Excited to open up God's word with you, meet me in the gospel
of Mark in chapter three. Mark chapter 3 and put your
finger and verse 13. Mark 3:13 father, this is your
word. This is your voice.
Or give us ears to hear. We know that Satan hates your
word. And Lord, he will try to
interfere with this moment. and so we just ask for a special
protection over our minds and our hearts We pray that all
attacks would be subdued. And we ask, oh, Lord.
That your will would be done in our hearts, as your word is.
Clearly understood no confusion Lord, no stammering nothing.
That would try to hinder. The Simplicity of this text.
Let it move us and change Us For Your Glory.
We love you Lord and we love your word speak.
Now in Jesus name, amen. And he went up on the mountain
and called to him Those whom he desired.
And they came to him. And he appointed twelve whom he
also named Apostles so that they might be with him and he might
send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons.
He appointed the 12 Simon to whom he gave the name, Peter
James, the son of Zebedee. And John the brother of James to
whom he gave the name in the Greek.
It would say bah nargiz that is sons of thunder.
Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and
Thomas, and James, the son of alphaeus, and thaddaeus, and
Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot.
Who betrayed him? You just heard the names of
twelve men whom Jesus set apart as a unique set of
Representatives, who would in a matter of a few short years
impact the course of human history.
Understanding the appointment of The Twelve Apostles is not a
footnote to the ministry and life of Jesus Christ.
It is an absolute Landmark a milestone to the Grand Narrative
of redemption. When you come to this, you
realize that there is a surprising election of unrefined
young Jewish men who would be used by God in such a way that
would have unimaginable Ripple effects going across the globe
and across generations and Promises to have effects until
the return of Jesus Christ. You and I today are benefiting
from the legacy of these men and their faith.
Illness to their lord, and our Lord.
And it's almost difficult to imagine how thus far as studying
Jesus in The Gospel of Mark excluded, the official
recognition of these men that we commonly know, as the 12.
Now that doesn't mean that these men were not with Jesus
throughout the early phase of his ministry.
It does mean that these men were in the same pool As others who
were also following Jesus closely and with great interest
up to this point, but something is about to happen.
The Holy Spirit, indeed takes his time to give us details
about how Jesus is going to separate a dozen of these men.
So that they would be his agents and unrepeatable way by the way,
that would do incredible things for the message and the ministry
of Christ. And as you come to this, you
realize Even In A fast-paced Book, Like Mark, we see some
incredible things to meditate on.
We look here and you just heard even the the location of the
call. You even see the the preparation
of Jesus before the call. To an extent as we parallel it
to a different account. We see here, the names of these
men, we see the purpose of this call.
We see the mission of the call. We even get small descriptions
of some of these men helping us see their Humanity in something
of the grace of God. And because of that, I believe
this demands for us to at least look at some of the details and
to see how these details are significant to the significant
turning point in the ministry of Jesus here.
Now And so, I want you to look with me in this body of text.
Three things and they're easy to remember the first thing we're
going to look at is the planning before the call.
And Luke is going to help us see the planning before the call,
but not just the planning of the call.
We're going to see the purpose of the call.
What was that? The apostles were set apart for
and lastly something that I pray will encourage you.
Deeply are the people who were called, who were these people?
Why did God choose them? What is it about them?
M, that can help us understand how God can use us.
And so, as we look at these things, let your heart be ready
to soar. As you worship, god with me
about his wonderful wisdom, his wonderful love and choosing 12
average men. Twelve average men one, amazing
God. So we come to verse 13 and he
went up on the mountain and called him Those whom he desired
it would be very wrong for us to assume that Jesus did the
spontaneously on some random afternoon.
It would be equally in error to think that Jesus made this
decision independent of divine guidance.
Even though we are told that he chose whom he desired.
Whom he willed whom he longed for whom he chose.
And the reason why I say this is because when you go to Luke's
account, which is the only other gospel writer, who gives us this
occasion and his version of the ministry, and life of Jesus
Christ. You see what Jesus did in
preparation for this? Call turn with me to Luke
chapter 6, and verse 12. Matthew Mark, Luke.
Mark's neighbor is Luke. Luke chapter 6.
Look at verse 12. In these days, he went out to
the mountain, the same Mountain that Mark speaks about to pray
to pray and all night. He continued and prayer to God.
And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them
twelve whom he named Apostles the night before, the appointing
of the Apostles, we find Jesus seeking the face of the father,
Crying out to him so that he would have the revelation of the
men, who would be set apart for his intimate Associates, and it
was not an ordinary time of prayer because this was not some
small verdict to make this was crucial.
This was huge. This would have generational
consequences and, because of this critical decision for the
future of Christ's Ministry in the message.
Jesus in his Humanity. Saw it necessary.
To come before. God, isolated from the busyness
of ministry and even interaction of others to seek God, for
divine approval. He needed a guarantee from
Heaven. Oh, God.
Are these, the men that you want?
Who are the men that you desire? And this is his approach even
though the position of Apostles and this context is unique and
exclusive to these men, not to be repeated not to be
replicated, the approach of Jesus and selecting them is a
call for us to imitate. What do I mean by that?
Realize that he is demonstrating his Humanity here.
And what he is proving to you. And I as followers of him is
that the bigger a decision is, the more prayer is required
about it. The bigger, the decision is, the
more prayer is required about it.
