Greg Laurie - Twelve Men Who Shook the World (10/25/2017)
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Pastor Greg Laurie explains how God chose to reach the world through ordinary, flawed people like the twelve apostles rather than dramatic displays of power. He introduces these men—starting with Peter, Andrew, James, and John—showing their human weaknesses yet how Jesus transformed them into world-shakers, encouraging believers today that God uses imperfect saints to shine His light.
God's Chosen Method: Flawed People Over Spectacular Signs
Let me ask you a question. If you were God and you wanted to reach the world, how would you do it? Now, remember, you are God. You can do anything you want. You can ride in the sky. You can speak audibly from heaven. You can roll back the clouds and just poke your face. Of course, we would all die on the spot, but still. Or you could raise up an army of mighty angels flying through the heavens telling everyone to believe in Jesus Christ.
God could have employed any of those tools or resources to reach our world, but no. Instead, God decided to use people—and flawed people at that. And when Jesus Christ, God in human form, came to this earth, He chose 12 men. Peter, James, John, Matthew, Andrew, Thomas. We know their names, but do we really know them? Tonight, I want to introduce you to these men. Because God is still looking for men and women to shake this world. This world. Can you see it? The light shines into the darkness. Bringing hope to the hopeless. It's leading life...
The Apostles: Ordinary Men Without Modern Tools
Here's what's amazing to me about these apostles that Jesus called. They didn't have any of the modern technology we have today. I mean, they didn't have television sets. They didn't have radio. They didn't have the Internet. You know, Peter did not have a Facebook page. And Philip did not tweet, nor did Thomas. They had none of the modern communication tools that we have today. Everything they did was word of mouth, person to person.
And today we call these men saints. And when we see them depicted in religious literature or in paintings or sometimes in stained glass, they are one dimensional figures. They don't seem real. They always have the requisite halo over their head. But really, what is a saint? A little girl was asked in her Sunday school class what a saint was. And thinking of stained glass, she said, "Oh, those are the people that the light shines through." But actually, she was on to something. That's what a saint is. It's a person that the light shines through.
Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they might see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven." But check this out. The word saint is just another word for believer. Therefore, every Christian, every man, every woman who has put their faith in Christ can legitimately call themselves a saint. Now I am not asking for you to call me Saint Gregory. But you can if you like. Because I am a saint. And you are too if you put your faith in Jesus Christ.
Why God Uses Flawed, Unremarkable People
Now these men that God chose to use were human beings. They made mistakes. They had flaws. They were hopelessly human. They were remarkably unremarkable. However, despite those flaws, they were obedient to the Lord and available to Him. And this is one of the reasons why I believe the Bible is the Word of God. Because the Bible is a completely honest book. You know, in other religious books, the prophets or the preachers or the ones that speak for God are always presented as perfect or flawless. Well, the only one that is presented as flawless in the pages of the Bible is Jesus Christ Himself. It is God. Everybody else has their shortcomings. Some more than others for sure.
Now I don't know about you, but that does not discourage me. That encourages me. Because I too am a flawed person. And so when I see that God can use an imperfect person, then that gives me hope that God can use me as well. Listen to this. Jesus did not call them because they were great. Their greatness came as a result of the call of Jesus. Let me repeat that. Jesus did not call them because they were great. Their greatness came as a result of the call of Jesus.
1 Corinthians 1:26. A modern translation says, "Take a good look, friends, at who you were when God called you into this life. I don't see many of the brightest and best among you. Not many influential. Not many from high society families. Isn't it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks. God chose these nobodies to expose the hollow pretensions of the somebodies."
From Nothing to Everything Through God's Call
There was probably never a person with less potential to do anything for God than me when He called me at the age of 17. Trust me, I didn't even have a few loaves and fishes. I came with very little. So anything good that has come from my life has been something God has given and God has done through me. It's not something I do for Him merely. It's His blessing on my life. And if God can use a person like me, He can certainly use a person like you.
So we think about these 12 men that God called. How different they were. You know, you stop and think about how different they were from one another. We have Simon who was a former zealot. Now what does that even mean? A zealot was someone who was dedicated to the violent overthrow of Rome. We might even call them a terrorist if they actually armed themselves. And many did. And the Romans crucified many men who were zealots trying to overthrow the tyranny of Rome.
