GOOD SHEPHERD CHURCH SEMINARY
MODULE 19
EXCITING TIMES; CHOICE OF THE FIRST DISCIPLES
JESUS THE MAN -
JESUS' PUBLIC MINISTRY
Objectives; By the end of this Module you should;
- Know about Jesus' Choice of First Disciples
- Have knowledge about Jesus' Role as Galilee Messiah
- Be able to discuss the significance of the number twelve in the Sacred Writings of the Torah
- Have knowledge of theTwelve Apostles
- Be able to speak about the Founder of the Christian Church
- Have knowledge of heavenly visitations to Jesus
- Be able to preach on the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 4 verses 18 to 20
Contents;
Jesus the Man - Jesus' Public Ministry
1. Exciting Times; Choice of the First Disciples and the Number Twelve
2. Disciples
3. Founder of the Church
4. Fish and Nets
5. Fishing Village of Capernaum
6. Excavations of Capernaum
7. Fishers of People
8. Your Fisherboat
1. EXCITING TIMES; CHOICE OF THE FIRST DISCIPLES AND THE NUMBER TWELVE
Jesus, Son of God and Galilee Messiah, did nothing without forethought. God having paved the way for Him to fulfil the promise of Messiahship [the State or Office of the Messiah], He set out to prepare the core of His new movement.
In accord with the holy Torah, Jesus honoured the significance of the number twelve in His decision to choose an inner circle of Apostles.
The number twelve, being the product of three and four, typified the union of the people with God.
There were twelve loaves of show-bread on the shulchan (table) in the Beit Hamikdash (The Holy Temple in Jerusalem, and written in Hebrew as בֵּית־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ ).
The priestly breastplate or Hoshen is written in Hebrew as .חֹשֶׁן
This sacred breastplate of the High Priest of the Israelites contained twelve precious stones as emblems of the twelve tribes of Israel, which camped around the Sanctuary.
Jesus chose twelve of His Disciples to form the inner circle to whom He gave intensive training and made great promises.
The twelve tribes are;
Eastern; Tribes of Judah, Issachar and Zebulun.
Southern; Tribes of Reuben, Simeon and Gad
Western; Tribes of Ephraim, Manassseh and Benjamin
Northern; Tribes of Dan, Asher and Naphtali
Jesus promised the twelve disciples of the inner circle that their reward for their faith and labours would be to sit on twelve thrones when He sits on His glorious throne; where they will judge the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt 19;28).
After prayer and reflection, Jesus had decided what He was looking for in His disciples.
As Son of God He knows the inner secrets of hearts, and chooses followers according to the content of their character and their loyalty to God.
He knew Judas - chosen as disciple - had a specific flaw of character. He had a weakness where the lure of money was concerned - a flaw many struggle with.
Jesus chose Judas anyway.
This too fulfilled the prophecies. The Prophet Zechariah had - five hundred years before - foreseen the sad event of the sale of the Messiah for thirty pieces of silver [Zec 11; 12 - 13].
Judas lost his claim to his eternal throne when he denounced Jesus to the authorities, a sorrowful loss. Another - Matthias - was elected to take his place (Acts 1;26).
Jesus thus planned to place the chosen twelve as leaders and guardians of the people.
The twelve Jesus appointed to be Apostles, are;
- 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
- Judas Iscariot
2. DISCIPLES
What does the word 'disciple' mean? It literally means a 'pupil'. The Fourth Gospel describes the first five of Jesus' followers as committing themselves to Jesus whom they called Rabbi, 'Teacher'.
Jesus instilled in His disciples one task above all; to proclaim the coming Kingdom of God.
The Gospels affirm that Jesus had many disciples.
He assigned to them the authority to exorcize, perform cures and to preach the Kingdom of God [Luke Chapter 10].
3. FOUNDER OF THE CHURCH
The foundation of the Church - ark of refuge and safety for embattled humanity - was central to the purpose of Jesus.
In calling the twelve leading disciples and making them Apostles, Jesus set up the group that, with Him as Head, would constitute the fulfilment of the Torah's ancient twelve tribes.
They would form the twelve new Tribes of Israel at the renewal of all things [Matt 19;28 / Lk 22;28-29].
Jesus missioned Simon Peter as the Rock on which He built His earthly church [Matt 16;17-19].
4. FISH AND NETS
How did Jesus go about the selection process of His disciples?
He spent time in prayer with the Father, in consultation with Moses, Elijah and angels. [ Matt 17;5/ Matt 17;3/ Matt 4;11]
Jesus' time in consultation had a startling answer. As unforeseen as the birthplace chosen for the King of Kings and Emperor of Angels was - an animals' humble stable - so unforeseen was the selection criteria for the disciples.
There were to be no theologians, nobility or royalty among the first disciples.
The answer to Jesus from the Father was; Look to the fish.
And bring your nets.
So began the inspiring events of the Gospels.
When Jesus chose His Commander for the new Church, He chose a practising fisherman.
Jesus read Simon's heart. This rugged fisherman, battered by the weathers of fishing life, was the right man for the job.
