Lesson 1 – DISCIPLESHIP

During the public life of Jesus, what did he do first?

The Call of Simon the Fisherman
One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret preaching to a crowd of people, he
saw two boats on the seashore. He got into the boat, which belonged to Simon and taught the
crowd of people from the sea shore.
When Jesus was done teaching he told Simon to put his nets into the water to try to catch some
fish. Simon had been fishing all night and had not caught any fish but he listened to Jesus and
put the net into the water. When Simon did this the net became so full of fish that the net
began to break. He had to call a friend to help bring in the nets and the fish.
Simon was amazed by all the fish they had caught and was embarrassed because he knew that
he was a sinful man. He told Jesus to leave because he knew that he was sinful and didn’t
deserve all of the fish that they had caught. But Jesus told Simon and the other men that they
would become fishers of men. When Simon and the other men heard this they parked their
boats and left everything they had and followed Jesus (Luke 5:1-11).
➢ What did Jesus ask Peter to do?
When Jesus was done teaching he told Simon to put his nets into the water to try to catch some
fish.
➢ How did Peter respond to Jesus’ call?
Simon had been fishing all night and had not caught any fish but he listened to Jesus and put
the net into the water.
➢ Why did Jesus call these people and what did he mean when he said they would
become fishers of men?
These men called to become Disciples of Christ who will be among the twelve apostles.
Disciple means “to listen”, or “to learn”
A disciple is a learner or a listener, a follower.
Discipleship is a call to listen to Jesus, to learn from him and to follow him.
Some of the first disciples of Jesus became his apostles?
Apostle means “to send”
An apostle is someone who is sent in order to share the life and teachings of Jesus.

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 ⮚ What is the difference between a disciple and an apostle?
While a disciple is a student, one who learns from a teacher, an apostle is sent to deliver those
teachings to others. "Apostle" means messenger, he who is sent. An apostle is sent to deliver or
spread those teachings to others. ... We can say that all apostles were disciples but not all
disciples are apostles.
Discipleship is a Call to Obedience
Simon had been fishing all night and had not caught any fish but he listened to Jesus and put
the net into the water. Sometimes you do what you’re supposed to do, but your heart isn’t in
it. We’re all like that sometimes. We don’t want to follow other people. When we are playing
and our mother tells us to do our assignments and study, our hearts aren’t in what we’re
supposed to do. Yet, despite that, we stop playing and do what is asked of us to do – our
assignments and study.
This shows that obedience can be difficult. We need trust. Faith calls us to trust. To believe that
what we are asked to do is good for us. People who love us won’t ask us to do things that would
harm us. We can above all trust the Lord in what He asks us to do.
We also learn that if we choose to obey we will receive our reward. We can get high grades and
learn more if we do our assignments and study. Here, Simon’s reward for his obedience was
catching more fish, lots and lots of fish. Then, a greater command followed, Jesus told them
that they will become fishers of men. So they left everything and followed him.
We are also called, like the disciples, to be with Jesus and to share his life and teachings to
others in our own little ways.
Discipleship is a Call to Faith in God
Simon was amazed by all the fish they had caught and was embarrassed because he knew that
he was a sinful man. He told Jesus to leave because he knew that he was sinful and didn’t
deserve the favor of a big catch of fish.
Sometimes you do projects in groups or by pairs. If you were given the privilege to choose your
group or pair, do you choose a classmate that nobody wants? Do you encourage friends to
accept and to be with that lonely classmate? Do you want to work with people who once hurt
you? Probably not!
It’s easy for us to choose people we already know and we like to work with. We don’t want to
be bothered by the risk of trying to experience working with people who are not liked by
everybody. We don’t want to be with people who are not popular.
Simon acknowledges that he is unworthy, a sinner. Yet, Jesus took Peter’s boat. Jesus chooses
Simon. This action of Jesus demonstrates that he chooses us despite our unworthiness. It was

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not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will
remain.
Jesus calls all of us to be his disciples. Jesus wants you and me to be his disciples no matter who
we are what we are. He wants us to follow him even with all our limitations, weaknesses,
defects and sins. He wants us to go closer and closer to him and to use all the gifts he has given
us to bring others to come to faith in him. (CCC 3).
However, Jesus was also trying to make his disciples understand that it wouldn't always be easy
to follow him. “If you want to be my disciples you must take up your cross and follow me.” It’s
not always easy to speak about Jesus and to follow the way he lived. Not all people will like,
appreciate and accept Jesus and his teachings. But we have to believe that to share his life and
teachings is always the right thing to do. Let us believe that he is always with us to guide and
help us every step of the way.
Discipleship is a Call to Mission
Jesus told Simon and the other men that they would become fishers of men. When Jesus says
that he will make them fishers of men or a missionary, He means that He will call them to lead
other people closer to him.
A missionary is someone who is sent to share to others the life and teachings of Christ.
The disciples and the apostles were called by Jesus to be with him; and after his death and
resurrection they were sent out to preach the Good News to the ends of the world.
“… 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.”
Matthew 28:19-20
They will form the first members of the family of God, called the Church.
The Church is not simply the building for praising and honoring God but it is the people called
together by God to establish a loving relationship with him.
St. Peter will become the first Pope. The bishops will be their successors.
But what does it take to be a fisher of people/ a missionary?
First, we need to be properly prepared. We need to know what the Bible and the Church
teaches and learn how to share it with others. We have to study the lives of the saints –
because they are our models of true and faithful Disciples of Christ.
Second, we need to remember that we can't just sit around reading the Bible. We have to go
out where the people are and tell them about Jesus, his life and teachings. We have to
proclaim/share the Word of God to others.

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Third, we have to strive to become a good example. We have to live as good Christians, as
disciples – listeners and followers of Christ. We have to strive to follow the 10 Commandments.
Fourth, we need to pray. “Ask and it will be given to you…” (Mt. 7:7). “Work as though
everything depended on you. Pray as though everything depended on God.” (St. Augustine)
Fifth, we must learn patience. Not everybody we tell about Jesus is going to believe us. Some
people just won't be interested, but we can't give up. We just have to keep telling people about
Jesus and let Jesus take care of the rest. We will just sow the seed of faith, and the fruits, we
leave to God because he is working with us. “And surely I am with you always, to the very end
of the age.” Matthew 28:20
If we do these things, we can really become fishers of people like Jesus wants us to be. If you
think there is a great feeling of excitement in catching a fish, just imagine how exciting it must
be to bring someone to Jesus!
Jesus uses ordinary men like Simon to be his disciples. He wants you and me to become his
disciples too. But we have to ask Jesus to be with us always and help us accept his call to listen
and learn from him so that we can follow him and share his life and teachings to others.
Our call is to become true to our name as Christians – meaning followers of Christ.
May we grow more and more each day as “Alter Christus” – another Christ in the world today
so that one day, we can finally say: “It is no longer I who lives, but Christ lives in me. ” (Galatians
2:20)