Called…appointed And Changed By The Master” Mark 3:13-19

Jesus calls those whose hearts are ripe for melted and molded. He calls, He appoints, He empowers them and He changes them.

Look at verse 13... Now I think we need to understand that the disciples were Plain, ordinary men…called by Jesus.

I really want you to see three things about what happened.

1. v. 13 The Call: I want us to see three things in this verse.

1. Only a few were called: Jesus didn’t call the crowd.

Jesus calls those out of the crowd, who show more interest and more commitment. Those who show a willingness to change.

He notices those... who listen with more attention… who are more awake and alert… who respond with a motivated or excited heart.

Jesus will use those who show more connection to Him after the crowds have gone. In other words when no one is looking…

He is looking for those who want to serve God with meaning and purpose. He is not looking for “clock watchers” …

**Jesus does not look at the importance of people, or at their appearance, not even at their ability and education.

Jesus looks at the heart of the people. When He sees a person listening, motivated and wanting to serve, He calls that person.

2. Jesus "called them” They did not choose Him, but He chose them.

He does not call those whom the world sees as more fit and educated. He calls those whose hearts are right and

responsive. Those He can use, regardless of what the world thinks.

3. The disciples "came to Him:

The Greek translation means "they went away unto Him." This is the idea that they left, forsook, their former work and undertook the new work assigned by Jesus.

When Jesus calls you…He calls you to a new life. This means that we must forsake the old life…our former things for a relationship with Jesus that is real and personal.

Too often, these days, what we find are many who want Jesus but are unwilling to let go of the “old man” BUT that’s not it works…

Lk.9:23-26 “23Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

24For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

25For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?

26For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.”

2. vv14-15 Jesus Appoints

Jesus appoints us for four specific purposes

1. We’re appointed to be with Jesus.

This is the first lesson we need to learn: God wants a personal relationship and devotion before everything else.

According to ls.43:1O God willed men to "know Him, believe Him and understand Him" above all else.

“10“You are My witnesses,” says the Lord, “And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me,

And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me.”

We are to live in Jesus' presence, daily learning from Him and drawing our spiritual nourishment and strength from Him.

Ph. 3: 8-10 “8Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ

9and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

10that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,”

2. We are appointed to be sent NOT to be seated.

We are to be His ambassadors, His representatives who move out into the world for the soul purpose of representing Him in our own little piece of the world

2Cor.5:20 “20Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.”

3. We are appointed to be the messengers of Jesus Christ.

He has a message for the world, and you and I are to proclaim His message to the world

Mt.10:7 “7And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ ”

Mk.16:15 “15And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”

4. We are appointed to receive power.

The word here is not dunamis, which is the supernatural power of God. The word here is exousia a delegated power or authority, to minister and to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons or put another way the enemy’s control over others…