Sermon Tone Analysis

Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him.

He appointed twelve—designating them apostles—that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.

These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder); Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Our society is undoubtedly egalitarian.

By that, I mean that we exalt the concept of equality in all matters of life.

We would not think of discriminating on the basis of race or culture, gender or age, sexual orientation or marital status…  Well, at least in matters mandated by law we would not discriminate against others.

Egalitarianism as practised at the dawning of this Twenty-first Century is the logical result of modern democratic principles.

Perhaps it is because of this indoctrination we have each received that the concept of God’s sovereignty is so difficult to accept.

Whenever the preacher speaks of God’s sovereign choice, there is a an almost visceral reaction in many listeners.

In our hearts we struggle against such concepts, believing there is something good within us which might compel God to refuse to discriminate.

In one sense, God does not show favouritism.

We are alike sinners before God.

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God [*Romans 3:23*].

In a similar manner, we are equally convinced that the Living God has demonstrated mercy toward all mankind.

God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all [*Romans 11:32*].

We are compelled to accept that God is unbiased in dealing with us as sinners and in extending mercy to all who will receive it.

However, when God has called people to faith and they have been born into the Family of God, we convince ourselves that He should no longer exercise His sovereign will.

Entire denominations are founded on the concept that */all/* believers must receive the identical spiritual gift or they are forever consigned to a second-class spiritual status.

Among almost all evangelical churches is a democratic bias which insists that any believer is capable of functioning within leadership roles.

Our churches annually elect deacons and elders to leadership within our churches with scarcely more than a casual acknowledgement that God must appoint and equip such individuals.

We trust that the willingness of these men and women to lead is sufficient equipping for leadership.

Thus, our churches are willingly led by the reluctant who acquiesce to the congregation’s insistence that they must direct our work.

In acting thusly, we devalue the work of God which we know as the church, reducing it to a mere organisation undifferentiated from other social organisations which vie for our time and attention.

A study of the Apostles whom Jesus chose may well prove instructive for us, challenging us to reflect on the call of God.

Especially will we be compelled to consider His sovereign nature as we study the selection of the Apostles.

Mark’s Gospel serves as the backdrop for our study, and I invite you to open your Bible to the third chapter of this the second Gospel of the New Testament.

Join me in study of Jesus’ appointment of The Twelve who would henceforth be known as His Apostles.

The Basis of His Choosing — /Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him/.

During the course of this message, I hope to draw attention to three truths.

First, Jesus called those He wanted and He appointed from among those He called.

Second, He appointed on the basis of His own choosing with the purpose that those appointed might be with Him, and that He might send them out to preach and to have authority over demonic powers.

Third, I ask you to take special note of the distinctions within the apostolic rank and the cost of serving the Master.

That first truth which I ask you to specially note is that Jesus chose.

The text says that He called … those He wanted.

This translation, while accurate, fails to bring out the emphasis of the original language.

Because this is true, it is easy to miss the impact of Mark’s words, the English obscuring to a degree Mark’s intent.

Dr.

Kenneth Wuest translated this verse so as to bring out the nuance of Mark’s choice of words.

*And He goes up into the mountain and calls for himself and to himself those whom He himself was desiring, and they went off to Him*.[1]

 

/Jesus /…/ called to him those he wanted/.

Within this statement is a wealth of theology.

Mark’s words speak of God’s sovereign choice in calling to Himself whom He wills.

There is nothing within the text to suggest that Jesus called only the Twelve to join Him on the mountainside, rather in concert with the other synoptic Gospels we would rightly conclude that many disciples came before the Lord at this time.

Note especially Doctor Luke’s account of the appointment process for the Apostles.

Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.

When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles [*Luke 6:12, 13*].

Jesus called many to Himself as disciples, though He reserved the right to appoint the twelve to Himself.

The initial focus of Mark’s words is on the choosing of disciples.

This is nothing less than God’s election of those whom He wills to come to Him.

We are given insight into God’s process of calling mankind to salvation.

The word Mark chose to speak of Jesus’ will [qevlw] provides us with insight into the work of God in calling people to Himself.

There is another word [bouvlomai] which may also speak of the will, but it means something entirely different.

The former word suggests an active option resulting from a subjective impulse.

The latter word suggests passive acquiescence, the decision of the mind which is the result of objective considerations.[2]

This latter word would suggest that Jesus chose on the basis of facts resident within the ones chosen, whereas the word Mark used suggests that the choice Jesus exercised was based upon His own self-determining sovereignty—upon reason from within His own personality.

Jesus was not influenced by appeal from those before Him.

Neither did He consider the abilities of those He called, holding instead His own particular purposes in mind.

Perhaps those chosen protested that they had no ability to accomplish what the Master was calling them to, but their protests would be of no effect.

God calls those He wills and His calling is based upon His own purposes known only to Him.

We should not be surprised that no protest will alter the mind of God.

In calling those whom He willed, Jesus assumed all responsibility for His action.

He called those He wished and from within that number He appointed twelve.

This is the fact presented in this account.

His choice arose from within His infinite wisdom and understanding.

Those called had not requested to be called, therefore there was no room for protests of inability.

Jesus assumed responsibility.

The need for stressing this point lies in the fact that each of us who serve Christ as redeemed saints has received a call.

Having responded to that call, we were gifted by the Holy Spirit.

Though there are many fine Christians who pray importunately for particular spiritual gifts, God chooses whom He will appoint to particular offices within the church.

Listen again to the Word of God.

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.

There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.

There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.

All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines

[*1 Corinthians 12:4-7*].

Two vital truths flow from this knowledge.

First, if Christ chooses, I am free from all responsibility.

He chose me and therefore He is responsible to supply the ability to accomplish what He appointed me to do.

Second, since Christ chooses I have received a grave responsibility.

This is not tautology, but it is rather a serious exploration of the work of God in each of our lives.

If there are defects in those whom Christ has chosen, He must correct them.

Thus, those chosen for a particular service are free from responsibility for the choosing.

We need not concern ourselves with the elective process, resting in God’s call and effective work in our lives.

We can readily engage in the work He has given us because we are able to say, “Lord, You have given me this work.

I did not choose it.”

We should be humbled at the thought that we did not choose Christ, but that rather He chose us.

Near the end of His earthly ministry, Jesus spoke to His Apostles in pointed language which we will each do well to listen to in this context.

The statement of Christ which is vital is that which teaches us, You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last [*John 15:16*].

It will be immediately apparent from the context that He addressed all who call themselves by His Name.

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.

Now remain in my love.

If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

You are my friends if you do what I command.

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business.

Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.