Jesus Invites Us Close

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First-century Israelites were familiar with this model of teacher and disciple. Bright young men who showed promise in their Torah studies could choose to apprentice themselves to a rabbi whose interpretation of the law best matched their own. It was a competitive career field that came with long hours and no pay, but also with the hope that a disciple would someday become a respected rabbi with his own disciples.

But Jesus turned this whole system on its head. He chose unqualified men—who, according to the customs of the day, had failed to advance in their religious education and instead pursued vocational careers. Far from the model students most rabbis accepted as disciples, these twelve men were ordinary and unremarkable.? But Jesus hand-picked each one of them: "You did not choose me, but I chose you" (John 15:16a).

As Creator of the universe, Jesus could have chosen any number of ways to establish His kingdom. Of all the possible options, one-on-one relationships seem to be the most inefficient method, from a pragmatic point of view.

But personal relationships with messy people is the way of love.
Jesus chose these twelve men not just to learn His doctrine but to experience His perfect love, because love changes people. Jesus bestowed on them honor and dignity that exceeded their merit, station, and education, even calling them His friends John 15:15).
Jesus gathered these twelve men to be with Him. Day and night, mile after dusty mile, Jesus poured into them thousands of hours together, doing everything from mundane daily chores to teaching and healing and proclaiming God's kingdom come on earth. Other people only had access to Jesus for a brief moment; a few others traveled with Jesus occasionally; but these twelve got to spend three years of their lives within arm's reach of Jesus.

Yes, through His incarnational ministry on earth, Jesus brought healing and blessing to every person who sincerely sought Him.

But to these twelve. Jesus revealed far more than He entrusted to any of His other followers. He invited them behind closed doors to witness private miracles. He explained hard teachings to them. He answered their questions. And He even miraculously provided for them, from calming the angry sea to paying Peter's taxes.

Time with Jesus up close and personal changes us. You cannot spend hours with Love Himself and remain untouched. Even Jesus' opponents recognized this truth, for notice their reaction when Peter and John defend themselves after their arrest: Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus" (Acts 4:13 ESv). These men had been with Jesus. And it changed everything.

As humans, we are limited by time and space in giving our time to people we love. Being fully human, Jesus also limited this invitation to His twelve disciples during His public ministry on earth.

But through His death, resurrection, and ascension to His Father, Jesus invites each of us— His disciples today—to experience the love of His presence through the gift of His Spirit within us, until the coming of that glorious day when He returns and we will see Him face-to-face. Oh what grace! Oh what love!

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Devotions from:  Uncovering the Love of Jesus: A Lent Devotional by Asheritah Ciuciu