The Twelve Apostles (Part A)

I would like to see pick me. I would not want to be left out of the number and therefore I find this to be a very important section of Scripture for us today say we follow and believe the Lord Jesus Christ should be very interested in the people whom he has had his eyes on me, as prayed over all night for the work of ministry, the work of others.

That is to his glory. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Mark, please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching today.

Pastor Rick begins a brand-new study called the 12 apostles in Mark chapter 3 Mark's gospel chapter 3 you have your Bibles will take verses 13 through 19.

And he went up on the mountain and called to him those he himself wanted and they came to him then he appointed 12, that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have power to heal sickness and to cast out demons, Simon, to whom he gave the name Peter James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom he gave the name Bonnet Bonnet Jesus that is Sons of thunder, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alpheus Thaddeus Simon the Canaanite and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him and they went into a house. I'm very much interested in the men the Jesus picked to be close to him.

I would like to say pick me.

I would not want to be left out of the number and therefore I find this to be a very important section of Scripture for us today. You say we follow and believe the Lord Jesus Christ should be very interested in the people whom he has had his eyes on me, as prayed over all night for the work of ministry, the work of others. That is to his glory. Interesting thing this morning as I was driving ill interesting to me and talking to the Lord.

And then I asked the what will I pray Lord that really is for you for so many things that are concerning me and the interests of those around me. But what is really for you after we get past the Lord, you know, we we praise you. We thank you and then what happens and I think that is it is healthy. Of course, to think those things is a Christian to take our eyes off of the things around us and look up at the Lord's throne where he sits and say what can I do for you and that is what ministry is it is saying to the Lord, what can I do for you and it is on behalf of others. It is to God's glory into our benefit. We are considering the 12 apostles and is a very important subject.

We get to the letter in Ephesians, Paul writes to that church. He says he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, pastor teachers, and then he goes on to say, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edification of the body of Christ.

But at the top of that list. There are the apostle, there be no church without them Juden the end of his letter.

Having already reference the importance of the apostle says, but you but you, beloved love how he singles out the flock and the individuals within the flock, but you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Lord's appointment of his 12 apostles is so important to the ministry of Messiah that in the heavenly city. There will be monuments celebrating their selection and their work. Revelation 21 now the wall of the city had 12 foundations, and on them with the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb. So this is big stuff to pass over it very quickly reading it you know we get to the names in the night when he prayed okay. We just take it for granted. It's almost you know, sometimes the miracles that Christ did are really not impressive. From this perspective will, of course, he's God. Of course he could do that. I'm not surprised I'd be surprised if he couldn't, but we gotta be careful with those things because they can make us dull. So we look at verse 13 anyone up on the mountain and called to him those he himself wanted and they came to him. Of course he doesn't mean he pick those he wanted he didn't want the others but he wants to bring around him. These men handpicked selected by him for a greater purpose. Without this move, according to all we know about the New Testament church to this day. Without this movement being on New Testament church. This mountain of course offered the privacy and and reduced to distractions where he could pray and concentrate and whenever we come to the mountains and marker concerning the disciples of Connie interesting the Lord's prayer here. He's choosing them in Mark three. Mark's 60s watching them struggle in the acts of obedience there on the Sea of Galilee. While he is not on most likely mount Arbel praying for them and then in Mark chapter 9.

He is up on the mountain with them and there he reveals himself to him in his glory and the splendor and the Mount of Transfiguration that great moment. Luke says that he prayed all night about these men. Luke chapter 6 verse 12. Now it came to pass in those days that he went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. So this is pretty intense. Nothing routine about this. By morning he was ready to make his choices known and there was a dozen men that he would pick. He knew from the beginning what would happen to Judas but Judas was given every chance to not let that happen. And of course while God knows what's going to happen.

It does not mean he caused it and that I think is within an important part of our theology. This is a special group of men who could who were chosen by him to be not only disciples but apostles took him to the next level in acts chapter 1 and we call it acts of the apostles that book that follows the book of John. Some would like to change the name or also as an alternate offer up acts of the Holy Spirit. What would be acts of the Holy Spirit in the lives the apostles.

Such a revelation of what the Lord was intending when he picked these men. Acts chapter 1, of course, loosed us all all renal writing to the awfulness of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach and then he says, until the day in which he was taken up after he through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom he had chosen.

So there. Luke again been under the leading of the Holy Spirit is making this point this is emphasizing their role which would give them authority to block out those who would corrupt the church in its early stages as Paul said after my departure ravenous wolves will come in, not sparing the flock is men had a lot of authority in the church. Matthew 1818 Jesus speaking of them said assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. That's a lot of authority they needed was a be looking over their shoulders because it may threaten to get paranoid. Your paranoia can really get out of hand. You go to a football game you see them huddle your thinking they're talking about you is pretty self-centered man who could carry on his work after he departed that fledgling stage in the early stages, the birth of the church that first church in that sense there would be no book of acts that would be no church without which Jesus is doing here and he does not go to the schools of the rabbis to find these men I'm in Kamali L had a great school there in Jerusalem. Paul was a alumni of that school he passes. Of course the art the Lord does the ops not to go there to find these followers. These men will be closely related to him.

