No 1

(Ordinary Men)

This is the first of many studies we will be looking at regarding the twelve men that Jesus chose to carry the message of the Gospel to the world. Were these special men? Quite the contrary, they were very ordinary men! Who were they? Most of them were fishermen, one was a tax collector who was hated by his fellow countrymen; a bunch of uneducated, common men. Of course, as we know, in the hands of the Master they later became flaming evangelists and bold preachers who feared no one. Most of them came from Galilee and as a Pharisee once said “Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.” John 7:52. In Europe, there are huge cathedrals that have images in stained glass of the Twelve Apostles with shining halos. This is a shame because they were very ordinary men; the kind of men that Jesus wanted. They occupy an exalted place in redemptive history and can be considered pillars on which the true Church of Jesus Christ was built. This does not diminish the fact that they were men as ordinary as you and I. They were common men who had been given an uncommon calling; just like we have today. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 1:26 – 29 “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.” Then, as today, God uses frail human beings to deliver a message of hope to a dying world. What a privilege!