Twelve Apostles

We have come in full memory that God’s sent Gift of the Holy Spirit, brings us blessings we don’t even deserve. We continue to give thanks for His efficiency, truthfulness and authority, as Holy Spirit. Jesus had said that the Holy Spirit would be our Helper. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever. John 14: 16. He continues to be our Helper. Every word Jesus spoke about Him in service to us, in whom He abides, who are believers, is proven as timelessly true. We have been shown how He exhorts, with exhortations, gives liberally, leads with diligence, and cheerfully shows mercy.

We now begin to observe the Twelve Apostles, full of the same Holy Spirit, in serving and service.

Here are the words of the Twelve Apostles, as they responded to a matter that was causing displeasure and dissatisfaction among disciples in the early Church. This occurred during a period when Church membership was growing in leaps and bounds. Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a murmuring. Acts 6: 1a. 

As the desirable, good fruit of being multiplied was being enjoyed by the Church, there came into her midst the undesirable, bad fruit of murmuring. It is clearly seen here that where there was multiplying fruit, there became murmuring fruit among them. Murmuring and grumbling are the same in the eyes of God, and where there is murmuring, there will also be grumbling.

We cannot pass by this evil fruit, fruit that is not of God, without at least highlighting two cautionary words about it. This is what Paul advises the Church in Philippi, where murmuring and grumbling posed great threats. Do all things without murmuring and disputing. Philippians 2: 14.

James is even more graphic in his admonition as he speaks of consequences. Do no grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! James 5: 9.

The Twelve are very aware of the consequences of this evil fruit entering among the daily, multiplying disciples, or believers, and address it promptly. In other words, they kill it instantly, nipping it in the bud, before it is able to begin to take full life. They snuff it out, before it has a chance to breathe properly.

Our business is to receive and learn how the twelve apostles, dealt with this foreign fruit, this evil fruit that raised its ugly head among them. They came to this absolutely trust-destroying, faith-crippling and hope-shattering deadly disease, with a three-part solution. They addressed it without discussion, dissension or discrimination. Just before we are shown the solution of the twelve disciples, they have been identified by name. This has been included, in order to clear up any straying, wondering, unsure minds about who the disciples are. Do you recognize them? Do you remember them?

Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. Matthew 10: 2 – 4.

These are the original twelve. Yes, Judas Iscariot is gone, and another has been added, as we are told in Acts 1: 26. And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles. These then are the twelve apostles before us.

In our next offering, we will pay careful attention to their words of service.