Sunday
Morning Bible Study
June
28, 2015
Introduction
Do people see Jesus? Is the gospel
preached? Does it address the person who is: Empty, lonely, guilty, or afraid
to die? Does it speak to the broken
hearted? Does it build up the church? Milk – Meat – Manna Preach for a decision
Is the church loved? Regular: 2900
words Communion: 2500 words Video=75wpm
Israel Update – The trip cost has been lowered to $3851 per person, and we
can add more of you up until September 16. There are new brochures on the back
table.
Good news/Bad news
The bad news is that Drew is stepping down as assistant pastor to pursue
other things in his life.
Drew wants me to let you know that he is more than willing to tell you all
about it if you want to know details.
I regret the timing of the announcement because Drew and Nadia are on a
long planned vacation up north, but we both agreed we needed to let you all
know of this as soon as possible.
This is not because of any sort of moral failure. We love him, we wish him
well, and he will continue to be working at the church until he finds another
job. (that may be a couple of months)
The good news is that Daniel Grant is going to be coming back from Africa
to take Drew's spot as Assistant Pastor.
Daniel and Laura will be returning to South Africa at the end of their
planned furlough, but will be joining us on staff in late November. Daniel feels it is important to fulfill his
obligations and commitments with the school, and we agree.
Daniel asked me to ask you if you would refrain from posting this on
Facebook for a couple of days until he has time to contact all his supporters.
If you are one of those who are supporting Daniel and Laura financially, we
would like to ask that you continue your support until they join us on staff. Help Daniel to “finish well” at ASM.
Luke was a doctor and a travelling companion of the apostle Paul.
He wrote this book while Paul was in prison.
In writing his book, Luke made use of other older documents like the Gospel
of Mark, as well as extensive eyewitness accounts.
Jesus’ ministry has begun, and the people have been amazed not just at the
things He’s been teaching, but the things He’s been doing.
6:12-16 Choosing Apostles
:12 Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to
pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
:12 continued all night in prayer
continued all night – dianuktereuo
– to spend the night, to pass the whole night
Luke is the only N.T. writer to use this word, a word that medical writers
would use for staying up all night with a patient.
Lesson
Big Decisions Big Prayer
Is there a reason Jesus spent the entire night in prayer?
He is about to choose twelve men from His many followers to become His
“apostles”.
These are going to be the men that are going to change the world.
James wrote,
(James 1:5 NKJV) If any of
you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without
reproach, and it will be given to him.
When we need wisdom for big decisions, we just need to
ask.
I imagine that praying through the night is a little like fasting on its
impact in prayer.
Andrew Murray:
“Prayer is the one hand with which we grasp the
invisible. Fasting is the other hand,
the one with which we let go of the visible.”
“Fasting helps to express, to deepen, and to confirm the
resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, even ourselves, to attain
the Kingdom of God.”
Sometimes we talk too much about prayer and pray too little.
Andrew Murray also writes,
The unconverted man says, “Conversion is easy tomorrow,
but hard today. I’ll put it off.” Even so, prayer that is now difficult appears
easy in the future. Alas, you will find it just as hard in the future as now.
... Reading a book about prayer, listening to lectures and talking about it is
very good, but it won’t teach you to pray. You get nothing without exercise,
without practice. I might listen for a
year to a professor of music playing the most beautiful music, but that won’t
teach me to play an instrument.
E.M.Bounds (Power through Prayer,
pg.37) – who knew a lot about prayer, writes,
“Much time spent with God is the
secret of all successful praying. Prayer
which is felt as a mighty force is the immediate product of much time spent
with God. Our short prayers owe their
point and efficiency to the long ones that have preceded them. The short prevailing prayer cannot be prayed
by one who has not prevailed with God in a mightier struggle of long
continuance. Jacob’s victory of faith
could not have been gained without that all-night wrestling. God’s acquaintance is not made by quick
visits. God does not bestow his gifts on
the casual or hasty comers and goers.
Much time with God alone is the secret of knowing him and of influence
with him. He yields to the persistency
of a faith that knows him. He bestows
his richest gifts on those who declare their desire for and appreciation of
those gifts by the constancy as well as earnestness of their prayers
(importunity).”
Pray beloved. Practice prayer. Grow
in prayer.
Some of you may be wondering how much prayer I’ve spent on this transition
with Drew and Daniel. I’ve been watching
things happening in both their lives over the last year and have been praying. It
all just came together in the last week and a half.
:13 And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and
from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles:
:13 He chose twelve
Why twelve? The nation of Israel was
made up of Twelve Tribes.
Even though the gospel would eventually reach us pagan Gentiles, initially
Jesus came first to preach to God’s chosen people, the nation of Israel.
(Matthew 15:24
NKJV) But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep
of the house of Israel.”
Some have suggested that Jesus was establishing a “new nation” by
appointing twelve apostles. I prefer to
think that He was choosing twelve in order to send them to all of Israel.
:13 disciples … apostles
Each of these men started off as “disciples”
disciple – mathetes – a
learner, pupil, disciple
At this point in His ministry, Jesus had lots of people who considered
themselves “disciples”, pupils of Jesus.
