Mark 3:13-19
¹³Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. ¹⁴He appointed twelve--designating them apostles^[2] --that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach ¹⁵and to have authority to drive out demons. ¹⁶These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); ¹⁷James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder); ¹⁸Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot ¹⁹and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

The message of the Bible is so simple that a child can understand it--God loves us, he created us to be in fellowship with him, we choose to sin, which breaks fellowship with God. But he so desired to restore that relationship with us, that he sent his Son on earth to pay the penalty for our sins through his death and resurrection.

God loves us and sent his Son to make a way for us, who are sinful, to be restored to him. A simple truth. But there are also thoughts and teachings in the Bible that are difficult to understand. Why did Jesus, who was God, need 12 followers around him to help preach the good news? Why would he appoint one, Judas, whom he knew would later betray him?

I think part of the answer is that Jesus was God and man. As a man, he needed people around him, to encourage him (as he asked them to do in Gethsemane). He needed people to spread the gospel, for he knew his time of ministry on earth would be short and others would have to carry on his work when he physically returned to heaven. He knew that Judas would betray him, but he showed that his love does not discriminate--he could pour his life and heart into even an enemy.

How great is that love!

- posted by Suzi @ 7:52 AM