Corona Chronicles - Crown of Thorns

Welcome back to Corona Coronicles. In our last session, we were thinking about the message of chief. Us. So and not only who he is, but why he's come. And today, we're gonna look at some of the people, the men, the disciples that he appoints, to join him in this in this preaching mission.

And we're gonna be reading chapter 3 in verse 12. Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted and they came to him. He appointed 12 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 12 he appointed. Simon to whom he gave the name Peter, James, son of Zebedee and his brother John, to who to then, he gave the name Boenergies, which means sons of thunder.

And Andrew, Philip, bartholomew, Matthew Thomas James the son of outfits, Thaddeus, Simon the zealot, and Judith Escaria, who betrayed him. So we've seen in the last session, Jesus actually probably happened to get in a small boat to to teach from the boat because the crowds are so pea. They were swooshing along the little boat. Now, he's he's specifically calling out from the crowd. People that he's going to elect.

So funny enough, we heard that he didn't want the the demons to say his who he was, but he does want people to know who he is, and he's training up his disciples. Mhmm. But the beauty is it's just a sort of difference of these people. I would say it's the ordinary piece of the radio, isn't it? It's the that there's no 1 here who really is outstanding.

Now, I know people say things like the most outstanding character here, which is probably due to saskatchewan, and it all went wrong with me. Yeah. Yeah. But it's that's probably quite true. Because, you know, you you it's got sort of fairly ordinary -- Yeah.

-- fisherman here. And and Judah, Saskatchewan himself was a sort of a zealot. At least he was sort of pushing for something political, if you like. Yeah. Absolutely.

And I think even if they were ordinary people like, you know, Simon and Andrew fishermen, You know, there there are people who are more perhaps significant in terms of status like Matthew, but who would have him? I mean, he was a tax collector. He was not the sort of person that any well respected rabbi would choose to part of his mission because of his association with gentiles and that he'd never seen as compromises. So so this is a great this is a gracious calling as well, isn't it? He's choosing ordinary people and graciously inviting them.

To be part of his mission. And 1 of the most lovely things about this is he appointed the 12 that they might be with him. Yeah. You know, so Jesus is looking for disciples to publish the message of the gospel, but he's also looking for for friends, isn't he? For intimacy and relationship with these men, you know, people he can train and do life with as well.

Yeah. It doesn't just want to put like a doctor and USB stick in them and then downloads and then send them out. He what he wants them to to know him and to talk about And this is the real definition of a disciples. Yeah. It's in as you say, this isn't sort of learning on Zoom, is it -- Yeah.

-- or learning over the internet. This is, you know, seeing who he is living with him, you know, eating with him. Finding a place at night to sleep, seeing him pray, seeing his priorities. So it's not or it's not even 1 of these closed off internet preachers that's -- No. -- speaks between -- Yeah.

-- to vast crowds, but you no idea what he's like. He's like, no. When he's home behind locked doors. Here is Jesus that you could tell what he's like. And I mean, it's so amazingly because Peter, 1 of these the disciples who was with him in these intimate and stressful situations.

Remember, people are after killing him. Yeah. So he's under great stress. Peter says in his little letter that Jesus was without sin -- Mhmm. -- even on his lips, So there's never a time who was cursing, I swear and say flipping, you know, what, you know, this is a Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. And then I thought, sorry, just 1 other thing I thought. I just thought it's got this is quite he doesn't choose the religious leaders. No.

There's there's not a religious leader here as far as I can see. And he's even prepared to have people, these boat these sons of thunder -- Yes. -- boat emerges. Yes. -- who are stropping and angrier, you know.

And then you as you said, you've got Matthew who was working for the enemy, and you've got the zealots that hated the enemy. Yeah. Yeah. And I think, you know, as well as just giving us an insight into who Jesus was there, and it it is encouraging for us, isn't it? Because these are still the sort of people.

That Jesus calls and transforms. And, you know, there might be people who think, I, you know, you know, I'm a rubbish person. I've made many mistakes I'm very ordinary, you know, compared to others, what are high gifts really? I'm just a fisherman. You know?

And yeah, you know, that that your status in this world, I mean, it's interesting pauses in 1 of his letters. You know, think of what you were when you were called. Yeah. You know, not many were wise, not many were noble, not many, but you know. And and that's exactly what Jesus takes the weak things in the world in order to shame the strong.

And the key qualifications for being a disciple is not how many gifts you've got, how clever you are. It's, you know, will will you walk with the savior and be about his message? Because he he will graciously use you mightily if if if you're about that. And and actually, I you you you you mustn't. Be sent out to preach, unless you unless you've been with him.

Yeah. You mustn't. Yeah. Because because it it would be like allowing in the last session of those those evil inferiors to preach, wouldn't it? Because, you know, they might say the right doctor.

In fact, they work. You are the son God, but he doesn't want that. He wants people that are not just, as you said, not just saying words, but have been changed by him. And they go out and take this fantastic message to this world. So And then that's their message, isn't it?

So that they may have authority to drive out demons. Yeah. So if you sort of if we take it, I mean, there's all kinds of things we could say. But if you take it, the demons are liars because they're satan's followers, and he's the father of lies. Our preaching has to go and do battle.

Yeah. But we the way we do battle is with spiritual preaching the truth -- Yes. -- of who Jesus is. Yeah. So we don't get wrapped up into political systems and arguing over political what what we do to do battle with the enemy is to is to not just cover up, you know, evil lies and and try and sort of bring a band aid of political concerns.

Yes. We we come with the the power of the truth of Jesus. Yeah. The creator son of god. Yeah.

I think that's right. And I think that yeah. These are not 2 distinct ministries, aren't they? You know, you've you've got to do your preaching, but don't forget you're driving out demons. You know, I think these are very much connected as you say.

So you you go and you preach the message of Christ. And as he is preached, demons are driven out, evil, submits and falls away. You know, your job is to shine the light. And as you shine darkness will flee, and your your light shining is your preaching of the light of the world. And so, that's that's their mission.

And, you know, I think you know, for those watching, it this this is an encouragement really to cut to come and join to come and join the mission of Jesus. To be called by him, to be with no matter how we can ordinary we feel. Actually, if we turn from our sins and trust in this savior, he will use us in his in his work. Join us again next time.