The Call of Christ: Answering Without Hesitation - Part 1

 

"Now it happened that at this time He went off to the mountain to pray, and He was spending the whole night in prayer to God. And when day came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles: Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James and John; and Philip and Bartholomew; and Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot; Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor."

Luke 6:12-16

Good Morning my beloved,
 
We welcome you to worship today in the name of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. It really warms my heart immensely to have you here with us today glorifying God! What a joyous occasion it is to come together as a community of faith, united in worship of our Great God. I want to take a moment to express my deep gratitude to each and every one of you, I am thankful for your steadfast prayers and unwavering commitment to sharing the Word of God through our website and social media outlets does not go unnoticed. I have found through the experiences in my life, that Jesus Christ is truly the solution to every problem, the balm for every wound, and the light that shines through every shadow of darkness. I pray that all who are in need, whether you are seeking answers, healing, or a deeper relationship with our Lord, even if you have walked with Christ for years, I invite you to accept His offer of grace and mercy as a personal gift, it is the key to a life filled with purpose, joy, and the assurance of unconditional love, a foundation upon which your faith will grow and flourish. Let us remember, it is not just a responsibility to warn others of the coming judgement, and to share the Good News of salvation; it is a privilege. Hear the Good News, regardless of your past, no matter your fears or failures, Jesus Christ is prepared to welcome you with open arms, a give you a transformed life and the promise of His glorious Kingdom today!

If God has or is currently using this ministry to impact your life, or the lives of those around you in your community, please write and let us know, we are eager to hear how this ministry has touched your life. Your testimonies serve as a source of encouragement and inspiration to reinforces our commitment to serving God and others. We believe that every testimony is invaluable, whether it's a personal story of transformation, a newfound sense of purpose, or a miraculous act of God's love and grace, helping to strengthen the bonds of fellowship among all of us as the Body of Christ. Your journey of spiritual growth matters, I hope that you will consider sharing it with us.

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Let's pray together,

Heavenly Father,

Father, we thank You for Your Word, our hearts are filled with gratitude for Your Truth that illuminates our path and strengthens our spirit, transforming our lives in ways that we could never have thought possible. Lord, thank You for this reminder that each one of us has been called to serve, may we step into our purpose. For those who have been called to lead, let us understand the weight of our calling, it's not merely a title or a just some role we play, we have been entrusted to carry forward the work that Christ began, relentlessly proclaiming the Truth to the lost for the purpose of reconciliation and redemption. Father, our mission is a glorious one, may we take the responsibility of our calling seriously, to make it the business of our lives to do the work which You began, to proclaim the Truth with a pure heart, reverence and joy. Let our actions speak louder than our words and not shy away from the challenges that may come, knowing that we are equipped with the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill our purpose. It is in His Name, we ask and pray.

Amen

Today's Message: The Call of Christ: Answering Without Hesitation - Part 1

I'm not sure if you've ever noticed, but the number twelve appears more than one hundred times in the Bible, Jacob had twelve sons, there were the twelve tribes of Israel, twelve stones in the high priest's breastplate, there were twelve springs of water in Elim, and at the foot of the mountain Moses built an alter with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. There were twelve loaves of consecrated bread placed on the table in the temple. Twelve silver dishes, twelve silver bowls, twelve gold pans were used for the dedication offering. There were twelve minor prophets that spoke God’s Word with authority to guide and correct the nation. Jesus was twelve when He said that He must be about His Father's business, even as a child Jesus put a higher priority on "His Father's Business" than on the concerns of His earthly parents, the woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years, when Jesus fed the five thousand, they were twelve baskets, on the night of Jesus' arrest He told Peter He had more than twelve legions of angels at His disposal and interestingly enough, there are four seasons in a year, each lasting three months. The number twelve certainly stands out as one of the most significant numbers of importance in Scripture. 

Today, we are privileged to find ourselves in the sixth chapter of the Gospel of Luke. It is my prayer that you will find this portion of Scripture as encouraging as I have because you're going to discover that God doesn’t need amazing, influential people to carry out His work in ministry, He only needs ordinary, imperfect common men who are available and are weak and willing, so that He can display His power and glory. It’s fair to say this was a rather strange mix of twelve imperfect ordinary guys, and yet, Jesus personally hand picked  them out of a much larger community of followers to proclaim the Gospel to the world, not unlike many of us are called to the ministry today.

