The Choosing of the Twelve
Notes
Transcript
Mark 3:13-19
Mark 3:13-19
William Barclay gives a very informative introduction to the choosing of the 12 apostles and I want to share it with you. He says, “JESUS had come to a very important moment in his life and work. He had emerged with his message; he had chosen his method; he had gone throughout Galilee preaching and healing. By this time he had made a very considerable impact on the public mind. Now he had to face two very practical problems. First, he had to find some way of making his message permanent if anything happened to him, and that something would happen he did not doubt. Second, he had to find some way of disseminating his message, and in an age when there was no such thing as a printed book or newspaper, and no way of reaching large numbers of people at the one time, that was no easy task. There was only one way to solve these two problems: he had to choose certain men on whose hearts and lives he could write his message and who would go out from his presence to carry that message abroad. Here we see him doing exactly that.”
The Apostles Relationship; 13-14a
The Apostles Relationship; 13-14a
The gospel according to Luke says that “Jesus went upon the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.” [Luke 6:12]
Jesus took seriously the call of these 12 men to move into a deeper relationship with Him. This relationship required an “all or nothing” attitude and lifestyle in Christ. Jesus would reveal to these men, God and the kingdom of heaven that they may carry on His work after Calvary/Resurrection.
6 “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.
7 Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You.
8 For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.
9 “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.
10 And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.
11 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.
12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
13 But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.
14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.
16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.
These twelve men would be responsible for the spread of the gospel, the establishment of sound doctrine, and laying the foundation of the church.
20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,
There was nothing special about these 12 men except that they were willing to go deeper than most in a relationship with Christ. And for the rest of His earthly ministry Jesus invested Himself in preparing them.
There is nothing special about me or you unless we are willing to go deeper with Jesus. And He is willing to invest in us, Amen!
The Apostles Role; 18b
The Apostles Role; 18b
Apostle- messenger, a sent one as an authorized agent of Jesus. Jesus “appointed” them to carry out His message and mission of the Gospel.
18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”
20 “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.”
The role that was given to the Chosen Twelve has been passed on to us. Our role in life is to know Him and make Him known to all!
The Apostles Power; 15
The Apostles Power; 15
Jesus gave the apostles power to heal and cast out demons.
The word for power is not dunamis, the supernatural power of God. It is exousia, a delegated power or authority. The servant of God is not given the power of God to use as the servant wills, but the servant is given the authority to specifically minister by healing and casting out demons. The servant prays and speaks the word, and then God does the actual healing and casting out of the demon. This type of authority was given to the apostles to confirm the Word of God and work of Christ in founding the church.
Leadership Ministries Worldwide. (1996). The Gospel according to Mark (p. 65). Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.
Jesus promised special “power” to them as his witnesses on the Day of Pentecost
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Paul offered his miracles as confirmations of his authority.
12 Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.
The special apostolic miracles confirms their witnesses to Christ.
3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,
4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?
What power do you and I have today that can be given as a confirmation to the world of the power of Christ in our life? The Gospel!
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
Close;
Close;
Just as Christ called these Twelve Apostles to draw close in a relationship with Him to continue His work in his physical absence, He has called, chosen and empowered all believers to do the same.
Are you strengthening your relationship with Christ?
Are you fulfilling the role He has called you too?
Are you walking in His power?