 Set Up Next Study
 Give scriptures for the next study
Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23
Luke 7:36-50
Mark 7:21-22
*Galatians 5:19-21
James 4:17
Isaiah 59:1-2