The twelve apostles included "Philip" (Matt. 10:3).

Philip was probably a fisherman who was acquainted with Peter, Andrew, James, John, Nathanael, and Thomas prior to them all becoming disciples. We first meet him in John 1:43-46, which says, "The next day [after Jesus encountered Peter and Andrew], He purposed to go forth into Galilee, and He found Philip, and Jesus said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found Him, of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.... Come and see.'" 

Those brief verses reveal two things about Philip. First he had a seeking heart. Apparently he and Nathanael had studied the Scriptures in anticipation of the Messiah's coming. When Jesus said, "Follow Me," Philip was ready. Jeremiah 29:13 describes such a person: "You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." Second, he had the heart of an evangelist. The first thing he did after his own conversion was to lead Nathanael to Christ. Imagine his joy as he told his friend about the One for whom they had searched so long! I believe friendships usually provide the best context for evangelism because you're introducing Christ into an already established relationship of love, trust, and mutual respect. After all, it's only natural to share the joy of your salvation with someone you love. 

I pray that your joy overflows to those around you and that they are drawn to Christ because of your testimony.  
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Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

The twelve apostles included "James the son of Zebedee" (Matt. 10:2). 

There's the story of a Norwegian pastor whose motto was "All or nothing!" His life and preaching were stern, strong, powerful, uncompromising, and utterly insensitive. Reportedly the people in his church didn't care much for him because he didn't care much for them. In his zeal and ambition to advance the Kingdom and uphold God's standard, he neglected everything else-including his own family. One day his little daughter became so ill, the doctor warned him that if he didn't move her out of the cold Norwegian air to a warmer climate she would die. He refused, telling the doctor, "All or nothing!" Soon his little girl died. His wife was so grief-stricken she would sit for hours holding her daughter's garments close to her heart trying somehow to ease her pain. 

When the pastor saw what his wife was doing, he gave the clothes to a poor woman in the street. All that remained was a little bonnet, which his wife had hidden so she would have some reminder of her precious daughter. When the pastor found it, he gave that away too, lecturing his wife on giving "all or nothing." Within a few months she too died—of grief. Now that's an extreme example of insensitive zeal, and yet there are many pastors, evangelists, and other Christian workers who are so zealous for the Lord and so task-oriented, they don't see the pain their own families and congregations are suffering. 

James could have been like that if he hadn't yielded his life to Christ. He began as a zealous and insensitive disciple, but God refined his character and used him in a marvelous way. Examine your own ministries and motives. Are you sensitive to your family and the people with whom you serve? Zeal can be a wonderful quality, but it must be tempered with love and sensitivity. 
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Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

The twelve apostles included "James the son of Zebedee" (Matt. 10:2). 

Like Peter and Andrew, James and John were fishermen. One day as Jesus walked the shores of the Sea of Galilee, He saw them in a boat with their father Zebedee and some hired servants. When Jesus called them to follow Him, they immediately left the boat and went with Him (Mark 1:19-20). 

 James and John were zealous and ambitious men—so much so that Jesus nicknamed them "Boanerges," which means, "Sons of thunder" (Mark 3:17). At times their great zeal got the better of them. In Luke 9:54, for example, after a Samaritan village had rejected some of the disciples, James and John asked Jesus for permission to call down fire from Heaven to incinerate the whole village! On another occasion they sent their mother to ask Jesus to give them the most prominent places in His Kingdom (Matt 20:20-28). They wanted power, prestige, and honor, but Jesus promised them suffering and, in James's case, a martyr's grave. 

 James was probably the eldest of the two brothers. His name is listed first whenever their names appear together in Scripture. Perhaps he was also the most zealous and passionate of the two, since he was the first apostle to be martyred. When King Herod decided to persecute the early church, he had James put to death with a sword (Acts 12:2). When he saw how much that pleased the Jewish people, he had Peter arrested but didn't kill him. Apparently James was a bigger threat than Peter. That tells us something about the powerful ministry he must have had. 

Like James and John, some Christians have a zeal that prompts them to run ahead of the Holy Spirit. If that’s true of you, be thankful for your zeal, but also be careful to allow the Spirit to govern what you do and say. However, if you've slipped into spiritual complacency and your life isn’t much of a threat to Satan's kingdom, you need to repent and become more zealous for the Lord! 
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Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

The twelve apostles included "Andrew" (Matt. 10:2). 

 Andrew is a picture of all believers who humbly minister behind the scenes. It's been said that no one likes playing second fiddle, but that wasn't Andrew's perspective at all. Growing up in the shadow of an aggressive, outspoken brother like Peter would be a challenge for anyone. Even in the Biblical record Andrew is known as "Simon Peter's brother" (e.g., John 1:40). Yet when Andrew met Jesus, his first response was to tell Peter, knowing full well that once Peter became a disciple he probably would run the group. But Andrew was a truly humble man who was more concerned about bringing people to Christ than about who was in charge. 

