Thoughts from Luke - Day 23

                                              Luke 6:12-16
 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. ¹³ When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: ¹⁴ Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, ¹⁵ Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, ¹⁶ Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

      Don't you wish you were there and your name was on that list? It is sort of like trying out for a team and the coach lists on the wall the dozen who made the team. Or, you are on the bachelor and you are one of 12 to get a rose. Or you are at a reverse raffle for $10,000 and you are in the final 12 whose number hasn't been picked. Ummm, no. This isn't quite like that. I mean, yes, in a sense it is if they could see far into the future.

The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Rev. 21:14   In the New Jerusalem, the apostles names are engraved on the walls of the city. How cool is that. It's like having a street sign or a building named after you - only better!

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Matt. 19:28 In the distant future, the disciples would be honored with thrones and leadership positions. It's like, "when I become president, you will be secretary of defense, you will be secretary of state,..."

      However, in the immediate, which is all what we live for and in, unfortunately, here is what it meant. "I am calling you 12 to leave everything you have for the rest of your life and die for me. Peter, you will leave your wife and kids and be whipped many times, live in fear for your life, and eventually be caught and crucified upside down. John, you will be boiled in oil but that won't kill you so you will live the rest of your life exiled on an island living in a cave. James, have you seen those videos of ISIS beheadings? Yah, unfortunately that's your future. Matthew, you are going to Africa and someone is going to stab you and you will die. Bartholomew, you are going to be flayed to death with a whip in Turkey. Sorry about that. Thomas, you are going to be speared to death in India. Remember those holes in my side you wanted to feel? Yep, you will have one of those. Andrew, you are going to be whipped and then crucified on an "X" shaped cross in Greece and Matthias, I know you are a second choice so your death will be quick - you will be stoned to death and then be beheaded post - mortem."

     Obviously, I'm putting words in Jesus' mouth which is not what I should ever do, but you get the point. These men were called to die. Yet when we are called to follow Christ we see a blessed life from then on. The fact of the matter is that quite often, we prove the validity of the gospel in how we deal with adversity, with suffering, with death. These men proved the truth of the resurrection because they never denied it even at the cost of their lives. The call to Christ is twofold - come and dine (Rev.19:1-10) and come and die. You can't have the first without the second. Have you counted the cost? Or are you about ready to give it up because things aren't a picnic like you thought they would be when you came to Christ? If so, you heard the wrong call.

      Lord, It's easy to forget that we were called to die to ourselves and expect to be on top both here and in Heaven. Thank you for the great cloud of witnesses who went before us and didn't back down even though it cost them their lives. With that example and the power of the Holy spirit help me to live a sold - out life for You. Amen