From this point on, He called these twelve “apostles”
apostle – apostolos – a
delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders
Sometimes this term is used to describe just these “Twelve” because they
were the twelve that had been sent out by Jesus.
Yet others would eventually also be called “apostle” as well.
Paul was called an “apostle” (Rom. 11:13)
(Romans 11:13 NKJV) For
I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles…
Barnabas was called an “apostle” (Acts 14:14)
(Acts 14:14 NKJV) But
when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran
in among the multitude, crying out
Lesson
Growing up
I don’t want to diminish the title “apostle”, and I’m not saying that we
can all grow up to be “apostles”.
Yet there is a picture of maturity here.
In a way, you could call each of us here in this room today “disciples”.
Most of you are here today because you want to learn about Jesus.
Yet God wants you to do more than just come to church on Sundays and learn
stuff.
God’s goal is that you mature to the point where like an “apostle”, where God
has “sent” you somewhere.
It might not be to Africa or Russia, it might be across
the street to your neighbor’s house.
Sometimes the “growing up” we need to do is right at home in our marriages.
Because the mess the Supreme Court has made of marriage this week, I want
to take a minute and remind us of what marriage is all about. It’s about the commitment that a man and
woman make to each other.
Did you see the “growth”?
Marriage isn’t about happiness, it’s about holiness.
Our purpose as a church is to help you mature and help you find your place
in God’s big picture.
(Ephesians 4:11–12
NKJV) —11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some
evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for
the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ
The work of the “ministry” isn’t for pastors to do, it’s
for all of us to do. My job is to simply
help you do it.
Our church has a vision statement that goes like this:
Win the Lost. Equip the Saints. Send the Servants.
Part of our purpose as a church is to reach out to this
world of lost people.
It may be that some of you here today have never opened
your heart to Jesus.
The Bible says that you are “lost” and heading for
judgment because of your sin.
We have learned that God has made a way for us to be right
with Him through Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ died on the cross in order to pay for your
sins so you could be forgiven and know God.
I will give you a chance to do this very thing at the end
of the service today.
When a person comes to know Jesus, they are no longer “lost”,
but they now become a “saint”.
As a church, our purpose is to “equip” you, to help you
mature in your faith, to help you discover what kinds of things God wants you
to do for His kingdom.
What does a mature Christian look like? They look like a “servant”. And our last purpose as a church is to help
you find that place where you can serve God – to “send the servants”.
It doesn’t mean you have to leave Fullerton, though that
happens. It simply means you find your ministry.
Here’s the guys that Jesus chose:
:14 Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and
John; Philip and Bartholomew;
:15 Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called
the Zealot;
:16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a
traitor.
Some of the history I’m going to share is not guaranteed to be exact. There is some dispute over some of it.
:14 Simon, whom He also named Peter
His parents named him “Simon”, but Jesus gave him a nickname, “Peter”, which
means “Rocky”.
He was not a theologian.
He was a simple fisherman.
He’s from the city of Bethsaida, but eventually was living in Capernaum
when Jesus found him.
He’s the apostle we know the best.
He seems to be the disciple more prone to speaking up, even interrupting
Jesus at times.
He seems to be the leader of the Twelve.
At the end of his life he had made it to Rome. When he found out that Caesar Nero was
planning on executing him, he fled the city and met Jesus coming the other way
into the city. He asked Jesus, “Where
are You going?” (Quo Vadis) Jesus said,
“I am coming again to be crucified.”
Peter realized that Jesus was talking about Peter’s death, so Peter
turned around, went back to the city, and was crucified. When they crucified him, he asked that he be
crucified upside down because he did not feel he was worthy to be crucified in
the same way His Lord was.
:14 Andrew his brother
Andrew was Peter’s brother.
He is known in the Orthodox Church
as Protokletos, or, “First Called”.
This is because in John’s gospel,
Andrew was actually the first one that Jesus called to follow Him (John
1:35-40), and afterward he found his brother Peter and brought him to Jesus.
He too was from Bethsaida, living in Capernaum, and was a partner in his
brother’s fishing business.
Fox’s Book of Martyrs tells us that he preached throughout Asia (modern
Turkey). When he arrived in Edessa (in
modern Turkey) he was taken and crucified on a cross which was planted in the
ground in the shape of an “X”, which is known as the “Saint Andrews
cross”. This is the “X” in the modern
flag of Scotland.
:14 James
James was the older of two brothers (James and John).
James was also a fisherman, working with his brother on his father’s
fishing boat, and was a partner with Peter and Andrew.
He and his brother were nicknamed the “Sons of Thunder” by Jesus, perhaps
because they had wanted to call down fire on the Samaritans. (Luke 9:54)
(Luke 9:54 NKJV) And when His disciples
James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command
fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”
He and his brother one time asked
Jesus if they could be seated on the right and the left of Jesus when He
started His kingdom. (Mark 10:35-37).
He was a part of the “inner three” (Peter, James, and John).
There were things that Jesus said and did that only the inner three were
present at, like seeing Jesus transfigured on the mountain (Mat. 17).
