Encourage us to respond to Jesus' call in our lives, becoming workers in His harvest field, spreading the good news and showing His love to a world in need.
Good morning, church family! Today, we gather to explore a passage from the Gospel of Matthew, which centers on Jesus' call to the apostles, their response, and the challenge for us to respond to Jesus' call in our lives today.
In the words of C.S. Lewis, "The great thing to remember is that, though our feelings come and go, His love for us does not. It is not wearied by our sins, or our indifference; and, therefore, it is quite relentless in its determination that we shall be cured of those sins, at whatever cost to us, at whatever cost to Him."
Before we dive into the Scripture, let's pause for a moment and invite the Holy Spirit to lead us in our understanding. Please join me in prayer:
Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Word and the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Open our hearts and minds today as we explore the calling of the apostles and seek to understand how we can respond to Your call in our lives. We ask that Your Holy Spirit guide our thoughts and empower our actions, in Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
In this passage, we see Jesus calling His twelve apostles, a diverse group of individuals who would become His closest companions and the foundation of the early Christian church.
The nature of Jesus' call to the apostles is both personal and purposeful. He did not simply issue a general invitation for anyone who was interested to join Him; rather, He specifically chose each of the twelve, knowing their strengths, weaknesses, and potential. This personal aspect of Jesus' call is important because it reminds us that He knows us intimately and has a unique plan for each of our lives.
As the apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 2:10, "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Jesus' call to the apostles also had a clear purpose: to equip them to participate in His mission of proclaiming the good news and healing the sick. This purposeful aspect of Jesus' call challenges us to consider how we can use our own gifts, talents, and resources to advance the kingdom of God.
The qualifications of the apostles are also noteworthy, as they were not the religious or social elite of their day. Instead, they were ordinary people from various walks of life: fishermen, a tax collector, and even a zealot, a member of a radical political group. This diverse group of individuals may have seemed like an unlikely choice for such an important mission, but Jesus saw their potential and called them to follow Him. This reminds us that Jesus does not call the qualified; He qualifies the called. No matter our background, education, or social status, Jesus can use us to further His kingdom if we are willing to respond to His call.
The authority Jesus gave to the apostles is another significant aspect of His call. He empowered them to drive out impure spirits and heal every disease and sickness, demonstrating that their mission was not only to proclaim the good news but also to bring tangible healing and restoration to those in need. This authority was not something the apostles earned or deserved; it was a gift from Jesus, given to them so that they could participate in His work. When Jesus calls us to follow Him, He also equips us with the authority and power we need to carry out His mission.
As the apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 3:5, "Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God."
The Apostles' Response to Jesus' Call is a crucial aspect of this passage, as it demonstrates the willingness of ordinary people to follow Jesus and become His disciples, ultimately shaping the foundation of the early Christian church ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO
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