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Word from Scotland
by Sandy Shaw
In Luke 6:12, Jesus Christ is about to choose these twelve men who would be trained and prepared for discipleship and He goes out into the hills and spends the night in prayer. Before such an important decision, Jesus isconsulting andcommuning with His Father regarding the details. The calling of the disciples occupies only a few lines. We are not given lots of details and yet those were the twelve who would be right at the very heart of the work.
They were - not famous - not rich – and probably in their twenties. There was not a religious leader among them of that which was dead! But they were leaders. They would be with Jesus for three years observing everything. Their natural gifts would be transformed and used by God.
A disciple is a learner who follows a teacher. The Greek word is “mathetes” from which we get mathematics. A disciple is a man who is under discipline and who can be precise.
For three years they would be learning. They would come close and observe, watch, learn. They were uniquely privileged. They wanted to be part of this work even though they did not know what the implications would be.
There came that day seven weeks after Passover - seven weeks after the resurrection of Jesus – when they are baptised in the Holy Spirit and sent out into the world. But this is where it begins, when they are called and chosen – but not commissioned until three years later.
There is a vital lesson here. Some sense that the call of God is upon them and they want to be commissioned and sent out almost immediately. Not so.
If I might be allowed a person comment - I was called at the age of eight in a very real and dramatic way. I told no-one for some nine years, until the night before my father died – and it was almost twenty years later before I was eventually ‘ordained’ or commissioned.
Peter had three years in Jesus’ ‘school’ and Paul had a more lengthy period before he was finally commissioned for twenty or so years of exciting ministry. At this time of writing I have had forty years of exciting and thrilling ministry, but the training and preparatory period is crucial. Jesus Himself knew Who He was at twelve but it was another eighteen years before He stepped out and onto the world’s stage.
Preparation is essential. Do not rebel at the time spent preparing. Who would want their children to be taught by someone who was untrained and unprepared? The same applies to ministering and serving in the Kingdom of God.
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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