Simon was tenacious, strong minded and with a heart so loving it was as big as the sea.
He was also a man with balanced knowledge of the world and of commerce - as a married man and commercial fisherman.
Jesus called Simon, whom He nicknamed Peter, to follow Him.
Whereupon Simon and his family opened the door of their home to Him and the centre of Jesus' ministry was from henceforth Capernaum.
5. FISHING VILLAGE OF CAPERNAUM
Jesus had literally been thrown out of Nazareth after He had revealed Himself as the Messiah in the synagogue.
He was lucky to escape with His Life [Luke 4;14-30].
Jesus pragmatically accepted the rejection, and looked elsewhere to plant the new movement.
He took to the coast about thirty miles away in the fishing village of Capernaum.
This strategic move fulfilled the ancient prophecy of the Prophet Isaiah, who had foretold that the Son of God would live in Capernaum which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Nephtali. [Is 9;1, 2/ Matt 4;15-16].
The Sea of Galilee is an inland lake which is fed from rivers that run down from the mountains of Syria.
The lake's southern end tapers into the Jordan again..
The Jordan valley makes a natural border as it winds its way south; the land drops to the plains of Moab and the Dead Sea.
Capernaum was a small fishing village at the lake's northern end; Jesus' first followers lived there. They were Simon called Peter, Andrew, James and John.
6. EXCAVATIONS OF CAPERNAUM
Excavations of Capernaum show it was a cluster of houses along the lake front.
One of the houses in the area was Peter's house.
An interesting fact is that a first-century house which clearly belonged to a fisherman lies deep beneath a modern church.
In the rubble of the original house, remnants of fishing equipment were discovered.
The walls of the house were plastered.
Archeologists found plaster fragments on which Christian prayers had been inscribed; 'Lord Jesus Christ help your servant' and 'Christ have mercy'.
An early church had been built above the remains of this first-century house. Above that, the remains of a fifth-century church was found.
The famous pilgrim Egeria had reported that the house of the 'prince of the apostles' had been made into a church.
The archeological and Egerian evidence thus appears to be that this group of small houses - made of light drystone walls with thin rooves and clustered near the seashore - had seen the birth of the Kingdom on earth.
Jesus had planned His revolutionary campaign for the redemption of humanity and His offensive against satan and his empire, from this humble house smelling of fish and surrounded with nets being mended.
Who would have thought to look for the headquarters of the Divine Military Campaign among the beached boats, striker pins and fishnet weights?
A radical beginning to the great movement of God of earth indeed.
7. FISHERS OF PEOPLE
At their call to the ministry, the fish catchers were mandated to change their profession to fishers of people. What does this mean?
Those who were skilled in catching fish had learned skills in their trade.
They were disciplined, used to working in all weathers. They had social skills, used to working in fishing teams. They were loyal, watching each other's backs when danger, storms and possible death by drowning was near.
Fisherfolk knew how to listen, to watch for the changing signs of the times in the tides and weather.
Fishers knew the value of catching fish to feed the hungry in their villages.
They were mature, having learned to commit in marriage and to live with in-laws. They were able to handle responsibility, having houses and plots of land where they could welcome guests and care for ageing relatives.
Now the Carpenter from Nazareth called them to use these skills in a new and timeless venture; to coax people from the road to Gehenna to a new Kingdom.
This mission would demand time, wisdom and skill.
Above all, the mission demanded a loyal and loving heart.
Jesus knew that those He called had the ability to carry out the Divine Mission; and so He gave the call, 'Follow Me'.
What inspires a happily settled and employed person to give up secure employment and a comfortable way of life to follow a Rabbi?
We are not told.
Suffice it to say, one look into the Eyes of the Saviour, and all their other considerations fell away.
I would call it love.
This is the only explanation of what can make the sacrifice of all that is dear, and the extinguishing of all dreams for the future bearable and indeed, a blessing.
One look into the Eyes of the Divine, and all else ceases to exist.
In answering the 'Follow Me', they not only followed; they found at last their true purpose in life.
8. YOUR FISHERBOAT
What is your 'fisherboat?' Perhaps it is a computer; a spade, or a train.
Perhaps your work is in a school, or health center; or weaving.
It could be that you are homeless, or unemployed.
Jesus casts His net wide when He calls for fishers of people to help Him continue His Work in the Church today.
If God has stopped by your side this day and is calling you to be His disciple, then why not answer yes?
The harvest is great, and labourers are needed in the fields of God.
If you wish to be ordained and to continue the great work of God,
see
http://lumierecharity.blogspot.ie/2012/04/do-you-wish-to-access-free-ordination_18.html
Matthew 4:18-20
Jesus Calls His First Disciples
18 "As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him."
Matthew 16;17-19
Simon Peter was called as the Rock of the Church
17 "And Jesus said to him, 'Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father Who is in heaven. 18 'I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it. 19 'I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.' ...
Isaiah 9;1-2
"Land of Zebulun and land of
Naphtali,
the way to the sea, along the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles -
the people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned."
Image by Rev Catherine
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