He did not put it to a vote. He did not establish a committee he went to his father in heaven and that's where it was settled. The Lord is in the habit of inviting but not insisting and he stands at the door and he knocks but we never see him knock the door down.

We never see him break and enter. He wants to be a part of us and what were doing, but he will not force himself and that he chose men who at this moment were not ready there was nothing remarkable about them. They will be ready by the time he is done with them, he will make them so. Thus, verse 14. If you look with me now.

Then he appointed 12, that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach well.

12 symbolic of course. Of the 12 tribes of Israel. But it's more than that here. This is symbolic of reestablishment is reconstructing the plan of God in comparison to what was already made known, which was Julia's is saying now. Now we are structuring going forward. The new covenant. The Messiah is here and this is how he is going to set it up. The people of God will be set up around the apostles New Testament teaching. That's why we are ministers of the new covenant. Paul said not, without the old covenant with the new does take precedence. Jeremiah 3131 behold, days are coming, says Yahweh when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.

Will that day is here is that it's coming now do crisis of his making that transition, bringing in these 12 men is very much a big part of it. He says that they might be with him. Well, if we have not been with Jesus we really have nothing to say on his behalf. We really cannot minister effectively what we have to preach if we've not been with Jesus. How can you share the gospel that you've not been with Jesus ask again.

Chapter 19 we have a story of these men who wanted to sort of reduced the Christian work to a formula that would fit anyone and they had no relationship with Christ and they sought to cast out a demon. It was a big mistake for them. Acts 19 verse 13 then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcist took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirit saying we exercise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches not whom we know we've been with whom we preach, but they sort of, you know, vicariously, someone else is really doing this which is the spokesman that was the idea in verse 15 of acts 19 and the evil spirit answered and said Jesus I know Paul I know who you are, speaks volumes to us. You can pretend that the faith you can't pretend in ministry. Many people come into a church, and I think they are older position in the church because the position outside the church doesn't work that way.

Continuing in acts 19 verse 16 then the man in whom the evil spirit was, in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpower them, and prevailed against them so that they fled out of the house naked and wounded and get much done that day by borrowing Christianity as you. We have to be with him that they might be with him again. Apart from being with Jesus we we detect nothing in ourselves useful for him their connection with him made them remarkable.

Eventually, but not without blood in the Psalm Psalm 110 Psalm that Jesus applied to himself and then the church picked it up and continued it. We see it again in the book of acts, and afterwards in Psalm 110 is a messianic Psalm, and Jesus using that Psalm was saying, I am the Messiah, and I am here but verse three of Psalm 110 is this way your people shall be volunteers in the day of your power in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning, you have the do of your youth here might be a good point to say. These men were probably not. I don't cannot say for all of them but some of them were in their 20s they were young men, you could say, like me, and hear the what he is saying you have the do of your youth. You have retained your freshness. You have not become jaded, worn out because of opposition you're still fresh there still energy that is with you. You have the do of your youth, so the king keeps his first freshness through life through service through ministry. Unlike, for example, those in Hosea chapter 6. For the prophet says this about those of the tribe of Ephraim.

He says oh you from what shall I do to you. Oh Judah, what shall I do to you for your faithfulness is like a morning cloud and like the early do it goes away.

You catch the contrast there in Hosea, he's writing to the tribe so to the kingdom. Actually, the northern tribes represented by Eve from an Judah and Simeon represented by by Judah, and he says that you know you your devotion is fickle. It's not trustworthy is here one minute is gone. The next minute when the sun rises and beats on the do it dries it up is gone. In contrast to Messiah you have the do of your youth and it is retained from the womb of the morning from the very beginning and so he goes forth with vigor with holiness and glory does not fade and those who follow him are dedicated volunteers.

That's how that starts off in Psalm 110.

Your people shall be volunteers in the day of your power. Why does he need that power because he has to confront. He has to do battle and these men are going to be a part of that battle as we are to this very day souls get saved because there is still the church and there still church. The church is battle the church is pure and strong in the eyes of God, because the blood of Christ is to preach the word which is emphasized throughout the New Testament is an interesting thing when you go into a Bible believing church. You see, the pulpit, that is the centerpiece.

