Monday: Selection of the Twelve
Discipleship is not self-made. It is a result of responding to the call of Jesus. Luke mentions that Jesus has already called Peter, Andrew, John, and James (Luke 5:11, Matthew 4:18-22) and Levi Matthew, the tax collector (Luke 5:27-32).
Image © Lars Justinen from GoodSalt.com
Now the writer places the selection of the Twelve in a strategic location in his narrative: immediately after the Sabbath healing of a man with a withered hand (Luke 6:6-11), which led the Pharisees to plot the murder of Jesus. The Lord knew that it was time to consolidate His work and prepare a team of workers whom He could train and prepare for the task beyond the Cross.
Read Luke 6:12-16, Luke 9:1-6. What do these verses tell us about the calling of the twelve apostles?
Among the multitudes that followed Him, there were many disciples – ones who followed Him as students would follow a teacher. But Christ’s task is more than that of teaching. His was to build a community of the redeemed, a church that would take His saving message to the ends of the earth. For that purpose, He needs more than disciples. From them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles
(Luke 6:13, NKJV). Apostle
means someone sent with a special message for a special purpose. Luke uses the word six times in the Gospel and more than 25 times in Acts (Matthew and Mark use it only once each).
The Twelve were chosen not because of their education, economic background, social prominence, moral eminence, or anything that marked them as worthy of selection. They were ordinary men from ordinary backgrounds: fishermen, a tax collector, a Zealot, a doubter, and one who turned out to be a traitor. They were called for one purpose only: to be ambassadors of the King and His kingdom.
God takes men as they are, with the human elements in their character, and trains them for His service, if they will be disciplined and learn of Him. They are not chosen because they are perfect, but notwithstanding their imperfections, that through the knowledge and practice of the truth, through the grace of Christ, they may become transformed into His image.
-Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 294.
Let’s face it: were not perfect, nor are others in the church perfect. We all are in a process of growing (even if others seem to grow more slowly than we would like them to!). How, in the meantime, do we learn to work with others and accept them as they are?
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I am sure to be among the twelve of these days
Jesus choose 12 of his disciples/followers to be apostles. Out of all those who followed him He choose 12 men to leave their normal work of catching fish and join him to be full time fishers of men.
It is interesting that Luke differentiates between disciples and apostles. In the great commission of Matt 28:18-20 Jesus said to the apostles, the chosen 11, go and teach or make disciples of all nations.
According to Eph 4:11 only some are called to be apostles.
We are all called to be followers, pupils of the Great Teacher but are we all called to be fishers of men?
When Jesus called Peter and Andrew in the ocean, He(Jesus) didn't call them to be apostles yet, but to be disciples and fishers of men. Which indicates that we are all called to be fishers of men.
Yes, we are all called to follow Jesus. Joseph, I believe you are right. We also have the example of the demon-possessed men of the Gerasenes. They had only one contact with Jesus before He sent them to tell what He had done for them (Luke 8:38-39). Their witness resulted in a wonderful opening of their community for Jesus when he later returned (Luke 8:40). If we are converted, we will shine for Him (Matthew 5:14-16).
Shirley, you rightly point out a distinction between disciples and apostles. We all have different gifts, different roles in service, and different areas of influence (1 Corinthians 12:8-10). But all have a part in the body of Christ. Please consider the following from Christ's Object Lessons, page 300:
"Service to God includes personal ministry. By personal effort we are to co-operate with Him for the saving of the world. Christ's commission, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature," is spoken to every one of His followers. (Mark 16:15) All who are ordained unto the life of Christ are ordained to work for the salvation of their fellow men. Their hearts will throb in unison with the heart of Christ. The same longing for souls that He has felt will be manifest in them. Not all can fill the same place in the work, but there is a place and a work for all."
Hi John
Thanks for sharing this quote. From which spirit of prophecy book does it come exactly? Will appreciate the reference if you please. Thanks
Thank you John for your quote from Christ's Object Lesson pg 300.
It says the great commission is spoken to all Christ's followers.
It therefore confirms that I am ordained to work for the salvation of men.
Mark 16:15 was addressed to the 11 Apostles.
