Bible Text: Ephe\u00adsi\u00adans 1:5+12 | Pre\u00ada\u00adcher: Bern\u00adhard Hohl | Series: Like you and me | We look at the 12 disci\u00adples and ask our\u00adsel\u00adves what les\u00adsons we can learn from them for our tog\u00ade\u00adther\u00adness in the church.<\/p>\n
The term \u00abdisci\u00adple\u00bb ori\u00adgi\u00adnal\u00adly refers to the pupils of a tea\u00adcher. In the Old Tes\u00adta\u00adment world, disci\u00adples belon\u00adged to a rab\u00adbi or a pro\u00adphet; in the Greek world, they gathe\u00adred around the phi\u00adlo\u00adso\u00adphers. The forerun\u00adner of Jesus, John the Bap\u00adtist, alre\u00ada\u00addy had his disci\u00adples, as did Jesus. We only encoun\u00adter the term disci\u00adple in the Gos\u00adpels and in the Acts of the Apost\u00adles, not after\u00adwards. But it has remain\u00aded a fami\u00adli\u00adar, com\u00admon term for us in the Chris\u00adti\u00adan sphe\u00adre over all the cen\u00adtu\u00adries; not least becau\u00adse Jesus cal\u00adled on his disci\u00adples in the Gre\u00adat Com\u00admis\u00adsi\u00adon: \u00abGo into all the world and make disciples\u2026\u00bb. \tJust now they have expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adced the mira\u00adcu\u00adlous mul\u00adti\u00adpli\u00adca\u00adti\u00adon of bread with thou\u00adsands of peo\u00adp\u00adle. And a short time later they are hor\u00adri\u00adfied that they for\u00adgot to buy bread. The good thing about Jesus is that becau\u00adse he hims\u00adelf beca\u00adme man, he under\u00adstands our human weak\u00adne\u00ads\u00adses and we are allo\u00adwed to make mista\u00adkes with him! Jesus knows about our small faith \u2013 but he con\u00adti\u00adnues with us and gives us new faith. Have you ever been worried about litt\u00adle things and sud\u00adden\u00adly rea\u00adli\u00adsed that Jesus is the\u00adre and sees your situa\u00adti\u00adon too? The\u00adre were peo\u00adp\u00adle who fol\u00adlo\u00adwed him for days, who alre\u00ada\u00addy coun\u00adted them\u00adsel\u00adves among his disci\u00adples, and sud\u00adden\u00adly they were gone. Jesus sad\u00adly asks his 12: \u00abDo you also want to go away? Peter ans\u00adwers: \u00abLord, whe\u00adre should we go! You have words of eter\u00adnal life; and we have belie\u00adved and known: You are the Holy One of God\u00bb (John 6:68\u201369 LU<\/span>). Are you more in an up-and-away pha\u00adse at the moment or are you alre\u00ada\u00addy as far as Peter in your con\u00advic\u00adtion: \u00abWhat away from Jesus? Impos\u00adsi\u00adble! The\u00adre is no alter\u00adna\u00adti\u00adve, no plan B!\u00bb I am thril\u00adled that Jesus kept ever\u00adyo\u00adne with Him until the end and that the disci\u00adples stay\u00aded with Jesus despi\u00adte all the pos\u00adsi\u00adble up-and-away thoughts. After the resur\u00adrec\u00adtion, ever\u00adyo\u00adne was still the\u00adre, except Judas. \tHow did Jesus pre\u00adsent you with the decision? Bible Text: Ephe\u00adsi\u00adans 1:5+12 | Pre\u00ada\u00adcher: Bern\u00adhard Hohl | Series: Like you and me | We look at the 12 disci\u00adples and ask our\u00adsel\u00adves what les\u00adsons we can learn from them for our tog\u00ade\u00adther\u00adness in the church. The term \u00abdisci\u00adple\u00bb ori\u00adgi\u00adnal\u00adly refers to the pupils of a tea\u00adcher. In the Old Tes\u00adta\u00adment world, the\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","wpfc_preacher":[35],"wpfc_sermon_series":[63],"wpfc_sermon_topics":[],"wpfc_bible_book":[],"wpfc_service_type":[12],"class_list":["wpfc_preacher-bernhard-hohl","wpfc_sermon_series-wie-du-und-ich","wpfc-sermon-single","post-3072","wpfc_sermon","type-wpfc_sermon","status-publish","hentry","wpfc_service_type-gottesdienst"],"acf":[],"sermons_blog_filters_topics":"\t\t\t\t
