Called to Be Taught, Taught to Be Sent
The Marks of a True Disciple: Part 3
Every disciple of Jesus Christ stands within the same pattern we see in the Gospel of Mark—called by the Savior, shaped by His Word, and sent into a world that often resists the very grace it needs most.
We continue our reflections in the Gospel according to Mark, where the evangelist presents the life of Jesus with urgent, vivid strokes—like an impressionist painter layering color upon color to reveal the whole scene. In Chapter 6, Mark places three movements side by side: the rejection of Jesus at Nazareth, the sending of the Twelve, and the martyrdom of John the Baptist. Taken together, the panels form a portrait of discipleship in a world where allegiance to Christ brings both glory and cost.
The sending of the Twelve is framed by rejection and suffering. If Mark is indeed writing to believers in Rome preparing for persecution, he wastes no words. Instead of lengthy discourses, Mark shows the reality of discipleship through narrative. You feel the weight. You see the pattern. Jesus is rejected. John the Baptist is killed. The disciples are sent out in the same world.
In this vivid Gospel landscape, one truth emerges with clarity:
A true disciple is called to be taught, and taught to be sent.
A Tale of Two Disciples
The first story comes from a friend of mine who once preached as an evangelist in a congregation, urging the people to go out with the Gospel. As he stood at the back of the church, an elder approached him and said, “My dear boy, you are calling us to be evangelists. But we have hired staff for that.”
He didn’t get it.
The second story comes from Dr. D. James Kennedy, who once said that the greatest evangelist he ever knew was an older man who simply drank deeply of the Word of God. Each day he prayed, “Lord, where do You want me to go? Whom will You have me speak to today?” He grew in the Word—and from that growth, he went with the Word. There will be many souls safe in the arms of Jesus because of the simple child-like faithfulness of that man. There was no divide between learning and witness. In him, the life of the mind and the life of mission flowed together.
The question is not merely about these two men; it is about us. Do we recognize that the Christian life includes calling, growth, and going?
Called to Be Taught
Mark writes:
“And He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority…” (Mark 6:7)
Before they ever went out, they were called—and then taught.
They were taught through parables, through private explanations, through observing Jesus among the crowds, through witnessing miracles, and through quiet conversations on the road. Their discipleship was formed by receiving the Word.
Growth in Christ is never accidental. It comes through receiving His Word privately and publicly. Scripture reading in solitude matters. Family worship matters. Small groups matter. And the regular preaching of the Word—Lord’s Day after Lord’s Day—is indispensable. It is not about earning a gold star for church attendance; it is about receiving grace, healing, reorientation, and truth.
As I often say, the preacher dives into the deep blue of God’s Word like a pearl diver in the South Seas. He brings up the pearls of the Gospel and strings them together—not to choke the parishioners, but to adorn them with the promises of God. Every believer needs that pearl necklace of truth.
The Word heals us. It corrects us. It feeds us. It plants seeds that will later break the soil of our hearts as fields of golden grain.
Do you make your heart a fallowed field for God’s Word?
Do you come to Scripture ready to receive?
If Christ has called you, He has also called you to grow.
Suppressing the Call—and the Cure
It is possible to suppress the call to follow Christ more deeply. Some run from the call like Jonah. Others drown it with noise, busyness, and distraction. Many focus on everything except the one thing necessary—listening to the Lord through His Word.
A psychologist once remarked, “There is no such thing as distraction. There is only focus.” You are always focusing—either on the Word of God or on something else.
Sometimes poor theology also contributes to neglect. Some believe that a single spiritual experience is enough to carry them through life. But the New Testament calls believers to move from milk to meat, from the elementary things to the fullness of Christ.
Peter wrote to suffering Christians:
“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18).
The heart and the mind are not competitors; they are partners.
The disciple must cultivate both.
Taught to Be Sent
The disciples were not taught merely to accumulate information. They were taught to go. Their instruction prepared them to proclaim repentance, cast out demons, and bring healing to the sick.
Christian growth is never an end in itself. It is always growth toward mission—toward sharing Christ with others, toward living faithfully in the world, toward bearing witness with our words and with our lives.
Some of us prefer calling. Others prefer learning. Still others prefer action.
But Jesus gives all three.
Called.
Taught.
Sent.
A true disciple receives all three gifts—and embraces all three responsibilities.
Conclusion
What does Mark teach us about the marks of a true disciple?
A disciple is called by Jesus.
A disciple is taught by Jesus.
A disciple is sent by Jesus.
The Christian life therefore moves in a holy rhythm:
Grow—and go with the Gospel.
May this rhythm become the heartbeat of our lives, our families, and our ministries.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
We will complete the series on The Marks of a True Disciple next week, Lord willing.
A Prayer
Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, Collect for the Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost).1
The Full Sermon in Audio
Questions for Reflection and Small-Group Discussion
Called by Christ:
How did you first sense the call of Jesus in your life, and in what ways does that call continue to shape your daily walk with Him?Receiving the Word:
Mark emphasizes that the disciples were taught before they were sent. What practices—private, family, or public—most help you “receive the pearls” of God’s Word? Which areas of your devotional life need renewal?Growth and Resistance:
The article speaks of “suppressing” growth through busyness, noise, or misdirected focus. What tends to crowd out your time with Scripture or dull your attentiveness to the Holy Spirit?Mind and Heart Together:
Why do you think some believers fear deeper theological study or doctrinal learning? How have mind and heart worked together (or been separated) in your own spiritual growth?Sent With the Gospel:
Jesus taught His disciples so that they would go. In your present season of life, what might “being sent” look like? Who might the Lord be placing on your heart to serve, encourage, or share Christ with?The Rhythm of Discipleship:
The article summarizes discipleship as “called, taught, and sent.” Which of these three movements is strongest in your life right now, and which requires fresh commitment or prayer?
A Collect (pronounced KAH-lekt) is a classical form of prayer shaped by the pattern of the Lord’s Prayer. It moves through five essential parts: (1) an address to God; (2) the naming of a divine attribute drawn from Scripture; (3) a clear petition that flows from that attribute; (4) the desired spiritual result; and (5) a conclusion grounded in the authority and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ. This thoughtful pattern in no way diminishes the power of the simplest plea—“Help me, O God!”—but it does follow our Savior’s teaching on how to pray and helps believers bring their requests before God with scriptural focus. In pastoral counseling, I have often encouraged the use of the Collect to restore clarity, order, and spiritual health in the believer’s prayer life. Here is an article on the Collect.