CALLED TO BE APOSTLES

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LUKE 6:13-16
Lesson #17
CALLED TO BE APOSTLES

• Memory Verse: Joh 15:16
• In our study of the Gospel of Luke, we saw Jesus choose some of the disciples around the area of Galilee. They were specifically called by the Lord but they went back to fishing. Jesus called them a second time.
• In this chapter of Luke we will see Jesus choose the twelve out of a larger group after He had spent all night in prayer.
  • Why was it necessary for Jesus to spend all night in prayer?
  • He was going to make a big decision.
  • He would choose the twelve men on whose shoulders would rest the preaching of the Gospel and the future of the church.
  • Jesus was human. He needed to know the will of God in his decision.
• Read Luk 6:13-16 Choosing the twelve disciples
  • Notice that there were others that were following Jesus, but He did not call them to be His close disciples. (13) Why?
    • God has a specific plan for each person’s life. That plan is unique to the person.
    • If God does not call you for one job, he calls you for another job.
    • Truths about God’s calling:
      • God knows our hearts better than we know ourselves.
      • God knows our potential and what we can and will accomplish for Him.
      • God does not call you to a job with which he cannot trust you.
      • God does not call you to a job that He does not equip you and back you to do.
    • Then why did He call Judas Iscariot?
      • He called Judas to fulfill scripture.
      • Does that mean Judas had no choice but to betray Jesus?
        • No. The Bible is clear that every person is given free will. Judas was no exception.
        • Jesus knew what was in Judas’ heart and He knew what Judas would accomplish.

As we have seen through the Bible with individuals and nations, God uses the strengths, the weaknesses, and the failures to work out His plan.

The difference is whether you want to be on God’s side for blessing or on the side of the enemy for cursing and final judgment.

• • Notice that Jesus called the twelve disciples, apostles. (13) What does that mean?
    • There is a lot of confusion and misunderstanding about the title “apostle”.
      • It was not meant to be a title of prestige, pride, and power as some use it today.
      • It was not meant to be a title only for the 12 men chosen by Jesus to be His disciples, and for the 11 who saw the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, as some say today.
        • How do we know this?
        • In the book of Acts the title of apostle is used for Barnabas. (Act 14:14) There is no scripture to indicate that Barnabas saw the crucifixion and resurrection.
        • In the book of Acts the title of apostle is used for Paul. (Act 14:14) He does not claim to have literally seen the crucifixion and resurrection.
        • In the book of Acts the title of apostle is used for Matthias. (Act 1:25-26)
      • It was not meant to be a title that ended with the book of Acts as some believe today.
        • Read Eph 4:11-12
        • The title of apostle is used in Eph 4:11-12 as a gift by Jesus Christ to the church.

There is no scripture to indicate that this gifting of an apostle or a prophet (as some also say) ended with the death of the disciples or ended with the book of Acts.

On the contrary, if God meant for the position and title of apostle or prophet to end then we would not have pastors, teachers, and evangelists.

God would not have put all of these together in the same scripture if some were to end and others were to continue.

• • • • Therefore the position and title of an apostle are legitimate today in the church according to Eph 4.
    • Then what is the definition of an apostle?
      • The word apostle literally means = a messenger sent out with specific orders.
      • The person is called by God and sent by God to accomplish a specific task.
    • Are there signs confirming that this person is an apostle? Yes.
      • Miraculous signs with power by the Holy Spirit that confirm the ministry. (Act 5:15-16 Mat 10:1,7-8)
      • They will be judges over the 12 tribes of Israel in the Millennial Reign of Christ. (Mat 19:28)
    • What are the tasks that apostles do?
      • The Apostle Paul is a good example of an apostle’s ministry.
      • The apostle is called by God to go out and establish churches after the gospel has been preached and people have become born again believers.
    • What is the difference between a disciple and an apostle?
      • The definition of a disciple is = a learner following in the footsteps of a leader or a teacher.
        • Discipleship was very well understood in the days of the New Testament.

