Mark 3 - Chosen By God

Saturday, December 30, 2006    5:45 - 6:45

Looking back on my life, I’ve always wondered, “Why me?”  Of the hundreds and thousands of people that came out to follow Jesus, why did He choose me to be a disciple?  There was certainly nothing special, nothing extraordinary about me, I was just a simple fisherman from Galilee.  Yet that day on the mountain He called out twelve of us, just twelve men who he would pour His life into.  He called Peter.  I don’t know what Peter’s reaction would have been if Jesus hadn’t chosen him!  He called James and John, Andrew and Philip, Matthew, Thomas, James, Thaddeus, Simon, . . . Judas . . . and me, Bartholomew.  

We didn’t know what we were getting into!  Jesus had done some miracles by then, but this was still early in His ministry.  It seemed obvious to everybody that He was a great man, but the Messiah, our Savior, the Son of God?

  None of us really understood that until He died; well, until He rose again.  When He rose from the dead after three days we knew, we finally really knew what He had spent three years trying to teach us.  Jesus Christ was no mere great man, not just a great prophet.  Jesus Christ truly was the Son of God sent to die on the cross for the sins of the world.  My friend, Jesus died for me.  He died to give me life.  He shed His precious blood so that I might have an eternal relationship with my God!     

Now as I look back after all these years, I am so grateful!  I’m grateful because He did choose me.  He didn’t choose everybody.  Not everybody who followed him around Judea worships Him as their Savior.  Many his sayings and commands became to hard for them to keep.  People didn’t want to leave the comforts of their homes to go out and tell others about him.  People didn’t want to give their money to spread his message of hope.  Many found it to dangerous to be associated with Him after they saw Him killed.  But not me.  Sure, there were times I just wanted to throw everything away and go home.  He sent us out once with no money, no food, just the clothes on our back.  I thought He was crazy!  But He was right, God somehow provided for all our needs.  

Once He asked us if we wanted to leave Him and go home, but Peter, like always, answered for us all.  “Where would we go?  You have the Words of Life.”

Jesus did have it all.  He had wisdom.  Not the self-serving knowledge of the Pharisees, Jesus possessed true, Godly wisdom.  He had love.  Each time He spoke to someone or healed someone, you could see in His eyes: He really cared about them.  And Jesus had joy.  Even in the tough times Jesus showed joy.  He smiled constantly.  It was almost impossible to feel discouraged when we were around Him.  

No, when Jesus chose me, when He died for me, when I saw He was alive again; I chose, right then, I chose to give every day for the rest of my life to Him.  He bought me and saved me and deserves all there is of me.  I still don’t know why, but I’m eternally grateful for the day Jesus Christ chose me!