This morning’s passage from Luke 6:12–16 shows us how Jesus called His apostles—but not before spending the whole night in prayer. That alone reminds us to lead with prayer when facing big decisions. From a larger group of disciples, He chose twelve very different people—like Simon the Zealot and Matthew the tax collector, who would’ve naturally been enemies. And yes, even Judas was called. Jesus didn’t pick perfect people; He picked people willing to follow. Not everyone was in the inner circle, and that’s okay—growth takes time, and faithfulness matters more than position. So wherever you are in your journey, stay prayerful, stay open, and trust that Jesus is leading you.

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Good morning. It’s good to be with you today as we continue our time together in the Gospel of Luke. Today, we’ll be reading Luke 6:12–16, the passage where Jesus calls the apostles.

Now during those days, he went out to the mountain to pray; and he spent the night in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, and James and John, and Philip and Bartholomew, and Matthew and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Simon, who was called the Zealot, and Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

There are a few important things I want us to notice here—the first is what Jesus does before calling the apostles. Then we’ll talk a little about the people he chooses, and finally, what this moment tells us about following Jesus.

First, verse 12: “He went out to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God.” Before anything else, Jesus prays. Before making this monumental decision, he devotes himself entirely to prayer. He doesn’t act first and then ask God to bless what he’s done. He begins with prayer, allowing his discernment to be shaped by his relationship with the Father.

That’s such a powerful reminder for us. Our first step in decision-making—especially at the crossroads—should always be prayer. Prayer is how we test our motives, our intentions, our calling. Prayer keeps us rooted in God’s will, not our own preferences or plans.

After this night of prayer, Jesus calls his disciples and chooses twelve of them to be apostles. Luke says he “called his disciples and chose twelve of them.” That means there were many disciples—many who followed Jesus closely—but from that larger group, he appointed twelve as apostles.

That’s worth pausing over. Sometimes we think Jesus only had twelve followers, but there were actually many who followed him, learned from him, and traveled with him. From that broader group, he calls the twelve, and even within that twelve, Jesus often pulled aside three—Peter, James, and John—for more intimate moments.

So, Jesus ministered to crowds, taught his disciples, walked closely with the twelve, and shared the deepest experiences with just three. That layered structure wasn’t an accident. Jesus understood the importance of spiritual community, and he knew how to help people find their place within it.

As a pastor, one of the vows I took at ordination is to order the life of the church—to help structure and guide the community faithfully. We see this principle at work throughout Scripture. In Exodus, Moses appoints judges to help carry the load of leadership. In the early church, the apostles appoint deacons to serve the community. Here, Jesus calls out specific individuals for specific roles.

Not everyone was called to be one of the twelve. Not everyone was called to be part of the inner three. But everyone had the opportunity to follow. That’s so important to remember—faith is a journey. Just because you’re not where you want to be yet doesn’t mean you’re not growing.

Don’t be discouraged if you’re not one of the “inner circle.” Not everyone is called to the same thing at the same time. Growth takes time. When I was younger, I wasn’t ready for the responsibilities I carry now. And I’m not yet ready for what God will ask of me in the future. The same is true for you. Don’t let your longing for what’s next keep you from being faithful where you are now.

Now, let’s look briefly at the apostles themselves. You could do a whole study on each one, but a few names stand out. For example, Judas Iscariot—yes, even he was called. Even though he would fail Jesus, Jesus still called him. He still loved him. He still included him.

We also see Simon the Zealot and Matthew the tax collector. These two could not have been more opposite. Zealots were revolutionaries who hated Rome and Roman collaborators. Tax collectors like Matthew worked for Rome and were despised by their fellow Jews. Yet Jesus called them both. That’s the power of the gospel—to unite people who would otherwise be enemies.

I once heard a professor say, “When Jesus is at the center, our diversity is beautiful. When diversity is at the center, we will destroy each other.” Jesus is the one who holds us together.

So what does this all tell us?

It tells us that Jesus calls all kinds of people. It tells us that prayer must come first. And it tells us that even if the call is difficult—even if it stretches us—when Jesus calls, we can trust him to lead.

Wherever you are in your journey, listen for his voice. Respond when he calls. Trust that he will lead you exactly where you need to be.

Thanks for being with us today. Tomorrow we’ll pick up with Luke 6:17. Have a great day.