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Matt 28:18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (NAS unless noted)

Matt 28:19 (KJV) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Matt 8:21 And another of the disciples said to Him, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father."

Luke 10:39 And she had a sister called Mary, who moreover was listening to the Lord's word, seated at His feet.

Luke 6:39 And He also spoke a parable to them: "A blind man cannot guide a blind man, can he? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.

John 15:16 "You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain…

Matthew 10:25 (BBE) It is enough for the disciple that he may be as his master, and the servant as his lord…

Luke 6:40 The disciple is not greater than his master, but everyone whose learning is complete will be like his master.

Luke 14:26 … If any man comes to me, and has not hate [less love] for his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and even for his life, he may not be my disciple.

Luke 14:27 Whoever does not take up his cross and come after me may not be my disciple.

Luke 14:33 And so whoever is not ready to give up all he has may not be my disciple.

John 1:43 The day after this, Jesus had a desire to go into Galilee. He came across Philip and said to him, Come and be my disciple.

John 19:38 After these things, Joseph of Arimathaea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, made a request to Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate said he might do so…

John 21:24 This is the disciple who gives witness about these things and who put them in writing: and we have knowledge that his witness is true.

Acts 9:10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias…

Acts 9:36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, that is, Dorcas: this woman was given to good works and acts of mercy at all times.

John 13:35 "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

John 8:31 Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;

Acts 11:26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came about that for an entire year they met with the church, and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. (Therefore a Christian should = a Disciple).

Matt 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples …

Acts 14:21 And after they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch,

Acts 13:52 And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

(Next Issue: Discipleship part Two)

Study the proverbs to understand as Yeshua (Jesus) spoke in parables to the crowds that gathered to hear Him. Matt 13:10 And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"

Proverbs 1:2 To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, 3 To receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice and equity; 4 To give prudence to the naive, To the youth knowledge and discretion, 5 A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel, 6 To understand a proverb and a figure, The words of the wise and their riddles.

Proverbs 1:20 Wisdom shouts in the street, She lifts her voice in the square; 21 At the head of the noisy streets she cries out; At the entrance of the gates in the city, she utters her sayings: 22 "How long, O naive ones, will you love simplicity? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing, And fools hate knowledge? 23 Turn to my reproof, Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.

"At the Day of Judgement we shall not be asked what we have read but what we have done."
― Thomas à Kempis

John 15:4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 … apart from Me you can do nothing.

John 15:8 "By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.

Luke 6:40 (BBE) The disciple is not greater than his master, but everyone whose learning is complete will be like his master.

I didn't know if my granddaughter had learned her colors yet, so I decided to test her.  I would point out something and ask what color it was.  She would tell me and was always correct.  It was fun for me, so I continued.  At last she headed for the door, saying, 'Grandma, I think you should try to figure out some of these yourself!'

When my grandson asked me how old I was, I teasingly replied, 'I'm not sure.'  'Look in your underwear, Grandpa,' he advised. 'Mine says I'm four to six.'

A 6-year-old was asked where his grandma lived. ''OH,'' he said, ''SHE LIVES AT THE AIRPORT, AND WHEN WE WANT HER, WE JUST GO GET HER. THEN WHEN WE'RE DONE HAVING HER VISIT, WE TAKE HER BACK TO THE AIRPORT.''

GRANDPA IS THE SMARTEST MAN ON EARTH! HE TEACHES ME GOOD THINGS, BUT I DON'T GET TO SEE HIM ENOUGH TO GET AS SMART AS HIM!


WHAT IS A GRANDPARENT?
(Taken from papers written by a class of 8-year-olds)

Grandparents are a lady and a man who have no little children of their own.  They like other peoples.

A grandfather is a man and a grandmother is a lady!

Grandparents don't have to do anything except be there when we come to see them.  They are so old they shouldn't play hard or run. It is good if they drive us to the shops and give us money.

When they take us for walks, they slow down past things like pretty leaves and caterpillars.

They don't say, 'Hurry up.'

They wear glasses and funny underwear.

Grandparents don't have to be smart.

They have to answer questions like 'Why isn't God married?' and 'How come dogs chase cats?'

When they read to us, they don't skip.  They don't mind if we ask for the same story over again.

Everybody should try to have a grandmother, especially if you don't have television because they are the only grownups who like to spend time with us.

They know we should have snack time before bed time, and they say prayers with us and kiss us even when we've acted bad.

Matt 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

Matt 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 "Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Matt 6:6 "But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

Matt 6:11 'Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Matt 6:21 for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Matt 6:33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.

