Men’S Discipleship: Becoming More Like Jesus

By Dr. Mike Rosebush

This book is the gold-medal prize for mens ministries that are serious about discipleship. Packed with Bible insights, it is practical and transforming. Reading this book is like hoping to study under a national expert, only to discover that he is your host for a private steak cookout where you casually talk about intriguing topics, and then he offers you a personalized tutorial!

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Feb 28, 2018
• ISBN: 9781973621454

Dr. Mike Rosebush

Dr. Mike Rosebush (Ph.D., Counseling Psychology) is a renowned authority, earning the prestigious national award for creating the best program in America for college student character development. Currently, he provides phone coaching to men who seriously desire to become more like Jesus character.

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Copyright © 2018 Dr. Mike Rosebush.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible, BSB Copyright ©2016 by Bible Hub Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

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ISBN: 978-1-9736-2146-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-2145-4 (e)

WestBow Press rev. date: 2/28/2018

The book is dedicated to Clint and Krista: you are the best son and daughter in the world!

Contents

Chapter 1— Jesus’ First Disciples

Chapter 2— The Talmid

Chapter 3— Are You a Christian or a Disciple?

Chapter 4— Targeted Audience

Chapter 5— Overview

Chapter 6— The Word

Chapter 7— God the Trinity

Chapter 8— The Kingdom

Chapter 9— Jesus’ Two Greatest Commands

Chapter 10— Jesus’ Other Two Loves

Chapter 11— Jesus’ Virtues and Christlike Behaviors

Chapter 12— Obey Jesus

Chapter 13— How is it Possible to Obey Jesus?

Chapter 14— My Life with God

Chapter 15— The Enemies of Christlikeness

Chapter 16— The War of the Two Hearts

Chapter 17— Character Coaching

Chapter 18— Transforming Your Church

Chapter 19— The Great Commission

Introduction

Chapter 1

Jesus’ First Disciples

Come, follow Me, Jesus said, and I will make you fishers of men. ¹

Yochanan was probably Andrew’s companion on that fateful day – the day of the introduction. What is certain is that these two men were disciples of the Baptizer.² And, as disciples, they obligated themselves to be directly near their teacher (called Rabbi³ in Hebrew). These two men not only had dedicated this season of their lives to following their revered Rabbi (in this case, the Baptizer), but they furthermore were committed to becoming more like him. That is, until that fateful day.

It had only been the previous day when both Yochanan and Andrew had probably heard their beloved Baptizer proclaim to the approaching man named Yeshua, Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! ⁴ Furthermore, to the amazement of John and Andrew, the Baptizer attested: I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.⁵

However, on this second day – the fateful day – the Baptizer spoke to Yochanan and Andrew, once again announced: Look, the Lamb of God! ⁶ Turning around, this man named Yeshua said to Yochanan and Andrew, What do you want? ⁷ Such a simple question, really. And yet their answer changed them – they become disciples of Yeshua – and their lives would never be the same.

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The rest of their story is now preserved in the four Gospels. Andrew would seek out his older brother, Shim’on Kefa (i.e., Simon, later to be renamed Peter by Jesus), and proclaim to Simon Peter: We have found the Messiah! ⁸ Peter, too, would become a disciple of Jesus’ – of whom Jesus would declare I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens. ⁹ Peter would respond by being the leader of the early Christian Church, ¹⁰ write inspired books in the Bible, ¹¹ and, as historians believe, be crucified for his love of Jesus.

Yochanan (called John in English) would go on to become the disciple whom Jesus loved, ¹² would be entrusted with the care of Jesus’ mother, ¹³ and would be inspired to write revelations that Jesus was actually the Word ¹⁴ – who was always with God¹⁵ and who was God. ¹⁶

Peter and John: two disciples who committed their lives to being with Jesus, hearing His every word, watching His actions, imitating His behavior. Two disciples who changed the world forever.

Are you, too, one of Jesus’ disciples – having committed your life to becoming more like Him? I thought so. You and I are not ashamed to call ourselves a disciple of Jesus – and in turn, Jesus is not ashamed to be associated with us. ¹⁷

But what, exactly, did a disciple do during the era when Jesus walked upon this planet? The answer is described throughout the first section of this book, but be prepared: the role of the disciple in Jesus’ day may not look like what we Christians do today.

Introduction

Chapter 2

The Talmid

"Whoever does not carry his cross and come after Me is not able to be My disciple."¹⁸

During the years of Jesus’ public ministry, there existed a formal apprenticeship method. The student was called a talmid ¹⁹ (talmidim plural). The talmid in today’s Christian vernacular is known as a disciple; in secular language, this role would be called an apprentice, mentee, or trainee.

The role of the talmid was to become just like a respected rabbi. More specifically, the talmid would follow the rabbi (day and night, wherever the rabbi went), listening to his teachings, watching his actions, and attempting to do the same behaviors. ²⁰ In Jesus’ era it was said that you could recognize a disciple because he would follow so closely behind the rabbi that the disciple would be covered in the dust of the rabbi. ²¹

The talmid intensely wanted to develop the same character as the rabbi, so that he could aid those in his community. ²² Behaviorally, the talmid was indeed expected to actually do what the rabbi commanded and demonstrated. The plan was for the talmid to replicate the rabbi—becoming a junior rabbi, who would in turn provide discipleship to those who would later follow. ²³

Relatedly, in Jesus’ day the rabbi had a very important role. Contrary to today, back then the rabbi was not the formal head of the synagogue; rather, the title of rabbi was a term of respect (which meant the same as my master). ²⁴ The rabbi was not only a master teacher of the Tanakh (i.e., Old Testament), but he was known for his wisdom and personal righteousness. The most respected of rabbis received an ordination called s’mikhah, which allowed that rabbi to make new