Hey Family!
I wanted to embark on another study this spring, and I wanted to pick something I didn’t know much about, but wanted to learn about, thus we have The Apostles! I know some of you may know them better than your children, but I don’t. I’ve heard about them, maybe read a few scriptures about them, but I don’t know them. The idea to study the apostles came from talking to some of my sorority sisters. We were discussing our old undergraduate days, and I started thinking about how sad it was that we can name the founders of our sorority, their birth/death date, where they grew up, etc. and we can barely NAME the 12 Apostles. Here I am calling myself a Christian, and still find myself too busy studying the world and not the word. So here we are family part 1 of who are they? Let’s dive right in!
Jesus Christ selected 12 men personally to follow Him. They became His closest disciples and friends.
Mark 3: 13-19 (NKJV): And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, “Sons of Thunder”; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. And they went into a house.
Luke 6: 13-16 (NKJV): And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles: Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor.
The apostles followed Him during His time on earth. They were able to learn from and know Jesus as friends. Following the resurrection Jesus commissioned the apostles to advance the kingdom of God, and spread the good news about Jesus Christ.
Matthew 28: 16-20 (NKJV): Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen
These men were not leaders of the community, studious scholars, or a refined rabbi. They weren’t religious or possessed any unusual skill. They were people who went to work every morning to make a living; they were ordinary citizens just like you. Just like me. And these men became the forerunners of the church. God called these men for a purpose. He handpicked ordinary men to perform an extraordinary job, which is why I wanted to study them. I believe that we will be able to relate and identify with the apostles greatly. I also think that as we relate to them it will help us to see what God can see in ordinary old me? And if God seen the remarkable in these ordinary men, just like He sees the remarkable in ordinary you, ordinary me then I guess that doesn’t make us so ordinary after all.
Peace and Blessings
-Grace
John 14: 12 (NKJV): “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.“
gracefullyblessed 
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