Matt 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'

By referring to Himself as Lord and depicting Himself as the ultimate Judge of humanity, Jesus asserted His deity. True disciples affirm Jesus' lordship, submit to His authority, and obey His commands. Jesus insisted that a person is confirmed as a true disciple not by prophecy, exorcism, or working miracles but by living a transformed life made possible by God. The disobedient lifestyles of evildoers are inconsistent with genuine discipleship. Jesus' words, I never knew you, show that these were never truly disciples.

Easton's Illustrated Dictionary

A scholar, sometimes applied to the followers of John the Baptist (Mat 9:14), and of the Pharisees (Mat 22:16), but principally to the followers of Christ. A disciple of Christ is one who (1) believes His doctrine, (2) rests on His sacrifice, (3) imbibes His spirit, and (4) imitates His example (Mat 10:24; Luke 14:26, 27, 33; John 6:69).

God his salvation, the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, who became the attendant and disciple of Elijah (1Ki 19:16-19).

(In Greek called Dorcas), gazelle, a disciple at Joppa. She was distinguished for her alms-deeds and good works. Peter, who was sent for from Lydda on the occasion of her death, prayed over the dead body, and said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes and sat up; and Peter "gave her his hand, and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive" (Acts 9:36-43).

Honoring God, a young disciple who was Paul's companion in many of his journeying’s. His mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois, are mentioned as eminent for their piety (2Ti 1:5).

(Adopted from a blog post by Dale Cresap)

And God spoke all these words, saying, "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:1-3)

The Ten Commandments function in a most special way within holy scripture. You may not be aware that they are never actually called the "ten commandments," but rather, "the Ten Words" (see Exodus 34:28). Obviously the Hebrew is indicating that this is much more than a list of ten individual words. Rather they are ten unique divine utterances; unique in several ways.

First, the Ten Words were the only part of God's revelation to Moses that was given in the direct hearing of the people (Exodus 20:18-21). It isn't clear if they heard the actual words, but whatever they heard, they were so terrified, they never want to experience it again.

Second, of all that Moses received from God, only these Ten Words were written by God's own finger. In fact, he did so twice, due to Moses destroying the first set in reaction to Israel's rebellious activities while he was with God on the mountain (Exodus 31:18; 34:1).

Third and perhaps most important way the Ten Words are unique is that they, in particular, are called "the covenant" (Exodus 34:28). This would be why they were among the items that were placed inside the Ark of the Covenant.

There was of course more to the covenant given at Mount Sinai than just the Ten Words. The Ten served to point the people to the details of the entire covenant. They weren't necessarily more important than any other of God's directives, but what they do is capture the essence of the whole covenant, while the rest of Torah elaborates on them. The ten, then, especially as a collection, have an essential symbolic function in that they represent the whole Sinai covenant.

Biblically speaking, the Ten Words first and foremost function as covenant, not moral principles. They (as much of the rest of Torah) are full of morality, but primarily they establish the basis and parameters of God's relationship with ancient Israel. That is why the Ten Words begin with "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery" (Exodus 20:2). Israel was to obey God's commands on the basis of their having been rescued from Egypt, something which no other nation can claim. Note that Israel's salvation and relationship to God were established by God first before he gave them directions to live by. Biblical morality was never intended to be a pathway to God, but rather a response of God's people to his love and faithfulness.

Living God's way under the New Covenant is similar in that it too is a response to God's salvation. This time not only as the nation of Israel who were in physical bondage to Egypt, but people of all nations who have been released from the greater bondage to sin and death through faith in the Messiah.

But as those who have a relationship with God through Yeshua, how do we live? While many have adopted the Ten Words as their moral code, others have rejected most, if not all, the commands given through Moses as being relevant today. Some claim that Yeshua replaced an older notion of hundreds of commands with only two (love God and love your neighbor) as if God is now lenient instead of strict. But that's not what is going on here at all. Yeshua's answer to the question concerning the greatest commandment (see Matthew 22:36-40) provides perspective and priority in relating to God. These two commands therefore serve as a summary of everything God calls us to.

But what does he call us to? Under the New Covenant, Torah, which was at one time written on tablets of stone, is now engraved upon our hearts (see Jeremiah 31:31-34; 2 Corinthians 3:3). That which was external has been internalized. This transformational change brought about by Yeshua's death and resurrection allows us to live out the essential elements of God's revelation through Moses including the Ten Words, but within a new covenantal arrangement.

The New Covenant as promised by the prophet Jeremiah, the constitution of God's people underwent a major transformation. That which was given on tablets of stone has been internalized. The life that God had called Israel to live was no longer something outside and out of reach, so to speak, but instead to be lived from the inside out. The alienation from God which had prevented Israel from living up to the Sinai covenantal demands was resolved once and for all by the forgiveness of sin brought about through Yeshua's sacrificial death.

