The Book of Luke: The Choosing of the Twelve (Luke 6:12-16)
Luke 6:12-13 “12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. 13 And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;”. What we see here in this passage of the choosing of the 12. Jesus has already started his ministry and has been working with people but here he specifically chooses 12 of them. I have 2 main categories we will look at today with a lot of subpoints.
The first thing we see is a prayerful preparation. When Jesus is choosing the 12 that will help him and that he will mentor, he starts it by spending time in prayer. Jesus spent all night praying. Why would he do that? Because he had a decision to make and he made a prayerful preparation.
Then we see a deliberate designation starting at verse 13. “13 And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;”. Please understand that being saved and being a disciple are not necessarily the same thing. You can be saved without being a disciple. Of his Church he chose 12 who he named Apostles. The word “apostle” is a word that basically means someone who is sent. Jesus is choosing 12 people who he will put in a position to start Churches and lead Churches.
Let’s start by looking at the prayerful preparation. The Bible highlights the amount of time that Jesus spent in prayer over and over and over. Jesus prepared through prayer. Prayer holds the power to advance the work of God. Whenever you see the Lord Jesus Christ getting ready to advance the word of God, you always see a time of prayer that goes beforehand.
In Matthew 4, this is right after his public baptism and right before his public ministry. Matthew 4:1 “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.”. Before the Lord Jesus Christ launched his ministry, he spent time in prayer. He spent 40 days & 40 nights in fasting and prayer to God. Before he chooses 12 people that will specifically be tasked with taking his ministry to the world, he spends all night in prayer. Why? Prayer holds the power to advance the work of God.
Jesus also spent time in prayer before his death which we will see in Matthew 26. The #1 thing Jesus came to do is to die for the sins of mankind and then resurrect from the dead. Right before he did his biggest task, he prayer. Matthew 26:36 “36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.”. Matthew 26:39 “39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”. This is the Lord Jesus Christ who felt the need to pray before he did his biggest work.
Matthew 26:42 “42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.”. Matthew 26:44 “44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.”. Here we see in Gethsemane that Jesus spent a large part of the night in prayer to God. I’m here to tell you that Jesus understood the power and need of prayer. If Jesus felt the need to pray before accomplishing a big work then how much more do we need prayer.
The Apostles of Jesus learned this from him. The early Church after the resurrection of Jesus also spent a good time in prayer. Before Acts 2 which is a great soulwinning story of over 100 people preaching the gospel on the day of Pentecost, there was time spent in prayer. Acts 1:14 “14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.”.
The early Church also prayed during times of persecution. Acts 12:4-5 “4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. 5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.”. If you remember, God sent an angel to break Peter out of prison as a result of this prayer. We haven’t dealt with this big of persecution but we’ve had protests where we needed to pray through those difficult times.
They also prayed before they ordained ministers. Acts 6:5 “5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:”. Not only did they pray before ordained Deacons but they also prayed before ordaining Evangelists. Acts 13:2-3 “2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.”.
They also prayed before ordaining Pastors. Acts 14:23 “23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.”. We see that prayer is a big deal according to the word of God. Prayer holds the power to advance the work of God. If we are going to be a Church that has the power of God then we need to be a Church that is praying. There is a reason why on Wednesday nights as a Church that we take time to pray. Prayer unlocks the power of God.
Prayer is one of those things that none of us do enough of. With Bible reading, soulwinning or Church attendance, these are things that we can do enough and we don’t necessarily feel guilty when we hear a sermon on it. However, with prayer, this is one of those things that none of us do enough of and we always feel guilty when we hear sermons about prayer. We have the opportunity to speak to the God of the universe and yet we often don’t take time to do it.
Romans 15:30 “30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;”. We should be striving or fighting together in prayers to God. I just want to ask you, “How much time do you spend in prayer?”. I want to encourage all of us that it is not enough and we need to spend more time in prayer especially for big occasions.
Not only do we see a prayerful preparation but we see a deliberate designation. Luke 6:13 “13 And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles; 14 Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, 15 Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, 16 And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.”.
We see that the 12 are chosen and the 12 are named. I want to take some time to talk to you about these characters. The names of the 12 Apostles are mentioned in 3 different gospels. They are also written in Matthew 10:2-4 and in Mark 3:16-19. When you look at these lists and compare them, you will notice some things. Peter is always mentioned first in these lists. There was always a leader. You also will notice that Andrew, James and John are always mentioned in 2nd, 3rd and 4th but not necessarily in that exact order. These men were known as the inner circle. Within all of the followers of Jesus, these were the closest followers of him. There was a group of people who followed Jesus and then the 12 apostles within that group and then this inner circle of 4 men.
Why do I bring this up? Sometimes people will criticize you in ministry for having certain people that you are really close to. Sometimes people ask “How can I get close to Pastor Jimenez and Ms. Joann?”. Become a volunteer. You become close to the people that are working along beside you. Here you have this inner circle of men that are very close to Jesus. You also see Judas Iscariot mentioned last in each list as he is the betrayer. Sometimes the other Judas is called Lebbaeus or Thaddeus.
I want to show you some things about the Apostles. There are some things that confuse people about the Apostles. The first is that there were actually more than 12 Apostles. Acts 14:14 “14 Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,”. I’m reading that verse to show you that Barnabas was called an Apostle and this shows us that there were more than 12 Apostles. In the early Church you had the spectators. These are people who just show up from time to time at Church and aren’t that involved. The same is true with any Church. There are those who are not that involved.
