Luke 6:12-16
Jesus Chooses His Twelve Disciples
12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. 13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: 14 Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
Acts 4:13-22
Peter and John Talk to the Sanhedrin
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 14:6-7
Jesus Says He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life
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[a] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
Jesus picked twelve original disciples when He started His Ministry...As we study and look at those He chose to be His Twelve followers, their lives were not famous or successful, or the best at what they worked at...But He taught them His Way...He did not believe in picking the best, He believed in picking the last and the least...
Jesus told His Disciples that He is the Way...And when we follow Him, we try to do things His Way...His Way is hard...It is not an easy Way...The Twelve would understand that His Way is a narrow road...
Our Way, the earthly way seems to be one to follow those with knowledge, athletes, celebrities, those famous, and those who have had success...The earthly way does not compare with the Jesus Way...
The Jesus Way is one of sacrifice, one of mercy, one of forgiveness...He is One who gave His life for us...He gave His life for us to save us from our sins...Jesus had little in common with the famous, the powerful, the celebrity, or successful...Saving mankind from our sins compares very little with others who are famous.
Jesus did not come down from heaven and tell us all is right in this world...He did not come down to condemn our world, but He could have...
And when we look at how His Disciples are looked at today, we see something very important...His Disciples followed Him the best they could...One betrayed Him...Jesus wasn’t looking for the best or most talented of followers...But those that followed Him to the end, even though they were unschooled, ordinary men and not with the best in talent or in speaking –they became our Great Saints...This is His Way...This is the Jesus Way...