Jesus calls the Twelve Apostles
Luke 6:12-26
Key verse 6:13
“When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles.”
Have you ever been chosen to do something? I am sure all of you could say, “Yes”. But if I asked you how you felt when you were chosen , you might all have different reactions based upon what you were chosen for. These reactions might be one of excitement, surprise, avoidance or indifference. But how would you feel if you knew that you were chosen by God himself? How would you feel about God? What difference would it make in your day to day life that God chose you?
In today’s message, Jesus chose twelve regular and ordinary men out of hundreds who followed him to be his apostles. Jesus’ choosing of these twelve men is the most significant landmark in New Testament history. This is because Jesus chose these twelve men to be the future leaders and foundation of the early church. It was these men whom that changed the course of human history by bringing the message of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection to a world cut off from God because of sin. Even to this day, the choosing of the twelve is affecting our world.
As we hear this morning’s message, let’s keep it in our mind and meditate on it in our hearts that even today, yes even today, all over the world, that Jesus Christ is still calling and choosing men and women, like us, to be his apostles.
Part 1. Jesus Spent the Whole Night Praying to God (12)
Let’s read verse 12, “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.” Wow! Is this a typographical error! Does it say that Jesus spent the night praying to God?! Yes! This is what it says. He spent the whole night in prayer to God. Have you ever tried to do this? On several occasions I had in my mind to do this, but I only really attempted it one time. When I tried to do it, after about 20 minutes I fell asleep and didn’t wake up until early in the morning. Then I went into my bed and slept until my alarm clock went off. I could not do it because I am not a night person. But I guess I couldn’t do it because I did not have such a pressing problem on my heart like Jesus did.
What exactly was the pressing problem on Jesus’ heart at this time? It was the growing opposition of his message and actions by the religious leaders---that is the Pharisees and the teacher’s of the law. Whenever Jesus said something or did something to reveal God’s love and the reason why he came, they became critical, judgmental and felt that their authority was being threatened. When he told a paralyzed man that his sins were forgiven, they muttered under their breath, “This is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” When Levi the tax collector experienced Jesus’ merciful love and celebrated by inviting all his tax collector buddies to a big party including Jesus, they complained and said, “Why does he eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” But what really began to tick them off was when he healed people on the Sabbath which they thought was breaking the law of God. When he healed a man with a shriveled hand on the Sabbath, they were furious and began to plot how they might kill Jesus.
Jesus was heartbroken by their hardened hearts and blatant rejection.. It was not about his life that he cared about. Jesus knew that he came to suffer and die for the sins of the world. He was not trying to avoid his death. But he was grieving in his heart and very troubled over the fact that the religious leaders, those who had been entrusted by God, to be the examples of a godly people and who were suppose to shepherd the people, had no mercy and compassion for those who were suffering and who needed God’s help. Instead, they only were using their positions and the people for their own self-glorification.
What can one do when everyone seems to be against you and despises you and wants to do harm to you, even though everything you did was out of love? It is easy to give up because it is too much trouble to go on, too much sacrifice, too much heart-ache, too much pain and anguish. It is easier to go and take your frustrations out playing X-box or escaping from your problems by watching many movies and eating a lot in a dark room. But Jesus did not give up. Instead, as we see in verse 12, he prayed to God. His prayer did not stop after 10 minutes or one hour or two hours. It went through the whole night. As he prayed, he poured out his heart to God. Every problem, every trouble, everything that as on his heart and mind, he gave to the Lord. As he prayed, he trusted that God, his Heavenly Father knew how to help and had the best answers and solutions.
Jesus’ prayer life is recorded more in Luke’s gospel account than any other of the gospel. It shows Jesus’ human side and how much he trusted in God and relied on God. It shows his constant fellowship with God. Especially in times of crisis and important decision making, prayer was a very active part of Jesus’ life. This is really the great part of our Christian life. When we are distressed we can go to God in prayer. We can take everything and anything to God in prayer. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
When we are faced with an important decision what should we do? Should I hang out with these people or not? What is the best major for me to study in college? What should I do with my life? We don’t know what to do. But God knows the best answer and solution. So going to the Lord in prayer is what Jesus shows us. If he prayed, so should we. Then God will lead us and guide us. He will direct our paths of life. When we learn to pray like Jesus, then he will turn our darkness into light. We see that as Jesus spent the night praying to God, the darkness started to change into light as the sun rose above the horizon. When morning came he was ready to choose the twelve. This was God’s answer to him in prayer.