\nToday we speak of Jesus\u00bb fol\u00adlo\u00adwers or God\u2019s child\u00adren ins\u00adtead of disci\u00adples, but we mean the same thing. Of the 12, we know main\u00adly Peter, James and John; and of cour\u00adse Judas, the trai\u00adtor, or Tho\u00admas the doub\u00adter. Of the others (Andrew, Phil\u00adip and Matthew) we hear litt\u00adle. Of the last four disci\u00adples, we only know their names, but they were disci\u00adples and were sent out by Jesus like all the others: Bar\u00adtho\u00adlo\u00admew; James the son of Alphae\u00adus; Simon the Cananae\u00adan and Thad\u00addae\u00adus (cal\u00adled Judas in Luke\u2019s Gos\u00adpel, son of James). 12 men who could not be more dif\u00adfe\u00adrent! As dif\u00adfe\u00adrent as we are here in wor\u00adship or all of us in the live\u00adstream. And now in the 21st cen\u00adtu\u00adry Jesus Christ is still cal\u00adling peo\u00adp\u00adle to fol\u00adlow him! How does he do that?
\nHow did the 12 beco\u00adme disciples?
\nJesus met each one, addres\u00adsed them and cal\u00adled them to fol\u00adlow him. All of them reac\u00adted instant\u00adly. They left ever\u00ady\u00adthing and went with Jesus. Of cour\u00adse, they were all still very young and unat\u00adta\u00adched. But this com\u00admon expe\u00adri\u00adence united them stron\u00adgly. They were pro\u00adba\u00adb\u00adly all of a simi\u00adlar age at that time, whe\u00adre\u00adas it can be very dif\u00adfe\u00adrent for us. You may have met Jesus as a child, or later as a teen\u00adager or adult, or even in old age.
\nHow such a call to disci\u00adple\u00adship can take place beca\u00adme clear last Sun\u00adday in the reports of the expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adces of the bap\u00adti\u00adsed. We hear about Jesus at home or in church ser\u00advices, in con\u00adver\u00adsa\u00adti\u00adon with other peo\u00adp\u00adle, when rea\u00adding the Bible, others expe\u00adri\u00adence God in dreams or visi\u00adons, etc. and one day we feel that a litt\u00adle know\u00adledge about God and Jesus is not ever\u00ady\u00adthing. Jesus aims at a per\u00adso\u00adnal rela\u00adti\u00adonship with us. He knocks on our heart\u2019s door, gent\u00adly for some, stron\u00adgly for others. And sud\u00adden\u00adly you rea\u00adli\u00adse: I am faced with a decis\u00adi\u00adon! The ques\u00adti\u00adon is in front of me: Do I open mys\u00adelf to a life with Jesus, or do I put his request on the back burner?
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\nIn the mar\u00adket\u00adplace of Athens at that time, Paul pre\u00ada\u00adched the fol\u00adlo\u00adwing: \u00abFrom the begin\u00adning it was his (God\u2019s) plan that the nati\u00adons should seek God and beco\u00adme awa\u00adre of him and find him \u2013 for he is not far from any of us. In him we live, act and are\u00bb (Acts 17:27\u201328a). God is not far from any human being. He is within reach of all peo\u00adp\u00adle becau\u00adse he wants to give ever\u00adyo\u00adne the oppor\u00adtu\u00adni\u00adty to find him. No one should be able to say: I did not find you! Most of the time it is the other way round, that God has to address peo\u00adp\u00adle repea\u00adted\u00adly with a lot of pati\u00adence, becau\u00adse they are so far away from him!
