The Forgotten Disciples

  Those Who Followed Jesus but Were Never Named

When we hear the word “disciple,” most of us immediately think of the Twelve—the ones whose names have been etched into history through the Gospels. Peter, James, John… the ones who walked with Jesus every day, the ones who experienced His miracles firsthand, the ones who had moments of both failure and triumph. They were the closest to Him, his "besties", but they were not the only ones.

Jesus had other disciples—many of them. Men and women who followed Him just as faithfully, yet whose names were never recorded in Scripture. They weren’t in the spotlight. They didn’t have books written about them. They didn't have teaching preached about them. Yet, they were part of His mission in ways we often overlook. These were the ones who stood in the background, the ones who carried the message forward months and years after Jesus had risen. They weren’t in it for the recognition. They weren’t seeking titles or status. They simply wanted to follow Him. And they did. And many of them died for Him.

One of the clearest glimpses we get of these forgotten disciples is found in Luke 10:1-20, where Jesus sends out seventy—or seventy-two, depending on the manuscript tradition—to go ahead of Him to the various areas, proclaiming the message of the Kingdom. This passage challenges our narrow view of discipleship. Many assume Jesus only worked through the Twelve, but here we see Him empowering a much larger group.

Think about that. Seventy people—not just the Twelve—were given divine authority to heal the sick, cast out demons, and declare that the Kingdom of God was near. These weren’t mere spectators who showed up to hear a good sermon. They were active participants in the work of Jesus. They traveled in pairs, carrying nothing but their faith, walking into towns with no money, no extra clothing, no provisions—completely reliant on God’s provision.

And when they returned? They were overwhelmed with joy.

"Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name!" (Luke 10:17).

Can you imagine what that must have felt like? To witness miracles unfold before their eyes? To see blind eyes opened, the sick healed, the oppressed set free? These weren’t celebrities. They weren’t religious scholars. They were ordinary people chosen for an extraordinary mission. Yet, in that moment, Jesus redirected their excitement:

"Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10:20)

That right there is the defining mark of the forgotten disciples. They weren’t in it for recognition. They weren’t doing miracles to gain status. They were doing it out of love for Jesus and obedience to His calling. And in the end, that’s what truly mattered—not their names being known on earth, but their names being recorded where it truly counts.

This wasn’t the only time we see these unnamed disciples. Acts 1:15 tells us that after Jesus ascended, about 120 believers gathered in the upper room, waiting as He had instructed them. Who were they? We don’t know their names. But they were there. They had followed Jesus. They had remained faithful. They had endured the pain of the crucifixion, the confusion of the resurrection, and now, the uncertainty of what was to come.

These weren’t the ones who ran when things got hard. They weren’t the ones who betrayed Him or denied Him. They stayed. And because they stayed, they became part of something even greater—the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

And then there were the women. The ones who followed Jesus, not from a distance, but up close. Luke 8:1-3 mentions Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna by name, but there were many others. These women traveled with Jesus, supported His ministry financially, and when almost all of the men fled at the crucifixion, they stayed.

They were there at the cross. They were there at the tomb. They were the first to see the risen Christ. Yet, how often are their contributions overlooked? How often do we acknowledge that without their faithfulness, the news of the resurrection might not have spread as quickly?

So why were so many of these faithful disciples left unnamed? Was it an oversight? Did the Gospel writers simply forget them? Of course not. Maybe their names weren’t recorded because their faithfulness was never about being known. Maybe it was because the Kingdom of God isn’t built on fame—it’s built on obedience.

And that’s a lesson the church desperately needs today. In a world where people chase influence, where even preachers strive for celebrity status, where recognition seems to be the ultimate goal, Jesus reminds us of something different.

The greatest disciples are often the ones no one notices. The ones who serve without a spotlight. The ones who pray behind closed doors. The ones who show up day after day, simply because they love Jesus.

That’s the legacy of the forgotten disciples. And maybe—just maybe—that’s the kind of disciple we should all strive to be.

Perhaps their names were left out not because they were insignificant, but because their faithfulness was too great to be limited to a list. They were part of a movement larger than themselves. And isn’t that what true discipleship looks like?

It’s easy to follow Jesus when there’s something in it for us—admiration, respect, influence. But what about when there’s nothing? What about when following Him means being overlooked, forgotten, or even rejected? Would we still do it?

That’s what separates the true disciples from the crowd. Many followed Jesus when He was feeding thousands and performing miracles, but where were they when He was arrested? Where were they when He was falsely accused, mocked, and beaten? Why didn’t those same followers who claimed to love Him stand up and defend Him?

The answer is simple: fear.

Fear of Rome. Fear of the religious leaders. Fear of losing their place in society. They believed in Jesus when He looked like a conquering King, but when He looked weak—when He was bound, silent before His accusers, bloodied and bruised—He didn’t match their expectations of a Messiah. Rather than risk their own reputations, they did what was easiest. They disappeared.

Even His closest disciples failed. Peter swore he would never deny Jesus, yet the moment pressure came, he denied Him three times. The rest scattered in fear. And the crowds? The same ones who shouted “Hosanna!” days earlier now screamed “Crucify Him!” because it was safer to side with the powerful.

Not one of them stepped forward to say, “This man is innocent.” They let the corrupt system have its way, because standing with Jesus would have cost them too much.

And yet, Jesus still went to the cross for them.

He died not just for the faithful, but for the cowards, the betrayers, the ones who stayed silent. Because He knew that fear makes people weak. He knew that, when given the choice, most would rather save themselves than stand for truth. But His love was greater than their fear.

That’s the irony of so much of what we call faith today. People want to follow Jesus when it’s convenient. When it benefits them. But when culture pushes back, when there’s a cost, how many stay?

The early church wasn’t built by celebrities. It was built by ordinary men and women whose names history has forgotten, but heaven never will.

God has always done His greatest work through those no one notices. The widow with two coins. The boy with five loaves and two fish. The woman who poured out expensive perfume in worship. The world overlooked them, but God did not.

If recognition is what we seek, we have already received our reward. But for those who live for something greater, there is a promise that cannot be taken away.

A day is coming when the first will be last and the last will be first. When those who were unnoticed by the world will be honored by the King. When everything hidden will be revealed, and those who spent their lives making Him known will hear the only words that ever mattered—

“Well done, good and faithful servant.”

 

I hope this message blessed you. If so, please leave a comment. I look forward to hearing from you.

Anna M. C. Hazen 2025

 

Yes, I did use AI to help with the research for this message. - And the picture at the top... THAT took a while to do, because you have to keep trying to get the AI to understand what you want.... and it's still not what I was hoping for! :/  You have to be perfectly comprehensive with those.