Jesus selected the twelve disciples in order to train them to carry on after his departure. In the Bible, Jesus chose twelve men to be his disciples, and he spent much of his time teaching them about God and the Kingdom of Heaven. He performed miracles and shared parables with them to illustrate important lessons, and he sent them out to preach and heal others in his name. Jesus knew that he would not always be with them, so he prepared them for the time when he would be gone. He taught them how to lead and how to love, how to serve and how to sacrifice. Jesus knew that the work he began was too important to be limited to just one person, so he chose twelve disciples to carry on his mission after his departure. They became the foundation of the Church and the first Christian leaders, spreading the message of Jesus Christ throughout the world.