May 5, 2021 (Wednesday)
(Today we begin a series of 9 blogs on the Twelve Apostles of Christ)
Jesus chose twelve young men to become his disciples (students) who became apostles (one sent with a message). Although Peter is always listed first in the lists of the apostles in the Bible, it was his brother, Andrew, who was the first disciple of John the Baptist to become a disciple of Jesus. Andrew then brought his brother, Simon Peter, to Jesus, and Simon soon became the spokesman for what would become The Twelve Apostles.
As noted above, the twelve chosen by Jesus were young men. This is quite natural, since Jesus was young himself (Psalm 110:3 says that Jesus went out to his ministry “with the dew of youth upon him”). Although young himself, Jesus called his followers his “children.” The hymn, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” in its original version, says, “where the young prince of glory died.” Christianity, then, in its original manifestation, was a youth movement.
We see these young men following Jesus although they did not know where he would lead them. Life is an adventure when we are young. We see them following one whom they did not know well at first, willing to go with him into an unknown future, magnetized, fascinated and gripped by someone irresistible. Do you feel that way about Jesus today?
It was a diverse group. Arm in arm went Simon the Zealot, a fiery nationalist, and Matthew the tax collector, considered to be a pawn of Rome. Jesus had found each of them and brought them together. Peter was energetic and impetuous, but John seemed to be meditative , thoughtful and prayerful. Andrew, to whom faith came spontaneously and Thomas, who needed more evidence, came together with Jesus. The differences among the twelve mirrored the church which was to follow, with greatly diverse members. People of every race and nation claim the Savior who said, “I wil draw all men to me.”
Why did Jesus establish this group? “To be with Him that He might send them forth to preach.” Jesus loves fellowship with us. He said, “Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man will open the door I will come in and sup with him and he with me.” The twelve provided this fellowship which would one day include people around the world. That fellowship would make the twelve real men of God as they learned from Jesus, the mighty teacher. They began as His friends, soon left their occupations, finally to become Apostles of Jesus Christ.
On at least one occasion, Jesus said to them, “As the Father has sent me, so send I you.”
SO SEND I YOU
Words and Music, E. Margaret Clarkson
1963
So send I you — by grace made strong to triumph
O’er hosts of hell, o’er darkness, death and sin,
My name to bear and in that name to conquer —
So send I you, My victory to win.
So send I you – to take to souls in bondage
The Word of Truth that sets the captive free
To break the bonds of sin, to loose death’s fetters —
So send I you, to bring the lost to Me.
So send I you — My strength to know in weakness,
My joy in grief, My perfect peace in pain,
To prove My pow’r, My grace, My promised presence —
So send I you, eternal fruit to gain.
So send I you — to bear My cross with patience,
And then one day with joy to lay it down,
To hear My voice, “Well done, My faithful servant —
Come share My throne, My kingdom and My crown!”
“As the Father hath sent Me, so send I you.”