Introduction:  A careful examination of Scripture shows that Jesus was the most effective recruiter and retainer of followers of all the servants of God who labored in His vineyard.  Despite the fact that Jesus never picked a chalk to teach or write a book, the character and the verbal instructions He left with uneducated fishermen changed the whole world.  Those instructions have become the subjects of hundreds of millions of books which have transformed multiplied hundreds of millions of lives for two thousand years.

        How did He do it?  He chose 12 of the most unlikely change agents that they should be with Him for three and a half years to watch His way and manner of life closely, accompany Him on all His evangelistic campaigns, listen carefully to His teachings and then He equipped them with power and sent them out to do the same things He did. (Mk. 3:14)

        The effectiveness of His work was demonstrated in Acts 4:13 when two unschooled fishermen He taught humbled the Sanhedrin (Senate) of Israel with power and boldness it could not resist.  These ordinary men eventually converted  nearly half the population of the Roman Empire to become followers of Jesus in the face of the most ferocious and unrelenting persecution for 313 years.

Eventually the Roman Empire itself adopted Christianity as the state religion.  All of that resulted from the effective work of these ordinary unschooled people and there are multiplied hundreds of millions in heaven today because of their efforts.

        Moses wrote five books of the Bible.  He had 70 disciples and thousands of priests and Levites who propagated his teachings every seventh day to the nation of Israel for 1,718 years.  All their efforts did not justify one single soul before God. (Rom. 3:20, 7:7-25 and Gal. 3:11.)

1.  HIS WAY AND MANNER OF LIFE

What was it about Jesus that transformed these 12 ordinary men into champions, disciples and great heroes of our faith?  In one word, CHARACTER.  As they closely observed Him from day to day, they began to see many extraordinary attributes of His life. I will only mention 12 of them.

1.  His Devotion and Total Reliance on His Father.
2.  Jn. 5:19-20, 30 –  Whatever you see, it is My Father’s doing.  I am His follower.
3. Jn. 8:28-29 – I always please Him.
4. Matt. 3:17 – “I am well pleased with My Son.”
5. Mt. 17:5 – “I am well pleased with My Son, hear Him.”
6. Mt. 26:38-42 – Not My will.
7. Lk. 2;49 – At 12, He was already about His Father’s business. 

• His Constant Attention to Scriptures.
  1.  Lk. 2:46-47 – At 12 He was discussing Scriptures for three days
  2. Lk. 4:4,8, 12, then 16.  It was His custom to study Scriptures which came in handy during His temptation.
  3. Mt. 27:46 – Even on the cross, He quoted scriptures.
  4. Jn. 10:34-35.  The scriptures cannot be broken.  He lived in them.

• His Prayer Life.
  1. Mk. 1:35, 6:46 – A long time before the day broke, He sought a solitary place to pray.
  2. Lk. 6:12 – He prayed all night to receive direction on who should be among His disciples.
  3. Lk. 9:28-29 – He was in prayer when He was transfigured.
  4. Lk. 11:1-4 – He was praying and one of His disciples said, “Teach us to pray.”
  5. Jn. 17 – Jesus’ high priestly prayer for the survival and unity of the church.

• His Love of Humanity.
  1.  Matt. 9:35-36 – His compassion on people.
  2. Jn. 11:33-36 – He wept despite knowing He was going to raise Lazarus.
  3. Lk. 19:41-44 – He wept over Jerusalem.
  4. Lk. 23:34d – “Father, forgive them…”
  5. Rom. 5:8 – He took our place on the cross while we were still sinners.

• His Holiness.
  1. Jn. 3:46 – Point out one sin in my life – His word to His enemies.
  2. Lk. 23:4, 14,, 15, 22 and 41 – Pilate said, “I find no fault in Him.”  The thief on the cross who asked Jesus to remember him.
  3. Heb. 4:15 -Tempted at every point, yet no sin.
  4. Heb. 7:26 – He is so high and holy.
  5. Heb. 9:14 – He had no spot.