Andrew's faith and openness prompted him to take advantage of every opportunity to lead others to Christ. He knew that the Lord's primary mission was to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matt 10:6), but he led Gentiles as well as Jewish people to Christ (John 12:20-22). He had seen Jesus change water into wine at the wedding in Cana (John 2:1-11), so he knew Jesus could do much with very little. That must have been on his mind when he brought the boy with five barley loaves and two fish to Jesus, knowing it would take a miracle to feed the huge crowd with such a small offering (John 6:8-9). 

Tradition tells us that just prior to his death, Andrew preached in a province in which the governor's wife heard the gospel and was saved. The governor demanded that she reject Christ, but she refused. In anger he had Andrew crucified on an X-shaped cross, on which Andrew hung for two days before dying. Even then his courage didn’t fail. He preached the gospel from that cross-still trying to bring others to Christ. 

Andrew symbolizes all those humble, faithful, and courageous Christians who labor behind the scenes. They're the backbone of every ministry and the ones on whom every leader depends. You might never be a prominent leader like Peter, but you can be a faithful, courageous servant like Andrew  
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Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

John 20:17  Go to My brothers and say to them, "I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God."

It's the most utterly vile and cruel death ever invented - crucifixion. Jesus felt the Roman whip on His back, the blazing sun while He carried His cross, the thorns on His head, and the nails in His hands and feet. For six hours, Jesus hung on a Roman instrument of shame and death. They all mocked Him. Soldiers. Scribes. Chief priests. Elders. Pharisees. Sadducees.

Three days later, the angels ask the women, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?" Then this cry rocked the world: "He is not here, but has risen." John outruns Peter to the tomb, looks in, and believes. Jesus says, "Mary" and Mary Magdalene cries out, "Raboni!" The Emmaus disciples recognize the risen Christ in the breaking of the bread. Sin is forgiven. The grave is defeated. Death is dead. "I know that my Redeemer lives!"
 

People saw Jesus - literally. They didn't see a phantom or experience a sentiment. Funeral eulogies often include phrases such as "She'll always live on in my heart." "I'll remember him forever." The disciples never said that. That's because they saw Jesus, and He had a body - a body marked with scars.

Jesus didn't rise from the dead and then leave in secret. He appeared to more than five hundred people on ten different occasions! Jesus was physically and factually risen from the dead. That's why, like Mary Magdalene, we announce Christ's victory to the world!

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Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

John 17:17  Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.

God's Word of truth gets people safely through life's storms. Isn't that the message of the Bible? God's Word of truth getting His people safely through life's unpredictable, ferocious, and sometimes hellish storms? For Abraham and Sarah, it was a storm called infertility. For Moses, it was a storm called slavery and then another storm called forty years in the desert. For David, it was Mr. Storm himself - Goliath. Jesus prayed the prayer recorded in John 17, because Hus disciples were about to suffer a Category 5 storm on Good Friday - the Savior's mock trial, suffering, crucifixion, and death.

God's Word guides us in chaos, calms in suffering, assures us in life's darkest hours. That's really good news! Why? Because we're all in some kind of storm. What's yours? Are you raising teenagers? Did you lose the love of your life? Are finances tight? What about your health? Is old age getting the best of you?

Are you hurting? Christ hurt. Are you bleeding? Christ bled. Do you feel like you're gasping for air? Christr grasped for air. Are you crying? Christ cried. Is your heart breaking? Christ's heart was absolutely broken. You are never alone in your storm!
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Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

John 17:11  Holy Father, keep them in Your name.

"What's in a name? This question was made famous by William Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet. Juliet wistfully wonders, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." It doesn't matter that Romeo is from the rival family named Montague. What's in a name? For Juliet - absolutely nothing.

Jesus disagrees. He asks His Father to keep the Church "in Your name." Yahweh is God's name in the Old Testament - though it appears as "Lord" in English Bibles. God tells us what His name means.  "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness" (Exodus 34:6).

Recall what the Israelites had just done - worshipped a golden calf. How does God respond to Israel's idolatry? our idolatry? our worship of money, possessions, jobs, youth - you name it. Does God scold us? shame us? berate us? reject us? condemn us? NO! He reveals His name. It's a Gospel name! Mercy, grace, and faithfulness!

Jesus demonstrates this love by dying on the cross for you. Palm Sunday announced it. Maundy Thursday delivers it through Christ's true body and blood. Good Friday shows it. Easter Sunday celebrates it! Jesus saves from darkness and dread, from the devil, and from our last enemy - death. What's in a name? If we're talking about Yahweh, then that's easy. What's in the name of Yahweh? Absolutely everything!

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Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,