The Master’s men - Part 4The Master’s men - Part 4 Andrew, James and JohnAndrew, James and John

Mathew 10:1 to 4Mathew 10:1 to 4

INTRODUCTION to the topic and contextual background

Before chapter 10, Mathew’s focus was on Jesus’ public ministry. In Mathew 10, he directs his attention to Jesus training of the 12 apostles. For the past 3 Sundays, We had learned about their conversion, their training and their weaknesses in general. We learned that this chapter is all about the 3rd phase of Jesus training of these twelve men which is their internship. We had an overview of the 12 apostles, and we learned about how God choose 12 ordinary men to spread the Gospel message. We learned all we can from the list of their names found Mathew 10:1 to 4.

.

Last Sunday, we learned about the first person on the list, Simon Peter the leader of the Apostles. We learned how God transformed this fickle minded individual into the leading apostles which brought great glory to Him. Today we are going to examine the next three apostles in the first group.

Up close and personal: ANDREW – The “behind the scenes” apostle

.

Name: Andrew (Greek: Andreas - which means manly)

Former Occupation: Fisherman

Residence: A native of Bethsaida and later moved to Capernaum and lived with his brother Peter

Relationship status: Unknown

Known family Relationships: Father: John (Jonah), Brother – Peter, an apostle as well.

Note: Together with John, they were formerly a disciple of John the Baptist. (John 1:36,37) Was the one who introduced his brother Peter to Jesus. Was called to be a “fisher of men” by Jesus together with his brother Peter.

.

Although belonging to the first group who was the closes with Jesus, Andrew was not as close to Jesus as the other three, who were considered as belonging to the “inner circle”, the apostles Peter, James and John. Andrew never wrote an epistle and there are only three instances wherein we see Andrew mentioned in the Gospels and from here we can glean what type of person he was

1.) John 1:37-42 tells us of Andrew’s previous discipleship to John the Baptist, his confession of Jesus as the Messiah, and his reporting to Peter his discovery and introducing him to the Lord. From his first encounter with Jesus, Andrew demonstrated an eagerness to introduce others to His Lord.

2.) John 6:5-9 in the feeding of the 5,000, although confused with Jesus initial question, Andrew helped to locate food for the crowd. Andrew’s bringing the boy to Jesus suggests that he believed his Master could somehow make more of this small amount of food.

3.) John 12:20-22 – Shows Andrew bringing others to the Lord. When some God-fearing Gentiles came to Philip asking to see Jesus, Philip asked Andrew to accompany him to approach Jesus.

- Open and lacking of prejudice, brought about the fact that he is the apostle who is always mentioned bringing somebody to Christ

- Simple but strong faith. We do not know what was in his mind when he brought the boy with the loaves and fish to Jesus, but he obviously believed Jesus could make use of the boy and his food.

LESSONS WE CAN GLEAN FROM ANDREW’S PERSONALITY

- Andrew also appears to have been humble. – In the Gospels and in his ministry later on Andrew was mainly known as Peter’s brother, and he was never as intimate with Jesus or used by Him as publicly or dramatically as was his brother, Peter. Though part of the first group, Andrew seemed always to be in the shadow of Peter, James, and John. Yet there is no indication that he ever regretted this. He was content simply to serve Jesus. Yet God used this behind the scenes, silent, humble apostle to somebody with a strong personality like Peter to Jesus.

Church tradition states that the Apostle Andrew preached along the Black Sea as far as the Volga, Kiev and Novgorod. (Areas in Eastern Europe and Russia.

Andrew is said to have been martyred by crucifixion at the city of Patras, Greece) Andrew crucifixion is described as him being bound/nailed to an “X” shaped cross (called as Crux decussata or saltire now commonly called as St. Andrew’s Cross supposedly at his own request, as he deemed himself unworthy to be crucified on the same type of cross as Jesus had been. Andrew is said to have for hung in the cross for two days, where he continued to witness to those who passed by.

AT THE END OF ANDREW’S LIFE

Up close and personal: JAMES– The FIERY apostle

.

Name: James the son of Zebedee, (Name not of Hebrew origin, Hebrew/Greek name is Jacobus, variant of Jacob which means Heel grabber) Also known together with his brother as “Boanerges” or “Sons of Thunder” traditionally as “James the greater” to distinguish him from James Alpheus

Former Occupation: Fisherman, businessman (fishing partner with their father Zebedee who seems to be a little well off as they employed hired servants in their business. (Mark 1:20)

Residence: Capernaum

Known family Relationships: Father: Zebedee, Probably the older brother (As he was always mentioned first of John an apostle, known as “John the Beloved.”

.