\nThis is a very decisi\u00adve but beau\u00adtiful moment when you are faced with this decis\u00adi\u00adon of faith: Yes or No? It is simi\u00adlar to when a man falls on his kne\u00ades befo\u00adre a woman and asks her to mar\u00adry him! What did he not think of for this moment! May\u00adbe today you feel this gent\u00adle kno\u00adcking of Jesus! Trust him with your life! Jesus took the disci\u00adples with him and they stay\u00aded with him. We read in the Gos\u00adpel of Luke: \u00abJesus went through the near\u00adby towns and vil\u00adla\u00adges pro\u00adclai\u00adming the mes\u00adsa\u00adge of the king\u00addom of God. He took his twel\u00adve disci\u00adples with him, and some women\u2026 the\u00adse included Mary Mag\u00adda\u00adle\u00adne, Joan\u00adna, Susan\u00adna and many others who sup\u00adport\u00aded Jesus and his disci\u00adples with what they had\u00bb (Luke 8:1\u20133 NL<\/span>).
\nSo the public appearance of Jesus was not a 3 year old men\u2019s event! The\u00adre were women the\u00adre who cared for them and who also wan\u00adted to learn from Jesus! The disci\u00adples were first allo\u00adwed to just be the\u00adre, to watch and lis\u00adten to all that Jesus was doing. This is like the begin\u00adning of a voca\u00adtio\u00adnal app\u00adren\u00adti\u00adce\u00adship! The disci\u00adples expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adced a lot every day! The\u00adse were for\u00adma\u00adti\u00adve and faith-streng\u00adthening expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adces: The wed\u00adding at Cana, whe\u00adre Jesus tur\u00adned water into the best wine. Hea\u00adring the power mes\u00adsa\u00adge of the Ser\u00admon on the Mount. The stil\u00adling of the storm \u2013 whe\u00adre they had to endu\u00adre fears of death. The fee\u00adding of the 5,000. All the healings and cas\u00adting out of demons \u2013 it all got under their skin!
\nIf you are new to fol\u00adlo\u00adwing Jesus: You can just be the\u00adre! Watch and lis\u00adten! Say to Jesus: \u00abJesus, I want to be near you all the time, just like your disci\u00adples back then, and expe\u00adri\u00adence my days with you and learn from you. Read Bible sto\u00adries and be ama\u00adzed at what is pos\u00adsi\u00adble with God! Read books by Chris\u00adti\u00adans who share their lives. At gottkennen.ch you can lis\u00adten to many expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adces of faith under \u00abMini Gschicht mit Gott\u00bb! Or ask left and right here in the con\u00adgre\u00adga\u00adti\u00adon how they expe\u00adri\u00adence Jesus.
\nThe disci\u00adples in the internship
\nAnd sud\u00adden\u00adly your ever\u00ady\u00adday life beco\u00admes an intern\u00adship. Just like with the disci\u00adples. Jesus sent them out two by two and said: \u00abGo and talk to peo\u00adp\u00adle about the king\u00addom of hea\u00adven, preach, heal the sick, cast out demons, rai\u00adse the dead\u2026\u00bb The\u00adse are gre\u00adat expec\u00adta\u00adti\u00adons! I won\u00adder if the disci\u00adples also said, \u00abSure\u00adly I can\u2019t do that\u2026?\u00bb The good thing about Jesus is that when he sends us into action, he hims\u00adelf takes respon\u00adsi\u00adbi\u00adli\u00adty for the result! This is pro\u00adba\u00adb\u00adly clear to all of us: the disci\u00adples could not heal the sick, preach impres\u00adsi\u00adve\u00adly or cast out demons by them\u00adsel\u00adves \u2013 and cer\u00adtain\u00adly not rai\u00adse the dead! Wha\u00adte\u00adver they could achie\u00adve, Jesus did through them! They acted in Jesus\u00bb name. He gave them the aut\u00adho\u00adri\u00adty and the suc\u00adcess. It is the same with us. It is the Holy Spi\u00adrit who works through us. It is the Holy Spi\u00adrit who gives us the right words. (Exam\u00adp\u00adle: pray\u00ader for good con\u00adver\u00adsa\u00adti\u00adons when visi\u00adting). He made it clear to them that it would be a chal\u00adlen\u00adging time by say\u00ading that he was sen\u00adding them out like sheep among wolves.