Part 2. The Twelve Apostles (13-16)
Let’s read verse 13, “When morning came, he called his disciples to him and he chose twelve of them whom he also designated as apostles.” The key words here are “called” and “chosen”. Jesus had many disciples who followed him, more than 500 men (1 Cor.15:6) and also women (Lk.8:2). However, he needed to call and choose some to be the leaders and so he could be with them more personally. In this way, his influence on them could rub off on others. So he called and chose twelve. This calling and choosing of these men was an act of God’s grace. None of these men had any outstanding character about them. There were no class valedictorians, no star athletes, no Phd professors or star actors and performers. None of them were religious or pious by any means. They all had their weaknesses, mistakes and short comings. None of them could boast that they had chosen Jesus and were worthy to be his disciple and apostle. There was no interview process either for these twelve, nor was there an elimination procedure like there is during American Idol.
Jesus’ calling and choosing is God’s divine grace. Jesus said in John 15:16, You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit---fruit that will last.” Why then did Jesus chose these twelve men? It was for the purpose of world salvation. Look at verse 13 again, “When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles.”
Jesus chose these men and then designated them as apostles. “Apostle” means “messenger” and also “ambassador.” Soon Jesus would send them out two by two and give them power and authority to drive out demons and to cure diseases and heal the sick. They would go out with the message, “The kingdom of God is near, repent and believe the good news!” (Lk.9:1-6). These men would represent Jesus and appeal to men to be reconciled to God. By their words and actions, and lifestyle, that is their influence, they would bring the message of the gospel to a world lost in sin. Wow! How great God is to entrust this important mission to them! Wow! How great God is that he gave this mission to such ordinary men! Jesus really valued these men.
Human history shows how these twelve men influenced the world by their message. They taught the message of the Jesus and they lived the message of Jesus, forgiving as Jesus did and loving as Jesus did. They began to rock the world. By 312 AD, the Roman Empire under Constantine declared Christianity to be its religion. This was the same Rome that 200 years earlier had worshiped the Caesar’s as God’s representative on earth. This was the same Rome that had persecuted and killed many Christians who would not deny Jesus as Lord when threatened with death such as being thrown into the Roman Coliseum filled with lions or being burned at the stake. We see the influence of these twelve men to influence an empire that even foreign armies and Barbarians could not.
How could such a thing happen? It is because God has a divine purpose to use those whom he has called and chosen to bring salvation. Nothing can stop God’s plan to save the world. We also are included in this plan. When we believed in Jesus and were saved, it shows that we were called by God and chosen by God. This is the reason why he saves us. I never thought much about God coming from a non-religious Jewish family. I only thought God was some kind of power source like the force that somehow governed the universe. I also just thought that Jesus was a famous man of the catholic church. But when I heard the message of the gospel through 1:1 Bible study while in college, I became convinced that it was true and that Jesus really was the Son of God. Through believing I came to realize that God had chosen me. This was really clear because I never ever expected to be a Christian. When I realized that God had chosen me like he did with his disciples I felt greatly valued by God and loved by God. I felt important and special. This was so because I saw that God could actually use me to help students to come to know Jesus and have eternal life.
Because Jesus still calls and chooses today, even 2000 years after the event, we who believe can live daily with a clear purpose. We can influence people’s lives, one person at a time, whether at work or school. At school my department chair recognizes me as a committed Christian, though I didn’t personally witness to her. But she began to ask me questions right out of the blue. She asked me to pray for her and her daughter who is attending a University in the Norfolk Virginia area. She and others have seen my patience with students, especially those whom other teachers don’t want to teach. I can only thank Jesus who called me and choose me that I could be an influence for Christ and that I can in a quiet and prayerful way make a good influence in our society that worships many religions and gods.
Each one of us who believe have been called and chosen by Jesus. When we accept this wonderful grace and purpose that he has for our life then we will become such a great blessing with sure rewards in the kingdom of God. What were the names of the twelve men whom Jesus called and chose? Their names are mentioned in verses 14-16, “Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas, son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.”
They were a diverse group much like we are. Why did Jesus pick such a diverse group? It is because the world is full of diverse people. Each one of Jesus’ apostles could understand people who were like them. For example, Thomas was a philosophy major, and a skeptic. He was always saying, “Prove it! Unless I see it I will not believe!” He would become a shepherd to those who doubt and he would be very patient with them, considering how long it took him to believe. Matthew was a business and economics major who later became a tax collector. He was chosen by Jesus to shepherd business people and tax collectors who had been hurt and wounded by their sin of greed. Simon the Zealot was a government and politics major who minored in terrorism. He was very opinionated about the Roman government and organized protest marches. But Jesus chose him to shepherd the crowds of angry and protesting people, so that they could look forward to the righteous and just reign of Jesus (Isa.9:6-7) These twelve men were not the top twelve in Israel, but Jesus loved them and had God’s great hope for them.
And again, we can not ignore how God used them and how they have influenced our society. Their names are still being used: Thomas--Thomas Pham, Philip—Philip brown, Andrew—Andrew Chang, Peter—Peter Woods (Bob and Becky’s son), Bartholomew—Bart Simpson, James—James Park, Simon—Simon Cowl of American Idol, John—John Chang, Matthew—Matthew Kim. No one names their son after Judas Iscariot the traitor. This is the only one. But Judas Iscariot the traitor is mentioned to show the great patience and grace of Jesus who really loved Judas to the end even though Jesus knew that Judas would betray him all along! This shows the depth of God’s love for those whom he calls. (Jn.6:70-71, Jn.13:18-30)
Part 3. Blessings and Woes (17-26)
In these verses, Jesus tells his disciples and us who are the blessed people. As we read these verses 20-23 we might be amazed and even shocked to hear what kind of people Jesus is saying the blessed are. Remember that when Jesus is saying this, he is looking at his disciples. Already they are poor, hungry, weeping, hated, excluded and rejected as being one of his disciples. Look at verses 20-22, “Looking at his disciples, he said: ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.”
The word “blessed” literally means “happy one.” These hardly look like blessed people!! These are all the exact opposites of what the world says as blessed. How can these people mentioned in these verses be blessed? It is because these are not merely human conditions but a matter of attitude and heart. An attitude of humility, brokenness and repentance are blessed. With this attitude of the heart, Jesus will satisfy our hungry souls and give us such a joy that the world can never give. Also, any person who lives and witnesses for the name of Jesus despite the cost is a blessed one. But just how blessed? Look at verse 23, “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.” Jesus’ disciples have a sure and great, it says “great”, not small, reward in heaven that can never be taken way from them. God will reward each one of us according to our attitude towards him.
But now look at verses 24-26. These verses are Jesus’ woes. “Woe” means “warning!” It is a warning of the impending judgment on these people. These are woes to people who appear to be the blessed ones in the world’s sight. Let’s read them. These people are the self-sufficient people who think they have no need for Jesus. They appear content and comfortable with their possessions and worldly status. However, this is a great deception and lie because in a moment of time, it all can be taken way by God the giver of everything. The parable of the rich fool shows that this man did not honor God as God or give thanks to him. He only praised himself for all he had. He thought he was blessed, but he was spiritually bankrupt person.
To be called by Jesus and chosen by Jesus is God’s sign that he loves us and values us and that we are important to him. Even if we have not been chosen by others, and have been rejected and ignored, we should know that God Almighty has his eye on us and has chosen us for an incredibly great and wonderful purpose. That purpose will bring many lost and suffering people to the kingdom of God and will give us eternal treasures in heaven.
Let’s all accept personally that Jesus still calls and chooses ordinary people today, like you and me. Let’s count it the greatest blessing to be chosen by Jesus.