Sunday 28 June, 2015

13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons. 16 These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), 17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Mark 3:13-19a

Mark gives us valuable insight into the ministry of Jesus in verses 7-12 – healing the sick and diseased and dealing with evil spirits. At the peak of his ministry, Jesus chose to create a ministry team.

V.13 tells us that Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him.   Although Mark does not mentioned prayer specifically, Luke records several significant occasions when critical decisions were made as Jesus conferred with his Father.

Two things stand out for me [1] That prayer was so important to Jesus’’ ministry; [2] That Jesus took the initiative in calling the 12 men he wanted.

Over three years these men went everywhere with him, they heard him teach, they watched him heal the sick, they observed his power over demons, they saw him perform miracles, they embraced his teaching and they were commissioned and sent out to enlarge his ministry. When they were filled with the power of the Spirit at Pentecost, they were equipped to continue Jesus’ ministry.

I need to be aware of Jesus’ pattern for ministry recorded here in Mark’s Gospel. To be effectively involved I need the calling [or invitation] of the Master for the task. We discover that calling as we spend time seeking the Father’s plans for our lives.

Lord, I thank you for Mark’s clear statement about the calling of the 12 apostles. Lord I know that when you want me to minister in your Name you will call me and equip me for that ministry.

Written by Keith Bennett