So little is said of James the son of Zebedee in the Gospels. We know that Jesus referred to the brothers James and John as “Boanerges, which means, ‘Sons of Thunder’” (Mark 3:17), and from that descriptive name we can assume James was passionate, zealous, fervent, and aggressive. Here are some passages where James is mentioned in the Gospels

1.) Luke 9:52-54 – Tells the story where Jesus sent several disciples ahead to make arrangements for lodging en route from Galilee to Jerusalem. On the way, they would need to spend a night in Samaria. Jews and Samaritans had great religious and racial animosity for one another, and when the Samaritans refused to give accommodations to Jesus James and John said to Him, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”

2.) Matt. 20:21-22 – Records the account where the mother of James and John, asked Jesus to grant them seats on either side of His throne in the kingdom, the Lord asked them, “Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” Without hesitation they replied confidently, “We are able” Whether they instigated their mother’s request or not, they obviously thought it was perfectly appropriate. They had no reservations about their deserving the honor or their ability to meet any demands it might make of them.

AT THE END OF JAMES’ LIFE

From a human standpoint James and John displayed more natural reliability than Peter. They were not as vacillating and were not given to compromise or equivocation. But they were brazenly ambitious.

Zeal is a great virtue, and the Lord needs those who are fearlessly aggressive. But zeal is also prone to be brash, loveless, insensitive, and lacking in wisdom. Insensitivity can destroy a ministry, and James had to learn to bridle his ambition and to love.

When Herod wanted to destroy the new church, he singled out James for arrest and execution. It was only after he saw that the murder of James pleased the Jews that Herod arrested Peter also (Acts 12:1-3). To Herod, James seemed to be the most dangerous. Because of his fierceness he became the first apostolic martyr and the only apostle whose martyrdom was recorded in Scripture. According to tradition the Roman soldier who guarded James was so impressed with his courage that he knelt at the apostle’s feet, begging forgiveness for his part in the execution. James is said to have forgiven him. The soldier is said to have been so moved by James’s compassion that he publicly confessed Christ and was beheaded alongside the apostle.

Up close and personal: JOHN– The apostle of love

.

Name: John, (Yoḥanan in Hebrew, which is a common name and means “Yahweh is gracious”) Also popularly known as “John the Beloved.” Traditionally known as John the Evangelist or John the Apostle.

Former Occupation: Fisherman, businessman (fishing partner with their father Zebedee who seems to be a little well off as they employed hired servants in their business. (Mark 1:20)

Residence: Capernaum

Known family Relationships: Father: Zebedee, Probably the younger brother (As he was always mentioned next to James the greater”

.

Because of his eventual gentleness as he writes in his epistles and how he is described in the Gospel, we are sometimes inclined to think of John as being naturally retiring and mild mannered, perhaps even somewhat effeminate. But in his early years he was fully as much a “Son of Thunder” as James. He joined his brother in wanting to call down fire on the unbelieving Samaritans and in seeking a position next to the Lord in the kingdom. Like James, he was naturally intolerant, ambitious, zealous, and explosive, though perhaps not as much as James.

John was the first to recognize the Lord on the shore of Galilee and was the first disciple to see the risen Christ. Although frequently mentioned in the Gospel alongside the Peter and James, John is mentioned alone in the Gospel in only one single instance and that is in Mark 9:38 where he told Jesus that he saw someone casting out demons in Jesus name and that he stopped the person because he was not one of the disciples. To which Jesus instructed him not to stop the person because if he is not against them, he is for them. In here we can John appeared prejudiced and sectarian.

AT THE END OF JOHN’S LIFE

Throughout his life, John remained uncompromising in doctrine and in standards of morality, but the Holy Spirit developed in him an unparalleled capacity for love, so much so that he is often called the apostle of love. In his five New Testament books John uses forms of the word love eighty times and witness or its synonyms some seventy times. Love without certain standards or strong convictions is a spiritual disaster. Truth guarded his love, and love surrounded his truth.

Scripture reports that John was banished to the small and barren Isle of Patmos (Greece) in the Aegean Sea, off the west coast of Asia Minor where he wrote the Book of Revelations. Traditionally he is said to have died naturally sometime in A.D 98 - 100 and is said to be the only apostle who lived to an extreme old age.

Tradition tells us that John did not leave the city of Jerusalem until Mary the mother of Jesus died, because the Lord had entrusted her into his care (John 19:26). The Lord said to Peter, “Tend My sheep” (John 21:17); but to John He said, in effect, “Take care of My mother.” John had a special love that Jesus knew would lead this disciple to treat Mary as his own mother.

.

CONCLUSION

These were three men with ordinary temperaments, ordinary strengths and weaknesses, and ordinary struggles. Yet in the power of Christ they were transformed into men that turned the world upside down. It was not what they were in themselves but what they were sovereignly and willingly made to become that rendered them such powerful instruments in the Master’s hands.

The fishermen of Galilee became fishers of men on a vast scale, and in God’s power they gathered thousands of souls into the church and played a vital part in the salvation of millions more. Through the testimony of their lives and writings, those fishermen are still casting their nets into the sea of mankind and bringing multitudes into the kingdom if God.