The Lord Jesus had 12 original disciples, but those men were just the first of many more followers of Christ.

They are an example for us to learn from and a reminder that God works in ordinary people.

Are you a true follower of Jesus Christ?

Let's study the 12 disciples.

Now, we're not studying the disciples so we can simply know the disciples better.

We're studying the disciples, number one, so we can know Jesus better.

I hope that will come

across very clear to you as we began this study, and we're studying it because we want to

see ourselves in Scripture. It's my conviction that the Lord used these 12 disciples, really as

representatives, if you will, of different kinds of disciples that exist in every age.

And we resemble them in so many ways.

They is us.

You know, when you open the Word of God, the Word of God is both a lens on the Lord.

It is a great telescope, if you will, on who God is, but it is also a mirror.

Remember James says that the Word of God is a mirror. It's a mirror so that we can understand

more about ourselves and see ourselves like God sees us. And so it's my prayer that as we have this

study together, you'll see yourself in

scripture and you'll see the person that God wants you to become. Now, most of you know that my

favorite gospel record is the gospel according to Mark. So I want to begin our study, if I may,

on the 12 in Mark chapter number three. And I'm doing this very purposefully because Mark

three is a summary passage.

It is really a classic passage that not only gives a list of the 12 disciples,

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