Part 1 - The Calling - Trinity Fellowship

THE CALLING OF THE APOSTLES (ACTS OF THE APOSTLES-PART 1)

The Teaching Ministry of Rick Trice

5/5/02

Trinity Fellowship - Raton

Scripture References:

Luke 6:13

Matthew 28:16-20

Acts 1:12-24

SCRIPTURE TEXT: READ ACTS 1:12-24

JESUS CALLS THE TWELVE:

Luke 6:12-13 : “In these days he went out to the mountain to pray; and all night he continued inprayer to God. And when it was day, he called his disciples, and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles.”

ORIGINAL TWELVE:

*SIMON PETER

*ANDREW (PETER’S BROTHER)

*JAMES, SON OF ZEBEDEE

*JOHN, SON OF ZEBEDEE

*PHILIP

*BARTHOLOMEW

*MATTHEW

*THOMAS

*JAMES, SON OF ALPHAEUS

*SIMON, THE ZEALOT

*JUDAS, SON OF JAMES

*JUDAS ISCARIOT

DISCIPLE IS ONE WHO IS A PUPIL OF LEARNER OF SOMEONE’S TEACHINGS. WE ARE ALL, THEREFORE, DISCIPLES OF CHRIST IF WE SEEK TO LEARN HIS TEACHINGS.

APOSTLE IS “ONE WHO IS SENT. ONE OF THE FIRST APOSTOLIC CALLINGS WAS THAT OF MOSES, WHO WAS SENT BY GOD TO RESCUE THE HEBREWS FROM EGYPTIAN CAPTIVITY; A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE AND FORESHADOWING OF GOD’S ULTIMATE SALVATION PLAN THROUGH HIS SON JESUS.

BOTH SALVATION PLANS (THE EXODUS AND CHRIST’S DEATH ON THE CROSS) HAD TO BE ACCOMPLISHED BY AN APOSTLE: MOSES IN THE FIRST EVENT, JESUS IN THE SECOND.

APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY

MATTHEW 28:16-20 “Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authroity in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations (ie. “Jews AND Gentiles”), baptizing them in the name (SINGULAR, NOT PLURAL) of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.

NOW. I’M GOING TO SAY SOMETHING THAT SOME OF YOU MAY TAKE ISSUE WITH, REGARDING APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY. BUT UNTIL YOU CAN SHOW ME IN SCRIPTURE OTHERWISE, I’M GOING TO TEACH THIS.

THE APOSTOLIC AGE LASTED A FINITE TIME FRAME: ROUGHLY 70 YEARS, FROM A.D. 30 (THE DAY OF PENTECOST) TO A.D. 100 (THE DEATH OF JOHN)

IT IS IMPORTANT TO REALIZE THAT:

* THERE WAS A SPECIAL AUTHORITY GIVEN TO THE ORIGINAL APOSTLES; * THAT IT WAS SEPARATE AND APART FROM THE AUTHORITY HE GIVES US TODAY;

*AND THAT IT WAS NOT REPEATED OVER AND OVER AGAIN THROUGH THE CHURCH AGE.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO GRASP THIS, BECAUSE THE PRIMARY TASK AND MISSION OF THE APOSTLES WAS TO BE A WITNESS TO THE WORLD REGARDING JESUS’ TEACHINGS (WHICH THEY HAD HEARD WITH THEIR OWN EARS) AND THAT JESUS DID IN FACT RISE FROM THE DEAD (WHICH THEY HAD WITNESSED WITH THEIR OWN EYES)

AND THE RESULT OF THE PERSONAL WITNESSES OF THESE MEN IS WHAT WE ARE HOLDING IN OUR HANDS TODAY; IT IS THE NEW TESTAMENT.

THE RESULT IS THE WORLD WIDE CHURCH OF THE LIVING JESUS CHRIST, OF WHICH WE ARE HONORED TO BE A PART OF THIS MORNING, RAISING OUR VOICES IN PRAISE WITH THE PRAISES ALL OVER THE WORLD AND JOINING THE VOICES OF THOSE IN HEAVEN SURROUNDING HIS THRONE.

