Articles
Being an Apostle – Matthew 10
Being an Apostle – Matthew 10
What a privilege – chosen by Jesus to be in the ‘inner group’. Being commissioned to be His ambassador. But, as is usual, with great privilege comes great responsibility.
· They were provided with the needed ‘tools’.
· They were promised inspiration to teach accurately what Jesus had taught.
· BUT they would also be rejected and persecuted, even martyred.
· God would provide –
· God would speak through them –
They would have to ‘be strong and courageous’ and ‘not be afraid’ (see this oft-given counsel - Deut. 31:6, Josh. 1:6,7,9,18; 10:25, 2 Sam. 2:7, 10:12; 1Kings 2:2; 1 Chron. 19:13; 22:13; 28:20; 2 Chron. 15:7; 32:7; Psa. 27:14; 31:24). While we have no inspired record of the deaths of most of these apostles, secular history indicates they all, except for John, were martyred!
Their strength came in their trust in Jesus and His promise of a resurrection and eternal life. Their opponents could kill the BODY (and they did!), but that did not end their ‘life with God’. To depart and be with Christ would in fact be ‘very far better’, said Paul.
Now, it is our turn to be faithful even unto death. We are to be faithful even if ‘they’ kill us for it! We will face tribulation, rejection, anger, being ostracized and shunned, etc. Such is difficult in this life but what is to come makes all of this seem trivial.
As was said: “Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief”! There are times I am not as strong in my faith as I ought to be. Hence, day by day I continue to need to ‘grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2Peter 3:18). How strong is your faith? What are you doing about it?
Hugh DeLong
