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LUKE - Christ, the Savior of the World
A Bible Study Course on the Gospel of Christ according to Luke
PART 3 - JESUS' MINISTRY IN GALILEE (Luke 4:14 - 9:50)
6. The Twelve Apostel are Chosen and Many are Healed (Luke 6:12-19)
LUKE 6:12-19
12 It happened in these days, that he went out to the mountain to pray, and he continued all night in prayer to God. 13 When it was day, he called his disciples, and from them he chose twelve, whom he also named apostles: 14 Simon, whom he also named Peter; Andrew, his brother; James; John; Philip; Bartholomew; 15 Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus; Simon, who was called the Zealot; 16 Judas the son of James; and Judas Iscariot, who also became a traitor. 17 He came down with them, and stood on a level place, with a crowd of his disciples, and a great number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; 18 as well as those who were troubled by unclean spirits, and they were being healed. 19 All the multitude sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.
Jesus reached a decisive stage in his ministry. The lawyers, his adversaries organized themselves to destroy him, while his fame spread abroad, and multitudes came to him from the capital city Jerusalem, also from all the villages of Judea, and even from the Phoenician regions of Tyre and Sidon. They all came to hear his wisdom, be cured by his power, and seek power from him, for he healed all those who believed in him.
What did Christ do at this significant stage? He prayed, separated himself from the multitude who sought him, and left his disciples. He did not care about his enemies, but resorted to God, his Father, and stayed with him in prayer. Luke called this profound prayer in the Greek text “the Prayer of God” which has no equal in the whole New Testament. This prayer ended in most beautiful harmony with his Father, and has resulted in full explanation of the future. Do you fall into suffocating crises? Do increasingly heavy duties and burdens press on you? Then separate yourself into the isolation of prayer, for by prayer alone you may receive guidance, direction, wisdom, and authority.
What was the guidance that became clear to the Son through his prayer and communion with his Father? When Jesus returned from a long night of prayer, he chose twelve apostles. He had already been followed by multitudes. But now the Savior of the world appoints twelve disciples that they may accompany him at all times, learn his experiences, see his patience, realize his wisdom, and become used to his plans. Thus he began to train a select group of leaders for his future church. Those leaders were to bring his message of eternal life to the world.
Christ knew that he had to die, and God showed him those who would carry on his power, one by one, to spread the kingdom of God to the end of the world. Jesus did not ask many, if they wanted to become apostles but he called each one of them by name out of the multitude. The call of God changed them into apostles of Christ. They were no better than the others, but the Holy Spirit found in them starting points that they might be prepared and changed into the image of Christ.
They were all unsuccessful. But the Holy Spirit made them authorities of the power of God who changed the world. Until the present, we are living from the time of Christ’s call to them. Do you keep their names in your heart, as long as you believe in their faith, and know Christ through their testimony, and are strengthened by their prayer which they offered when they were in this world?
Twelve is a holy number in the Old Testament. It symbolizes the conjunction between heaven and earth. Three symbolizes God, the Holy trinity, and four indicates the four quarters of the earth. If we multiply three by four both numbers, which indicate the fullness of God, mixed with our world, come in harmony. The twelve became the fathers of the people of the Old Testament.
Christ did not immediately empower those he called, nor did he send them at once out into the evil world, but taught them insight. What did they see? They saw Jesus and no one else.
Do you realize the meaning of the person of Christ? See how people ran to him. After that night of prayer he did not lay his hands on the sick, but all those who believed on him touched his garment, and were cured by that touching. The physician Luke inquired about the exact details of that event, and testified of it. All disasters of mankind disappeared by his word and his power. Come to Jesus, and stay with him in thankful prayer. He wants to call you, touch you, and send you.
PRAYER: O Lord Jesus Christ, please forgive me my weak prayer. Teach me to see you, believe in you, love you, and worship you, so that my life might be your own. Teach me obedience, and fill me with your insight that I may do what you will, stand where you call me, and go where your Spirit guides me. Thank you that you do not despise me, but call me to your fellowship and service. Amen.
QUESTION 49: Why did Christ call the twelve disciples, and how did he choose them?