MARK 3:7-19 WHOM HE WOULD Following along with the Lord Jesus and His disciples away from Capernaum, they came to a lake, generally a place of quiet reflection. But here there are people gathered from all parts of Israel, all with needs of one kind or another. There will be needs to meet wherever human being are found. Some are physical, some are emotional and some are spiritual needs. In ourselves we are never able to meet the needs we are made aware of. The Holy Spirit within us guides us to fulfill the work to which we have been called. We serve a Sovereign Lord, and He who knows every need is able to accomplish His will. When He chooses to use us, we are there to act on His behalf in whatever role or responsibility He has identified as our work at that time.
When He went into the small boat, He may have used that as a platform from which He could speak to the great crowd of people who were anxious to see and hear Him. He healed who He would and even those demon-possessed people were set at liberty from the evil power that kept them bound. His command to them to be silent was because their testimony as to who He was, was for the wrong reason. They were waiting for a mighty conqueror who would restore sovereignty to the nation and liberate them from the power of Rome. We may not agree with all that is going on in this nation in which we live. There are those who seek to get us to join them in rising up against the constituted authority. It is important for us to remember "the powers that be are ordained of God." He sets in office "those He will." We need to keep small in our own eyes in order to be used of the Lord as He will. He knows the circumstances, the misdeeds and the outcome - and guides all things "as He would."
From the small boat the Lord Jesus went up into a mountain where He deliberately picked out of those who followed Him, twelve men - "those He would." These were chosen to "be with Him." He elected them, not they chose Him. These were men of His choosing, so He assumed full responsibility for the choice. For His own reason, and by His own wisdom, He called them - not because they asked to be called. When God calls us to fulfill some responsibility, we cannot protest against that because of our inability. We are free from that responsibility because He calls "who He will." At the same time, He does give us serious responsibility to fulfill the purpose for which we are called. Not everyone who is called has the same abilities or credentials. There does seems to be certain capacities in those people that He wants to use. The use of natural talents and spiritual gifts in combination are directed by the One who calls us to do a work that is known only to Him.
These men are called "to be with Him." There needed to be times of preparation and learning. There was a training time that would enable them to see things through the eyes of their Master-Teacher. They would learn from Him to think like Him and how to act like Him. They would become men through whom He could act and carry out His purposes. They would be foundation stones of His Body, controlled by His intelligence, having His emotions and acting on His choices. During the time they were "with Him" they would learn so "He might send them forth to preach." They were able to preach with authority, have power over demons and evil. They were set aside from the rest by Him and for Him, and could speak with authority in His name. He had appointed them.
When we first heard the call of God it was in the Gospel when we were called to put our faith in Christ for salvation. The peace that was made at that time opened the way for Him to call us into service for Him. This is not a response to our need, but a thoughtful response to our devotion. Do I really love Him? Am I willing to set aside my own ambitions and ideas to obey Him and serve Him whole heartedly? His call is not based on our skill although there is a sense in which He uses what He has endowed us with. Even our faith, like those twelve men, falters at times. But we do not have the liberty to disqualify ourselves, because we do not have the credentials we think we need or that others expect of us. We are called because of His will that we might send us out to do His will.
There may be times when we don't know what to do next. The pressures and expectations of others our souls vex. But when we stop to think it was for this work we are called, And for a casual stroll through life on the way to heaven we have been spoiled - Then we willingly take hold of our work for the Lord once again - And follow on with His work like when we did first begin To learn from Him and then in turn go out to preach, That those who haven't heard the Gospel we will be able to reach.
It is not in us to understand why He at first did choose Us to serve Him in the Gospel, but in a sense, bands were unloosed, That we might go forth to places into which He would send Us with a message to give and that the ultimate end Would be people turned from darkness to light; from Satan to God And in turn those people would pass on to others the power of His Word, So that from them would go others the charge to diligently keep - That others who hear them, will for the Savior earnestly seek.
A few "whom He would" started a work that still continues - Although it seems small, still in a small work there are the sinews Of earnest endeavor by those who pray the Lord of the harvest to send more Into the great field, and so they are called to go to a distant shore - That those still in darkness can see God's great light - And through them come to Christ, and in turn have a sight Of what God can do through them to bring others to Him - That victories will be won, as many turns to God from their sin.
"Lord God of the great harvest field, I ask Thee today to send more laborers to the harvest here in North America. What a blessing it is when people reach out to others in a distant place. What a serious need we have here where the work we have been doing seems to be getting weaker rather than stronger. If we are to be used to stir others to rise up to labor, please give us the wisdom as to how to do it. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."