So we have Simon the Zealot. And then we have Matthew the tax collector. Now Matthew was a Jew, but he had become someone who worked for the Roman government. He was perceived by his fellow Jews as a traitor or a turncoat. So here we have Matthew the tax collector perceived as someone who caved in to the power of Rome. Simon the zealot who wanted to destroy Rome. And Jesus says, you guys are both on the team. Now love one another. They could not be more opposed ideologically, philosophically, and politically.
Be like Jesus saying, okay, I want this conservative Republican and I want this liberal Democrat. You guys come together and follow me. Wait, wait, wait. We can't get along at all. No. We follow Him. And we keep our eyes on Him. And we focus on Him. These were salt of the earth types that God put His hand on.
Introducing the Apostles: Starting with Peter
So I want you to think about now these 12 men that shook the world. Let's look at Matthew chapter 10. In verse 2 it says, "Now the names of the 12 apostles are these. First there is Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother." So let's start with probably the most well-known of all the apostles, Simon Peter.
Right and wrong. Truth and untruth. The lines are blurred more than ever. And if you stand up for absolutes, the ridicule is relentless. Without a true compass to follow, our world will continue to spin out of control unless we get back to the basics of truth. The Ten Commandments are God's absolutes, His rules to live by. And they've never changed. In his booklet, God's Top Ten, Pastor Greg Laurie gives practical, relevant insight on how God's Top Ten gives solid direction to our daily lives. And right now, we'll send it to you as a thank you for your gift of any amount to the Ministry of Harvest. Call 1-800-821-3300 or go to greglaurie.tv to receive your copy of God's Top Ten today.
Welcome back. Here again is Greg Laurie. Apart from Jesus Himself, no name is mentioned more in the New Testament than Simon Peter. He was a central figure of Jesus' three years of ministry. And of the first three years of the early church, Jesus spent more time with Peter than with anyone else. No other person speaks as often or is spoken to as often as Simon. No other disciple was as reproved and corrected as often as Simon.
Peter: Bold, Impulsive, and Courageous
See the thing with Peter, he said what he thought. You know people like that? They don't know the difference between inside thoughts and outside thoughts. They just verbalize everything. That was Peter. If he was thinking it, it was only a few moments until he would be saying it. And of course, this got him in trouble on more than one occasion. Peter would just ask a question if he didn't understand something. In fact, Peter asked more questions than all the other apostles combined.
For instance, when concerned about the reward that he and his fellow disciples would get because they left all and followed Jesus, he did not hesitate to ask about it. In Matthew 19:27, we read him saying to Christ, "We have left everything to follow you. What will there be for us?" That is a bold thing to say to Jesus. Hey, we have given up everything. What is in it for us?
Here is a proverb, not in the Bible, but a good one. Better to be silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and dispel all doubts. Well, poor old Peter. He just spoke his mind. And that was him. He was always speaking up. In fact, we know that when Jesus was at a place called Caesarea Philippi, He said, "Who do men say that I am?" And it was Peter who said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Now, by the way, that took a lot of courage to say that. And he was right on the money.
Now, if he had been smart, he would have just left it at that. "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus says, "Hey, Peter, flesh and blood did not reveal that to you, but my Father who is in heaven." And then Jesus goes on to speak about how He is going to die. And He is going to go to a cross. And He is going to suffer. And Peter starts to rebuke Jesus. That is never a good idea, to rebuke Jesus. And Jesus said, "Get behind Me, Satan, for you are an offense to Me." So one moment Peter was speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. A few moments later, he was inspired by the devil himself. But the point is, Peter would always speak up.
