Mark 3:13-19
The Appointing of the Twelve Apostles
13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve—designating them apostles—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.
John 14:1-14
Jesus Teaches His Disciples
1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”
9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
John 15:16
Jesus Chose His Twelve Disciples
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.
Acts 4:1-22
Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin
1 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.
5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem.6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. 7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is
“‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the cornerstone.’
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16 “What are we going to do with these men? ”they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”
18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
Jesus chose His Twelve Disciples...Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to Him those He wanted to be His Disciples...And they came to Him...He appointed twelve men—designating them apostles—that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons...These are the twelve He appointed: Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter, James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder); Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him...The Disciples did not choose Jesus, but He chose them...Jesus told them He chose them and appointed them, so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in My name the Father will give you...He was surely with the Twelve as He taught them about God and Himself, and about faith and life -before and after His death...
In the third year of His ministry while teaching them, His Disciples still had questions about what He did and was doing...Jesus tried to comfort them before His upcoming death...“Do not let your hearts be troubled...You believe in God; believe also in Me...My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I AM going there to prepare a place for you?..And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I AM...You know the way to the place where I AM going.”...Thomas still confused after three years, with these things his Teacher had just said -ask this, “Lord, we don’t know where You are going, so how can we know the way?”...Jesus answered amazingly, “I AM the Way and the Truth and the Life...No one comes to the Father except through Me...If you really know Me, you will know My Father as well...From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.”...Philip also confused because he had not seen Jesus' Father...So Philip ask Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”...Jesus answered: “Don’t you know Me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?...Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father...How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?...Don’t you believe that I AM in the Father, and that the Father is in Me?...The words I say to you I do not speak on My own authority...Rather, it is the Father, living in Me, who is doing His work...Believe Me when I say that I AM in the Father and the Father is in Me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves...Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in Me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I AM going to the Father...And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son...You may ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it...
Jesus chose these Twelve to live and learn from Him over a period of three years as He taught on earth...Jesus, the Greatest of Teachers, took this seemingly motley crew and taught them the greatest of things...And in the third year of their teaching they are still not quite sure who their Teacher is...Yet, after Jesus' resurrection this unorganized assembly seem to all of a sudden get it together...Their faith, their doubts, and their questions throughout the three years are an inspiration, because they are, in fact, the Twelve were the unschooled, ordinary men, who seemed to have so quickly after Jesus' resurrection astonished the Sanhedrin with the things that Jesus had taught them...Their questions, their doubts seem to almost leave after His resurrection and ascension...They now believed that He was in the Father and the Father was in Him...These Twelve eyewitnesses, after adding Matthias to their numbers, after the death of Judas, would teach the world to sing hymns of a new religion...The songs would be of a Man called Prince of Peace...One who is known as Christ the LORD...The world would learn about Jesus from these Twelve ordinary men, who Jesus taught had taught to go out and bear fruit...And they did.. And the fruit has lasted...
As we think about this unlikely story of how Christianity advanced after His death, we have to say He was with them, and those things that they ask in His name, were given to the Twelve by His Father...