And here's the thing, it would be unfair and unrealistic to say
that, this is how Jesus prayed all the time.
This is how he regularly prayed. He spent all night, she barely
slept. You got one hour of sleep, two
hours sleep. Every no, that's not true.
He did regularly pray. But when it came to major
crossroads that he faced in his Humanity, remember he saw it
absolutely necessary to wrestle with God to wrestle with the
flesh, to wait on him, to take that time to make sure that he
has clear direction from above. And you and I in this life, the
short term, as you heard this mist of a life at the same time,
we'll have dilemmas, you will face times where you have to
make a decision, but it will require special seclusion and
time of prayer where you come before the Lord to receive
undeniable Clarity and wisdom from God.
And the encouragement I get from this text and I share with you
is the example of Jesus in this Jesus saw Prayer as the best and
ultimate resource to turn to and to run to when you have many
options before you and you don't know what to do, did you hear
what? Luke said, go back to the verse
and verse 13 and when day came he called his disciples and
chose from them. So it wasn't like he had 15
guys. Now, he's going to choose 12 to
be on his team. I'm sure there are many, many,
many, many who are walking with Jesus following Jesus asking
Jesus questions, but from among them, Jesus needed 12 and we'll
get to why 12 in a moment. But he did not assume you did
not presume. He did not rely on his own
thinking, even though he is God yet in his Humanity, I believe
the spirit of God wants to show us an example a model so to
speak. That detail, should bless us
because this is an indirect promise is a knot.
That when you and I are overwhelmed with options when we
are, when we are overwhelmed with the unknown, when we know
that there are decisions to make that will alter the rest of our
lives. Pray.
Always pray. Keep praying, stay there, seek
him. Wait on him, repeat yourself.
If need be until God brings Clarity.
And by faith, you have to believe that God will either
providentially make a known and sometimes supernaturally guide
us. When we don't know what path to
take. I rejoice in that prayer.
Works prayer works. Why do you think we pray here
every Wednesday? Because we have nothing else to
do on Wednesday. My Flesh can think of a hundred
other things to do, but pray on a Wednesday night, especially in
the winters of Chicago. But I know that God hears And
here's the thing, Jesus is the ultimate example of a servant,
is he not? That's the theme of Mark.
The servant of Yahweh there is no greater than he and he sets a
pattern for us as a man. He sets a pattern as a servant,
as a minister. He sets a model pray.
Seek God, wait on God, look for him present to him.
And as I come to this text, I also admire the master because
of the context of his praying why.
Now, why does Jesus choose his Apostles?
Not, why does he separate one night just to seek Him
separating himself from preaching, removing himself from
engagement with other people and saying, oh God, I'm coming to
you. Why, at this point, I believe
it. You don't have to turn there,
but it's because of Mark 36. Remember, Mark, 36 the spiritual
leaders and the political leaders have now Now come
together to destroy Jesus. The pressure is mounting, the
persecution is rising and Jesus himself knew the special
preparation that was required for these men before the
crucifixion. And so as he perceives these
things, he realizes the time is short and he comes before the
father, Lord. Now this is when this is, this
is what I need from you. And why that blesses me is
because you know that the Temptation and Times of fear and
The Temptations in the times of pressure is to not pray.
To rely on emotional impulses, to run to so many different
Avenues before you come to the main one, which is God himself.
And yet Jesus here, does not make excuses.
He's not Frank tick here, he's not just making anything happen
because what? We got to get things going.
No, if anything he he feels this pressure but it causes him as he
squeezed. To just cry out to the Lord.
Lord, you see Lord, you know the predicament, you know, the
situation you know the limitations I need you now where
do I go? What do I do?
I will not move without you. You know we consider our church
as a, as an example we believe in a multiplicity of Elders in
the church by God's grace is growing.
All we needed. We need more Elders, we need
more leaders. So why don't we just pick
anybody? Because it just looks better.
Well, why don't we just anybody that knows a few verses and and
becomes some I consistently. There's anybody know.
Lord. You see what we need?
We'll wait on. You will pray.
Some people. I'm getting older still single.
I'll just take the next guy that can breathe.
I can come to church with me and not be annoying about it because
I don't know if he's really saved but God will understand.
No sister, brother pray. Wait on God.
He sees it look to Jesus as your example, father, you know what I
need? You see the things the
constraints, you see the things that are hindering.
This being a possibility time is running out threats are arising.
Please let your known will be known and please, as you make it
clear. Help me see it.
So I can follow Faithfully. This is what Jesus is doing.
It's incredible. It's wonderful prayer, works
wonders but It is contingent Upon A Certain heart posture.
Go back to Mark, did you notice the wording and Mark 3:13 And he
went up on the mountain and called to him Those whom he
desired and they came to him, he called him Those whom he
desired. Jesus had a will.
These 12 are what he desired whom, he desired for himself.
And so when I look at that and I compared it to Luke, I wonder if
these are the men that he desired, then why did he spend
all night praying and asking God for his desire?
Legitimate question. If he had a desire, then why
pray all night for God's will to be known?
And I think that there is a revelation when you marry these
two things. When you bring these two things
together, what you see is Jesus is desires wearing golf with the
desires of the father. That's what you see.
Christ and the father were one in so many ways and one of the
ways they were one was in their wishes, With the father desired,
Jesus desired whatever the father's will was it was the
will of Jesus Christ and there was never a time where Jesus
worked independently from God. And there was never a moment
where he entertained or desire to do.
