The Process

Mark 3:13–19 (NKJV)

13 And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him.

14 Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach,

15 and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons:

16 Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter;

17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, “Sons of Thunder”;

18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite;

19 and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. And they went into a house.

on

Jesus Christ first went into the Mountain and called to him those he himself wanted.

When God called this descibles is because he wanted them,

God had a purpose which he wan’t to accomplish in the earth and they would play specific role in this purpose.

God has called us because he wants us.

2 Timothy 1:9 “9 who [God] has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,”

From the call to the fullfillment of god’s purpose there is a process.

This process has a pattern, which we will learn today.

The minute detail of the pattern may be different from individual to individual but the pattern as a whole is the same.

Once we understand this pattern we will gauge where we are as individuals and a a church in this pattern.

From desciples point of view.

This life that they were to begin with Jesus, was initiated with a call.

When God has a purpose and plan for an individual he initiates that plan by a call.

Example.

Abraham was Called by God to come out from his country to a land that i will show you

Jocaob was called by God in a vision of the Night while he was in the middle of nowehere

Joseph was called by God in a dream

The desciples were called by God in this mountain.

How does God call us?

God does not call us through dreams, vision or audible voice.

The call is through the Gospel

2 Thessalonians 2:13–14 (NKJV)

13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,

14 to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The call of the Gospel entails revelation of Christ and obedience to the mandate of the Gospel.

Acts 2:36–41 (NKJV)

36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

Why was the heart pricked when they heard this.

Because the eyes of their undertsanding was opened and they had a revelation of the man whom they crucified. That it was the Lord their God, that he is now in the throne of God is sitting as the one true God himslelf and death

Then came the question what Shall we do.

This is exact response God’s calling upon Paul

38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

The mandate of the Gospel is to repent and be baptsied in the name of Jesus Christ.

Once you have the revelation of Jesus Christ, now you have to obey the Gospel and be baptised in his name

40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.”

41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.

Most likely there were triple the size of those who were obedient to the call.

Today God is calling people through the Gospel.

Thank God he called us through his Gospel

Thank God he gave us the revelation of who he is.

And They came to him

Ultimately God know who will respond to his call from the foundation of the world.

Therefore, those who are truly called will come to him.

They don’t come because they have been attracted by human devices and tricks, but rather because they have been called.

They have had the revelation of Christ and they have chosen to obey the mandate of the Gospel.

They have come only because of the call.

The three reason (connected with the conjuction And)

That they might be with him

And that he may send them out to preach(preach represents his purpose)

And to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast ou demons (power and authority will be given to accomplish his purpose)

It is in sequence because it is a pattern of God’s process in our lives that begins to his calling and end with the fullfillment of his purpose in our lives.

That they migh be with him

The first reason of God’s calling is that the desciples might be with him.

When God’s calls us, he calls us first to be with him.

In the period, the focal point of our life will be just being with Jesus.

The desciples were with him wherever he went and whatever he did.

Their main reponsibility in this 3 year period was to always be with him

Example Joseph

God called Joseph in a dream.

Note that he had only a blurred vision of God’s ultimate purpose for his life, the purpose for this calling.

God was in Egypt awaiting Joseph to respond to the call, which he did and ultimately led him to egypt as a slave.

The phrase “the Lord was with Him” signifies not that God went with Joseph to Egypt, but Joseph went where God was.

Joseph follows God, not the other way around.

What God was doing as Joseph was with him

he was testing him

He was teaching him giving him understanding, wisdom and knowledge in interprating dreams and solving riddles. What the wise men of Egypt could not interprate god gave him the knoweldge and wisdom to understand and interporet the hiddden things of God.

He maturing him, to become strong in spirit and to reflect God’s character

He was humbling him

What Jesus was doing in the lives of the desciples as they were with him.

he was teaching them

What was hidden for other and spoken in parables, was revealed to them, he was teaching them the hidden mysteries of the Kingdom.

They were growing in knowledge and understanding

He was testing them

in so many way Jesus was testing the desciples heart, why they were following him, testing their motives and intents of their heart and their faith.

He was maturing them.

Matthew 11:29 “29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

He was developing their heart to be like his lowly, servant and patient, and strong.

And that he may send them out to preach

all thetime they were with Jesus God’s purpose of God’s calling in their life was not truly manifested to them.

it was manifeseted after his ressurection.

Luke 24:44–48 (NKJV)

44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”

45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,

47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

48 And you are witnesses of these things.

The purpose was for them to witness, his death, burial and resurrection and then become witness of this things to all nations.

When they were with Jesus, they did not realise that he was being betrayed let alone be crucified.

His death was a shock to them let alone his ressuraction.

Yes, they had and idea that they were called to preach but not to preach the death and ressurection of their Lord and that to all nations.

They had no clue that God’s purpose will entail that they leave where they have grown up, the environment which their were familiar with. Go to far places like Macedonia and Rome and proclaim what they have seen to the Gentile.

Many of the desciples, died outside Jerusalem. Some in Rome, another in India, another in Ethiopia, another in Macedonia.

Those who remained with him until the end, the pourpose of God was finally manifested in their life.

And to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast ou demons

Luke 12:49 NKJV

49 “I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!

Once the purpose is brought to light, then the power and authority is given to acomplish that purpose.

Example Joseph

Conclusion

Where are we as individuals and as a church in this process?