 

When God first called me to ministry, I already knew I was unworthy, but I felt overwhelmed, and I don’t know, a little bit intimidated, insecure, inferior, but it was God's love that reassured me that He doesn't call the equipped to have a profound impact, He equips the called for His divine purposes beyond our understanding. And, I believe that you will discover by the end of this study, this is consistent with what God does. I believe it’s important to note, that our Lord, in His infinite wisdom and grace, prayerfully chose those whom He wanted on purpose, for a purpose, to be His official ambassadors to carry out His message in His Authority, to change the world. He called them, and they came without hesitation, leaving behind their jobs, their families, and the comforts of home to follow Him. I believe this is a very powerful lesson for each of us today, that unless we’re called, we won’t come. Perhaps Jesus is calling some of you today to impact the next generation?

Open you Bibles with me, if you would and turn them to the Gospel of Luke chapter 6. Luke 6:12-16. I invite you to follow along with me as I read, to set the text in our minds, while we open up our hearts and listen for what the Spirit of God has to say to each of us today. 

 

"Now it happened that at this time He went off to the mountain to pray, and He was spending the whole night in prayer to God. And when day came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles: Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James and John; and Philip and Bartholomew; and Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot; Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor." 

Let's look at verse 12, "Now it happened that at this time He went off to the mountain to pray, and He was spending the whole night in prayer to God." It's interesting that Luke begins with "Now it happened that at this time," he's not talking about a chronological time or a specific day of the week, he's talking about time in the sense of period of time that begins here in verse 12, a time that is easily defined for us by the escalating hostility toward Jesus among the religious leaders who wanted to destroy Him. Feeling the hatred, Jesus realizes that there isn't very much time left before His coming death, He understands that time is running out to choose the men who will have to go out on their own to carry on the proclamation of the Good News for the salvation and establish the church. I want to say that the Bible is the only authoritative Word of God, and because it has the power to stir strong emotions, it is potentially the most divisive book ever written. Almost everyone is happy that God is love as long as you leave it at that and don't talk about the height and depth and breadth and length of the love of God, because the love of God is far more complex than most professing Christians understand, frankly, it can be disturbing even to contemplate. Perfect love is demonstrated in perfect obedience, I know that's not a very popular view in the church today, however, in John 14:31, Jesus Himself said, "But so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me. Get up, let us go from here." And, in John 15:10, He said "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love." God's love extends to all people, never are you more like God than when you love your enemies. There are a lot of misguided Christians out there who imagine that God's love is restricted to the redeemed. If that were true, how did you being a sinner find redemption? Wasn't it Jesus Who said in Matthew 5, "You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven." I’ve always been fascinated by God's love for humanity; especially for those who don’t love Him, this kind of is unqualified, it's a love without conditions. I believe that we have to understand that we are called to love all of mankind with compassion. Then, in Matthew 5:46-48, Jesus said "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." You will never understand God's love if you’ve already determined who He should love. God's love is not motivated by the present value of an individual, but on their inherent value that may be lost. God’s love for humanity is also revealed in His consistent warnings of the coming Judgment all throughout Scripture that you should lead you to repentance. We won’t take the time to recite them, but there is warning after warning because God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked should turn from their ways and live. (Ezekiel 33:11) Despite God’s love for mankind, men are hostile to God's gospel, hostile to His grace, hostile to repentance, hostile to His offer of forgiveness.

 

This is a very important text, we are introduced to the Twelve Apostles and by the time we're completely finished with our study of the Apostles, I believe that we'll know each one of them a little better. All of them were ordinary, common men, four of them were fishermen, one of was a tax collector and one of them turned out to be a thief and a traitor. It is amazing what God is able to do with so little, I find that very encouraging because it gives us all hope. I believe that we can all identify with them for the most part, I can't tell you how many times I've been able to recognize myself in this Motley Crew of flawed men. Paul reminds us to consider our calling, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble. We can certainly see that when we look at the church can't we, they don't even exist?

Jesus bypassed the whole religious establishment as a judgment on the current corrupt leaders of Judaism, He can't choose any of them because they hated Him, rejecting Him and His message.

 

First, let's look at Peter, often called the disciple with foot shaped mouth, acted too hastily, talked too much. Peter was a man of action, fueled by his ambition to lead, was highly motivated and embodied the spirit of determination that many of us aspire to. To this day, he stands as a pillar of faith, yet his journey is not without its struggles. He had a big mouth, which he frequently stuck his foot in, often overshadowing his good intentions, unknowingly opposing the very plan of God. He was quick tempered and emotionally unstable, even denying our Lord three times.

