Page 45 - Discipleship Ministries Student E-Book

Study Section 5: The Mark of a Disciple

“The will of God, to which the law gives expression, is that men should defeat
their enemies by loving them.”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer

5.1 Connect

Ding Dongs are a cake that can be purchased in the US grocery stores. It is a small, round
chocolate cake covered with chocolate and has a white cream center. I love Ding Dongs,
especially when they are frozen! When I was a teenager, I told myself, “Someday when I grow
up and leave this home, I will go out and buy a big box of ding dongs and eat as many as I
desire, maybe the whole box!” At home, mom would only let me eat one a day. I LOVED DING DONGS!
Funny thing is, that was 50 years ago, and I have never purchased a box and at them all at once.

A little girl was invited for dinner at the home of her first-grade friend. The vegetable was buttered
broccoli and the mother asked if she liked it. “Oh, yes,” the child replied politely, “I love it!”

But when the bowl of broccoli was passed, she declined to take any. The hostess said, “I thought you
said you loved broccoli.” The girl replied sweetly, “Oh, yes ma’am, I do, but not enough to eat it!”

I love my wife, Jennifer. We have been married over 50 years and she has given me four children. She
has been faithful all these years and seeks to walk with Christ daily. I love Jennifer!

I love my students, more than I love ding dongs, but in a different way than I love my wife…. While in
English we use the same word to express our like for things, the intensity of our love, and the kind of
love we have differs depending on who or what we are talking about.

Jesus said the mark of a true disciple is one who loves others. Let’s see what that means…

5.2 Objectives

1. The student should be able to understand and define the four basic words for love used in the
Bible.

2. The student should be able to list and explain what the 15 defining traits of agape love are, as
listed in I Corinthians 13.

5.3 Mark of a True Disciple.

In the upper room the night before Jesus was to go to the cross, He took a towel and basin
and washed the disciples’ feet. He explained to the disciples that in doing so, He was
teaching them how to love one another. He explained to them that He must go to the cross
and that one would betray Him. Then He gave them a new commandment:

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