AND FINALLY, IT IS IMPORTANT TO US TO UNDERSTAND AGREE WITH THIS CONCEPT OF AN APOSTOLIC AGE, BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE CAN BE TEMPTED TO AND MISDIRECTED BY ANYONE WHO COMES ALONG AND CLAIMS TO BE A PRESENT DAY APOSTLE, AND THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED A NEW REVELATION FROM GOD, AND THAT WE ARE TO FOLLOW HIM NOW.

(REV. 1:1: “The {NOT “A”} Revelation {NOT “REVELATIONS”} of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants--things which must shortly take place.)

(EPH. 4:14: “...that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried abut with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting...”

“BUT,” YOU SAY, “WHAT ABOUT THE OTHERS WHO ARE MENTIONED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT AS BEING APOSTLES?

*PAUL

*JAMES, THE LORD’S BROTHER (GAL. 1:19, 2:9)

*BARNABAS (ACTS 14:4, 14) (NOT ONE OF THE “JERUSALEM” APOSTLES)

*SILVANUS (I THESS 2:6)

*TIMOTHY (1 THESS 2:6)

*ANDRONICUS (ROMANS 16:7)

*JUNIAS (OR “JUNIA”, A WOMAN; ROMANS 16:7)

ALL OF THESE PRESUMABLY WERE WITNESSES TO JESUS’ EARTHLY TEACHINGS AND HIS RESURRECTION, AND WERE CALLED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.

“BUT,” YOU ASK, “WHAT ABOUT THE OFFICES OF THE CHURCH IN EPHESIANS?

WHAT ABOUT IT?

IN EPHESIANS 4: 11-13 PAUL LISTS THESE OFFICES OF THE CHURCH:

*APOSTLES

*PROPHETS

*EVANGELISTS

*PASTORS

*TEACHERS

NOW, I HAVE PERSONALLY MET SOME PASTORS, TEACHERS, AN EVANGELIST EVERY SO OFTEN, AND AT LEAST ON ONE OCCASION, A BONA FIDE PROPHET.

BUT I HAVE YET TO MEET ANYONE WHO FIT THE STRICT DEFINITION OF AN APOSTLE: THAT IS, ONE WHO HAS SEEN THE PHYSICALLY RESURRECTED CHRIST; AND WHO WAS TAUGHT PERSONALLY BY HIM.

ALSO YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE REASONS FOR THESE OFFICES: (EPH 4:12-13)

“...for the equipping of the Saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ...the unity of the faith...the knowledge of the Son of God..to perfect us...to measure us against the stature of the fulness of Christ.”

WHY WAS JUDAS ISCARIOT REPLACED?

*TO FULFILL OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECY (PS. 109:6-8 “Appoint a wicked man against him; let an accuser bring him to trial. When he is tried, let him come forth guilty; let his prayer be counted as sin! May his days be few; may another take his place.”

*TO KEEP TWELVE APOSTLES IN PLACE (IE. “THE JERUSALEM TWELVE”) TO BE WITNESSES TO THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL

WHY WASN’T PAUL TO BE CONSIDERED THE TWELFTH APOSTLE TO REPLACE JUDAS?

PAUL WAS CALLED TO FULFILL GOD’S PROMISE TO ABRAHAM, THAT HE WOULD BE A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS;

PAUL WAS CALLED TO BE THE APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES (“MANY NATIONS”)

(GEN 22:18...”..and by your descendants shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves, because you have obeyd my voice.”

THE ANGEL OF THE LORD SPOKE THIS PROMISE TO ABRAHAM RIGHT AFTER GOD STOPPED HIM FROM SACRIFICING HIS SON, ISAAC. IT WAS BECAUSE OF ABRAHAM’S WILLINGNESS TO SACRIFICE HIS SON (A FORESHADOWING OF GOD SACRIFICING JESUS), THAT HE PROMISES ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED.

BUT THE NATIONS NEEDED ANOTHER APOSTLE TO HEAR ABOUT JESUS.

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