•  His Tireless Evangelistic Campaign
  1. Matt. 9:35-36 – He went about all the cities and villages.  He prayed for more labourers.
  2. Lk. 8:22-27 – He crossed the sea just to deliver one man from 6,000 demons inhabiting him.  Even a violent storm did not stop Him.
  3. Lk. 15:1-32 – He taught and sought for the lost sheep relentlessly.
  4. Mt. 10:1 and Lk. 9:1-12.  He empowered His 12 disciples and sent them out to preach.
  5. Lk. 10:1 – On another occasion He sent out 70 disciples into every “city and place” where He Himself would come.  Evangelistic carpet bombing.

• His Power
  1. Lk. 8:22-27.  He rebuked the raging sea and wind and they obeyed Him.  He cast out 6,000 demons.
  2. Lk. 4:28-37 – At the first attempt on His life, He passed through a mob that was pushing Him.
  3. Jn. 11:43-45 – He had power over death, hell  and the grave.
  4. Mk. 11:20 – He spoke to a tree and it died.
  5. Acts. 9:4-5 – He had power over human will.
  6. Mt. 15:29-31 – Every sickness and disease and demons were subject to Him.

• His Non-discrimination
  1. Mt. 10:4 – He chose a non-Jew as an apostle.
  2. Mt. 8:3 – Jesus touched a leper.
  3. Mt. 8:7 – He offered to go to the house of a Roman centurion.
  4. Mt. 9:10 – He ate with publicans and sinners.
  5. Jn. 8:11 – Jesus would not condemn the adulteress.
  6. Lk. 19:1-10 – Jesus entered Zachaeus’s house.
  7. Mt. 15:28 – Jesus travelled to another country to heal a girl.
  8. Lk. 7:38 – Jesus allowed a sinful woman to touch His feet.
  9. Lk. 9:49 – Jesus forbade sectarianism

•  His Zeal
  1. Mk. 3:20-21 – They said, “He is mad.”
  2. Lk. 9:51- … – He was resolute and steadfast.
  3. Jn. 2:14-17 – He drove out merchandisers.
  4. Mt. 21:12-13 – He overturned tables in the den of robbers.

• His Teachings
  1. Mt. 5:44 – Love your enemies (Ex. 21:24, Lev. 24:20 OT teaching)
  2. Mt. 19:28-29 – You are kings.  Your future is secured.
  3. Lk. 10:19 – I give you power over all Satan’s power
  4. Matt. 713-14 – Enter in at the narrow gate.
  5. Jn. 3:3-8 – You must be born again.
  6. Jn. 5:24-29 – You have eternal life.
  7. Jn. 14:1-3 – My Father’s house has many mansions.
  8. Jn. 14:6 – I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.
  9. Jn. 14:16-17 – The Father will send another Comforter.
  10. Jn. 14:12-14 – You will do greater works than these.
  11. Jn. 13:1-17 – Jesus washed His disciples’ feet.

• His Sacrificial Death
  1. Jn. 10:17-12??? – He was the willing Lamb of Sacrifice.
  2. Lk. 4:28-31 – He avoided premature death.  They couldn’t kill Him.
  3. Jn. 7:45-46 – He could not be arrested.
  4. Jn. 18:4-12 – Military officers fell to the ground
  5. Mt. 27:12-14 – He offered no self-defense.
  6. Jn. 15:13 – There is no greater love than Jesus’ love.

• His Resurrection
  1. Acts. 2:22-24, 32 – “We are all witnesses of His resurrection.”
  2. Mk. 16:10-14 – Incredulous apostles did not believe at first.
  3. Lk. 24:36-43 – Jesus appeared to the apostles and they believed.
  4. Rom. 1:4 – Resurrection attested to the authenticity of His Sonship.

These are the things that these ordinary artisans and tradesmen witnessed for three and half years and as a result, they became radical disciples and disciplers.  They changed the world.  We can also inspire and produce the same result.  Paul did.  We had Timothy, Silas, Epaphroditus, Aquila and Priscilla, Zenas, Artemas, Tychicus, Titus, Onesiphorus, Erastus, Trophimus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia, Dr. Luke, Crescens, John Mark, Nymps, Archipus and many others named in Rom. 16, I Cor. 16 and Ph. 4:1-3.