The saying to all visitors is the word of God is preached here what God has to say is paramount here not to pick a fight, but to make contrast. You go into a Roman Catholic Church is the altar. It's not the pulpit that centrist that's their choice. Our choice is thus saith the Lord Faith comes by hearing hearing by the word of God, precept upon precept, line upon line mention I live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God reach the word in season, out of season, convict, rebuke, and exhort with all long-suffering teaching for the time, they will no longer endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires will heap up for themselves teachers, and so yes, the pulpit is centerpiece and that's why we keep reading and Jesus went into the synagogue weight Luke and in the gospel of Luke and in the book of acts.

See rev refers to the said going into the synagogue more than all of them. That's where the battleground was in the early days when they were making it clear that Christianity was not a sect of Judaism and Christianity was the next phase of the prophets is found in the Old Testament according to God and so here we are joining the fight as these 12 as those early Israelites rallied behind Deborah and Mubarak to do battle. Judges 518. They made a song about them. Some of them did not show up to the battle and that's in the song also.

They were busy, you know, cutting bait and putting the bait on hooks, but they were not the battlefield, but these two tribes here. Zebulon is the people who jeopardize their lives to the point of death. Naphtali also on the heights of the battlefield. They responded to the call will is that not a picture of what were supposed to do as Christians is what we serve.

We don't say will all certify like it. You may like it.

Nothing wrong with that but if you do like serving the time will come, where you will be challenged. I found personally, everything is challenged.

Nothing gets a pass in this life as a Christian.

Whatever you commit to it will be resisted. At some point you can go years, loving the word and then out of nowhere the love is you can't find it now and you'll have to fight to get it back. These things should not knock us off the top of the hill they should make us be ready to stay on top of the hill. What would we expect from a devil. Roses I mean if he gives you roses going to feel like something Daffy duck would give you know would be a bomb in it. Revelation 1211 makes this connection to those of Judges 518.

They overcame him by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Why is that because death meant for them new life and it was not worth turning against Jesus in this life still even this is not enough to make followers of Jesus Christ into disciples into apostles. You can follow him. But are you disciplined enough to continue to follow and are you then disciplined enough to be sent our that's what the word apostle means those who are sent so we come now this next clause in verse 14 that he might send them out to preach and there it is to preach the goal is not to first appeal to the emotions goal is to get to the soul of the individual and so this sending them out to preach errands them. This title apostles, a microcosm of what the Christian mission is to preach the word to tell people about what God is said to be right with God and to live in this life to preach, not to be celebrities not to be social activists. These men were to preach God's word and they were not to be anything less than tellers of the word of God, how trivial is preaching so many that profess Christ they really just want to come for the songs they don't want to sit under the word is not easy to sit. Therefore, I don't know. We would have sermons at like 10 minutes here and it can be hard to sit for 10 minutes or am I just losing track of time. Yes, it's hard to listen to one man speak on a topic for an hour, but it's what it takes. And if you start whittling thataway you going to whittle in a way, until you have these little sermon that these little cute little things that mention you now or something like you know Blessed are the merciful, for they shall find mercy okay everybody, let's sing another song is not the Christianity proposal preach so long.

People fell out of Windows ME and it was just guided that that the people get killed over that church knock them dead. Paul Soho so understand that up of the pastor is not looking. How can I make discernment when he starts thinking how can I make this shorter might be a problem you we are to be disciplined well again he sent them out to preach and this led to their deaths and persecutions. Incidentally, it was not justice game.

I just love giving commentary on the Bible. I love just telling people what you know about Moses throwing down the stones and you know Daniel in the den, yet just long as none was throwing stones at me and throwing me into a den. That's what we're finding out in the age we live in where the beginning to face increased persecution, our preaching leads the countless amount of souls getting saved.

That's what it's about getting saved from a very real hell that they think they can somehow survive.

You does this meant mindset of well I made it this far. I guess going to work for you in hell, it will not. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Verse 15 to have power to heal sickness and to cast out demons.

Of course in Jesus day and some other sections of the ancient days of the approach of the prophets, visible miracles were widespread, but that's not the case anymore because we're in the age of truth. Now where in the age of grace by faith God's grace comes before his truth. In this sense, if there is no grace and want to see the truth matter but it is because of his grace in his kindness to truth means something to me it gives me a chance now with God in the Old Testament when you came to the tabernacle to make your offering was the grace of God that let you come do that twice chased Adam and Eve out of the garden of Eden unless the aid of the other tree and God knows what he's doing and by faith we know that so as important as healing is to us. And if you are sick or loved one is sick. Healing becomes very important but it is still secondary to God. We have to learn to accept this is not easy and not trying to make this drover's overly simplified but first things the first thing therefore thinks they don't move because their right knowledge of God is always foremost but notice that if a person is physically sick and spiritually sick.

Do so, they get better just die and go to hell later benefit is that to anybody who thinks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Mark cross reference radio is the teaching ministry of pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia to learn more information about this ministry.

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