Thursday 14 January 2016
- Bible Book:
- Mark
“He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him.” (v. 13)
Psalm: Psalm 10:1-12
Background
The account of Jesus now moves from
Peter, James and John (who would be later described as havingwitnessed Jesus talking with both Moses and Elijah on the mountaintop (Mark 9:2-8)) wereamong the 12 men whom Jesus appointed apostles at this significantpoint in his ministry. From the previous description of themultitude of people following him and listening to him (
Jesus appoints these 12 men firstly to be with him (verse 14).Being a leader can be a lonely activity, particularly if you comeunder attack because of what you are doing or saying. So, to havepeople close by who can offer help and support, act as a soundingboard and offer close friendship, can make a big difference.However Jesus is also looking for people who are able to carry hismessage far and wide, particularly when he would no longer be ableto do so himself. The emphasis on 12, the same as the number oftribes of Israel, underlines the intent that Jesus' message was forthe whole nation. In an age when knowledge and ideas are spreadprimarily by word of mouth, having 12 additional people who areprepared to go out in to the known world to proclaim the message isgoing to be very important.
To Ponder
- Think about any places you have been where you felt God'spresence. What was it that made these places special?
- Try to put yourself in the place of one of twelve who werecalled by Jesus. What would your reaction have been? And what mightyou expect to happen next?