In the Old Testament the prophet, Isaiah, had disciples. (Isa 8:16)

John the Baptist and the Pharisees had disciples. (Mar 2:18)

• • • • • To be a disciple is more than receiving Christ into your heart for salvation.
        • To be a disciple is more than just sitting in classes and learning head knowledge.
        • Discipleship is a life-commitment of living with and following after the teacher, participating in ministry first hand.
      • In the Christian life, every believer is called to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.
        • To be a disciple is a willingness to submit oneself to being trained for ministry to others.
        • Read Mat 16:24
        • Read Luk 14:26-27
      • The call of an apostle goes beyond the call to be a disciple.
  • The Twelve Disciples: Organization
    • Our God is a God of order. That is true also of the organization of the twelve disciples.
    • Jesus organized the disciples in groups of three with a leader specified for each of the three groups.
    • The listing of the 12 disciples varies slightly from one scriptural listing to another. However, no matter which listing you see there are always some consistencies that give us this organization.

	Group 1	Group 2	Group 3
The leader:	Peter, always named first	Philip, always named fifth	James of Alphaeus, always named ninth
The group:	Andrew James of Zebedee John of Zebedee	Bartholomew Thomas Matthew	Thaddaeus Simon the Cananite Judas Iscariot, always named last

• • • • Group 1 was closer to Jesus in the ministry circle than the other two groups.
        • Notice that in Group one there are the 4 fishermen that knew each other very well having been in the fishing business together.
        • Peter and Andrew were brothers and James and John were brothers.
        • Peter would become the leader of the church movement in the book of Acts after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus gave him the keys of the kingdom. (Mat 16:19)
        • John, in group 1, was the closest to Jesus.
      • Therefore, we see a pattern of leadership and discipleship established by Jesus’ example.

The levels of hierarchy of Jesus’ ministry:

Jesus Christ
Group 1
Group 2	Group 3
70 sent out
120 in the upper room

• Summary and Application:
  • In Lesson #14 we were introduced to the theme of God’s call on a person’s life when we studied about the first calling of the twelve disciples.
  • Notice that all who are called don’t necessarily respond correctly.
    • The disciples Peter, Andrew, James, and John at first responded to Jesus’ call and then went back to fishing.
    • All people that receive Jesus Christ into their hearts do not necessarily become disciples even though God calls them to be disciples.
    • There are many Christians who consider themselves to be disciples but in reality, technically speaking, they don’t fulfill the definition of a disciple because they don’t go beyond the point of salvation.
  • Notice that to be a disciple is to surrender his life and his desires so as to live differently and learn from the Master.
    • The believer must learn how he is supposed to live in this fallen world.
    • The believer must see his character and priorities change so as to become more like Christ.
    • The believer must learn how to minister to others.
  • Notice that once a disciple was called, Jesus chose out those disciples that He called apostles.
    • Once a believer is saved, once a believer learns how to live, once a believer learns how to minister to others, then he is ready for the next step.
    • The next step is to be sent out to do the work of ministry, whether as an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, or a teacher.
  • This is the established order in the Kingdom of God.
    • A ministry that follows this order established by Jesus will be used by God in a mighty way.
    • A ministry that only gets people saved and does not equip people to serve God will become stagnant and violates God’s command to make disciples.

Homework
Luke 6:17-49

• Application of Luk 6:13-16
  • In what level do you find yourself today:
    • …Having received salvation…
    • …Having seen God change your character…
    • …Having begun to learn how to live differently as a Christian…
    • …Having begun to learn how to minister to others…
    • …Having been called to specific ministry.
  • If you are not sure where you are in your Christian walk, pray and ask God to reveal to you what are the next steps you should be taking.
  • Commit yourself to obedience to what God shows you.
• Preparation for Luk 6:17-49
  • Read Luk 6:17-49
    • In what way does the amount that you give to God reflect all the other Beatitudes and commands in this section of scripture?
• Memory Verse: Luk 6:38