Twelve Apostles
Now the names of the twelve apostles are these:
the 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 publican; James the son of
Alpheus and Lebbeus, whose surname was Thaddeus;
Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also
betrayed him. - Matthew 10:24
Peter
Peter was blessed with great physical strength.
Big, strong hands had hauled the nets from the sea.
At the Lord's command, he became at length
A fisher of men for eternity.
Still, he said the wrong things, did the wrong things,
Often came up short when put to the test.
Christ saw more than strength. He saw faith that brings
In the potter's hands, the mark of the best.
Peter, that impetuous fisherman,
Is the favorite of many because
His life was a constant struggle to win.
Understanding, they gave him great applause.
How human were his faults, how well he knew
That the God of all Grace will strengthen you.
Andrew
The first of twelve, it was Andrew who came
To see the Messiah, eager to learn
To walk the straight road in the Saviour's name.
Convinced by the prophet John, his concern
Was for others - for Simon, his brother.
They grew up together near Galilee,
Heard of the Promised One from their mother.
For them the promise was reality.
Later 'twas Andrew who found a young lad
With loaves and fishes, and the hungry were fed.
Always so helpful, he made others glad.
"I will make you fishers of men," Christ said.
And Andrew was first, a man set apart,
A true disciple with love in his heart.
James, The Greater
James was the silent disciple who walked
Close to the Saviour with Peter and John.
Though he never spoke out, others who talked
Found him a disciple to depend on.
Lean and bronzed, strong, straight son of Zebedee,
Whose mother became a disciple, too,
Slept on through the prayers of Gethsemane,
Was rudely rejected for being a Jew.
Christ called James and John "The Sons of Thunder."
He rebuked them when they sought to be first.
But it was James who saw Christ's deeds of wonder
And heard Him plead on the cross, "I thirst."
A martyr for Christ, his words fill no pages.
His silence speaks out, down through the ages.
John
John, a fisherman born in Bethsaida,
Was the greatest disciple of all.
Years of sailing rough waters had made a
Strong follower, one on whom Christ could call.
His depth of faith and good understanding
Helped when he wrote of Christ and the times they shared -
Of ourdoor life that was so demanding -
Spiritual words telling how much God cared.
John stood at the cross with Mary weeping,
Thinking all they had worked for was done.
Then love so endured from Heaven came sweeping.
Christ whispered, "Woman, behold thy son!"
In age John grew gentle, to all men a brother.
He prayed, "Little children, love one another."
Philip
Jesus found Philip - a practical man -
And He called out saying, "Come, follow me!"
At once Philip followed without a plan,
Walking beside Him and happy to be.
Next he shared this Christ with a friend of old,
Nathanael-Bartholomew by name.
"Come see Him of whom the prophets told!"
And Nathanael-Bartholomew came.
Still seeing that things were practically done,
Philip came along to the Upper Room.
He knew not that Christ and the Father were one
Till the day Christ arose from the tomb.
Then this practical man found the faith to employ.
He preached to them Christ and brought the world joy.
Bartholomew
Nathanael, somtimes called Bartholomew,
Philip's friend who came still disbelieving.
Soon learned that good things came from Nazareth, too.
Though years of study slowed his believing.
Born in Cana, he must have been a guest
At the wedding - walked where the Savior trod.
Long before that day Christ had passed the test,
Nathanael knew he was the Son of God.
Three years they traveled along dusty ways;
Scenes filled with miracles, blind received sight.
Twelve chosen men could speak nothing but praise.
Christ taught, "I am the way and the light."
Skeptical at first, Nathanael grew strong.
In faith he stood out far above the trong.
Thomas
Thomas, the twin, so the story is told,
Was one who doubted that Christ lives again.
"I would see for myself," he said so bold.
"I would see the nailprints that caused Him pain."
Christ, knowing his heart, appeared once more -
Came to the place where the apostles had trod,
(They had hidden away behind a closed door.)
He heard Thomas say, "My Lord and my God!"
Later they fished the Tiberias Sea
All night with no catch. When morning arose
Christ called to them, "Children, have you meat?
Cast your nets to the right." Their nets overflowed.
"Be not faithless, but believing," Christ said.
Thomas, who doubted, now believed instead.
James, the Less
One of those mysteries yet to be solved
Is the disciple James, and who he was.
We knew his mother was deeply involved.
She was Mary who came to the tomb because
They had spices and wanted to anoint Him.
We know James' father was Alpheus, too.
But it was Christ who chose to appoint him
One of the twelve, and gave him his work to do.
"Provide no scrip for your journey, no shoes.
Heal the sick, cleanse the leper," He said.
"Go into whatsoever town you choose -
Cast out devils, freely give, raise the dead."
Although little is known of James, the Less,
Christ saw in him faith and righteousness.
Judas, Not Iscariot
Judas, called Thaddaeus, was fine and true.
The name means "dear one" or "from the heart."
Those who walked daily so near to him knew
He was humble and loving right from the start.
Judas, not Iscariot, thus John wrote.
Being careful to show which one he meant.
So much is told of Judas, you will note,
But of the other, only one event.
At the Last Supper Christ's teaching was heard.
To Judas who questioned, came words of praise.
"If a man love me, he will keep my word -
I and my Father will love him always!"
A name can mean much or nothing at all.
It's how lives are lived that others recall.
Simon
Zealots were political with one goal
To save Judea from the Roman rule.
Christ chose Simon for a different role
Where love and honor were accepted tools.
Simon, the Zealot, was a servant of God
With enthusiasm that could inspire
Others. Daily he walked the paths Christ trod
And was zealous to set the world on fire.
From the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem
Was only one sabbath day away.
Here Simon came to an upper room
And with others began to fast and pray.
A patriot, yes...with a different plan....
Gave his all for the cause of God and man.
Judas Iscariot
Now Judas was hell-bent for destruction -
Bound and determined to have his own way.
One of twelve who had heard Christ's instruction,
Money was the trap that led him astray.
True, he was the tool authorities used.
The promise of mone was all he asked.
He stood before Christ. It was time to choose.
One of the twelve chosen that devilish task.
Repenting, he tried his best to appeal
Saying, I betrayed an innocent man.
He took his own life. They bought Potter's field.
Ancient prophets had told of the plan.
That one of the twelve betrayed Christ the Lord
Has been recorded in God's Holy Word.
