Choosing of Twelve Disciples

Once Jesus made the reason clear for His coming

He chose for Himself named and numbered disciples

The number was twelve

Most of them came from right here from this Galilean homeland

Some of them were rough and uneducated but

Beneath the awkward hardness of these men

He saw a strong interlike a spark that wil burning eternally

And he bestowed upon them His own miraculous powers

That heal the sick, to bring the dead back to life

And he has specially told them to go and preach His gospel

He educated them and he had patience with them

He often spoke to them as he was speaking with little children

He even called them children

He patiently endured their clumsiness and their rudeness understanding of His words

At times they were His only audience

He drew them to Himself and He stamped His own image upon them

He picked them along the road, along the seashore wherever He might see them

He would say to one, "Follow me I'll make you fishers of men"

Among His first disciples were James and John, the sons of Zebedee

John was to write a beautiful gospel of Jesus Christ in later years

There was Andrew, Philip, Nathanael, Thomas, Matthew, Simon, Thaddeus, James, Judas Iscariot

And Simon Peter

Once Jesus said to His disciples, "Whom do men say that I the son of man I am?"

And some of the disciples said, "Some say you're John the Baptist, and Elias

Others say you're Jeremiahs or one of the other prophets"

And then he said to them, "Well who do you say that I am?"

And it was Simon Peter that said, "You're the Christ, the son of the living God"

And Jesus said, " Blessed are you Simon for flesh and blood has not revealed it to you

But my Father which is in Heaven

As Jesus went on to say, " You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church

And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it and I'll give you the keys of the kingdom

And whatsoever you shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven

And whatsoever you shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven"