Friday, Sixth Week of EasterThen they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.
Acts 1: 12
The early Church was now in exactly the same circumstances we are today. Christ – died, risen and ascended to heaven – is no longer visibly present to them and they must deal with organizational issues, internal conflict, questions Jesus never had to face.
When we read the Acts of the Apostles and watch how the early Church dealt with its problems, we get a strong sense of the Lord’s guiding hand leading them through whatever they faced.
To put it another way, we are in exactly the same circumstances as the early Church. Remember…
• The Lord is just as present to us.
• The struggles we face are no more difficult than the ones faced by the early Church.
• Church members today are no different than the early Church – each of us a mixture of saint and sinner.
• It is the Lord who calls us together and sustains us and loves us – just as he loved those first disciples through their ups and downs.
Have a good heart toward our Church. Say a prayer for it, and all of us who are part of it.
Spend some quiet time with the Risen Lord.
May 7, 2005The Twelve
Luke’s list of the Twelve (now “the Eleven”) presents an interesting group:
• Peter: Always named first. In Acts he is clearly the leader of the early Christians. He was killed in Rome about 30 years after the death of Christ, tradition says by crucifixion (upside down).
• John and James: Brothers, owners of a fishing business with Peter and Andrew. John works closely with Peter in Acts. In a few years, James will be killed by Herod Agrippa.
• Andrew: Peter’s brother. Some traditions say he was crucified in Greece.
• Philip and Thomas: Not much is known about Philip – the name means “love of horses.” Thomas goes down in history as the doubter.
• Bartholomew: Little is known about him.
• Matthew and James: Matthew appears to have been a tax collector (for Rome.) Little is known about the other James.
• Simon the Zealot: The Zealots were a group who resisted the Roman occupation (ironically, the Twelve also includes Matthew who collected taxes for Rome.)
• Judas, son of James: Often called “Jude” to avoid being confused with the other Judas – who is no longer listed.