So he said it clearly in John 6:38 for I have come down from
heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.
And so when you see here, whom he desired his desires and in
complete alignment with Desires of the father.
And that's what prayer can do, by the way.
That's what prayer does, as much as it changes things.
That ultimately changes you, when you really pray, when you
really come into the presence of God in fellowship with him, If
you're ever concerned whether prayer not works, if it ever
changes, anything know this for certain it will change you at
least. And it could forms you and it
shapes you and God sees your humility and he sees that
posture prayer. And as you pray, he promises
that he will exalt us. He will conform us, he will work
on us, he would fill us, he would do wonders in us as much
as we're asking to do wonders outside of us.
Do you want to secure an open Heaven, over your life?
Do you want the strongest signal possible?
If I can use that language in your relationship to God and how
he responds to your request and your desires, then make sure day
by day, that you examine your heart and you are confident to
say I want with God wants. Whatever God desires, that is
what I desire. And God will bless you as he
blessed his son Jesus prayed. Big decisions.
Require unusual praying. But now we come to the purpose
of the call, we see the preparation, the planning behind
it, but we come down to verse 14 and we see that he appointed
twelve. Whom he also named Apostles, so
that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach
and have authority to cast out demons seems pretty
straightforward. But when you slow down and you
look at the order of the objectives, then you will see
something very special about our Lord.
What was the first thing that Jesus desired from Those whom he
desired that. They might be with him.
That they might be with him and second to that, going out to
preach and doing Miracles with the delegated authority that he
has given them. Here's what you have to see from
this. Jesus desires, intimacy more,
and before Ministry. That's what you have to take out
of this before. There was preaching, before,
there is pastoring, before there is writing before any of that
Christ called these men to be in close, proximity to him.
And from that place of Fellowship, from that place of
one-on-one relationship, Ministry service would flow and
that discipline remained with the disciples even
post-resurrection. Remember what they said in Acts
chapter 6, when the when the church grew and there was there
was demand for tables to be served the apostles pause and
they said in verse 4 of Acts 6, but we will devote ourselves to
what prayer and then the ministry of the word that order
is not by accident. In the minds of the Apostles, we
have to first pray, meaning we have to remain in close
connection to God. So we have to seek God, speak to
God worship. God, lay ourselves out before
God. Wait on God, this is primary.
To how we serve the Lord. And everything else will come
from that. And this truth excites me.
I pray that it stirs. You do you know why should stir
you? Because we see that no matter
how Grand your ministry may be, no matter how much demand there
might be on your life Christ, prioritises personal one-on-one
communion with himself, That's what he Longs for even in the
context of you serving him. I see something here.
Don't mistake. What my desire is, ultimately,
that's for you and I to be acquainted with one another.
And this was the heart of Christ before his Incarnation before
his Incarnation during his time on the earth.
And it is even now today while we sit here and hear about it,
Perhaps, you're not convinced. John tells us who was sitting on
that throne and that famous vision of Isaiah, it was Jesus
himself. And when you go to Isaiah
chapter six, which I encourage you to turn to you.
See that while Jesus pre incarnated is sitting there in
his glory and majesty and Splendor, there are these
creatures that are around him. And those creatures were known
as the seraphim, a word that says that describes the burning
ones Do you remember what the seraphim were doing when they
were in the presence of Jesus in his glory?
Well, let me remind you in Isaiah 61 In the year that King
Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and
lifted up and the train of his robe, filled the temple.
Above him, stood the seraphim, each had six wings with two.
He covered his face and with two, he covered his feet and
with two, he flew I always ask the Bible questions.
And I look at this text and I am moved by the sight of the power
of Jesus just by sitting on a throne and the attention and
adoration that just his presence on the throne demands.
But I look at these creatures known as the seraphim and I ask
myself, why is it important for me to know how many wings they
had? And why is it important for me
to know what each pair of wings are doing in the presence of
Jesus Christ? And I know one thing that will
keep me asking that question until I get an answer, it's not
there for no reason. It's not there just to paint
some mystical picture. It's there because there's
instruction And so you look at these, these pairs of wings and
you ask, why do I need to know that four of them are covering
different parts of who they are? Well to our mobile and remaining
in flight and then you read on in verse 6 and you see at least
one pair is is for Isaiah 66. Then one of the seraphim flew to
me Isaiah says, having in his hand of burning coal that he had
taken with tongs from the altar. And so Isaiah is there, right?
This Prophet who before this chapter is pronouncing woes upon
Israel. And now he looks at himself and
he says, woe is me overwhelmed overcome by the Holiness of God
in Jesus Christ? He crumbles.
And here is one of the seraphim who with his two wings that are
mobile flies, he flies to Isaiah and he assists Isaiah so that he
can gird up his loins and stand in the presence of this. 81.
So I know at least one pair of These Wings Are for their for
service and the fact that they are remaining in Flight implies
that they are ready to serve Christ, Swift to respond, not
hesitating, not contemplating whatever.
The word is, we will be ready to go.
And we see that exemplified just in a few verses in this context.
So I see that these two wings are for service.
Okay, that that answer is not. But what about the other Wings?
What about the two that are covering the face?
What? About the two that are covering
the feet. Oh, I think it is so clear.
When you realize what's happening in that room, this is
passionate worship coming from the seraphim.