(Matthew 17:1–2 NKJV) —1 Now after
six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high
mountain by themselves; 2 and He was
transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became
as white as the light.
James would be the first apostle to die a martyr’s death, put to death by
the sword at Herod Agrippa’s command (Acts 12:2).
(Acts 12:2 NKJV) Then he killed James
the brother of John with the sword.
:14 John
The younger brother of James, he was the fellow to write the Gospel of
John. Yes, he was a fisherman.
He is known as the “Beloved Disciple” because he describes himself in his
gospel simply as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”.
He founded six churches in Asia (modern Turkey) including Smyrna, Pergamos,
Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea, and Thyatira.
While in Ephesus, he was sent to Rome to be thrown into a cauldron of
boiling oil, which he miraculously survived.
From there he was exiled to the island of Patmos, where he recorded his
vision of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
He would live out the rest of his days in Ephesus where it was said he was
known to lay on his bed and tell his visitors, “Little children, love one
another”.
He is the only apostle to not die a violent death.
:14 Philip
Philip was also from the city of Bethsaida, like Peter and Andrew. (John
1:44)
(John 1:44 NKJV) Now Philip was from
Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
When Jesus called Philip to follow Him, Philip went and found Nathanael and
told him that he had found the Messiah (John 1:45)
(John 1:45 NKJV) Philip found Nathanael
and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the
prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
This is NOT the same Philip that evangelized the Samaritans and the
Ethiopian Eunuch in the book of Acts.
He also labored in Asia (Turkey).
He suffered martyrdom in Heliopolis where he was scourged, thrown into
prison, and afterwards crucified (AD 54).
:14 Bartholomew
He is also known as “Nathanael” in John’s gospel.
He was from Cana of Galilee, the town where Jesus turned water into wine at
a wedding feast. (John 21:2)
He was a fisherman (John 21:2)
He preached in several countries.
He translated the Gospel of Matthew into the language of India.
He was cruelly beaten and then crucified.
:15 Matthew
As we’ve already seen, Matthew was also called “Levi”, and had made his
living as a hated tax collector.
He would be the author of the Gospel of Matthew.
He was born in Nazareth.
He labored first in Parthia (northern Iran), and then in Ethiopia.
He was killed in Ethiopia with a “halberd” (a two handed axe) in AD 60.
:15 Thomas
We think of him as “Doubting Thomas” because he didn’t believe Jesus had
rose from the dead until Jesus appeared and let him touch His wounds (John 20).
He too was a fisherman (John 21:2)
He was also a man of courage. When
Jesus wanted to go to Jerusalem, even when everyone knew it was dangerous,
(John 11:16 NKJV) Then Thomas,
who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we
may die with Him.”
He also knew to ask the right questions.
When Jesus talked about leaving them at the Last Supper,
(John 14:5–6 NKJV)
—5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and
how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through Me.
Aren’t you glad he asked?
Thomas preached the gospel in Parthia (northern Iran) and in India.
He died in India at the hands of pagan priests who thrust him through with
a spear.
:15 James the son of Alphaeus
He is known in church history as “James the Less” to distinguish him from
James the son of Zebedee.
He may have been the brother of Matthew (Levi) because Matthew is also
called the son of Alphaeus (Mark 2:14).
(Mark 2:14 NKJV) As He passed by, He
saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to
him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.
Fox’s Book of Martyrs says he was stoned and beaten to death.
:15 Simon called the Zealot
Mark calls him “Simon the Cananite”, but we think this is because the
Hebrew word for “zealot” is qan’an.
As a “Zealot”, it could mean that Simon was just a passionate person, and
had a passion for God.
It is more likely he was a member of the radical Jewish political faction
called “the Zealots”, who hated the Romans, who would later revolt against the
Roman occupation.
According to Fox, he preached in Mauritania, Africa, and would be crucified
in Britain in AD 74.
:16 Judas the son of James
We think he is called “Thaddeus” in Matthew and Mark’s lists.
He may have been a farmer by trade.
Some refer to him as Saint Jude, the patron saint of lost causes.
Fox says he was crucified at Edessa AD 72.
:16 Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor
“Iscariot” is thought to mean “Man (Heb. “ish”) of Kerioth”, a town in Judea.
Judas was the treasurer of the band of disciples.
He would betray Jesus and then kill himself.
:13 He chose twelve
Lesson
Who God uses
We might look at each of these men (except for Judas) and think that
because of those old stained-glass windows that they must have walked around
with golden halos over their heads.
In truth, they were just ordinary men.
God can use anyone.
Paul wrote,
(1 Corinthians 1:27
NKJV) But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame
the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the
things which are mighty;
Is this something you might qualify for?
When Peter and John were arrested for healing a lame man and preaching to
the people about Jesus, they gave a brief but bold explanation about their
actions, proclaiming that salvation could only come through Jesus, whom they
had crucified.
Luke records,
(Acts 4:13 NKJV) Now when
they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were
uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had
been with Jesus.
Peter and John, like the rest of the twelve, were
uneducated and untrained men.
What made them special is that they had been with Jesus.
Are you someone that God can use?