 

Next, we turn our attention to Andrew, on the other hand, was not as outspoken, unlike his brother, he was a man of simple faith and had absolutely no leadership qualities to speak of, in fact, he spent much of his life living in the shadows, being known as Peter's brother. Andrew may not have had the charisma or that dynamic voice that draws people in from the front lines, but what Andrew possessed was something equally powerful, the ability to quietly bring others to Him. In fact, it was Andrew who saw the potential in a boy with five loaves and two fish, and he brought that boy to Jesus. I believe that Andrew teaches us a very powerful lesson, that leadership comes in many forms, all of us are not called to be public speakers, you don’t need to lead the charge to make a significant difference for the Kingdom of God. I'll you this, I couldn't do what I do, if it weren't for those who embrace the role of Andrew's around me, who humbly serve and support me behind the scenes. Never underestimate the power of quiet faith and their impact to introduce those around them to Christ.

 

James and John were brothers, impetuous and selfish, placing personal interest above loyalty, they were quick tempered and hot headed, given the name "Boanerges," or Sons of Thunder, not because they had booming, thunderous voices that were good for preaching, but for their fiery tempers, remember they wanted to call fire down from heaven to destroy the Samaritans who didn't agree with them. I believe this is a reminder that passion is a powerful force, no matter how genuine, if left unchecked, it has the potential to be a destructive wildfire burning out of control, leading us down a path of anger, resentment, and ultimately, away from the love and compassion that God calls us to. However, if properly directed that fiery spirit of passion has the capability of driving us to pursue great things by strengthening our conviction, and fueling our determination and commitment to speak the Truth in love. I believe that we can all learn from James and John, that the key is about using our passion in a controlled, constructive way, all for the glory of God and the good of others.

Thomas embodies the struggles that many of us face in our own lives, the disciple known for his doubting and questioning, when the risen Christ appeared to the other disciples, he wanted tangible evidence of the miraculous resurrection, saying that "Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were, I will not believe," an attitude that could weaken even the highest morale when it seep into our hearts and clouds our perspective of God’s promises. But, can we really blame him? Doubt is a natural human response, especially when confronted with the unexplained, the extraordinary and the supernatural. I believe it's important to remember that doubt does not necessarily disqualify us from grace, in fact, it can be the catalyst that launches us into a deeper faith, like when Jesus met Thomas in the middle of his doubt, and invited him to see for himself, by touching wounds and believing that He has indeed risen. I love that about our Lord, He never fails to meet us where we are, just be aware, He doesn't intend to leave us the way He found us. God often chooses the most unlikely people to accomplish the most unexpected  tasks, in order that others may acknowledge that only divine intervention could achieve such a remarkable thing through them.

 

Next, let's turn our attention to Matthew, a tax collector despised by his own people, whose profession marked him as an outcast, blacklisted from society by every self-respecting Jew because no one wanted to be around a traitor. In a world quick to judge and ostracize those who they deem unworthy, Matthew illustrates that our true worth is not determined by society that shuns us but in Christ, Who sees beyond mere outward appearences, His insight transcends the superficial going well beyond what meets the eye,

Jesus sees deep into our souls. If we're feeling like an outcast, we can take a page from Matthew's book, if we are willing to rise above the opinions and the rejection of others, we can embrace the unique opportunities that God has for us to allow His love to shine through us. Matthew reminds us that when Jesus calls, it's best not to linger too long, waiting until we're good and ready, but to respond sooner than later. Christ doesn't hap-haphazardly call us, its not just a random selection; each of us of chosen with a unique purpose that transcends our understanding of worthiness or capability. He does not look for the most qualified or the most popular; He seeks those with willing hearts, those who are ready to step into the divine purposes He has laid out before hand. In Ephesians 2:10, Paul reminds us that we are all "God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." I believe this verse underscores the reality that no life is a mere accident of fate but that each life is divinely created with care and intention.

I mention this because there are many times in my own life when I feel like a failure, times when I have had my doubts about whether or not I should continue in the ministry or just give up, I mean I was probably the least qualified to talk about Christ, much less have any kind of lasting impact for the Kingdom, yet, here I am, week after week, talking about Christ to all of you, because it's not about me or what I can, but what Christ can and does do through me. I pray that encourages your heart as much as it does my own to know each of us of chosen with a unique purpose.