The covering of the face demonstrates, the absolute awe.
That they are under for Christ. Even these sinless creatures are
overcome by the glistening glory of God, in his Purity and the
covering of the feet. I believe speaks of a kind of
humility. We are unworthy to be in the
presence of Jesus. We are unworthy to be in such
close proximity. We are not worthy to be in this
position of service and so they cover the feet.
The feet that we have so that we can follow where he tells us to
follow. We see that demonstrated by
these, these strange Celestial beings, and when you take all of
this into consideration and do a simple math equation, you come
to revelation Out of the six wings.
To our dedicated to service while four are set apart for
worship. Meaning what these Servants of
God gave more attention to adoring devotion than, to
practical Ministry. How true it is, that it's the
opposite for so many that they put more focus and energy on
doing things for Christ. Then enjoying loving and
worshipping Christ. How is it that we dedicate most
of our strength to just serving him as great as that is?
But leave little to no. Little to no strength and
attention to simply looking at him loving him.
Expressing our love for him. God Longs for us to serve him.
He calls us to serve him from the exercise of sweet communion
with him, and that should not the service to him.
Should not challenge the intimacy with, with him and the
intimacy with him. Should not challenge the service
to him. If it is done according to his
word, we will be blessed in our Ministries will be blessed.
Or else we get into just robotic ritual and the preacher comes up
to preach because he can cleverly put things together,
but he hasn't been spending time with God.
And the worship, team comes up and let's just get this over
with. I'm not really feeling it today.
And I haven't been worshiping. God all week, and the people
come and they just want to volunteer just through.
They can say that. I volunteer and there's, there's
missing something. Where's the connection?
Where's the court of? Love that everything is Flowing
from. Well the comes from doing what
the seraphim do. Oh, Lord, help me keep Keep my
Gaze on you and all that I do for you.
And I'll tell you those who are the most intimate with Christ
are the most effective for Christ.
All the time. There's a touch from God on it
because the Lord knows that they're doing it from a place of
loving him. And so, I just said, - you be
careful. Don't lose focus of what this is
all about. And the thing that keeps you
anchored and your heart pure and your strength real is, when you
sit with him, meet with them, commune with him and let
everything come and proceed from that place of posturing yourself
in love before him. That they might be with him,
that's what he wanted. And from that place, that they
would go out and preach and cast out Devils with his authority
and he, the focus. I want you to have now on that
second part of ministry is the authority, The Authority that
the apostles received from Jesus.
Remember these men are going to be sent out into the four
corners of the earth. Ephesians tells us that they're
going to lay the foundation of the church.
They're going to take what Jesus is going to teach through the
Holy Spirit. Post resurrection and then give
it to us and you and I are benefiting from that through the
Epistles. These are these kind of men and
we see here that Jesus gave him a certain capability.
They possessed it and they operate in it because it was
delegated by God, but it was in a unique way, it was very
special. And when we come to this, we
have to understand that that is not to say that God cannot work
through his people today to accomplish miraculous things.
But it must be understood and must be balanced with an
understanding that God always, always has distributed certain
measures of power at his will and for specific purposes.
That might not be shared in the same way throughout history.
I'm telling you this for a reason, I'm getting to the
reason why in a moment, but I want you to look at this and
realize that they had received authority to cast out demons,
that Authority came from Jesus, It was not whipped up by human
command. It was not something that they
can just do in their own, will know.
It was something that Christ unlocked enabled, a switch that
he turned on and he reserved it for these 12 men and specific.
And here's the thing, the Twelve Disciples knew that Paul a later
Apostle knew that that they have been granted, a very unusual
scale of authority in order to validate their Apostolic
position. Oh, and to confirm the gospel
message, that would be preached into introductory stage.
Of its form and forming can I prove that to you go to Second
Corinthians 12:12? 2nd Corinthians 12:12.
This is Paul writing. And he says, in 2nd Corinthians
12:12. The signs of a true apostle.
The signs of a true Apostle were performed among you with utmost
patience, with signs and wonders, and mighty works.
This proves that this is not, Paul was aware and even taught
that there are distinct signs exclusively performed by those
who were true. Apostles, Some might be saying,
well preacher, you're preaching at a Mark and I say, yes.
And they said, have you read in Mark 16?
I said, yes. And some of you know where I'm
going with this because when you go to Mark 16 And you go to
verse 15. Jesus said to them, go into all
the world and proclaim, the gospel to the whole creation,
whoever believes whoever believes and is baptized will be
saved. But whoever does not believe
will be condemned, and these signs will accompany those who
believe not Apostles preacher not Apostles, these signs will
accompany those, who believe. You're a Believer.
So these signs should accompany you.
In my name, they will cast out demons.
They will speak in new tongues. They will pick up serpents with
their hands and they will drink any deadly poison.
It will not hurt them. They will lay their hands on the
sick and they will recover. They will accompany those who
believe. And you have to come to church
long enough to know when I'm going to say from Mark 16 when
we get there. But let me give you a heads up.
I do not deny that God can Not. Still work through his people in
miraculous ways. But the reason why I bring this
up is because there are those who teach this is why I'm
bringing this up. There are those who teach that
unless you are regularly Healing The Sick unless you do speak in
tongues, unless you do cast out demons even unless you raise the
Dead. You're not a True Believer.
Because Mark 16 says that these signs will follow those who
believe in the argument goes this way.
