Monday 3rd February 2020 Devotion
Scripture:- Luke 5:2-11
Topic:- Why Jesus Choose 12 Disciples [1]
Text:- Mark 3:13
Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach. See Mark 3:13-14
In the first-century Roman world, there were various religious, philosophical, and political leaders who all had a committed group of followers.
In Judaism, dedicated apprentices followed a rabbi. From the many who followed Him, Jesus of Nazareth formed a special teacher-student relationship with twelve particular men.
Although the Jews were used to having teachers or rabbis who taught the brightest pupils about the complexities of the Jewish faith, they hadn’t encountered the approach that Jesus used in gathering a group of students or disciples around Him.
The norm was for someone to approach a rabbi and ask to be taught by him, but Jesus did the reverse by choosing the men He wanted and calling them to follow Him.
And the group He chose was a diverse bunch—they weren’t from the Jewish religious establishment. Instead, the twelve men He chose came from various professions and walks of life.
Jesus found Peter and his brother Andrew casting nets into the sea since they were fishermen. He similarly came across the brothers James and John fishing with their father.
Upon hearing the call from the rabbi Jesus, all four men readily dropped their nets to become His mathetai, His talmidim. No longer would they be conventional fishermen. Rather, under the tutelage of Jesus, they would become men who would “fish for people.” See Matthew 4:18-22.
The amazing thing that we read in the Gospel accounts is that when Jesus called these men, they left whatever it was that they had previously been doing and followed Him.
A. The 12 Disciples:
After a night of prayer on a mountain, Jesus called His followers together and formally chose twelve from them to serve as Apostles.
When morning came, He called His disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated Apostles.
1. Simon, whom He named Peter.
2. His brother Andrew.
3. James.
4. John.
5. Philip.
6. Bartholomew.
7. Matthew.
8. Thomas.
9. James son of Alphaeus.
10. Simon who was called the Zealot.
11. Judas son of James, also known as Thaddaeus, the name that is used in Matthew and Mark.
12. And Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.”
See Luke 6:13-16; Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:2-11; John 1:40-42.
Prayer Point: Oh Lord God, help me to be good disciple unto You henceforth by fire, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Have A Lovely Monday!
