God CHOSE Them!

I love my church.  I love how the pastors are just REAL.  They take all the polish and halos off the people in the bible and show how they were real people with flaws just like we are.  This weekend's message was just fantastic and I need to share the main ideas.

Mark 3:13-19 (New International Version)

The Appointing of the Twelve Apostles

 ¹³Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. ¹⁴He appointed twelve—designating them apostles^[a]—that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach ¹⁵and to have authority to drive out demons. ¹⁶These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter ¹⁷ James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder); ¹⁸Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot ¹⁹and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Our pastor, John, called us out on how we have read these verses all along.  We've read them thinking that the apostles were super-good with halos and hardly a fault among them.  He walked us through these verses to show how they were REAL people with flaws, yet God in all His infinite wisdom CHOSE them.  He didn't settle for them, he CHOSE them.

Some examples - Simon the Zealot.  Simon wanted nothing to do with Roman government and would literally destroy things relating to that government.  God CHOSE him and put him with Matthew who was a tax collector for Rome!  He CHOSE Thomas who was the skeptic of all skeptics.  He CHOSE Peter who seemed to perpetually have his foot in his mouth.  He even chose Judas whom He knew would betray and send Jesus to the cross.

How encouraging!  God had great use for these men - flaws included!  What hope!  He can use all of us as well - no matter what our flaws are.  No matter what our past.  Halleluia!  What an awesome God we serve.