Luke – Mt Freedom Baptist Church

During the Advent season leading up to Christmas, we reflect on the blessings that Jesus our Immanuel brought with His birth. In our fallen, violent world, it is easy to lose sight of the peace which Jesus’ birth promised – peace among men and most importantly peace between God and mankind. Yet we can trust that God always fulfills His promises in His perfect time and in His perfect way. So as we celebrate Jesus’ first coming into the world, we eagerly anticipate His return when He promises He will make all things new and establish His promised peace forever.

The final three of Jesus’ chosen twelve apostles – James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the sealot, and Thaddaeus – are largely unsung. Almost nothing is written in God’s Word about them apart from the listings of their names among the twelve. Yet we know Jesus chose them specifically for His own perfect reasons. Therefore, they serve as encouragement to those who quietly serve the kingdom of God without any fanfare.

Matthew was by profession a collaborator with the hated Roman occupiers, and tax collectors in general were seen as extortioners and oppressors. Jesus chose Matthew in part due to his skills as a scribe. Matthew immediately and completely obeyed Jesus’ command to follow Him.

Jesus gave the two sons of Zebedee – James and John – the nickname Boanerges meaning “Sons of Thunder.” Although this name is found only once in scripture, we are intrigued by it because we can imagine several reasons why Jesus might have tagged the brothers with it. James (sometimes called James the greater) was one of three apostles in Jesus’ so-called “inner circle” along with his brother John and Simon Peter. These three were present with Jesus when He was transfigured before them. This inner circle were among seven of The Twelve to whom Jesus appeared on the shore of the Sea of Galilee following His resurrection. After Jesus ascended to His father, James was one of the leaders of the early church in Jerusalem. Of course, Judas Iscariot was the first of the twelve to die, but James Son of Zebedee became the first of the twelve to be martyred for his Christian testimony when Herod had him executed.

The Twelve apostles of Jesus were not outstanding in any way, at least before they met Jesus. However, Jesus called these men personally. He knew all their flaws, faults, and apprehensions, yet He still chose them.

Before we launch into our study of the twelve men Jesus chose from among His disciples to be apostles, it is important to make a distinction between Jesus’ hundreds or thousands of disciples and the twelve He chose to empower and send forth as His representatives in the ancient world. We also often overlook the fact that many of Jesus’ disciples were women. God’s Word gives us several lists of these women who followed Jesus and served Him during His earthly ministry.

In His so-called “Great Commission” found in Matthew 28, Jesus calls us to go and make disciples. But to make disciples, we must first be disciples. What does being a disciple entail?

The Olivet Discourse – Introduction

Our Father seeks those who are lost – apart from Him despite His infinite and enduring love. When the legalistic leaders of Jewish society condemned Him for consorting with sinners and outcasts, Jesus told three parables illustrating God’s diligent outreach to His lost children. Perhaps the most well-known of these is the parable of the prodigal son. But in fact all of us are lost and estranged from God before we finally come to faith in Jesus’ Gospel and call upon the Name of Jesus for salvation. None of us is “good” apart from God, as we learn from the illustration of the “good” son in this parable who was shown to be just as lost as his prodigal brother.

When we take the time to consider Mary’s background, and the manner with which she managed the big assignment from God, we learn some things about her character and can use these lessons to help us grow in our relationship with God.

Please Enter Your Message

for Pastor Brian

Please Enter Your Message

Service Times

Contact Us