It’s a special day because of the number 12. It numbers our day, month and year! I thought I’d add a little more spice to this 12 thing and send this out at 12:12pm (Pacific) as well! I truly hope you enjoy this day and these thoughts below..
In this season many think of the 12 Days of Christmas, but I wanted to turn your attention to another 12… The Twelve who followed Jesus and were called by Him.
One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
Luke 6:12-16 NIV
This Twelve with the training and commissioning of our King Jesus and the abiding Holy Spirit turned the world upside-down.
(Well Judas sealed his own doom, but was replaced by Matthias as outlined in the book of Acts. The Painting shows only the 11.)
These Twelve Apostles loved, lived, and demonstrated the power and presence of Jesus. They weren’t the most educated or the most powerful, but were rather ordinary. We know that God the Father revealed these to Jesus to be appointed for the special work of laying a foundation for the Church through our age. They were identified as “unlikely” by the religious leaders in Jerusalem, but still powerful because of one thing.
Listen to this accusation:
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.
Acts 4:13 NIV
On this day of 12.12.12, I’m thankful for those Twelve who in a special commissioning of our Lord were appointed as Apostles who would communicate and catalyze the Gospel movements that have swept our world. As these 12 were ordinary and unschooled, but transformed into fully trained and extraordinary by being with Jesus, may we do the same! Be with Jesus and help others follow Him too!
Two millenia after the selection of the first twelve, still more disciples need to be made…around the world and across the street. Today, let us be about that work.
Press on!