Hey, are these signs following you?
As a Believer? Let me see your track record.
Let me see your history. Do you have any testimony know?
You might not be a believer. Say people.
Preach that. Yes and thousands upon thousands
are believing it. And they are living under a
burden that Jesus never intended to place on his people.
So that might be foreign to you understand what I'm trying to
say. God can work through his people
miraculous ways. But that Mark 16 scripture
reference does not mean that unless these things are
uninterruptedly happening through your life, then you're
not really a believer. Some might say, well, these
things are not. True today.
Because and the best argument to them is what we have.
The scriptures we have, the can enclose we have all that God
needs to tell us. Today, there is no need to
confirm anything. There's no need to prove
anything like these Apostles had to when they're performing signs
and wonders in the introductory phase of the Gospel being
presented to the world. And so we don't this stuff isn't
real anymore and so certain things ceased while certain
things continue and the things that see sort of things that we
see in Acts. And things that we see in the
Gospels. And so that's kind of the answer
that people give And I think that the burden of proof for
that school of thought is on them from the scriptures.
Then to say, where do you get that from the Bible?
So if people say in common say, well brother, where are these
things today? Then, where they just with the
apostles and they ceased? I don't see anything happening
today. My argument, my answer would not
be what we have the Bible and that's it.
Because I have to I have to do a lot of gymnastics with the text
to make That clear. My concern is the Bible.
What does the Bible say? And here's the answer that I
would give you ready, Hebrews chapter 2 Hebrews chapter 2,
verse three and four. Remember my point is this that
there are some who claim that unless you exercise Apostolic
Authority, you might not even be a Christian.
You might not be a believer in Jesus Christ.
Here's what I see in Hebrews 2 3.
How shall we escape? If we neglect such a great
salvation? It was declared at first by the
Lord and it was a tested To Us by those who heard while God
also bore witnessed by signs and wonders pause, notice God bore
Witness. By signs and wonders the
apostles performed, Miracles at a rate.
And to an extent that when they preached people with see the
signs that accompany the message and it would be undeniable.
Signs and wonders, and various Miracles.
And by gifts of the holy spirit. Look at this last part
distributed according to his will.
So they bring it back to the question, brother, why do we not
see these things so much? And in the west at least because
different parts of the world, you'll hear testimonies why is
it not? Why isn't that like we see it
here in the word and here's my answer biblically, I'm going to
the Bible for the answer, not philosophy, not inference, just
the text because God willed it. God Wills that a different
portions at different segments in history, went to pour out his
holy spirit to what extent and through whomever.
He chooses, it's his will that a different parts.
He moves in different ways in church.
History has proven that that God in his sovereignty, wisdom knows
when and how and through whom to do such things.
And we see that even in our own history Beyond this.
We see that God has anointed Men to do wonderful things, just by
preaching, think of guys like Jonathan Edwards, George
Whitefield, John Wesley, these men were touched by God in a
special way that brought massive salvation to even America.
And So my answer is, well, it's God's God's choosing.
And if he wants to gift the church and a certain particular
way, he can do that if he wants. So what are we to do?
Well we do, what we can, who we do, what we are called to do,
and we preach and we teach and we disciple and we go to the
mission field and let me give you a heads up.
And as we proclaim, the message God in his sovereignty knows
when to accompany the message with his power.
That's how it works. And so we see that these men
have a unique Authority, and Apostolic Authority and
necessary Authority, and this, dispensation of, I can use that
word without scaring people. Of the church age.
This was their purpose. now, we come to the people who are
called, These men were specially called but they were not very
special. You heard the the praying behind
the call, you heard the purpose of the call to proclaim the
gospel to be trained. So that when it came to Jesus
ascending into heaven, he would have his band of men to send out
into the world and to teach that truth and special power.
But have you considered when you coming to this text, have you
considered instead of just trying to memorize the name of
the disciple so that when it comes to a random Bible quiz?
You know how to answer all their names?
Have you meditate on this? Because when I come to the names
here, I don't just see numbers. I see personalities.
I see nicknames. I see.
The power of the Gospel, when it grips, the human heart in a
saving way. And what is possible with people
from different backgrounds to experience when they all live
under the banner of Jesus Christ.
So you look at these names in your realize that Jesus chose
12. And he brought them in and when
you compare the different lists and maybe you've seen this in a
different gospels. You might see that there are
some different names and you're wondering.
Well, is this an inconsistency, right?
You look at some names, like, Thaddeus is here.
Where is Nathaniel over here? Then there's another thing here
and you're wondering. Did they get it wrong?
No, they didn't get it wrong. Can I tell you what?
That is their nicknames sometimes with the same person.
Can you think about how that's, that's so human these guys came
together and they did life together, Day by By day and they
gave each other nicknames. And so, speaks really just of
how how real they were. But have you ever wondered why
12? Why not 10?
Why not 15? Why not 32, why not 50?
Why not for Y-12? It's a very, very significant
number in the Bible. Very significant to the Jewish
people, I believe. One reason was to send a message
to Israel. I Believe by Jesus choosing the
12, he is saying, we have a new government, a new government is
being established because a New Covenant is about to commence.
And in the same way that the 12 tribes and the Old Testament
were raised up to display the glory of God to the rest of the
world Christ, was signaling to this generation that a renewal
was coming to Israel. Something new is here.