Peter's Faith and Failures
It was Simon Peter that walked on the water to Jesus. Well, remember that story. The Lord is out there walking on the water. And Peter says, "Lord, if it is You, tell Me to come." Jesus says, "Well, it is Me. Come." And Peter puts one leg down over the side of that boat and presses down on that water. It holds Him up. He puts the other foot down. He begins to walk. He is doing something no man has ever done apart from Christ Himself. And then just considering the circumstances, the wind, the waves, and everything else, he began to sink. And He said, "Lord, save me." And He actually went underwater. "Lord, save me." And Jesus reached down and pulled Him up. He said, "Oh, Peter, you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
Now we can laugh at what Peter did and be critical of what Peter said. But you know what? No other apostle tried to walk on water. And to the point, He said, "Lord, if it is You, tell Me to come." And Jesus said, "Come." So He was a commendable man. He was a courageous man. Now, of course, we all know about His denial. He did deny the Lord three times. But let me tell you something you may not have known about Peter. When it was all said and done, church tradition tells us He died a cruel death. Before He was crucified, He is said to have watched the crucifixion of his wife. He was forced to observe it. Peter stood at the foot of his wife's cross and he repeated to her the words, "Remember the Lord." And after she died, he pleaded to be crucified upside down because he felt he was unworthy to die in the same way his Lord did. This was a hero of the faith. Simon Peter.
Andrew: The Quiet Bringer of Souls
Then there is Andrew. He was the brother of Peter. Andrew was the first of the disciples to be called. And right away he went and got his brother Peter. John 1:41 says, "The first thing Andrew did was find his brother Simon Peter and tell him, 'We found the Messiah,' (that is the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus." And Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon, son of John. And you will be called Cephas," which is translated Peter.
So his given name was Simon. Jesus gave him a new name, Peter, which means rock. I wonder if the other disciples chuckled a little when Jesus said that. A rock speaks of something of stability and dependability. But Peter was a little bit on the hot-headed side, a little on the impulsive side. But Jesus gave him a new name because Jesus knew what he would become. You see, when God looks at you, he doesn't just see you for what you are. He sees you for what you will be.
Life, it's compared to a race. The challenges, trials, oppositions, and seemingly insurmountable obstacles. They will come. Adversities, great and small, will test us, test our mettle, our faith. But we are overcomers through Jesus Christ, who endured it all for us. And there is a prize, a crown, a great reward. Press on, fight, endure till the end, and above all, keep the faith.
Andrew's Ministry of Bringing People to Jesus
You know, we might just see a lump of clay and God sees a finished product, a vase or a vase, however you want to pronounce it. He sees what you can be. We see a blank canvas. God sees a finished painting. We see a Simon vacillating, impulsive, hot-headed. Jesus sees a Simon Peter, a rock-like man. But who brought Simon to Jesus? It was Andrew.
You know, Andrew had to go through life being the brother of someone who was more well-known than he was. Does that describe any of you? Maybe you were always known as the son of. Maybe your father, your mother were more well-known than you. Or your brother or your sister was well more-known. So that became the point of reference with everyone you met. Oh, you know who his brother is? Oh, you know who his mother is? And that is how Andrew lived. Oh, you know who his big brother is? Peter.
And Andrew might have thought, man, I am on to a good thing. I found Jesus. I don't want to tell Peter. He will become the leader under Jesus. That can't happen. I want this all for myself. But no. In his defense, Andrew went out and found his brother Simon and brought him to Jesus. And you know, that was a great description of what Andrew did for his whole life. He was always bringing people to Jesus.
There is a story of the feeding of the 5,000. And people were gathered around. And they didn't know where they were going to find food to feed them. And it was Andrew who said, there is a little boy here with five loaves and two fish. He is bringing him to Jesus. Then there is a story where some men from Greece came. And they wanted to see Jesus. So Philip went to Andrew. And Andrew personally took them to Christ. Andrew was the go-to guy when you wanted to get to Jesus. That would be a great thing to be said of you. You know, they always were bringing people to Jesus wherever they went.
We celebrate the Simon Peters of the world. But sometimes we forget the Andrews. And check this out. If there were no Andrews, there would be no Simon Peters. Andrew is sort of the patron saint of the relatively unknown but faithful followers of Jesus Christ. Those people that labor behind the scenes. We don't know their names. We don't know that much about them. But the Lord knows. You see. And everything we do for God is duly recorded by Him. And you will be rewarded for it one day. The Scripture tells us to not be weary in well doing for in due season we will reap if we do not give up. So even that small little thing you have done in the name of Jesus, the Lord is fully aware of it.
And by the way, as a footnote, according to church tradition, Andrew was lashed to a cross that was X-shaped. There he hung for two full days preaching to those who passed by to come to Jesus. So here is Andrew leading people to Christ to the very end of his life. A real hero of the faith. Quieter than Peter. But in his way he shook the world.
