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November 3, 2021 12:00 am
The same impact or the same ministry, Jesus disciples to deliver the same message. John on the markets are just right is New Testament Scripture, we know nothing of little you never read a book of the Bible you never preached a sermon quoted in Scripture. He never had a conversation with Jesus that was recorded for us.
He never held an office in the church in Jerusalem simply call and he led you've joined us today for the last few broadcasts. Stephen Davey has been teaching from Luke six where Jesus gathered together 12 men to be his disciples. As Stephen concludes his study of the disciples of Jesus.
He reminds us that we don't need status, money, or special skills to be an effective follower of Christ. All we truly need is an attentive heart to God and a desire to follow his joint statement and be encouraged in your Christian service today. Today we arrived at the conclusion of our study and lives of these 12 disciples. We've paused long enough to take an overview of the list that Luke has provided for us as we have begun an exposition through this wonderful gospel that we've observed together that these disciples appear in three groups for disciples each.
The first group is the most well-known though speak the most stable be spoken to the most by our Lord. The second group plays a less significant role. Although we do know some events that occurred including them. Today were going to explore what we can in this last group of four. We know the least about them all except the very last one of course Judas Iscariot never learning the process of this study, several principles of application that I trusted been encouraging to you as as you are Disciples of Christ following him there too many to rehearse today is that done last Lord's day, but I'll repeat a couple of these principles is sort of prime the pump. We learned that Jesus chose his disciples not because of who they were. Because of who they would become a member. Along the same lines, we learned that Jesus did and she is disciples because of their spiritual heritage. He chooses them to begin a spiritual heritage and perhaps that's accused the first in your family to believe.
Perhaps the only one at this point to believe and follow Christ to be seen. This particular lesson even more clearly in what little information we been given of this third and final grouping. They are all 12 for the most part, and certainly this is true, what we would call to Campbell Morgan call them in his classic work in 1937, 12 ordinary men. William Barclay would write 50 years ago. These 12 ordinary men were not trained theologians. They were not wealthy.
They had no special position in society. They were unlettered, unimpressive men who walked closely with the Lord and we've taken the analogy from the mission.
We sort of use that expression. They walk closely enough to where his dust. By the way, what makes you a good disciple. To this day is the fact that you are impressive but that you are impressionable you are willing to be taught. Oswald Chambers, who you may be familiar with, wrote that all throughout history God has chosen and used nobodies who depended entirely upon him, and thus began displaying his power and his grace.
These disciples are ordinary run-of-the-mill people that's encouraging in it should be encouraging to us. Abraham Lincoln once wrote it this way, God must like ordinary people because he made so many of us could point but ordinary was okay with the 12 because they're not the heroes.
Jesus is I think they might be a little embarrassed that they show� It would spend several weeks talking about them. We have much to learn from them as they have blazed the trail wearing the dust of the master so that was go back to Luke's gospel Dr. Lu gives us this list in chapter 6. If you're new to our study and were in the latter part of verse 15 now were given the names of his final grouping there at the end of verse 15 were given the first of this list, and he is the leader of these four typically appearing first in the list of four, he simply called James the son of Alpheus. The truth is the only thing we really know about James this James is the name of his father, Alpheus, probably how for short going out in every surface is in any of the biblical accounts and ministry of Jesus as there is one little clue that appears in Mark's gospel where he is referred to as James the less LES S.
James the less the cross is the original word you could render it. James the little but it's also used to refer to age and that's the way the ESV that I'm using translated James the younger age younger than the other. James the son of thunder basically is what it might be saying or the leader of the church in Jerusalem. Frankly, we all know it's it's more than likely that as the. Of these, you know that's unfold here in order to distinguish this apostle James, from James the half-brother of Jesus were James the leading elder in Jerusalem. They tag him with what you could you could translate little James.
So here's how you get that here's a man who's been called by Christ just as much as Peter just as significantly as Andrew John made Peter and John are going to go on to make a real marketer to straight their regular size would become best-selling authors write that unity is compose New Testament Scripture, but we know nothing of little you never read a book in the Bible you never preached a sermon quoted in Scripture.
He never had a conversation with Jesus that was recorded for us in the New Testament. He never held an office in the church and in Jerusalem. He was simply called and he followed as a disciple of Jesus Christ, led me to craft this particular principle of application is an ongoing Jesus doesn't choose disciples have the same impact or the same ministry chooses disciples to deliver the same message we wonderful to meet in father's house one day, James son of Alpheus.
He restored with move on to the next individual in the list is another disciple that also has to be distinguished because he has the same name as another of the 12, Luke mentions him next year.