A new structure is going to surround and centralized around
the person of Jesus Christ, the son of David and these leaders
that he chose to be under him. So there is no question that
this is the interpretation. We have 12, we have 12 men who
signified, 12 people, who will establish a new government for a
New Covenant, that was prophesied in the Old Testament.
And if you think that that's a stretch, all you have to do is
look at the words of Jesus, go to Matthew.
Ooh, 1928 and look what Jesus says to these 12 and what their
mission would be beyond their lifetime Beyond The Great
Commission. Matthew 19:28.
Look what Jesus says. Jesus said to them, truly I say
to you in the New World, when the son of man will sit on his
glorious, Throne you have followed me, will also sit on
twelve Thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel.
It's clear, it's so direct. He lets these men know who asked
the question. Hey, we gave up everything to
follow you. What's in it for us and he
assured them. Look, there's not just going to
be blessing in this world, but in the new world, you What that
means. That that is a description of
the millennial reign of Jesus Christ.
He's not talking about heaven here.
There's going to be no judgment issued In Heaven.
There is a new world coming in which Jesus, when he comes to
sit on his throne in Jerusalem? Yes, not a figurative Jerusalem,
not an allegorical Jerusalem. A literal Jerusalem.
There are also be 12 different, Thrones each designated for
different tribe of Israel. That will be occupied I'd buy
one of the Apostles. And you know what's so amazing?
That word New World in the Greek.
It's not two words, it's one word and it's only used in one
other place in the entire New Testament.
The the phrase, their new world is the same word that Paul uses
when he teaches through Titus about our Salvation.
And he says in Titus 3:5 that he saved us by the washing of
regeneration. That's the same word and that's
Why? Maybe in some of your
translations, you don't see new world.
You see the word wide regeneration?
Do you know what he's trying to say?
When I come back to physically Rule and Reign on the earth,
this world, as we know, it will undergo a rebirth.
That's what he's saying. There will be a transformation
that will take place upon my return and we read of those
characteristics throughout the Old Testament sprinkled here.
And there, we will see that the animals will be at peace with
one another. We will see that war will cease,
we will see that even Rafi will shift and that life human life
will be extended. There is something there is a
regeneration coming to our planet.
You know, you can take that truth and use that for us if
Jesus is going to come back and cause a regeneration for this
world how can we believe that we as humans and our personal
salvation can be regenerated? Nothing change how the same way
that this world will be transformed and observable way?
And so, when I'm regenerated Something's Gotta change,
something's got to change. And so there is a new world
coming. A regeneration coming by.
Here's what? So beautiful, then the same way
in your personal salvation you don't become completely perfect.
Neither will that new world be, it won't be completely perfected
that will come at the end of the millennial Reign.
When we read that, there will be a new Heaven and a new Earth.
And so we see, even in the Regeneration of the earth, there
will be some kind of hints of sin the possibility to disobey
Christ though he will rule the Nations and it is true with us
in our regeneration as well as in not that we are still capable
of sinning. We are still capable of
rebelling, I'll be encouraged by that truth but besides the point
We see here that Jesus promises his Apostles, you guys during
that time that that nation of Israel will remain as an ethnic
people, that's not politics, that's Bible, they will remain
as an ethnic people until the end of the age and u12 will rule
over them. Judge them, clarify things to
them, direct them. For a thousand years.
So Jesus even having a Future Vision in the millennial Reign
realize. Now I must choose 12 men who
will be my representatives in that new world, who will judge
the 12 tribes of Israel. So he chooses he chooses 12 and
prepares them now and trains them now, but we can end it
here. Can we not Here, our stomachs
might be grumbling, but hang on because we can't stop.
I can't stop. Sometimes I feel like Paul I
want to go till midnight. I'm afraid, there's too many
eutychus. Has that well, Feel differently
about him. If you don't know who eutychus
is, make it a study for your afternoon this Sunday.
I look at this list of men. And I realize something about
the grace of God. I look at these names and I see
individuals, I see real people with with the things that I
experienced in this body, with different ways of thinking, with
different dispositions. And, as I Look to this list of
men, you can do a whole series of messages just on the Twelve
Apostles. Because the holy spirit gives us
enough to work with to realize, God really does choose average
people to serve him. Isn't that wonderful to think
about? And I, again, I'm not going to
keep you here till midnight, but I want to just at least whet
your appetite to see how when you even come to a list of
names. Like this, don't just try to
memorize their names, so that if you're quizzed on it, you know,
how to name the 12 apostles. It's so much more Rich than
that. So, this is just my own
meditation. You can come with a dozen points
from the 12, apostles, even more.
But let me just give you a few to contemplate on When I look at
this list of men, I think number one, that God Longs for family
members to serve him in his new family.
In this list, we read verse 16. He appointed the 12 Simon to
whom he gave the name, Peter James, the son of Zebedee, and
John the brother of James and we know in verse 18 Andrew is
Peter's brother you know the Lord could have called Peter and
not Andrew he called a called James and not John.
But his desire was for these pairs of Brothers to work
alongside of him together. He wanted these brothers who
live together who argued and fought with each other growing
up, who have the same parents who have memories, who probably
have scars from roughing around, as children.
He wanted these men to be a part of his Apostolic Journey for
them and it's true. They each had the choice to say,
you know. I don't want to be an apostle.
