The Word This Week
Luke 6:12…
Jesus had disappeared up the mountain all night to pray.
When He came down, He delivered some momentous news. From His many disciples, He had chosen twelve men to be His apostles – or sent ones.
It is thought Peter may have been the oldest of those Jesus chose, perhaps in his mid-twenties. John may have been as young as 17 years old, perhaps no more than 15. (He lived to the end of the first century A.D.)
At any rate, the men Jesus chose were the sort of equivalent of a modern-day young adults’ ministry. Probably not very impressive. But Jesus chose these men for a specific purpose. These young men would go on to found His Church. Once Jesus had been crucified, raised from the dead, and ascended to heaven, (in little more than a year,) these young men would be left behind to fend for themselves and to accomplish the impossible.
We must realize the founding of His Church was an absolute impossibility. The enemy would oppose them at every turn, Judaism would throw everything at them, and the pagan world would reject them completely. Even most of their friends and family would turn against them.
As they became closely identified with the Lord Jesus Christ, they would become targets for this world to destroy. (Not much has changed over the centuries for those completely sold out for the cause of Christ.)
Each of these young men would die martyrs’ deaths except John and Judas Iscariot. (Even Judas’ death ultimately served Jesus’ cause in betraying Him to the religious leaders to be crucified.) John miraculously survived an attempt on his life by the Roman emperor to go on to write the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
This was not a group of men the religious leaders would have chosen. They had no theological training at all. But they had been with Jesus to the degree Jesus knew they would remain with Him no matter what. (Again, except Judas Iscariot - but Jesus knew Judas’ usefulness in accomplishing His crucifixion.)
All this would be necessary. They would learn of Jesus from closely watching His every move, and they would remain devoted to Christ and His Church even unto their brutal deaths within 30 years.
We are here today because of Jesus Christ, and because these men, (except Judas Iscariot,) remained faithful to their love for and the cause of Jesus Christ.
Pastor Bill
Jesus had disappeared up the mountain all night to pray.
When He came down, He delivered some momentous news. From His many disciples, He had chosen twelve men to be His apostles – or sent ones.
It is thought Peter may have been the oldest of those Jesus chose, perhaps in his mid-twenties. John may have been as young as 17 years old, perhaps no more than 15. (He lived to the end of the first century A.D.)
At any rate, the men Jesus chose were the sort of equivalent of a modern-day young adults’ ministry. Probably not very impressive. But Jesus chose these men for a specific purpose. These young men would go on to found His Church. Once Jesus had been crucified, raised from the dead, and ascended to heaven, (in little more than a year,) these young men would be left behind to fend for themselves and to accomplish the impossible.
We must realize the founding of His Church was an absolute impossibility. The enemy would oppose them at every turn, Judaism would throw everything at them, and the pagan world would reject them completely. Even most of their friends and family would turn against them.
As they became closely identified with the Lord Jesus Christ, they would become targets for this world to destroy. (Not much has changed over the centuries for those completely sold out for the cause of Christ.)
Each of these young men would die martyrs’ deaths except John and Judas Iscariot. (Even Judas’ death ultimately served Jesus’ cause in betraying Him to the religious leaders to be crucified.) John miraculously survived an attempt on his life by the Roman emperor to go on to write the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
This was not a group of men the religious leaders would have chosen. They had no theological training at all. But they had been with Jesus to the degree Jesus knew they would remain with Him no matter what. (Again, except Judas Iscariot - but Jesus knew Judas’ usefulness in accomplishing His crucifixion.)
All this would be necessary. They would learn of Jesus from closely watching His every move, and they would remain devoted to Christ and His Church even unto their brutal deaths within 30 years.
We are here today because of Jesus Christ, and because these men, (except Judas Iscariot,) remained faithful to their love for and the cause of Jesus Christ.
Pastor Bill