Learning about being a follower of God
In the time of Jesus
Jesus chose a group of ordinary people to work closely with him. They learnt a lot from him. He sent them out to preach and teach and sometimes they even healed people in the same way that Jesus was doing. Just before he left them at the time Christians call Ascension, he told them to wait in Jerusalem where they would receive special gifts from God. What happened to the disciples at Pentecost showed them very clearly that Jesus was still with them 'in spirit' and that the experience prepared them to carry on the work he had begun.
You can read about the Ascension in Acts chapter 1: 6 - 11
You can find out more about the Ascension of Jesus by looking at:
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Ascension - from the Catholic Encyclopedia. |
Being a follower of God today
You may already be a sort of 'disciple' yourself. For instance, you might be learning to play a sport or a musical instrument and are being trained by an 'expert'.
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Can you think of
the similarities between learning from a teacher or a trainer and learning from
'Jesus'? The disciple's experience at Pentecost was startling!
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It puzzled those who were present - they did not undertand what they saw - or heard - and spoke of 'flames' around the heads of the disciples.
What is clear, however, is that it changed the disciples in a big way.
After the experience they were able to say and do things they had never dreamt of!
Peter, who was there, said that the Holy Spirit had been 'poured out on us' and they felt they had the 'authority' to carry on the work Jesus had begun of preaching, teaching and healing.
Just as the disciples felt they were changed, and more able to continue the work Jesus had begun, other people since then have felt that they too have had their lives changed. Afterwards these people feel they live their lives in a way that is pleasing to Jesus. For example, some have founded charities which try to bring Jesus' teachings into everyday life. Choose one of the charity web sites below, or another in which you are especially interested, and give a brief description of its work and its beginnings.
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One World is 'a community of over 350 leading
global justice organisations', use the Search facility to go to an index of
'OneWorld Partners'. Amnesty International UK | ||
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The Samaritans |
Baptism of the Holy Spirit which explores what it might involve 'to obey the biblical command to be filled with the Holy Spirit'.
The author tries to express in words just what the effects of experiencing the Holy Spirit will be in a person's life. The words carry a real sense of change.
The gift of the Holy Spirit was Jesus' last promise to the disciples. The experience of the Holy Spirit made them feel confident enough to live their everyday lives in a way that clearly showed their belief in the teachings of Jesus.
Christians believe that Jesus rose from the dead after he had been crucified and buried. The festival of Easter celebrates this belief. How Jesus is 'alive' today is most often expressed in the way Christian people try to live their lives as if they were Jesus. They are trying to copy him in everything they think, say and do. Other faiths also have 'immortal' leaders, although their 'immortality' is very different.
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Visit the web site of The Government of Tibet in Exile, and find out about The Dalai Lama's biography. |
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What can
you find out about His Holiness the Dalai Lama? In what way is he thought to be
immortal? |