This is too much. They won, could have gone
forward and one could have stayed back, but I don't want to
look at that. I want to look at God's heart in
this matter. As the Lord had a plan for these
brothers believe that he has a plan for your family.
He really does. He looks at your family as he
does. These brothers, these brothers
became a team for the gospel. They became a team.
And I believe with all my heart when you look throughout the
Bible, you see couples serving God together.
You see Fathers and Sons, you see this variety of the family
unit set apart for the glory of God.
And I say that I believe God has put you and I in our particular
families intentionally more than just having a safe place to grow
up more than just having companionship but four units and
teams to be made for the glory of Jesus Christ.
I encourage you. Not to look at your spouse.
Merely as A romantic partner. I encourage you not to look at
your kids. Merely as miraculous gifts from
God that you enjoy and provide for as much as that is true.
I want you to see in the way Jesus saw these brothers. as a
Partnership disciples working together for the glory of God.
I know that might not be true for, for many of you here, who
you're the only one who saved with your siblings.
And with your parents, But I'm saying if God allows you to have
a family come with that mindset, that as you look for somebody to
marry that, they would be somebody that you would put your
hand in it to serve Jesus Christ.
With as you pray for your children, that you would look at
them as Servants of Jesus Christ arrows, in your quiver that you
can shoot out into this world. Believe that with all of your
heart God has a plan for your family.
God has a desire for you. One of the greatest Joys that I
have in my life is to know that my brother's love Jesus Christ.
And again, I know that that is not something that everybody can
attach to. And that is the beauty of the
family of Jesus Christ that even if your blood family doesn't
serve the Lord, you have something deeper in this family,
a spiritual bond, But over those who are now stepping in many of
your stepping into that season, I pray that you had a Sanctified
view of the family unit that it would be a team that plays a
part in this larger team of the church that would glorify God.
Ask God, lord. What is your will ask God that
every single one of those babies that come Would be future
ministers, maybe not full-time. Ministers, but ministers and
nonetheless. I see that.
God Longs for family members to serve him in his Grand family.
I also look and I see that God is willing to recruit a variety
of personalities. Even unsanctified ones.
You know where they get that from verse 17, James, the son of
Zebedee and John the brother of James to whom he gave the name
Bonner geese. That is sons of thunder.
Huh? What a nickname sons of thunder?
Bible enthusiasts have debated over the years of why Jesus
Chose this kind of a nickname for James and John?
I don't think it's a mystery, just read through the gospels,
and you'll see why. Just read through the different
moments where you see James and John interacting with people
interacting with Jesus interacting with certain
situations and it all makes sense, sons of thunder.
Yeah, it was James and John who were called to go through a
Samaritan Village and they were rejected.
So they came to Jesus the Same Jesus who teach who taught about
love and loving your enemies. And praying, he says hate Lord.
We saw your power. Why don't you call fire down
from heaven? Let's turn this Samaritan
Village. Into a Sodom.
And you know what? That tells me that James and
John. I kind of have a hint of who
they really looked up to in the Old Testament.
Like Elijah kind of ministers guys that had like, power guys
that had that no joking around. You want to compromise your
done, those are the kind of guys that James and John really
admired and looked up to and it showed Jesus rebukes them do,
you realize that very shortly? John is going to try to stop
people from casting out a demon, in the name of Jesus because
they were not the apostles, and it didn't work.
So he comes to Jesus AG. Is that I try to stop a guy
who's using your name to cast out a devil and she's like, so
they're not against us there for us.
You said, all right? James and John approached Jesus.
In the presence of the other Apostles is Lord.
We want front row seats. When you come in your kingdom,
we know, we can't sit on your throne, but if we can sit on
your left and your right, we want it.
The others are looking at them and they get angry and another
account, they actually have their mom asked, which is kind
of interesting. There's no question that these
men were zealous. They were not just jealous.
They were aggressive. They were ambitious.
They were unafraid. They didn't tolerate nonsense.
They didn't tolerate compromise. Sons of thunder.
But with that, strong personality comes weaknesses.
And you even see it through their lives, you get the
impression that they're insensitive that they didn't
really exercise wisdom and that's often the case when
people are overcome with Zeal, it's usually not met with much
wisdom. At least at first And you know
what, Jesus knew that before he even called him.
He knew how hot-headed they were.
He knew how explosive they were. He knew that they were able to
get violent if need be. And he still calls them.
And you see that he refines them.
And he rebukes them. And he has a great teacher, as a
great spiritual father, as a great spiritual elder, brother
takes his time to channel that passion for good and not for
harm. And I look at Jesus here and I
see Lord, if you're willing to be so long-suffering with them.
Help me be patient with my brother who might be a son of
thunder. Help me understand that you are
patient with them. You are patient with me, help me
also, be patient with those who just have a different wiring
than I do. How many believe Lord that as
long as they are willing to be worked on that you can.
You can use even a son of Thunder to do wondrous things
for the glory of God, but just think about the kinds of people
that God uses in this text alone.
You have those who are Dynamic, like, Peter and vocal, like
Peter, and and dynamite, like, like James, and John.
And then you have these other guys, that you don't really see
much. They kind of work in the
background. They're kind of quiet, but they
are serving Jesus, just as wonderfully They might not have
its outstanding personalities but they are still persons who
are set apart for the glory of God, God's roster of men and
women are very colorful. And the holy spirit is willing
to animate every single type of person as long as they are
willing to allow him to work in and through them.