The main contrast between the Sinai and New Covenants, therefore, is found not primarily in their practical details, but in the constitutional arrangements within which the details are given. The older covenant provides for the organization of a national entity; the newer one enables for the inclusion of all nations without requiring specific membership in Israel. The great change in the sacrificial system from ongoing and temporal to final and permanent makes the older priestly function obsolete and thus allows believers to approach God directly.

But just because the covenantal foundations have changed, that doesn't mean that every God-given directive through Moses is no longer relevant. For it is in the Torah that we encounter almost every aspect of life from God's perspective. Discerning which elements of God's teaching (that's what "Torah" means) were for ancient Israel alone and which ones are for all people for all times can be a challenge, but a worthwhile and enriching one.

Through Torah we are reminded that relationship with God is not something detached from life's practicalities. While abstract notions of love and forgiveness are essential, it is through the directives of Torah that the core of our faith is expressed in very practical ways. The subject of slaves in the Bible …what we actually have here is God's speaking into a world where slavery was taken for granted. The boundaries and regulations God established through Moses emphasizes the value of all human beings. This would have been radical for those days and sets the stage for its eventual abolishment. How's that for being practical?

[We] continue by addressing the subject of personal liability. We are privileged to be given God's mind regarding common issues like these that people have faced throughout history. We neglect God's word on these matters to our peril.

[We also] see the consequences for certain types of social behavior, including premarital sex, bestiality, sorcery, as well as dealing with the vulnerable members of society: foreigners, widows, and orphans. As with the slavery section, modern readers might too quickly react to the prescribed consequences for certain behaviors rather than glean from God's perspective. The determining of consequences is subject to the jurisdiction of civil leaders, which while regulated under Sinai for ancient Israel, is not expanded to the nations under the New Covenant. What we can derive from this is the destructive nature of the things addressed, so that they can be avoided among believers and discouraged within the cultures in which we find ourselves.

This is what Yeshua meant when he told his followers that they are "salt and light" (see Matthew 5:13-16). As the great Master Rabbi he expounded the teachings of Moses, so that they (and us!) can learn the practical details of Torah within a New Covenant framework.

*(This document may be edited for length)

Psalm 24:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 143:8 … Teach me the way in which I should walk; For to Thee I lift up my soul.

Blessed be YHVH (Genesis 14:20 And blessed be God Most High…)

1. They are mentioned 273 times in 34 biblical books.

2. They were all created by God. (Gen. 2:1; Neh. 9:6; Eph. 3:9; Col. 1:16)

3. They report directly to God. (Job 1:6; 2:1)

4. They were present at the Creation of the world. (Job 38:1, 4, 7)

5. They announced Jesus' birth to the shepherds. (Luke 2:10-14)

6. They do not marry. (Matt. 22:30)

7. They were created to live forever. (Rev. 4:8)

8. Their purpose is to glorify God. (Rev. 4:8)

9. Some angels help human beings. (Heb. 1:14)

10. Some angels harm human beings. (Mark 5:1-5)

11. They are spirit beings. (Ps. 104:4; Heb. 1:7, 14)

12. They are invisible beings. (Rom. 1:18-32; Col. 2:18; Rev. 19:10; 22:9)

13. They are innumerable. (Deut. 33:2; Ps 68:17; Dan. 7:9-10; Matt. 26:53; Heb. 12:22; Rev. 5:11)

14. They possess intelligence. (Dan. 9:21-22; 10:14; Rev. 19:10; 22:8-9)

15. They possess will. (Isa. 14:12-15; Jude 6)

16. They display joy. (Job 38:7; Luke 2:13)

17. They display desire. (1 Pet. 1:12)

18. They are stronger than men. (Ps. 103:20; 2 Thess. 1:7; 2 Pet. 2:11)

19. They are more intelligent than men. (Dan. 9:21-22; 10:14)

20. They are swifter than men. (Dan. 9:21; Rev. 14:6)

21. They are not omnipresent. (Dan. 10:12)

22. They are not omnipotent. (Dan. 10:13; Jude 9)

23. They are not omniscient. (Matt. 24:36)

24. Some are cherubim. (Ezek. 1:1-28; 10:20)

25. Some are seraphim. (Isa. 6:1-8)

26. The majority remained true to God. (Rev. 5:11-12)

27. They will join all believers in the heavenly Jerusalem. (Heb. 12:22-23)

The Complete Book of Bible Lists.