It was necessary for these men to be chosen.  When Washington was appointed to conduct our armies during the Revolution, he chose a number of generals to help him.  And it is natural for us to think of Washington and his generals.  But just as natural it is to think of—­Jesus and his apostles.

And this is the subject we have now to consider—­The Apostles Chosen.

And in considering this subject there are four things of which to speak.

The first, is the condition and character of the men whom Jesus chose as his apostles.

The second, is the work these men were called to do.

The third, is the help that was given them in doing this work; and

The fourth, is the lesson taught us by this subject._ Or, to make the points of the subject as short as possible, we may state them thus: 

The men.  The work.  The help.  The lesson.

We begin then with speaking of_—­the men—­or the condition and character of those whom Jesus chose to be his apostles or helpers.

Now we might have thought that Jesus would have chosen his apostles, or helpers, from among the angels of heaven.  They are so wise, and good, and strong, that we wonder why he did not choose them.  But he did not.  He chose men to be his apostles.  And what kind of men did he choose?  If we had been asked this question beforehand, we should have supposed that he would certainly have chosen the wisest and the most learned men, the richest and greatest men that could be found in the world.  But it was not so.  Instead of this he chose poor men, unlearned men, men that were not famous at all; and who had not been heard of before.  Fishermen, and tax-gatherers, and men occupying very humble positions in life, were those whom Jesus chose to be his apostles.

And one reason, no doubt, why Jesus made choice of men of this character to be his apostles was that when their work was done, no one should be able to say that it was the learning, or wisdom, or riches, or power of men by whom that work was accomplished.  The apostle Paul teaches us that this is the way in which God generally acts; and that he does it for the very reason just spoken of.  He says, “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought the things that are; that no flesh should glory in his presence.”  I. Cor. i:  27-29.  The meaning of this passage is that God loves to work by little things.  This was the reason why Jesus chose poor, unlearned fishermen to be his apostles.  And we see God working in the same way continually.

Look at yonder sun.  God made it, and hung it up there in the sky that it might give light to our world.  But the light which this sun gives comes to us in tiny little bits, smaller than the point of the finest needle that ever was made.  They are so small that hundreds of them can rush right into our eyes, as they are doing all the time, and not hurt them the least.  Here we see how God makes use of little things, and does a great work with them.