And so I see, I mean, there's so many examples, I can use from
these lists of men of the different personalities, but
just to whet your appetite. I see something else.
I see that God is able to unite unlikely men through the power
of the Gospel. I get that from Verse 18,
Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and
Thomas, and James, the son of alphaeus, and thaddaeus and
szymon Simon the Zealot. Now, Simon, the Zealot is not
another nickname. It was kind of a nickname but
Simon actually belonged to a group, a political group known
as As the zealots. In Jesus time, they were
fanatical, they were Radical, they lived for Jewish
Independence, they hated the Roman government, they
encouraged a rebellious attitude even to the point of Reckless
Behavior. And violent behavior, these
zealots, they abhorred Rome, and they abhorred.
Those who affiliated with Rome at any level including tax
collectors. And in that same verse, you read
of Simon the Zealot and you read of who Matthew the tax
collector? One is pro-government.
The other one is anti-government like the farthest ends of the
spectrum politically and socially.
I believe Jesus has a sense of humor.
He puts these guys on the same team.
Matthew meet Simon the Zealot Simon the Zealot meet the former
tax collector Matthew. If Simon the Zealot was with his
group of zealot friends. If they ever bumped into Matthew
outside in the world, they would have eaten them up alive.
And yet, in all the gospel accounts, I can't find one
argument. One altercation.
One point of division silence. Do you know why?
Because the gospel brings people together, that's why When you
see these two coming together, you have to realize that this is
a significant change that is taking place in the deepest
parts of human conviction. Think about it, Simon the
Zealot. What do you think he felt when
he heard his Rabbi from Nazareth?
Say give to Caesar. What belongs to Caesar, huh?
Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar Caesar doesn't deserve
anything. Nothing of the sort.
He works with Matthew. He serves with Matthew, he prays
with Matthew, he preaches with Matthew, he eats with Matthew.
He travels with Matthew, because when you have two hearts who are
truly given to the allegiance of Jesus, all other viewpoints bow
down, and surrender to the supremacy of his will all all
and when I see people divided over issues, Different issues.
I realized one thing. That the supremacy of Christ is
not real in their lives. That is not to say that we are
ecumenical and we just join with anybody who says they love.
Jesus wears a cross on their neck, who goes to some church
building. I'm not proposing that at all.
I'm talking about real surrender to Jesus like these Apostles.
And in this crucial hour of bitter division in our world on
multiple fronts, the lordship of Jesus Christ, is what The Church
Must trumpet into the world. Do you understand what I'm
saying? There is no other unifying force
that this world can offer apart from the grace found in our Lord
and Savior Jesus. And no other thing.
There is no other solution. And so it breaks my heart when I
see once faithful Ministries. Adopting worldly ideologies.
And psychological and social Concepts to try to build Bridges
between people critical. Race theory is not going to cut
it. For various reasons.
Social justice ideas are not going to cut it.
What you see on the news and what you see from modern-day
philosophers and psychologists is not going to cut it.
It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that is able to bind the
most unlikely hearts together. Tonight just agree on some
things but to be completely consumed in love for Christ and
love for one another who also loved Christ.
So I'm not one who says, you know, just preach the gospel
that's not address. What's happening in culture?
Let's not. Let's not try to understand
what's happening in our world. No, you know that, but I am
those who will say the gospel is, the only solution it is.
I'm not here to offer anything else because there's nothing
else to offer. Who does Jesus use?
He uses average people Who is Jesus?
Use broken people fragmented people.
People with unique personalities, people from
different backgrounds, and he doesn't hold it against them,
and he brings them together through his Wonderful Grace, and
he does wonderful things through them.
And I'm so glad because I know I'm an average person.
And I know I have a unique personality and I do have a
certain wiring that people don't share and I praise God for that.
But I look at this one. Amazing God and I worship him
for his goodness. And I look into this group of
people and I see average people. Different histories different,
leanings different Temptations but we all serve one amazing.
God, he will use us. He will guide us, he will
Empower us. He will delegate different kind
of authority and giftings to each of us.
But he is worthy of worship and all.
Let's pray. Chloe, thank you. that in that
unique event of choosing the 12, we see ourselves in that moment
God because we see ourselves as Apostles but we see ourselves as
average men and women who are unworthy to be considered to
bear fruit for your namesake Here we are.
Lord in your house with
different cultures and backgrounds.
Different types of giftings. And even personalities.
We thank you that we have felt the unifying power of the Gospel
in this place and we pray that it would only continue.
Lord help us in this season of world history where a lot of
important decisions have to be made some are contemplating
moving some don't know what to do with their children.
Lord made to be reminded that you prayed and you gave
persistent persevering passionate prayer.
Two important things help us do the same.
Help us Lord understand that you have gifted us uniquely and the
Lord, we will honor you by being faithful to the giftings that
you've given us and Lord, in this day of our, would you pour
out your holy spirit so that we can see greater demonstrations
of your power in this broken, dark, and filthy world?
and Lord I see help us be faithful and patient with one
another as these disciples were help us look to you.
The patient one. Who did not give up on these 12?
And you will not give up on us as long as we continue to walk
with you. Help us not give up on each
other. Even when we fail, Even when we
fall into the flesh. Help us demonstrate your
kindness. Let me worship you for these
truths and we glorify you and we say thank you, thank you for
your word. Thank you because you are
amazing. Amen.