Kenny, from the context of Mark 16, verse 14 does indeed say that these words were spoken directly to "the eleven" who were in "unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen." The witness of those who had seen Him, even though they were not part of "the eleven", was validated by Jesus as substantial enough that it should have increased the faith of "the eleven". Those witnesses didn't need to be told to witness. They lived out their faith and "preached the gospel" to those whom they cared about. So should we.
I think the difference between the apostles and disciples is similar to the difference we make nowadays between laity and clergy.
The Apostles (the 12 disciples) put aside their previous careers and went full time in the preaching and teaching of the word of God. Kind of like what our pastors do today. Jesus calls of us to share the gospel in the Great Commission... just like you said Shirley, in Matthew 28.
But God doesn't call all of us to do that. Some of he calls to the medical field, to the business world, to academia, or to more hands on trades like construction and plumbing. These different professions can reach people for Christ in different ways. We are all called to be fishers of men... but just like there a many different techniques and styles when it comes to catching fish... so it is with catching men.
Hi Shirley,
I see the setting of the Great Commission in Matt 28 as taking place on the mountain to which about 500 disciples went at the appointed time and from where Jesus ascended to heaven. Matthew cuts out 40 days of Christ's teaching the disciples after His resurrection. See Acts 1:1-11. To tell the truth, I can't find the number in the Bible, but it is in Desire of Ages, Chapter 86.
That said, I believe most Christians recognize the commission as being given to all believers through all time.
Hi Inge
It is Paul in 1 Cor 15:6 who mentions the 500.
I agree that the Great Commission is given to the church as a group.
We are all called to be pupils/students/followers of Jesus.
However Paul is clear that only certain people are called to the more active role of soul winning based on spiritual gifts and gender and the rest are called to the more supportive/nurturing roles in the church. I believe some are called to plant the seed, some to water and others to reap. I also believe each one's calling is important even if it is 'helps' or 'administration'. But if we say we are all called to be fishers of men then we are discouraging those who are called to feed the fishermen. It is often said that it takes 15 people in supportive roles to put one soldier into the battlefield. The soldiers can not win the battle without the support roles, but it is clear that not everyone is a soldier.
Thanks for the reference to 1 Cor 15:6 re the 500 🙂
Yes, God calls us to different roles according to our gifts (but not gender. See Gal 3:28), but I'm not sure that it's fair to say that any roles are "more active" than others. We are all called to focus on Christ's commission all the time in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. I believe that's what Christ meant when He counseled us to "seek first the Kingdom of God." (Matt 6:33) While it may be easier to do that as a pastor, it's not necessarily more "active." Consider:
Jesus selected the twelve apostles without looking at their backgrounds.but he new they could work perfectly.so in our church too we don't have to select some people we think they are righteous to work with.thank u.
I still don't understand the suggestion. Are you suggesting that they were chosen at random, with no regard for aptitude or capacity ???
Hi HA,
I don't believe that Jesus choose the 12 at random, he read their hearts and saw their potential. As we read the gospel we are shown many of their flaws, James & John were "sons of thunder", Peter was too impulsive, Thomas a doubter etc. They came from various social and educational levels.
I don't think that their aptitude or abilities to be ministers of the gospel when they were called was a big factor. I believe Jesus chose those who were willing and developed them to be ministers.
Now today Jesus has a big number of disciples but we're not looking like them because nowdays the people who said they're followers of Jesus they like money and many things of this universe instead of healing,preaching and praying with the one who need.More over people need miracles instead of word of God
Why were the disciples instructed not to bring any provisions with them?
Hi Faith.D
A little thought to your question is that the purpose of the disciples was to blanket Judea with Jesus message and by travelling light they could more quickly..
Their dependence on others had other good effects as well
1:It clearly showed that the messiah had not come to offer welth to his followers
2:It forced the deciples to rely on Gods power and not on their own provision
Hope that could help you and God bless.
Than you. This lesson is really a blessing
It is so interesting to see how Luke gives a detail account of the call of Peter , Andrew, James and John. However Mathew and Mark suggest that Peter and Andrew were called afterwards. Despite this minor variation in the account the truth is that God has called disciples and from them he chose apostles.However today we are only called to be disciples of men in the same vain why we don't choose apostles? What scriptural evidence is there to support our action ?
