[Thanks to Robin MacDonald for preachin' this one!]
Overview
• Previously we've been hearing specific cases of Jesus healing people, being confronted by religious elite, interacting with followers and opposition.
• Now there is a slight lull in the action where we find Jesus out alone praying and choosing his apostles • Normally when reading this you might skim over this section.
• By this time he has quite a following of disciples (v13)
_◦ Other people had disciples also, like John for instance
_◦ Jesus has “a great crowd” here
Apostles
• Meaning: Apostles in the Bible is spoken of in reference to a unique office
• Occasionally there is a broad definition “messenger” but normally it refers to “the twelve”
• These people were chosen by Jesus and given special authority and power (Read Luke, Acts, and how they are spoken of in letters to get an idea of their position and authority)
• They are responsible for the initial spreading of the gospel
• They were the leaders in the early church, they had to teach and train the church and build them up (seen in Acts where they are often found teaching the people and healing them)
• They had the authority to write scripture (eg.Paul)
• Normally if you disobeyed them you were disobeying God
• Important people
• Certain qualification required in order to become an apostle;
_◦ Had to be eye witnesses to Jesus resurrection – these twelve would soon be witnesses
1. Acts 1 “...the apostles whom he had chosen. To them he presented himself alive after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.”
▪ In Acts 1 when they're trying to find a replacement apostle, Peter says the person must be chosen from among the wider group of disciples, he must be “with them an eye witness to Jesus resurrection.”
▪ Paul uses the fact that he'd seen the resurrected Jesus as vindication that he was an apostle. In Corinthians when his apostleship is called into questions he points to the fact that he saw the resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus.
_◦ You have to be specifically chosen by Jesus
▪ The twelve were chosen
▪ For the replacement apostle, you read it Acts 1 that they pray “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen...” and they cast lots.
▪ With Pauls conversion when Jesus appears to him he says this in Acts 26 “I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you...”
• These qualifications give them integrity, their testimony is trustworthy, the twelve wouldn't be passing on a message that they'd hear from somewhere else. They're not just the followers of a new scholar who has a new theology on scripture. It's not a fad or a cultural movement, it's not just a new ideology. They have been chosen to be eye witnesses to historical events and because of that are burdened with the epic responsibility of telling the world about those events.
• It's not a coincidence that Jesus chooses twelve apostles rather than another number
_◦ twelve sons of Jacob whose offspring would be the twelve tribes which made Israel
_◦ twelve comes up a lot ie Revelation where there is the woman with a crown of twelve stars (ie Israel)
_◦ This number twelve, look what Jesus is saying, he's saying this is Israel, this new thing that's beginning is another step in Israels history
_◦ Interesting passage in Revelation 21 of the New Jerusalem, it has twelve gates, with the twelve tribes of Israel inscribed on them. The walls have twelve foundations and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the lamb.
_◦ These guys are the foundation of the New Jerusalem. This is a big deal.
• Do you see then why Jesus spent the whole night in prayer before calling the twelve?
• So who'd he choose?
_◦ A bunch of fishermen, a farmer and a tax collector
_◦ This is completely absurd (No Pharisees or important religious people?)
_◦ This isn't a mistake, this is how God has chosen to operate
_◦ God chooses to work by putting his people in situations. Remember even Jesus disappeared shortly after his resurrection and instead worked through his people.
_◦ This is such motley crew, God works through these unlikely people
_◦ Have you ever been part of weird team?
_◦ This is the diversity that the church should display
_◦ Simon, who was a zealot (ie. Jewish Nationalist) was in a a team with Matthew the corrupt tax collector who worked for the Romans!
_◦ It's surprising that Matthew who has the financial background wasn't put in charge of the disciples purse, Judas was.
Submission to Authority
• Gods church has leaders and hierarchy
• Jesus is the leader of this team
• Whenever the twelve are listed Peter is at the top, Judas at the bottom
• There's elders and deacons that are set up by God
• Our culture hates this, why would you willingly submit to another authority?
• This is counter cultural
Prayer
• Jesus pattern here is of humble prayer followed by action and is a good one to follow
_◦ Normally we have the idea first, action second, then pray when it gets hard
_◦ We think we know best. “God, please make this happen.”
_◦ Though Jesus prayed for deliverance before his death he said “your will not mine”
_◦ Prayer is actually an act of humility/submission
_◦ Our will should be conformed to Gods will
_• Luke records Jesus pattern of praying alone, eg. 5:16 – withdrawing to desolate places
_◦ away from distractions
_◦ This is effective, just to concentrate for 10minutes or 3 hours
_◦ You need time to think, what are you thankful for? Anxious about? What should you be repenting of? Who else do you need to pray for?
_◦ Jesus seemed like a busy guy but still found the time to do it.
Calling
• Up till this point disciples have been spectators
• Now there's a call, a turning point
• At some point you'll be asked to move from being a spectator/consumer to something else
• Our culture only thinks about consumption, how am I being served? What am I getting?
• There's a point where Jesus wants us to move from observer/consumer to producer/creator
• Being part of Gods kingdom means participating in it. Remember God has chose to work through us.
• What kind of calling is this?
• Jesus asked a lot from these guys
_◦ Peter, Bartholomew – Crucified upside down, at their request.
_◦ Andrew – Crucified on a cross the shape of an X
_◦ James – was killed by a sword under the command of Herod
_◦ Philip – tortured then crucified/beheaded
_◦ Thomas – stoned and stabbed to death
_◦ James – thought to have been clubbed to death in Egypt
_◦ Simon – either crucified/ sawn in half, perhaps died peacefully
_◦ Jude – Martyred
_◦ John – perhaps the only one to have died naturally
• Is it worth it? Was it worth it for them?
_◦ Look at verses 17-19, this is what they are part of
_◦ Following Jesus, see these miracles, witnessing his power
_◦ They were part of an amazing ministry, Gods calling is a calling into his kingdom _◦ It's not supposed to be easy but is totally worth it
• For these sleepy young men, how apt then is Jesus next words starting in verse 20.
0 comments:
Post a Comment