Bible Study 2026
Called to be a Disciple
Session 1: Called to be a Disciple
My brothers and sisters, who among us is completely sure that we are disciples of Christ? What do you think a disciple means? What kind of church community do we want to become in the next five years? And what do you hope the church will do for you?
1. Called to listen
In verses 4–5, “When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, 'Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch.' 'Master,' Simon replied, 'we’ve worked hard all night long and caught nothing. But if you say so, I’ll let down the nets.” Before the Lord Jesus called Simon to be His disciple, He first spoke and gave a command to Simon. At that time, Simon and his friends were experiencing disappointment because they had worked hard all night, doing everything they knew how to do to look for fish, but had caught nothing.
Imagine how Simon felt when he heard Jesus say, 'Put out into deep water and let down your nets.' Simon was a fisherman. He understood the sea very well, and he knew that that hour was not the right time to catch fish. Jesus’s command did not match Simon's knowledge and experience. And this was where Jesus was testing him to see whether he would listen or not. The primary calling of a disciple is the calling to listen to their teacher. Simon had to listen to what Jesus said, even though it did not make sense and did not match his experience.
My brothers and sisters, often God asks us to do something that does not make sense to our logic. This is an important test for a disciple: will we follow our own logic, or will we follow God’s word? As people who believe we are disciples of Christ, we need to ask ourselves: have we been walking based on our own logic and experience, or based on God's voice? Perhaps God is asking us to take a step forward because He has provided something ahead? Perhaps God is asking us to sacrifice something? To give to God's work? To forgive those who hurt us? Are we ready to do it?
2. Called to believe
In verses 5b–8, “But if you say so, I’ll let down the nets.” When they did this, they caught a great number of fish, and their nets began to tear. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them; they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’s knees and said, “Go away from me, because I’m a sinful man, Lord!”
Simon’s statement shows that he had begun to have faith in the Lord Jesus. Indeed, before this story, Simon had already witnessed the miracles that Jesus performed (Luke 4:38-41). His obedience to what Jesus said gives us clear evidence that this is the fruit of faith. True faith does not always say: 'I understand, therefore I do.' Instead, it says: 'I do, even though I do not understand.' It is listening, even when we do not comprehend what He wants to do.
True faith that God places in the heart produces an awareness and confession of sinfulness. 'Go away from me, because I’m a sinful man, Lord!' From Peter’s statement, we understand that God’s miraculous works should make humans realize who Jesus truly is and who we are (like Peter). Jesus is the holy and glorious Lord, and humans are unworthy sinners in His presence. Jesus’s action led Peter to true repentance. The calling to be a disciple is a calling to believe and be transformed by Jesus. And through faith in Jesus, a person sees the miracles that God performs.
3. Called to purpose
In verse 10b, “...‘Don’t be afraid,’ Jesus told Simon. ‘From now on you will be catching people.’” Sin brought a great fear into Simon, making him afraid to be near the Lord Jesus. However, for Jesus, Simon's awareness of his sin was the beginning of the great work God would do in and through his life.
Before this, Simon only thought about how to catch a lot of fish. He thought about how to get food for himself and his family. However, in this part, Jesus gives him a new purpose in life. God's glorious and great purpose, which is to catch people. This speaks about the expansion of the Kingdom of God, where a person can come to know Christ and believe in the salvation found in Him.
Perhaps we say, 'This is not my calling. This is only a calling for pastors and evangelists.' On the contrary, I want to ask: are only pastors and evangelists saved from sin? Are they the only ones who are forgiven and receive salvation? Are they the only ones who must fulfill the primary purpose given by God? Then what is the primary purpose of our lives? Is it just about living, working, supporting our families, going to church, staying active, and that's it? God calls pastors, evangelists, teachers, and others not to dismiss or erase God's primary purpose for other church members or disciples. Instead, they are called to equip and guide everyone so that every single person becomes a part of the primary purpose: to be catchers of people.
This does not mean everyone has to become a full-time pastor or evangelist in a church organization. However, wherever you work, you must continue to pray and struggle with this: 'Lord, give me a heart to reach souls, and give me wisdom on how to be a soul winner wherever I go and wherever I am. Give me wisdom and courage so that I can share about the Christ I believe in.
4. Called to surrender (leave everything to follow Jesus)
In verse 11, “Then they brought the boats to land, left everything, and followed him.” Leaving everything means they left their boats, their nets, and all of their work. Yet, it was through their work as fishermen that they supported themselves and their families. The action of leaving everything has a deep meaning: they truly surrendered to the Lord Jesus. And it is very interesting because, in the previous verse, they had just seen the miracle of the Lord Jesus—by His command, they had caught a vast amount of fish.
Jesus’s miracle served as a confirmation for them that they were surrendering to a Person who can do great things beyond human thought and experience. There was no guarantee of wealth, houses, or money right before their eyes; there was only the guarantee that they were following Jesus, who is God and can do all things.
The calling to be a disciple of Christ is a calling to surrender our lives, our journey, our needs, and everything else to Jesus.
1. Please share when you personally met and believed in Christ.
2. Do I listen to God's voice more often, or to the voice of my feelings based on experience?
3. What often makes it difficult for me to listen to God—busyness, worry, fear, or life experiences?
4. Has God ever asked me to do something that I found difficult to understand? How did I respond?
5. In what areas do I find it difficult to trust God?
6. What step of faith is God asking me to take right now, even though I cannot see it yet?
7. What is God's purpose for my life?
8. Am I currently living for God's purpose, or more for my own comfort and desires?
9. What is the hardest thing for me to surrender to God?