In verse six or chapter 6 at the end of verse 15 Simon the zealot that Simon Peter, the famous one, but Simon the zealot again when I given one conversation are or want insight from this man.
He he is as obscure as Simon Peter is famous Simon the zealot is never mentioned outside any of the four lists that were given in the New Testament, but Luke adds this tagline to his name.
That really speaks volumes that helps us understand quite a bit about it connects Simon to a group of nationalists Jews who hated Rome and were willing to put their life on the line because of their hatred were known as zealots are willing to shed blood if necessary that this particular group of 12 zealots were organized about 20 years before the ministry of the Lord. They were organized around the time Jesus was 10 years of age and it all started with taxation lied to do with money and frankly the Jewish people were tired and they hated Rome and they really hated giving some of their hard-earned income.
The Roman in the form of taxes. You, you could just with that little bit. We understand you could you could write in the margin your Bibles next to Simon the zealot's name.
Another expression Simon out about that one author wrote. He wasn't the safe man to make an apostle of the wood of easily made the Roman government suspicious of Jesus and his followers.
This is that Jesus was really helping himself out very much by choosing of zealot as one of his followers but but all that aside, forget the Roman government for a while and and what the zealots meant to them. Me, what's his lien for the 12 disciples, Patty. How do you put Simon the zealot and Matthew the turncoat in the same Bible study.
When you got this red hot patriotic Jew camping out serving side-by-side with a Jewish trader you got a tax hater serving without tax gatherer. These men they arrive. All of the relay just like we arrived we arrive and become disciples of Jesus with all our prejudices and are you know all our presuppositions are preferences we like them have a lot to learn as much as learn. I think it's interesting that when Jesus does as he puts it together that are eating their meals together. Their praying together their learning. The message that they're going to deliver together and becomes more important than anything else they one author wrote this union of opposites was really prophetic.
These 12 very different men paint a picture of the future church in miniature to get along. Not because they're naturally going to be drawn to each other, not because they're naturally going to love each other but because they love the master and he teaches them the love one another to be put in principle for the differences between the disciples was or were not distraction but declarations of unity in the body of Christ the Lord uses this man's rugged personality, church history informs us that Simon the zealot will go on to pioneer the ministry the gospel he will take it north to the rugged island landscape of what we now call Great Britain, you will eventually be martyred, crucified and buried in an unmarked grave somewhere on the British Isles. The next disciple again were going to move quickly because were going to get through all of them is is going to be quickly distinguished as well from the other disciple, again with the same name.
It's it's as if you know back then they had a really little book on unit 200 favorite names. It was the 20's are all gonna name the same thing. I look mentions in the beginning of verse 16 as Judas many ads, the son of James as if to say about the other to this I mean you don't want to say good for that. So this is Judas, the son of James, Judas, by the way, even a nobodies name their son Judah.
Since this day I've never met one, but it's actually a wonderful name it, it's probably a counterpart of Judah.
The Old Testament, it means Jehovah leads course after the betrayal of of Judas Iscariot. This particular Judas will prefer to go by one of his two nickname he's referred to in fact a by early church leaders as the three named apostle Judas Thaddeus Labbe us sound like commencement doesn't vary official Sally Matthew, Mark's gospel refer to him as Thaddeus means beloved some manuscripts use the name Labbe us in Matthew 10. In verse five, and that comes from the Hebrew word root word that could be translated literally heart child and these nicknames are deserving.
It's apparent that this obscure disciple was nicknamed these the these 10 dirt nicknames because it is sweet and kind, no doubt, gracious a disposition spirit is a man known for his heartfelt devotion would been known by others that way. That's why they tag like this beyond these names we know very little. Fortunately, there is one conversation that includes this individual from the spinal for John's Gospel were John is is recording that moment where the Lord is telling his disciples that he will not manifest himself to the world like he is manifesting himself to them and tenderhearted Judas, Thaddeus Labbe us speaks up and he asks the Lord a question, John writes, Judas and then John adds). Again, God Iscariot (not that guy said to him, Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us and not to the world. Jesus answered, if anyone loves me will keep my word and my father will love and many will come to him and make our home with the Lord's.
His heart seems to be trouble to be broken over the fact that the rest of the world is to have the benefit of seeing Jesus like you seen this reveals a tenderhearted humility. He is almost as it began, believe that Jesus gonna reveal himself to this ragtag team and not others.
And with that question and the answer from Jesus basically says on that and I have some external revelation to the whole world, but I'm in a win them one heart at the time so you can rest your heart with that sort of answer from the Lord Judas Thaddeus Labbe us disappears from from Scripture with no record of any accomplishment.
