Mark 3:13-19 "The Origins of Apostolic Ministry"

Introduction:

Remember the context from verses 7-12 which we saw last Sunday. Jesus Christ has authority over sickness and over unclean spirits. All of this is a mark of His preeminence as we see that He is not just merely a man but the one who rules over the cosmic order in His supremacy.

And this is something that men may ponder in their skepticism but make no mistake, the demons of hell are fully convinced in regards to His identity.

It is this sovereign authority that we should without question use to inform our Christology. Jesus is not like Ghandi, or like Buddah or the Dali Lamma. Nor is He in the category along with Kings and rulers of earth who hold some political office or temporal reign.

His sovereign authority puts Him in a whole category by Himself. And it is His preeminent identity and place in the Godhead that makes His authority supreme. This is what makes the initiation of the office of Apostle and the calling of the Apostles so unique.

Look back at your text to the Initiation in verses 13-15:

I. The Initiation (13-15).

A. First we see that the calling of the men who were to be Apostles was done according to the desire and pleasure of the preeminent Christ (13).

This desire was in conjunction with the Father’s will. We know this from John 17:12 where the Lord Jesus is interceding for His Apostles: “12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.” Jesus was acting on what the Father willed for Him to do in carrying out the plan of Redemption.

Interesting that in Mark 3:13 the Lord Jesus goes up on the mountain. Much like Moses did to receive God’s law but Jesus is going up as one greater than Moses to reveal the sovereign plan of God.

Christian there was a sovereign plan instituted by the God the Father and it was being carried out flawlessly by God the Son. He selected 12 to an apostolic office. But there were others who were with Him from the beginning of His ministry who were disciples in the general sense but they were not selected as one of the 12 for Apostleship.

B. Second we see that the appointment and name of their office was a designation of their ministry function and power (14-15).

They were to be with Him for the purpose of Him sending them out to preach. That word preach is kerusso in the Greek language. And it means to make an official announcement by an official herald. When you connect it to our context you know that they are official heralds of the Kingdom of God.

But they are not just appointed to make declarations of the Kingdom by preaching alone. They have been appointed to have authority to cast out demons. Just like Jesus was doing. At this point of the Kingdom order the office of Apostle is unique to these men that are mentioned. They are the appointed 12 and they are distinct to the context.

Things will change once the Holy Spirit comes and the Kingdom dynamic will expand in a profound way. The cannon of Scripture will be established under Apostolic authority which will compound the Kingdom dynamic. Jesus knew this would happen even when these men could never have known at the time what would happen.

The word of God would bring the Kingdom of God to earth by the Holy Spirit. The Kingdom would be global in scope and it would include both Jew and Gentile made into one people of God.

But the Lord Jesus had hand select 12 to be His Apostles and they would be the men that He would use as Apostles to bring His Kingdom to earth. And yes the Apostle Paul would be appointed later by Christ with the affirmation of the other Apostles. And Matthias would be selected by the Apostles to replace Judas as one of the 12. But in verses 16-19 we get a brief introduction to these men as their names are listed. Look back at your text:

II. The Introduction (16-19).

A. Their names are listed in verses 16-19.

Notice that there are 12 and yes I do believe this is on purpose due to the Old Testament parallel to the 12 sons of Jacob as the heads of the 12 tribes of Israel. Jesus is setting the stage for the New Covenant being an extension that mirrors the Old Covenant.

It is no mistake that we find in Revelation 21:14 that the 12 names of the Apostles of the Lamb of God are written on the foundations of the New Jerusalem.

Notice as a point of distinction that there are two Simons: Simon Peter and Simon the Zealot.

Notice also there are two Apostles named James: James the Son of Zebedee and James the Son of Alphaeus.

James the son of Zebedee was the brother of the Apostle John. These two brothers were called “Sons of Thunder”

B. This is indeed a motley crew in some sorts. There are 4 small business fishermen along with a tax collector. And then thrown in a political zealot into the mix. Add a skeptic and lest we forget to mention a traitor in their midst who has oversight of the money.

I mean what could go wrong? To be an Apostle of the Lord Jesus meant to surrender your desires to the desires of your Messiah King. This would be an appointment that would change their lives forever. Jesus called them and they walked away from everything.

King Jesus has the authority over all the Universe and He rules and governs over all the affairs of men.

He would change them from the inside out and transform them into His Kingdom ministers. Common men appointed for the purposes of God as Apostles through Jesus Christ.

He indeed used them as they were the first ones to take the gospel of the Kingdom to the Nations of the world. We know from the book of Acts and church history that these men did preach but they also ministered in their Apostolic ministry to heal the sick and to take authority over demons.

Judas was selected by divine appointment to be the son of destruction. Because that was all part of the plan and Matthias was selected in his place in Acts 1:15-26. This is the office of Apostle not a sent one in the more general sense of someone being like a missionary.

C. Christian the application to us this morning as disciples of Christ is not so much in how we reflect the ministry of the office of the Apostles through maintaining the office. That would not be the case because today no one could meet the requirements that were established in the original institution of the office.

The Application can be derived in two areas of our Christian discipleship.

First we should be encouraged to remember that Jesus can use ordinary people to do extraordinary things. And it is not by the means of the things pertaining to men but by the things pertaining to God. Self confidence and wishful thinking is no substitute for living by faith in the purpose, plan and power of Jesus Christ.

Christian this is why the preeminence of Jesus Christ is not a trivial doctrine of big theology in a pragmatic world of practicality. The Word of God informs your faith. Your faith has an object which in this case it is Jesus Christ. The Word of God informs you in regards to who this Christ is in His identity and power and character.

It tells you that He is the Son of God who took on flesh and came into the world to fulfill God’s eternal plan of redemption. He came to redeem a people for God and to sanctify them in truth.

The second area of application is seen in that Kingdom power and assurance is anchored by faith in a Big God. This is why Christology and an understanding of Kingdom plan and purpose is so critical to the practical Christian life.

It is true that Jesus can use ordinary people to do extraordinary things. But the reason it is true is because He is an extraordinary God who’s extraordinary Kingdom plan and purpose will not fail.

Some people read passages like Mark 3:13-19 and they believe they have the power to work miracles just like the Apostles in their office. And most of them refuse to answer the general call to discipleship to obey the teachings of Christ when it comes to their own sanctification.

Truth is our sanctification is much less exciting than having the recognition of an Apostolic ministry like a self proclaimed Apostle that is on TV every week. I have seen some of this stuff first hand as a young man in the charismatic movement.

Christian the Church doesn’t need another super star. We already have Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lord’s, lets lift Him up, let’s make Him known, let’s cry out to Him for our transformation. And let’s look to Him for ministry empowerment, not as those in the office of the Apostles but as those who live and minister as they instructed us in the Word of God as disciples of Jesus Christ.

There is only One star of the show, everyone else is just supporting cast. The eternal God has set the spotlight of history on the eternal Son and in the incarnation of His death, burial and resurrection King Jesus has taken center stage. And He will come again for an encore performance that will talked about for eternity.

Conclusion:

The call today is not for the office of an Apostle but for sinners to repent of their sin and to turn to God in faith in Christ alone for salvation. Maybe today is your day. Come to Christ! Believe the gospel!

Believer the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead lives in you. We know this because Scripture tells us this but new birth was not your doing it was the work of God by the Holy Spirit.

Come to Him and confess your sin and rest in His provision of grace to you. But know this the power for change in dealing with your sin has been given to you for your spiritual good as an act of His divine grace to you. Live in the power of that grace.

Let’s pray!