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Mark 3:13-18

• Called

• In this story- Jesus is calling his disciples- those he is going to be in relationship and those who he is going to use to bring about the kingdom of God.
• 13 And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him.
• The reason why Jesus called these specific men to be his disciples is unclear- what is clear is that he called them and they were the ones that they wanted.
• When Jesus called them- they came to him
• Now- in the theolgocial, argue about everything world- there are arguments that go back and forth about who calls who and who responds to what
• Some would say we have no say in the calling- and would use
• 2 Timothy 1:9  who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,
• 2 Thessalonians 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,

• Others would say that we respond to the calling and would use
• 1 Timothy 2:4  who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
• John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
• The bottom line is that if God is calling you respond to it!
• Ive never been a guy who wants to split theological hairs over when did you get saved-
• If you are a Christian- you have been called and you are Christs and that means that you are required by God to do his bidding
• 2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
• We are described as workers- Again I say this over and over- not because we want to earn our salvation but because our salvation has been earned
• Eph 2: 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

• You have been called to Be with him

• Jesus called us these disciples so that they could be with him- everywhere that Jesus went- (except when he was alone in prayer) The disciples went with him
• They wanted to spend time with him and to be disciple by him and be led my him
• I also think that It was so they could do the work that Jesus wanted them to do
• Go and fetch a donkey, go and get some food, go and find a person to do this, disperse the fish and bread, take it up. Everywhere they went- Jesus had tasks that he wanted them to accomplish for him
• Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
• Jesus wanted his disciples to be with him so they could know God
• John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

• Here’s the reality- you can’t know God if you don’t ever spend any time with him

• Its like that in most relationships- You have to spend time with someone if you want to get to know them
• Getting to know God isn’t that hard- read his word, pray, worship, spend time with his peeps
• But here’s part of it- you have to be about it- you have to make it your goal to be with him
• READ Matt 7:21-23

• We should make it our life to know him and to be known by him. Merely saying a prayer isn’t enough
• I always like to tell people- It took about 10 years for me to finally feel like I knew my wife. And that was living with a flesh and blood person
• How much longer would it take to get to know someone if all you ever got was second hand information from someone else one hour a week?
• Read it for yourself!
• Because here’s the deal- and this is the point that Jesus was trying to make
• Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
• That’s what Jesus came to do- that’s what he’s sending out his disciples to do

• You have been called to preach

• “and that He might send them out to preach”
• From the beginning of his ministry- Jesus saw his disciples as his greatest asset to spread the Gospel. Beginning in Jerusalem, and then spreading to the rest of the world
• These Disciples were equipped by Jesus-
• Luke 24:47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
• This is the Gospel- I know I told you this last week- but didn’t know this week

• So Important- remission of Sins and repentance is what the disciples preached in ACTS
• So easy to lose sight of this- bears repeating. Spreading bark isn’t the Gospel
• Mark 16:15-16 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

• This is what Jesus said to his disciples-

• What does it mean to you? If You’re his disciple- SHARE THE GOOD NEWS
• Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
• You’re the preacher- you’re the one who is going to get them to know Jesus

• People can’t hear the Gospel without hearing the Gospel- JC Came to save sinners!
• Philemon 6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
• Did Christ save you? Have you been forgiven? Did you have stuff you were ashamed of?
• Your deliverance in Christ Jesus is a powerful testimony- SHARE IT

• How do I do that?
  • Working on em- Always building a relationship- Gym, store, community, school
  • Loving on them- neighbors, friends of friends (Clear about who I am and what I’m doing)
• Blasting on them- For those who know the truth and reject it-
• Encouraging on them- The timid
• No holds barred- Those I may never see again- Planes, trains, automobiles.
• 1 Corinthians 9:16 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!
• Sharing the gospel with a couple who wanted to get married- Right now SBUX

• You have been called to heal sickness

• “and to have power to heal sicknesses”
• This admonition that Christ gave to his disciples is found in the other Gospels as well
• Matt 10:1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.
• Luke 9:1 Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.
• And when we look at the lives of the disciples, we see that people were healed by their ministry
• Acts 5:16 Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
• Acts 8:6-8 READ “Great joy in that city”

• You see Philip here, he preaches, he casts out- he heals and it changes the city
• Somehow, this idea that the power of Jesus can heal people has been lost.
• We now spend more time on hold with our insurance companies waiting for our benefits and co-pay information longer than we pray for people to get healed.
• But that wasn’t the intention that Jesus had when he empowered the disciples
• John 20:22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
• What does it mean to you?
• Pray for people to get healed! Pray for healing on people! Pray for yourself
• Let me say this- Evangelist- “why do some get healed” don’t know why some do
• Its not my job to judge the outcome its my job to believe the word of God
• I am going to pray for people to healed. Mind, soul, body, everything
• I have prayed for people that have died and people that were healed
• James 5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.

• How do we do it? Ask in the name of Jesus!

• John 14:13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
• If you see someone who is sick- pray the prayer of faith
• Acts 3:6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
• James 5: 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven

• You have been called to Cast out demons

• Casting out of demons was a charge that Jesus gave to his disciples as well-
• We saw in Matt 10:1, Luke 9:1 and here- three different places Jesus empowers them
• Here’s what Jesus knew- Some people’s problems are of the Devil and need to be dealt with as such
• In Luke 8 Jesus heals a man who was full of demons- 27 And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes,[d] nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.
• Jesus casts the demons out of this guy and into the swine
• Folks- Demon possession is real. The devil is real
• Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
• In Acts 16 there was a girl with a spirit of witchcraft and Paul prayed over her and she was set free
• Go to the doctor. Take your meds. But realize that sometimes its demon possession or oppression and needs to be dealt with as such

• What does it mean to you

• Realize you are up against demons and use the name of Jesus wisely
• You have the power- recognize the spiritual component and come against it
• John10:17Then the seventy[a] returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”
• BE CAREFUL- If you are not a Christian you do not have this power Acts 19:11-19
• Jesus can and will deliver those who are possessed with demons
• You must believe it and pray it through