PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Mark 3:13-19
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Jesus called to him those He wanted.” (Mark 3:13)
Do you remember picking teams as a kid?
I never got to be the one picking, and was usually one of the last picked.
As captain, Jesus makes some odd picks, at least from a human viewpoint.
Peter the big mouth, James and John the ‘Sons of Thunder’, Thomas the doubter?
Judas the money-lover, Matthew the traitor, Simon the fanatical extremist?
These last two must have made Jesus’ journeys interesting.
Matthew was the kind of guy Simon the Zealot wanted to kill.
As Jesus manages their differences, we get a sense of how the church works.
Often individual churches are made up of like-minded people (not always).
But imagine what it will be like when all christians stand together one day.
Yes, we can imagine it, because Jesus levels us all, humbles us all.
We’re all quirky misfits in a way, and yet Jesus wants us… Jesus picks me too.
I like Jesus’s team, there is room for everyone!
Now if only WE could start making room for everyone too.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to see my Jesus community as the people you have chosen to be on Your team with me, despite our quirky differences.
“He appointed twelve”. Jesus selected 12 to be in the inner circle – to get more training – to prepare them to also go out. As a follower of Jesus am I also appointed? I think so. Jesus when he departed said to his disciples to wait for the HS – it is the HS that will enable them to go out and preach/live/spread the good news. As his HS works in me, I am also appointed then. Thank you Lord for the opportunities you give me. Help me to go out in your name wherever I go/you send me!
Jesus calls us too as He did the disciples. We have His Word and we too are sent out to share that Good News. We are not all the same just like the disciples He appointed. We all need to work together for His Kingdom. That is my mission, being His disciple, His follower.
1 Jesus calls us o’er the tumult
of our life’s wild, restless sea;
day by day His sweet voice soundeth,
saying, “Christian, follow me.”
Jesus calls us from the worship
of the vain world’s golden store,
from each idol that would keep us,
saying, “Christian, love me more.”
2 In our joys and in our sorrows,
days of toil and hours of ease,
still He calls, in cares and pleasures,
“Christian, love me more than these.”
Jesus calls us- by Thy mercies,
Savior, may we hear Thy call;
give our hearts to Thine obedience,
serve and love Thee best of all.