9. Jesus Chooses Twelve Ordinary Men

Jesus Chooses the Twelve

Luke 6:12-16

In these days, he went out to the mountain to pray, and he continued all night in prayer to God. ¹³When it was day, he called his disciples, and from them he chose twelve, whom he also named apostles:

¹⁴Simon, whom he also named Peter; Andrew, his brother; James; John; Philip; Bartholomew; ¹⁵Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus; Simon, who was called the Zealot; ¹⁶Judas the son of James; and Judas Iscariot, who also became a traitor.

Mark 3:13-19

He went up into the mountain, and called to himself those whom he wanted, and they went to him. ¹⁴He appointed twelve, that they might be with him, and that he might send them out to preach, ¹⁵and to have authority to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons:

¹⁶Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); ¹⁷James the son of Zebedee; and John, the brother of James, (whom he called Boanerges, which means, Sons of Thunder); ¹⁸Andrew; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus; Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot; ¹⁹and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. Then he came into a house.

Key Verses:

He appointed twelve, that they might be with him, and that he might send them out to preach, ¹⁵and to have authority to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: (Mark 3:14-15)

Discuss:

Let’s have a look at the team of disciples Jesus chose and called them to be apostles (sent ones). What are their credentials?
He also chose us – Why? What are your credentials? What can we boast about?

https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/who-were-the-12-disciples-and-what-should-we-know-about-them.html

Jesus’ Disciples Names: List, Meaning and Occupation

Insights:

1 Corinthians 1:18-31 CEV
The message about the cross doesn’t make any sense to lost people. But for those of us who are being saved, it is God’s power at work. (19) As God says in the Scriptures, “I will destroy the wisdom of all who claim to be wise. I will confuse those who think they know so much.”
(20) What happened to those wise people? What happened to those experts in the Scriptures? What happened to the ones who think they have all the answers? Didn’t God show that the wisdom of this world is foolish?
(21) God was wise and decided not to let the people of this world use their wisdom to learn about him. Instead, God chose to save only those who believe the foolish message we preach. (22) Jews ask for miracles, and Greeks want something that sounds wise.
(23) But we preach that Christ was nailed to a cross. Most Jews have problems with this, and most Gentiles think it is foolish. (24) Our message is God’s power and wisdom for the Jews and the Greeks that he has chosen.
(25) Even when God is foolish, he is wiser than everyone else, and even when God is weak, he is stronger than everyone else.
(26) My dear friends, remember what you were when God chose you. The people of this world didn’t think that many of you were wise. Only a few of you were in places of power, and not many of you came from important families.
(27) But God chose the foolish things of this world to put the wise to shame.
He chose the weak things of this world to put the powerful to shame.
(28) What the world thinks is worthless, useless, and nothing at all is what God has used to destroy what the world considers important.
(29) God did all this to keep anyone from bragging to him. (30) You are God’s children. He sent Christ Jesus to save us and to make us wise, acceptable, and holy. (31) So if you want to brag, do what the Scriptures say and brag about the Lord.

Study notes here