Lesson 1 : when the rabbi says " COME"

Looong time ago, in ancient days of the testament, the people of Galilee were the most religious jews in the world in the time of Jesus. They are passionate to learn about tanakh, the hebrew bible (old testament).

from 5 years old, they began their religious education in beth sefer (elementary school) and the BEST STUDENT continued to beth midrash (secondary school). A FEW of the MOST OUTSTANDING beth midrash students sougt permission to study with a famous rabbi often leaving home to travel with him or a lengthy period of time. so they find a famous rabbi and ask whether they can learn from him and become his talmid (student). Then the rabbi will analyze the student before he said "okay, come with me..."

As the rabbi lived and taught his understanding of the scripture his students (talmid - singular, talmidim - plural) listened and watch and imitated so as to BECOME LIKE HIM.
With passion, eagerness, desire and spirit the talmidim learn to be like the rabbi...
they dedicated their live to be like the rabbi..
this is the beginning of a word - disciples -

the unique part is that Jesus, the rabbi... pick His disciples and not the other way around like usual pattern. Jesus came to a village called galilee,.. He didn't come to Decapolis, Scythopolis or to a big city like Jerusalem to pick His disciples.. why?
He also didn't pick talmidim talmidim, instead He pick fishermans...
Peter, Philip, Andrew, James & John
They didn't know HIm and they definitely didn't come to Him, but He says : "come with me...."
He use the same way to pick me.. for who am i?

He pick me and not me coming to Him
by the grace of God He picked me!

He said :
" I CHOOSE YOU because I BELIEVE in YOU!"

so in the world now..
if the word disciples still means the original meaning..

are we His talmidim? or just beth midrash?
can we be called the disciples of Jesus?
the disciples spent time with the rabbi to learn to BE LIKE HIM
do we have those things if we called ourselves HIs disciples?

in order to be called disciples, ....
How much times do we spent our time with GOD to learn about HIM, to know about HIM? Do we have the hunger, desire and passion to be like our GOD?
How badly do you want to be like Jesus?
so, can we called ourselves - HIS DISCIPLES? -