Holy Boldness

Chapter 10 C hoosing the T welve

The fear of the Lord lays the foundation in a person’s life for his or her identity and destiny. Only God can tell us who we are! Self-understanding is always a journey of discovery and it takes courage to walk it out. A person must know himself if he wants to raise up others. The effective training of men demands conviction and assurance concerning one’s own identity. It also demands commitment to the cause. Jesus knew who He was and the subtle but profound declaration of His purpose and identity changed the world. Jesus formalized His group down to 12 hand-picked men. Before He did, He spent the night in prayer. He called twelve men to be sig nificantly related to himself and His mission. These were the chosen and they entered into a season of very intentional discipleship. They were called ‘disciples.’ A disciple is, by definition, one who is taught. What did Jesus teach his disciples? He taught them to honor God above all else and to live in His presence. Eventually, after many tests and intense personal conversations, He sent them out as commissioned ambassadors of His mission. It was then that they were called “apostles” which meant “sent ones”. Jesus not only came to the earth to fulfill a vision but to raise up a team of disciples who would embody the mission mandate. He was not simply establishing a core mission team but also and perhaps equally important, He came looking for those He would consider His “family.” “And He appointed twelve so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach.” (Mark 3:14) The first element Jesus looked for was a willingness to go with What was Jesus looking for?

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