Four Tests of Discipleship
Luke 9 gives us several snapshots of what a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ should be like. In the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 and its aftermath, the Lord speaks to His disciples. His words become an important part of their training. There we see:
- The test of faith’s obedience (vs. 10-17). “You give them something to eat.”
- The test of faith’s knowledge (vs. 18-20). “Who do you say that I am?”
- The test of faith’s values (vs. 23-26, 57-62). “What advantage is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?” (Cf. Mk. 8:37; also see the “me first” of vs. 59, 61.)
- The test of faith’s love (vs. 46-50). “The Son of Man [came] to save” (vs. 56), while the disciples were absorbed with getting the highest place in the kingdom (cf. Matt. 19:27).