James and John: The Sons of Thunder
Then there are James and John. And I just love these guys. They are so colorful. They were known as the sons of thunder. Now you don't get a name like that for nothing. You have to have a reputation. I imagine if these guys were around today they would be biker dudes probably, you know. All tatted up. Riding really obnoxiously loud choppers. And you know, the sons of thunder. Here they come.
And you wonder, well, where did they get a name like that? Well, they were known to lose their temper just a little bit. On one occasion when Jesus preached to the Samaritans, they were not hospitable toward them. So James and John, the sons of thunder, thought it might be a good idea to roast all of the people. They said, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven and consume them?" And Jesus is like, guys, I did not come to toast people but to save them. That is a loose paraphrase. I came to save people not to destroy them. But that is the way they were.
The Inner Circle and Their Human Flaws
It is worth noting that three people hung out with Jesus the most. Do you know who they were? Peter. And who else? James and John. Peter, James, and John. So we think that is because they were the elite apostles. They were even a little more spiritual than others. And of course Jesus took Peter, James, and John with them when He raised Jairus from the dead. Jesus took Peter, James, and John with Him to the Mount of Transfiguration. Jesus took Peter, James, and John with Him to the Garden of Gethsemane where He sweat, as it were, great drops of blood. Why? Because they were more spiritual? Maybe. And maybe because they needed extra attention.
You know when I was in school I used to get in trouble a lot for talking and goofing off. And more than one occasion the teacher would say, "Greg Laurie, you bring your desk right next to mine where I can keep an eye on you." And I wonder sometimes if that is why Jesus spent so much time with Peter, James, and John. Of course they were mightily used by God later, weren't they? Because we know that they stood by the Lord to the very end.
But here is an insight into how insensitive they could be at times. Jesus talked about the fact that He would be betrayed and crucified. And He said to them in Mark 10:33, "We are going to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn Him to death. They will hand Him over to the Gentiles who will mock Him, spit on Him, flog Him, and kill Him. And three days later He will rise." That is heavy stuff. I mean imagine if you were there with Christ and He dropped this bombshell. You would probably sit in stunned silence.
Not James and John, the sons of thunder. Right after He said that they said, "Teacher, we were wondering, do for us whatever we want." Is that a good time to ask that? It would be like, someone saying, I just came from the doctor and I found out I have two weeks to live. Really? Wow. Can I have your car? Can I get a little sympathy here? Hey, we are wondering if you would do for us whatever we want.
Jesus said, okay, I will bite. What do you want? Well, we were thinking we would sit on your right and left hand when you go into glory. Hey, is that all? Are you guys crazy? They could be ambitious, cold hearted. They could be, well, just like us. And this is why I say, these men that God used, hopelessly human, remarkably unremarkable. But what did Jesus do? He changed them.
Invitation: Your Turn to Follow Jesus
But something has happened. And maybe something that's been said, you've suddenly discovered you need Jesus Christ. You know, the day I accepted Jesus, let me tell you, I effectively eavesdropped on a Christian meeting. Happened on my high school campus. And a bunch of Christians were meeting for prayer and singing songs about God. And I sat down close enough to sort of listen in, but not so close that my friends would think I was joining. And I heard the gospel in an understandable way. I didn't plan on becoming a Christian that day, but that was a day that was appointed in eternity for me to believe in Jesus.
I wonder if this is not that day for you. You've been eavesdropping, you've been checking it out, but now God's speaking right to your heart and you realize you need Jesus Christ. Would you like to have your sin forgiven? Would you like a second chance in life? Would you like to go to heaven when you die? Would you like your guilt removed? Listen, it can all happen because Jesus Christ went to a cross and died for your sin and then rose again three days later. And He'll come into your life right now and be your Savior and your Lord and the best friend you've ever had.
You say, well, how does that happen? It's as simple as a prayer. In fact, I'd like to lead you in a prayer where you could ask Christ to come into your life. So if you would please stop what you're doing and just pray this prayer with me wherever you are. And God will hear your prayer and He'll answer it. Let's pray together. Pray this after me.
"Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner, but I believe you died on the cross for my sin. And I'm sorry for that sin. And I turn from it now. And I ask you to come into my life and be my Savior and be my Lord and be my God and be my friend. I choose to follow you from this moment forward. In Jesus' name I pray, amen".