Then you had the disciples. These are people who come faithfully and are trying to apply the word of God to their lives. Then you have the 12 Apostles which are known as “The 12”. However, there were other Apostles that weren’t part of “The 12”. Apostles are ones that are sent out and are soulwinners. Now don’t call yourself an Apostle today.
Luke 10:1 “After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.”. The 70 mentioned here were probably Apostles. I bring this up because you have people who will call themselves modern day Apostles and then Baptists will say “There are only 12.”. Then those people show a verse with other people being called Apostles and the Baptists are confused. Just know that there are more than 12 Apostles. Paul and Barnabas are being sent as Missionaries or Evangelists and are also Apostles.
I want you to understand that even though there were more than 12 Apostles, there were only 12 Chief Apostles. They are referred to as “The 12”. When Judas Iscariot died, they are still referred to as “The 12”. For example, you have the “San Francisco 49ers” that are known as the 49ers. However, there are not 49 of them. The 12 Apostles were known as “The 12” even when 1 of them left.
2nd Corinthians 11:5 “5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.”. Notice that even though there are many Apostles, there are certain Apostles that are Chief. Paul here is referring to “The 12”. 2nd Corinthians 12:11 “11 I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.”. Once again he refers to certain Apostles as Chief. When Jesus is referring to himself as one of the Apostles, he is saying he is one of the Chief.
There is a controversial topic of who was the 12th when Judas was replaced. I will give you my opinion of this. In Acts 1, Jesus has just ascended up to heaven and he tells the Apostles that the power of the Holy Ghost will come upon them. During this time, they have the idea that they need to replace Judas Iscariot and find the 12th. Therefore they come up with qualifications for the 12th.
Acts 1:21-26 “21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. 23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, 25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. 26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.”.
They determined that the 12th must have been with them since the baptism of John and until Jesus departed from them. They found 2 who met the qualifications in verse 23. “23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.”. After choosing these 2, they pray about it and they cast lots in verse 25 to figure out who would be the 12th. Matthias is selected.
In my opinion, the heart of them was in the right place but they overstepped their bounds a little bit. Whenever you read stories in the Bible, this is what men did. It doesn’t necessarily mean that what they did was correct. Sometimes the narrator will comment on what they did in order for us to find out if what they did was right or wrong. However, sometimes the narrator doesn’t tell us so we have to decide if their action was correct. The Bible doesn’t tell us that the Lord was pleased with them in Acts 1. I don’t think God was angry either though. I think God chose someone else to replace Judas as the 12th.
Galatians 1:1 “Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)”. Notice how this verse shows us that God chose Paul as an Apostle. Jesus chose Paul as a replacement to Judas. Jesus specifically came back and spoke to Paul on the Road to Damascus like he didn’t for anyone else. Now Jesus didn’t get him saved on the Road to Damascus but he did speak to him. Paul was made an Apostle by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Why do I think the Apostles were wrong? Jesus chose Paul for an Apostle and he didn’t meet the requirements that “the 12” came up with. Paul got saved after the resurrection. I think they came up with requirements that seem to make sense logically but it wasn’t the qualifications that God gave.
Paul constantly has to defend his Apostleship in the New Testament.
1st Corinthians 9:1-2 “Am I am not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? 2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.”. Part of me wonders if Paul had to defend his Apostleship because of the requirements listed in Acts 1. Those were not requirements of Jesus but man-made requirements.
What makes someone an Apostle? In my opinion it means they were handpicked by the Lord Jesus Christ himself. How did the original 12 become the 12? Jesus spent all night in prayer and chose 12 people. He didn’t say they had to be with him a certain amount of time or anything like that. The original 12 were chosen by Jesus and the Apostle Paul was also specifically chosen by Jesus. Paul states in 1st Corinthians 9:1 that he saw the Lord. He wasn’t with them from the beginning but he also saw the resurrected Lord. It seems to me that the true qualifications are people hand chosen by Jesus. When people in our modern day are called Apostles, they weren’t hand picked by Jesus. Jesus chose the Apostles.
Why didn’t God get mad and angry with the qualifications in Acts 1? Matthias was already an Apostle but he wasn’t one of the 12. It’s not that big of a deal but I talked about it for a specific reason. “The 12” will receive special recognition during the Millennial Reign.
Matthew 19:28 “28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”. Here we are told that the 12 will have a position of ruling and authority during the Millennial. Obviously Judas Iscariot is replaced from that list as he wasn’t even saved. We don’t know necessarily what level of ruling we will have but we know the 12 Apostles will rule over the 12 tribes. Revelation 21:14 “14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.”.
The question is, who are the 12? I believe that the names here will include Paul but not Matthias. There are 12 Chief Apostles but there are more than 12 Apostles. We also need to remember that just because we read people doing something in the Bible does not necessarily mean that what they did was correct.
The Lord Jesus Christ spent time in prayer before big decisions and major moves in his life. This is what I want us to take away from this chapter. We should make sure to spend time in prayer in important situations also. Philippians 4:6 “6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”. We get to bring our burdens to God the Father through Jesus Christ in prayer. If Jesus had things that he needed to pray about then we also have things that we need to pray about.
Let’s pray.