We have no definitive record of churches he planted our ministries, he launched the gospel. All we have is an early church tradition that this tenderhearted disciple traveled to modern-day Turkey and was eventually clubbed to death, but we do know John records for us in his revelation is that this disciples name has already been carved into the gemstone foundation of the father's house right along with all the others.
Revelation 2114 and that leads me to make one quick principle. Here's a relates to obscure disciples like this with your service for Christ. Doesn't have to be recognized on earth in order to be rewarded in heaven the writer of the book of Hebrews who ironically has never been conclusively identified either. He writes it this way, for God is not unrighteous to forget your work and the love you have shown for his name. Hebrews 6 the first part of verse 10 Denver for forget God is not unrighteous to forget means to overlook to pass over to pass away from or to ignore. In other words, no matter how great or small your service for the Lord matter how plotted you are or may be ignored. You are and much of what is done for Christ is not applauded. In fact, much of it is never seen. It's just not public. It is not passed over in heaven, though it is passed over on earth the master see Mrs. nothing and finally the last disciple to make an appearance in this list. Luke right here at the end of her 16 Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
Some believe that this word Iscariot is a derivative of the Latin sick curious, which means dagger man or assassin curve. Seek God the dagger was concealed in the ropes and it was the practice of some of the zealots who were known to use that seek to assassinate with Romans and disloyal Jews. That's an intriguing description but I don't think it's true. More than likely, especially since this is in the genitive case. This is a reference to carry off a region in northern Judea, from which he came. In fact, John chapter 6 and verse 71 refers to his father, also as Simon Iscariot. Simon of carry-on picture Judas as that kind of disciple is one little boy referred to in Sunday school as Judas the scariest good but the record of Scripture to bear that out. Does it go to a rather open-minded lady with without what you already know that I turns out the Scripture to bear that out EC so trusted by the disciples they put him in charge of your bank account. He's is a man of integrity. Outwardly trustworthy.
He he volunteered to serve the church to follow Jesus called like the others, sacrificing me he would be up until that moment when he reveals himself to most of this is your this is your leader somebody you trust.
This is your your Sunday school teacher, your committee member is involved was scary or strange is in the thick of ministry and in fact all give you an illustration in the upper room when Jesus announces that one of them is going to betray him nobody looked at Judas inside. I know it.
I know you baby watching you.
I knew it was you know nobody looked at Judas. They all said why Lord is not am I the one in fact Judas in the sitting next on their dipping their food. The same ball that hiding in a corner, leads me to make the principles of application that I believe would be more correct and it's this it's possible to identify with Jesus not believe somewhere along the line Judas realized that Jesus was a guy come through. He was again overthrown the supremacy of Israel as he realized somewhere along the line he decided to betray the Lord that a terrifying thought. He is heard the greatest preacher ever preaches heard the greatest teacher ever. TGs like God the son perform the most amazing miracles. Whether it's walking on water or raising the dead command. The demonic world and how do you miss for the same reason people miss it today in principle form. Here it is. It's possible to be exposed to the light and still want the darkness. Judas will betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, the price of the first century disabled slave without the list that in Luke's gospel. If you pick it up and ask merely for the later part of chapter 1, we know that the disciples convened an know that the Lord has promised 12 thrones, and so they after prayer, identify another disciple and follow Jesus who would seen him resurrected. Those were the two qualifications for the office of apostle. That's all we know, there are no apostles today even though men they call themselves that. And so they selected Matthias once again were back to someone so ordinary being added to the original 12 that it might not be any surprise to you to know that we know absolutely nothing about Matthias read of an event that occurred many years ago, where an accomplished violinist decided to experiment with his audience. It was advertising the concert playing a rare Stradivarius worth at that time I read this account right at $200,000 now the average is about 2 million concert hall was packed to the violinist to displace played was beautiful. It was magnificent in halfway through his itinerary.
He finished the piece of music and something to the shock of his audience.
He he snapped the neck of that island and walked out. The audience was horrified moment later, the conductor address crowd and said the maestro is not playing on an expensive and rare violin was a violin he bought the pawn shop this past week. $20 and he will now return finishes concert on Stradivarius when he returned and played very few people even begin to tell remind me of the fact that you and I are $20 violent door in the hand of the maestro right and make a play beautiful music of the gospel and internalize as the storyline continued of the making of disciple, thanks for joining us today with this lesson. Stephen Devi brings to a close. This brand-new series, the Masters men.
The staff team here at wisdom international has taken this series and put it together as a CD set. You can learn more about that if you visit our website which is wisdom online.org. Once you go there you will also be able to access the complete archive of Stephen's Bible teaching ministry. Visit us online@wisdomonline.org or you can call us today at 86 648 Bible 866484253.
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