 

James and Thaddeus were two remarkable figures who definitely would have registered high on the manic-depressive charts, and had radical leanings. I believe they remind us that it’s easy to label people or put them into a box due to our limited understanding, our unique experiences shape our beliefs, I am reminded that even radical beliefs when carefully guided by faith, have the power to change the course of history and inspire countless souls because of our powerful testimonies. How often has our internal struggles, feeling overwhelmed by our emotions or burdened by the immense weight of radical thoughts and ideas, kept us from moving forward with resilience and clarity, consequently halting our spiritual progress? They didn’t volunteer, they were personally chosen by Him, I find that very encouraging that He can use flawed men like James and Thaddeus and myself for the proclamation of the Gospel.

Simon the zealot, one of the lesser-known apostles of Jesus, is often associated with his radical political views, a movement that opposed Roman rule. The Zealots believed in the necessity of a violent uprising to restore Israel's sovereignty, known for their terroristic tendencies, they were always looking for ways to annihilate the Romans authorities. However, by following Jesus, Simon the zealot's life took a very different direction, with an emphasis on  peace, love, and reconciliation for salvation rather than violence for political gain. It's intriguing to consider how Simon reconciled his past political zeal with his higher spiritual calling, a mission for spreading the transformative message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which advocated for loving and doing good to one's enemies and seeking peace.

 

Judas Iscariot, most commonly recognized his betrayal of Jesus, had a keen business mind, a skill essential for managing the group's finances. He was outgoing with influential contacts in high places enabling him to navigate social circles that others might not have been able to access. However, despite his skills and capabilities, it was his greed that overshadowed his other qualities, leading him to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. Judas Iscariot's legacy embodies the complexity of human nature, where positive attributes coexist with profound moral failings. He serves as a strong warning about the consequences of choices driven by selfishness and greed, despite one's abilities or potential for good.

 

Let's go back to verse 12, then Luke tells us "He went off to the mountain to pray." I can't tell you how many times I've been asked, "What mountain was it?" I don't know, there were plenty of places He could have chose from in the area, but Scripture doesn't tell us. I suspect if it really mattered the Holy Spirit would have told us that information, right? We know that Jesus often sought a solitude place to pray, to ask God what He should do, particularly when it involved critical matters, this would certainly be one of those situations as the time has come for Him to choose the Twelve who would carry His message to the world, there were probably hundreds, if not thousands He could have chosen from, that's why Luke tells us that He spent the whole night in prayer. It's the Greek verb "dianuktereuó," a rare word, it literally means that He was awake the whole night praying. You probably don't know this, but I am often awake throughout the night praying for you, seeking His will, I feel the immense weight of your prayer requests. James 1:5-5 reminds us, "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind." Do you remember what Peter said, "To whom shall we go? You and You alone have the words of eternal life."

Verse 13, "And when day came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles." I love that, and it's still true today, some pastors seem to be confused about how this works, Christ calls men to preach the Gospel, our worth can only be measured by our faithfulness to the message we have been called to preach. The church today is suffering because so many pastors are confused, they think their job is to tell God what to do, bringing to bear upon the church their own opinions and ideas, openly mocking Him with their false teaching. God doesn’t want creativity; He wants obedience. Pastors are servants by definition, acting on the commands of God. I didn’t ask to become a pastor, I was called by God, He put me into the ministry. To be honest, I kind of ran from the call to ministry, I don't advise that by the way, God wins. I am fully aware that I am only what I am by the grace of God. I don't ever want to lose the perspective that I'm nothing more than a servant, totally dependent on God, unworthy of such a calling, I’m just a sinner, ministry is a gift of grace given to me. When you lose  that objectivity, you stop appreciating all that you’ve given. Listen, I don't care who you are, you’re not so hot, you're a servant, just like the rest of us.

I’ll tell you one thing, there are a lot of people who are in the ministry who don't belong there, they're standing up there wearing a mask, its obvious God didn't put them there, when they’re preaching another gospel. They’re usurping the office and they're up there just doing their thing, feeling like some big shot, they've got this sense of power because they have everybody sitting at their feet, hanging on every word. That’s when you know you’re really in trouble, that’s how Satan really tempts a man who thinks more of himself than what he is. Oh, the crowds may show up, but there’s no power, there's kingdom impact, because they're not serving God. The hottest hell is reserved for the purveyors of false gospel. In a world saturated with conflicting voices, the Gospel is a church's best defense against false teachers with messages just truthful enough to be deceptive. 

 

Come back next time when we'll meet each of the twelve and get to know them a little better.

 

May it be so..

And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;

the Lord make His face shine upon you,

And be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,

And give you peace.

Now and forever, in Jesus' name

Amen


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