Jump Start # 1150

Matthew 10:2-4 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him.

Our verses today lists the names of the apostles. Chosen by Christ, witnesses of His words, works and mission and the spokesmen for the new kingdom that Christ established. The list is interesting. There are other lists in the Gospels. Peter’s name comes first. Judas’ name last. There were family members, brothers. There were partners in fishing business. Some knew each other. Then there is Simon the Zealot, a radical. A political rebel whose thinking would be to overthrow the Roman government. Then there is Matthew. He is called, “the tax collector.” He worked with and for Romans. He and Simon would have had some very heated arguments. Judas was from Judea, the rest from Galilee.

The list of apostles, is much like the make up of a congregation. There is a mixture. In that mix, are friends, and family. In that list are those who probably would never know each other, and especially never be together, such as Simon and Matthew. Some from one region, some from another region. Blue collar workers, those whose living came from doing things with their hands, such as the fishermen, Peter, James and John. Others, such as Matthew, had a desk job and worked with numbers.

Some modern writers believe it is imperative to get into the mind and the thinking of these men to understand why and what they intended with their messages. This journey shapes how some see Scripture. One has to understand how a first century fisherman saw the world to understand the basis of his questions and answers. One must know how a tax collector saw himself to grasp what Matthew says. The problem with all of this, at least to me, is that it assumes fisherman all basically thought the same way and that tax collectors all basically thought the same way. Does that work today? With our wide political differences, religious differences, do all doctors basically think the same? Do all preachers basically think the same? See the problem with that. And then to travel back 2,000 years where there is very limited insights about what people thought—it makes understanding a passage a very difficult and questionable task. Jesus said that we can know the truth. I may not know what tax collectors thought or felt, or know how fishermen were wired, but I can know God’s will. My understanding of God’s will is not based upon having to understand how someone thought 2,000 years ago. God’s word works for tax collectors, fishermen and everyone else. It is God’s will that we must know. It is the mind of God revealed that we must focus upon. God’s word had an immediate audience, but it was not intended for that setting alone. God’s word is alive and active today, as it was when it was first delivered.

Through Christ, these twelve apostles became shaped, formed and molded into the spiritual leaders that they were. Christ chose busy people. Peter, James and John were busy with their nets when Christ called them. Matthew was at his tax table when called. They were not sitting idle. They were not sleeping. They were not bums. Christ called busy people to become busy in His kingdom.

Jesus wanted all of them. Judas was chosen as well as Matthew as well as Simon as well as Peter. Jesus had a vision and a plan for them. Everyone was wanted and needed. That helps us to understand the workings within a congregation. Sometimes some do not feel wanted nor accepted. Some may think that we don’t need the “Matthews” among us. Jesus didn’t see it that way. Some may not want anyone other than fellow fishermen. Jesus didn’t see it that way. Some may want a church with only people from the same area, Jesus didn’t see it that way.

And there they are. Peter, outspoken. Judas, a thief, who even stole from Jesus. Thaddaeus, who seems very quiet, at least from the Biblical record. Philip, who doesn’t know what to do when Jesus tells him to find food for the 5,000. A mixture of faith, dedication and love. Some seem to get the concept fast, others it took some time. So it is in the congregation. Some seem to get in trouble for suggesting the wrong thing and some getting into arguments with each other about greatness. A look at these twelve is a mirror to a congregation.

There is one component that kept them together and kept them focused and that is Jesus. He was the compass. He was the voice. He was the center. Without Jesus, this unit would have dissolved quickly. Most would have quit. Most would not have spoken to each other. Jesus was the difference.

Can we see that in a congregation? We are different. We are Peter and we are Matthew. We are Simon and we are Thaddaeus. Jesus never tried to make twelve Peters. He didn’t make Simon and Matthew go into a room and settle their differences. He didn’t start a subunit of the apostles nor allow Judas to head up the southern branch of the apostles. There was no such thing. In a congregation we have some that are outspoken. They are the first to see things, suggest things and do things. There are some, like Philip who do not see solutions. They see problems. There are some who may not like each other, like a Simon and a Matthew. What a mixture a congregation can be. Educated and simple. Blue collar and white collar. Different races. Different backgrounds. Different thinking. Too often those differences drive wedges that separate and leads to dividing the congregation. It is much easier today to find those who are like us and start our own congregation than it is to learn to love, accept and get along with those we differ with. Matthew, today, would have a congregation of tax collectors. Simon, would worship with fellow political rebels. The fishermen would have their own congregation. That’s the way we operate today. Jesus didn’t. Together. Learn from each other. Help each other. If we are accepted by Christ, then we ought to accept each other.

There in lies the real problem. Because some are different, we question whether they belong because we question whether they have truly been accepted by God. Those from Judea are different than the Galileans. Maybe, they aren’t true believers. Oh, the judging starts. We question. We become suspicious. We doubt. We avoid. We become stand offish. We do the very thing the apostles didn’t do.

Can we learn from them? Can we quit trying to make everyone into a Peter or a Matthew and let them grow in their own way, with their own talents? You don’t see Jesus telling Thaddeaus to speak up more. You don’t find Jesus telling Matthew, I wish you were more like Peter. Never happened. Be like Christ. Become shaped by Jesus. The cookie-cutter thinking doesn’t work. Not everyone can teach. It’s the worst thing for some. Pressuring or guilting someone into that is like forcing a square peg into a round hole. Not all can lead. If they did, who would follow? Not all can preach. Not all are planners. Don’t change everyone into one model or mode that you think fits best. Jesus didn’t do that with the apostles. He used their personalities and talents for the kingdom. We need to learn the same. Be thankful for the Peters, the Matthews and the Simons.

Each of us are useful. Each of us can add to the kingdom. Each of us must be ourselves, but we all must be Christ like. Christ living in us—Peter, James, John, Matthew and Simon. Not the same. Not doing the same. But all believers who are after the same thing. That’s the key.

We can learn from those apostles. They help us see each other. Thanks be to Christ, that brings us together and sees a need for each of us in His kingdom.

Roger