Apostles Today
WHAT IS AN APOSTLE?
Gk "apostolos" - a sent one, a delegate (delegated authority), an ambassador
E.g. ambassadors/governors of nations have all the authority of that nation invested in them
Jesus sends apostles to represent the government, the kingdom of God, all the authority of God
Apostolic revelation is all about being sent by the King of kings to manifest His kingdom authority in the earth
Every apostle must be sent by someone
The 12 apostles were sent by Jesus, Jesus was sent by the Father
John 20:21 - As the Father sent (apostello) Me (Jesus), so now I send you (apostles)
Apostello - to send, set free
Hebrews 3:1
Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession
Mostly Jesus has been preached as the High Priest
He is the Redeemer, The One who was sacrificed for our sins so that we could be saved. Not many have considered or preached Jesus as the Apostle.
Are you ready to consider Jesus as the Apostle?
It is time for us to consider Jesus the Apostle
If we do not receive Jesus as the Apostle, we will not receive the One who sent Him; we miss out on a revelation of the Father.
We will remain servants without a Father if we do not understand Jesus as the Apostle
Confession of Jesus the Apostle
Sent with a purpose to build the House of God in the earth
All things in heaven and on earth come together in Christ, High Priest takes us into heavenly realm, Apostle builds on the earth
Matthew 16:18 - On this Rock I will build My Church - this was Jesus' main work as an apostle, to build the church
Hebrews 3:3,6 - What is the house of God? We are the house of God, Christ is a Son over this house
1 Timothy 3:15 - House of God is the church of the Living God
This is Jesus' work as an apostle, to build the house of God, the church
How did Jesus do this building work?
- He trained some apostles
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John 17:4 - Jesus finished the apostolic work on the earth of raising the apostles
- Jesus was ready to die because He had finished the apostolic work by training the 12 apostles
- Jesus was the Master Builder and could say to the Father the night before He died that He could send the apostles into the world just like Jesus was sent by the Father
- When Jesus ascended, He gave the five ministries to build the House of God (Ephesians 4:7-11)
Ephesians 4:11-12
- He gave them to equip the saints, to do the work of ministry
Ephesians 2:20
- apostles are in there as part of the foundation
Revelation 21:14
- apostles are foundation for the holy city
1 Corinthians 3:11
- Jesus is the foundation of the church, this foundation is laid by apostles
Ephesians 2:21-22
- In Christ we are being fitted together, growing into a Holy Temple, to be a dwelling place for God in the Spirit
The ministry of Jesus the Apostle continues in the earth, as he raises up apostles to be doing the work
A look at apostles in the New Testament
Who decided there were no apostles today and that there were lots of pastors? What authority decided these things?
26 people in New T are called apostles -
Jesus appointed 12 - 1 was a failure
Acts 1:20-25
- Matthias was 12th apostle
Acts 13:1-2
- Paul and Barnabas separated for apostolic work
- V.3-4 - Holy Spirit sent Paul and Barnabas
- They were prophets (Barnabas) and teachers (Saul) before this
Acts 14:4, 14
- Paul and Barnabas are called apostles
Romans 16:7
- Andronicus and Junia are of note among the apostles - seems like a large group of apostles around
- Junia is a feminine name, probably a lady apostle in the early church
1 Corinthians 4:6
- Apollos is included in Paul's writing on equal footing with Paul and Peter
- can assume he was an apostle
2 Corinthians 8:23
- messenger = "Gk. Apostolos" = apostles
- Titus was an apostle
Letters to Timothy and Titus were apostolic letters not pastoral, written to apostles
Galatians 1:19, 1 Corinthians 9:5
- James and all brothers of Lord were apostles (Mark 6:3 shows 4 brothers of the Lord)
Philippians 2:25
- Epaphroditus was an apostle (messenger = apostolos)
- We must dig into the word and not be misled, but learn to find out what the Greek words mean
1 Thessalonians 1:1, 2:6
- Paul, Silvanus and Timothy are all apostles
- 26 apostles named in New Testament and others referred to
Pastors = none named in New T
Evangelists = 1, Philip Acts 21:8
Prophets = Agabus, Silas, Judas (Acts 15:32)
Teachers = Acts 13:1 - 5 men mentioned, certain prophets and teachers
1. What is the task of Apostle?
To build the house of God, the church
1 Corinthians 3:10-11 - apostle has master plan and lays foundation for it to be built upon and the foundation is only ever Jesus the Christ
2. What is the role of the Apostle?
To represent and make known the Sender
- if you are an apostle of Jesus Christ, you will talk about Jesus all the time
- apostles of Jesus Christ represent Jesus
- all things must be judged by the Word; no horizontal, vertical, market place apostles because they are not in the Word
Who sent Jesus? Father (only about 10x God mentioned Father in Old T, in gospels alone over 100x God called Father)
- Jesus made known the Father!
- John 14:9 - If you have seen Jesus you have seen the Father
- If you do not accept Jesus, you reject Father
Who sends apostles today? Jesus
- So apostles preach Jesus and make Jesus known
- Acts 5:42 - this is what the early apostles did on a daily basis
- We are to teach and preach Jesus the Christ
3. What is the grace of an apostle?
1. To be a father
- the grace of an apostle is to be a father
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1 Corinthians 4:14 - Corinthians called Paul's "beloved children"
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V.15 - sons are begotten through the gospel
- The relationship with an apostle is a relationship by revelation
- destiny of sons is to grow them up to be co-workers with you in the family business
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Galatians 4:19 - Paul called believers his "little children" but he is praying for them to grow up
2. To bring forth revelation
Colossians 1:26-27- the revelation of the mystery is the inheritance of the saints
- apostles have grace to release the revelation of the mystery to the saints as their inheritance
- we are to fulfil the Word, making known the mystery of Christ to the saints
Ephesians 3:2-8
- by grace he received revelation
- knowledge of the mystery given to holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit to give to the saints
3. Grace as a wise master builder
1 Corinthians 3:10 - apostles are also never sectarian, they carry the burden to see the church be built properly
- there are no denominational apostles
- brethren God joins to apostles become a pattern people
4. Grace to recognize the calling of others to ministry
- true apostles make way for their sons
- role of ministry is to bring up ministers, to bring up the saints
5. True apostles love the whole church
- there are no favourites
- apostles are to have a special relationship with each person individually
Apostleship - GK 'apostole'
= commission, apostolate (what you are commissioned to do)
- we call Matthew 28:18-20 - "The Great Commission"
- we should call it "The Great Apostleship"
- our apostleship is to reach the nations
