Jesus Chooses the 12 Apostles
Notes
Transcript
1 When they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, Jesus then sent two disciples,
2 telling them, “Go into the village ahead of you. At once you will find a donkey tied there with her colt. Untie them and bring them to me.
3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them at once.”
4 This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:
5 Tell Daughter Zion, “See, your King is coming to you, gentle, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
6 The disciples went and did just as Jesus directed them.
7 They brought the donkey and the colt; then they laid their clothes on them, and he sat on them.
8 A very large crowd spread their clothes on the road; others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road.
9 Then the crowds who went ahead of him and those who followed shouted: Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!
10 When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in an uproar, saying, “Who is this?”
Intro: Today is the day we celebrate the triumphant entry of Jesus riding into to Jerusalem on a donkey. This day marks the celebration known as Holy Week, The week leading up unto Jesus Birth. Jesus death and Resurrection is the very hope of our eternal life. Jesus Christ is the foundation of the church. And so today we are going to kick off this celebration of Christ’s work by showing what he is doing. Today we are going to ordain(set apart) Tom Thompson as a deacon. This event in the church lined up perfectly with the next event in the Life of Christ Jesus chooses His twelve disciples.
Trans: Turn with me to
13 Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those he wanted, and they came to him.
14 He appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, to send them out to preach,
15 and to have authority to drive out demons.
16 He appointed the Twelve: To Simon, he gave the name Peter;
17 and to James the son of Zebedee, and to his brother John, he gave the name “Boanerges” (that is, “Sons of Thunder”);
18 Andrew; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot,
19 and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
12 During those days he went out to the mountain to pray and spent all night in prayer to God.
13 When daylight came, he summoned his disciples, and he chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles:
14 Simon, whom he also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew;
15 Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot;
16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
I. Jesus committed the matter to prayer
I. Jesus committed the matter to prayer
12 During those days he went out to the mountain to pray and spent all night in prayer to God.
II. Jesus didn’t choose everyone in the same way.
II. Jesus didn’t choose everyone in the same way.
13 When daylight came, he summoned his disciples, and he chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles:
11 And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,
12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ,
13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.
14 Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.
15 But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ.
Trans: I’ve heard in churches that there are sometimes those who get their feelings hurt by not being asked to serve in some official capacity. This shouldn’t be ....When Jesus chose the twelve, There was know assumptions made that he saw his other disciples as unqualified, but rather he was lead to them specifically through prayer.
So you’ve got to trust the Lord
Reasons why not everyone is chosen:
I. It could be that it is simply not the right time
2. It could be an issue of personal growth - maybe God wants to grow you as person a little while longer
3. It could be that your qualified and spiritually mature yet God has a different calling on your life.
III. Those He chose for service were given a new identity In Christ.
III. Those He chose for service were given a new identity In Christ.
14 He appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, to send them out to preach,
Our assignment is not our Identity but it is deeply rooted in our Identity.
Our assignment is not our Identity but it is deeply rooted in our Identity.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.
I have been chosen as a Pastor. It is my assignment in Christ. It is not a Job or a position, but rather an appointment by God. It is my life. I am not a pastor because I am hired to be one, I am a pastor because God has chosen this path for my life. This is not to say that God doesn’t at times change our assignments.
Our Identity is Christ and our path is a result of that Identity.
Our Identity is Christ and our path is a result of that Identity.
Trans: In the same way being ordained as a deacon is a result of your identity in Christ. To be “ordained” is to be “set apart” for a specific function. In today’s case a deacon. It is both a calling from the Lord as well as a willingness to serve.
The word “deacon” means to serve, or servant.
Where as an elder, pastor, or bishop has been given the authority to oversee the spiritual things, direction and vision for the church. Deacons are to serve by giving oversight to the day to day operations of the church as an organization and to attend to the genuine needs of the body.
At this time, I would like to invite Tom Thompson to the front. Where he will be publicly examined according to the scriptures.
8 Deacons, likewise, should be worthy of respect, not hypocritical, not drinking a lot of wine, not greedy for money,
9 holding the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
10 They must also be tested first; if they prove blameless, then they can serve as deacons.
11 Wives, likewise, should be worthy of respect, not slanderers, self-controlled, faithful in everything.
12 Deacons are to be husbands of one wife, managing their children and their own households competently.
13 For those who have served well as deacons acquire a good standing for themselves and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
Tom
1. Do you strive to live a life free of Hypocrisy?
2. Are you addicted to alcohol?
3. Do you allow the Lord to direct your finances?
4. Do you hold too and firmly belief the doctrines of the Faith?
5. Are you faithful to your wife?
6. Is your wife worthy of respect, not a gossiper, self-controlled, and known for her faithfulness to Christ?