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\nBut after the intern\u00adship, the disci\u00adples came back all exci\u00adted! \u00abThat was gre\u00adat! That was mega cool! In your name, Jesus, we were even able to cast out evil spi\u00adrits\u00bb. Jesus holds for them: I have given you the power to do this! And then adds some\u00adthing inte\u00adres\u00adt\u00ading: \u00abDo not rejoice that evil spi\u00adrits obey you, but rejoice that your names are writ\u00adten in hea\u00adven\u00bb (Luke 10:20 NL<\/span>). If we can rejoice that our names are writ\u00adten down in hea\u00adven in the book of life, then we are less in dan\u00adger of fal\u00adling into the per\u00adfor\u00admance and suc\u00adcess mind\u00adset. The fact that you are lis\u00adted the\u00adre is due sole\u00adly to the grace of God. This keeps us groun\u00added in humi\u00adli\u00adty and reality!
\nThe disci\u00adples also give their mas\u00adter trou\u00adble sometimes
\nJesus said to the disci\u00adples: \u00abIf anyo\u00adne wants to be first, let him be last of all and ser\u00advant of all\u00bb (Mk 9:35 NG\u00dc<\/span>). Who wants to be last! And cer\u00adtain\u00adly not the last but one! In other bibli\u00adcal pas\u00adsa\u00adges it is expres\u00adsed even more stron\u00adgly: We are to be ser\u00advants! Beco\u00adme like child\u00adren, becau\u00adse the smal\u00adlest will be great\u2026
\nThe 12 disci\u00adples often fai\u00adled in trials:<\/p>\n
\n\tOn the way with Jesus in the boat, they lose all faith in the storm: \u00abWe will peri\u00adsh!\u00bb is their con\u00advic\u00adtion! Jesus can only ask: Whe\u00adre is your faith?
\n\tOr then Jesus must rebu\u00adke them: You are so unin\u00adtel\u00adli\u00adgent! Have you still not understood!
\n\tThe moment Jesus is arres\u00adted by the sol\u00addiers, most of them take flight.
\n\tAfter Jesus\u00bb resur\u00adrec\u00adtion, women come to the disci\u00adples with this won\u00adderful mes\u00adsa\u00adge \u2013 no one belie\u00adves them!<\/p>\n
\nJesus wants to accom\u00adpa\u00adny you
\nAs dif\u00adfe\u00adrent as the disci\u00adples are \u2013 Jesus has cal\u00adled them, for\u00admed them, empowered them and sent them out with a mis\u00adsi\u00adon. Your life is just as valuable to him. He wants to accom\u00adpa\u00adny you and, despi\u00adte doubts, small faith and fail\u00adure, make you into a per\u00adson who is glo\u00adry and honour to God. As a child of God you are bles\u00adsed and will be a bles\u00adsing! \u00abFrom the begin\u00adning God has desti\u00adned us to beco\u00adme his sons and daugh\u00adters through Jesus Christ\u2026; to the end that we may con\u00adtri\u00adbu\u00adte to the glo\u00adry of his power and honor \u2013 all of us who have put our hope in Christ\u00bb (Ephe\u00adsi\u00adans 1:5,12 NG\u00dc<\/span>). Amen!
\n
\nPos\u00adsi\u00adble ques\u00adti\u00adons for the small groups
\nRead Bible text: Ephe\u00adsi\u00adans 1:5,12<\/p>\n
\n\tHas Jesus also given you a mis\u00adsi\u00adon? Did you do it or not?
\n\t3 favou\u00adri\u00adte disci\u00adples, 1 trai\u00adtor, 1 doub\u00adter, 4 still waters \u2011How did the 12 mana\u00adge to stay together?
\n\tWhy do we for\u00adget encou\u00adra\u00adging expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adces with Jesus so quickly?
\n\tRather, rejoice that your names are writ\u00adten in hea\u00adven\u2026 What are the side effects of this joy?
\n\tThro\u00adwing faith over\u00adboard \u2013 have you ever had such thoughts?
\n\tWhat are your big\u00adgest chal\u00adlenges in life with Jesus at the moment?
\n\tWhat are the big\u00adgest encouragers?<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"