Big Idea: Jesus chooses the twelve men who will be the leaders of his new covenant people of God after his death. These men are deliberately chosen by Jesus to form the foundation of the church.
Jesus _________ ______________ the Twelve through __________________ .
Luke 6:12 (ESV) — 12 In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.
Matthew 6:5–6 (ESV) — 5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Prayer is tuning our hearts, through a focused meditation on the Word of God, to the heart of the Father, which in turn synchronizes our actions and decisions with God’s good will on this earth.
John 15:7 (ESV) — 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
Nothing happens by accident, but that all is sovereignly orchestrated by the hand of an omniscient and omnipotent God. When you pray, look into God’s Word, and then look around at what God brings you.
Jesus ________ ______________ the Twelve as ________________________.
Luke 6:13 (ESV) — 13 And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles:
Luke is looking back, from his vantage point in the ministry of Paul and his construction of the book of Acts, and giving the 12, whom Jesus choose this official title and office of Apostle.
In the New Testament, “apostle”… More often… refers to a person sent out as an authorized agent, either of Jesus or, in the early missionary work, of a distinguished congregation. This may be related to the rabbinic use of “emissary” or “sent one” (שָלִיחַ, shaliach), which refers to someone who is authorized to act on behalf of another and represents the authority of that person.
The Apostles where the twelve men, chosen specifically by the Lord Jesus Christ, to form the foundation stones of the New Covenant Community of God’s people.
Revelation 21:14 (ESV) — 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Ephesians 2:19–22 (ESV) — 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
Jesus gives the Apostles miraculous powers and signs, to establish their official position.
Luke 9:1-2, 6; 2Cor. 12:12; Acts 2:42-43, 4:32-33, 5:12
Qualifications for an Apostle (Acts 1:1-14): 1. They had to be present for Jesus’ ministry while on the earth so that they could serve as eyewitnesses. 2. They had to be privy to all that Jesus taught and did in his earthly ministry 3. They were personally selected by the Lord Jesus Christ to serve as Apostles. 4. They were granted the power to do miracles to authenticate both their selection by Jesus and to form the doctrinal foundation of the Church. 5. They had to be of one accord (doctrinally and convictionally) with the other Apostles.
