#134 Jesus Calls His Disciples

Way of the Bible

Welcome to Episode #134 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our sixth of eight episodes in our seventeenth mini-series, The Man Jesus Christ. On this episode we’re going to look at what the scriptures reveal about Jesus calling disciples and choosing some to follow him. Jesus said in Matthew 22:14 – For many are called, but few are chosen.

Last episode we looked at Jesus traveling with several of his disciples and demonstrating to them and to large crowds his Miracle Extravaganza. This week we’re going to look at the earliest disciples called by Jesus and how they started following him.

Over the past few episodes I’ve mentioned a method I’ve been using to develop intimacy with God our Father through Jesus Christ called Lectio Divina. This method was developed in the third century and used for almost two millennia to encounter the living word of God (scripture) and in so doing be in fellowship and union with God our Father through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The best description of Lectio Divina I’ve encountered is in the late Eugene Peterson’s 2009 publication, “Eat This Book.” I highly encourage the reading of this book front to back. Lectio Divina provides the guardrails that allow you to enter into the living word of God and find Jesus alive, well, and talkative. The guardrails include the assimilation, integration, and synthesis of text through reading, meditation, prayer, and contemplation.

There is little rigidity regarding the order these four guardrails (reading, prayer, meditation, contemplation). They are engaged as one is led by the Spirit through the text. Go with the flow of the Spirit is the best counsel I could give.

As I go through the passages on this episode there will be little to no running commentary as I do not want to unduly influence your time with Jesus. That’s right, I pray you to take the opportunity of spending time and have back and forth conversations with Jesus.

This was not something I thought was possible until about four months ago. Since discovering the Lectio Divina method with the aid of an Ignatian Spiritual Exercise book I can testify that my prayer life and intimacy with Jesus have been dramatically improved.

What I’m encouraging and praying you do is not to know more information about Jesus (which is not bad), but in the here and now to know the living Jesus more intimately, to love the living Jesus more intensely, and to following the living Jesus more closely. I’ve found these three pursuits of grace recommended by St. Ignatius to be very fruitful.