When God Wants to Drill a Man
When God wants to drill a man,
And thrill a man,
And skill a man
When God wants to mould a man
To play the noblest part;
When He yearns with all His heart
To create so great and bold a man
That all the world shall be amazed,
Watch His methods, watch His ways!
How He ruthlessly perfects
Whom He royally elects!
How He hammers him and hurts him,
And with mighty blows converts him
Into trial shapes of clay which
Only God understands;
While his tortured heart is crying
And he lifts beseeching hands!
How He bends but never breaks
When his good He undertakes;
How He uses whom He chooses,
And which every purpose fuses him;
By every act induces him
To try His splendour out-
God knows what He's about.
-Author unknown-
nb/ This poem really illustrates discipleship for me.
By looking at Jesus' example. If He worked with a traitor, Judas Iscariot, to the very end, who are we not to be patient with others? We should also give the weaker ones responsibilties in church to make them feel part of the team and pray for them. I used to arrive at church very late but when i was occasionally chosen to read the mission report i became an early bird on sabbath. Even when its not my turn, am always early 4 church.
@Debeer, everyone of us is called to be fisher of men. Though the apostles are to make disciple but apostles and disciples are to do work of fishing for men, this is the only commission given to everyone of us.
We are all called to go into all the world (our communities, families, friends, workplace, etc.) and share the Good News of Jesus Christ. We are not saved by God to do nothing. We should be ready and willing to be ambassadors for Christ. Look at what is has done and is doing in our lives. God is so good to His children inspite of our flaws.
So God is not interested in our spiritual status as he calls workers to his vineyard.I have always thought so.
Francis, I don't know how you concluded that God is not interested in our "spiritual state" when He calls workers.
The way I understand it, our "spiritual state," or our faith in His leading, is the primary qualification for service. God is not dependent on our natural talents or material resources because He can give us new talents and the needed resources when He calls us to a particular task.
He calls each of us just where we are - and He asks us to begin by sharing what He has done for us, just as He told the healed demoniacs of Gergesa.
Perhaps it is worth noting that Jesus worked with the great diversity in characters. People who were of irregular tempers, some traitors, some who would only believe when seeing something; yet not even once do we find the Saviour throwing in the towel because of their imperfections. Jesus was perfect and had every right to give up working with these imperfect sin sick human beings yet He did not. Here He drafts out a practical lesson of patience with those that we run the course of faith with. As pupils we are to daily learn how we can practise helping and praying for people that we find ourselves in contact with. Some people will boast of their achievements, some will slack behind and still act weak to certain sins, but in the Spirit of Jesus Christ we are to be patient through the means of prayer and lend a helping hand wherever possible. That is what discipleship entails.
Are you kidding,there is a need for being patient with others, for sure, but what we really need is to be taught how to work with others in a way that empowers everyone to pull together for the same purpose. Please see my comment O.Clayton Reid in this post. I have been diligent to overcome my faults, active where ever I could be in the church and still people stand in the way of whatever I attempt to do, why? It is because I sin differently than they do, and these would be soul winners will one day be shaken up. When it comes I will have already been prepared for persecution because that is what I get now as a layperson in the church who has plenty of useful experience that is not being utilized. Condescending self righteous bigotry exists in the churches, when that goes out so patience and peace that passes understanding will increase.
I am a finish carpenter who works daily on the exteriors of buildings completing the work others have started. I find out what is done right, and how to correct that which is done wrong. My community keeps calling me back and passing on my name to others. I have studied, served, prayed for over 35 years. If the church will not open a door I am knocking on and let me work in the church to disciple others, I will have to go where I am welcome. This is what I am called by God to do as a layperson in the cause of Christ, to finish the work. The faults on a building do not intimidate me, I can find a solution. The idea is that I finish the work building on the foundation and structure which is laid. Wake up out of sleep church, I am called but not chosen and there are many, many like me in the churches and in the communities. Empower your laypersons, give them the work and watch God work through us.