2011-07-24
Training of the Twelve - The Call to Follow Jesus
Steve Lane

A. Review - Beginnings
With all their faults and weaknesses, they had something: a spiritual desire—they were hungry
What were they doing there? Their home and livelihood was North on the Sea of Galilee
A brief introduction: "Come and see" John 1: 35 - 51

B. Preparation to Follow Jesus
They saw and heard things they never dreamed of
The wedding at Cana, back to Jerusalem for the Passover, the Samaritan women at the well—never had they experienced such compassion and love for the people
This was life-on-life training
The disciples were with Him occasionally during this first year—the first stage of their training

C. Forsake All, and Follow Me

Matthew 4: 18 - 22; [Mark 1: 16 - 20]
The boy learning about jade... we pack knowledge in our head to learn... Jesus taught, but He lived life with them and gave them experiences.

"The cement of knowledge comes only through the application of truth, brought alive by experience"
~Bill Hull

In this second stage of their training, they will be with Him continuously
His witnesses in the world after He had left... to give a faithful account of their master's words and deeds
James, brother of John (Apostle of passion) - the least familiar of the inner four. (Acts 12: 1 - 2)

D. I Will Make You Fishers of Men

Luke 5: 1 - 11
Not only did Jesus desire to have disciples, but to have about Him men whom He might train to make disciples of others, "to cast the net of divine truth into the sea of the world, and to land on the shores of the divine kingdom a great multitude of believing souls" (A B Bruce)

We see Jesus attached great importance to that part of His work, which consisted of training the twelve... on the deep convictions of a few, rather than the shifting sands of the multitudes

E. The Call of Matthew

Luke 5: 27 - 31; [Matthew 9: 9 - 13; Mark 2: 15 - 17]
Matthew (Levi) the tax collector. His first impulse after following Jesus seems to be to invite all

F. Conclusion

Are you called to follow Jesus? Is it different for us than for the disciples of old?

Called:
Romans 1: 6
1 Corinthians 1: 26
Ephesians 4: 4
2 Thessalonians 1: 11
2 Thessalonians 2: 14
1 Peter 1: 15
1 Peter 2: 9, 21
2 Peter 1: 3, 10

The call to continuous fellowship, training, partnership and becoming fishers of men meant they had to be itinerate to be with Him. Not so with us.
Forsake all and follow Him. Do you see it is the same? Do you have a new occupation? The were now fishers of men.

Are you walking with Jesus, and learning and taking on his purpose to be your purpose, and being taught by Him daily?

...and beginning to do what He did? (John 14: 12)