Twelve Ordinary Men by John MacArthur
Week 1: Introduction — Ordinary Men, Extraordinary Mission
Read the Introduction of Twelve Ordinary Men. Key passages: 1 Corinthians 1:26–29; Mark 3:13–19
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Before diving into the individual portraits of the twelve, MacArthur lays the groundwork for why their ordinariness is the whole point — so open this week ready to have your assumptions about what God looks for in a person genuinely challenged.
Discussion Questions
8 questions1.MacArthur opens by emphasizing that the Twelve were not the religious or social elite of their day. What were the backgrounds and occupations represented among the apostles, and why does MacArthur think Jesus chose men like these rather than the scribes or Pharisees?
2.Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:26–29 that God deliberately chooses the weak and lowly to shame the strong. How does MacArthur connect this principle to Jesus' selection of the Twelve? Do you find this pattern comforting or surprising?
3.MacArthur notes that Jesus spent an entire night in prayer before naming the Twelve (Luke 6:12). What does this detail tell us about how seriously Jesus took the selection — and what does it imply about the Father's involvement in the plan?
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