Luke 6:12-19

Luke 6:12-19

1. Let us observe that when our Lord ordained His first ministers, He did it after much prayer.
2. Let us observe how little we are told of the worldly position of the first ministers of the Christian Church.
3. Let us observe that one whom our Lord chose to be an apostle, was a false disciple and a traitor.

"Do we desire to help forward the cause of pure and undefiled religion in the world? Then let us never forget to pray for ministers, and especially for young men about to enter the ministry."

"With a doctrine most unpalatable to the natural heart--with nothing whatever to bribe or compel obedience--a few lowly Galileans shook the world, and changed the face of the Roman empire. One thing only can account for this. The Gospel of Christ, which these men proclaimed, was the truth of God."

"Again, the choice of Judas was meant to teach the lay-members of the Church, not to make idols of ministers. They are to esteem them highly in love for their work's sake, but they are not to bow down to them as infallible, and honor them with an unscriptural honor. They are to remember that ministers may be successors of Judas Iscariot, as well as of Peter and Paul."

Questions:

1. Hebrews 13 demands that we answer the question: who is your leader? This passage asks another question: do you pray for your leaders? Is heaven filled with petitions for your pastors?

2. Ryle says that if we would do good for souls, we must not look first to the powers of the world. What does our time and practice reveal our confidence is in?

3. Ryle mentions that Jesus’ choice of Judas was to teach ministers humility, lay-members not to make idols of ministers, and the whole church that there is no perfect church on earth. Have you ever thought of Judas this way?