Different Men Who Made a Difference
Matthew 10:1-4
[To be delivered in 1st person, direct address]
Hey you twelve. What a motley crew you were. Not the “Dirty Dozen” necessarily. Just ordinary people. Nothing special. Twelve different men you were…but Jesus chose you to make all the difference in the world.
Andrew, are you here?
You must be somewhere in this crowd? I know you can’t really hear me, but you are represented by some who gather in God’s house today. I just want to thank you for the fine example you set for the rest of us…
I read in the Bible how you were the first disciple that Jesus chose! That must’ve been something, esp. since you grew up in the shadow of your big brother, Peter.
“Peter this, Peter that.” But then Jesus chose you first.
And you went and told your brother how to be saved. As a matter of fact, every time you’re mentioned in the Bible you’re bringing someone to Jesus.
You wrote no epistles, preached no great sermons with thousands saved, but you brought one to Jesus who would do all those things!
You learned to get beautiful music out of playing 2nd fiddle!
The Lord is the Master Potter—He formed you and changed you and made you different…and then used you to make a difference! Jesus took your burden, and gave you a new burden…a burden for souls!
Andrew, where are you? There are people waiting to meet your Jesus!
Philip, are you here?
You are the practical man. You made an alliterated outline for all your notes in college. You were so factual--so logical. Everything had to be 1, 2, 3 or A, B, C with military precision. You were the “Roger Priestley” of ancient Israel!
You had heard about this Jesus--but you wouldn’t come to Him. You heard tell of the mystical stories of healings and miracles…but Jesus had to come to you. You spent time with Jesus and He proved Himself to you.
When your friend scoffed and said, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” You replied matter-of-factly, “Come and see.”
You loyally followed Jesus and helped others to see the simple fact that He was indeed the Messiah. The Ethiopian eunuch was confused…but you set him straight!
Philip, Jesus took you, a practical man, but also a lost practical man, and removed your burden of sin. Jesus replaced that burden with a burden for the lost. The Lord took His skilled hand and molded and made you different…and then used you to make a difference!
Philip, are you out there? There are people waiting to hear the practical truth of the gospel!
Bartholomew, are you here?
Don’t be shy or embarrassed by this big crowd.
Let’s be honest, Bartholomew, or should I call you Nathaniel, Oh, ok, Bart, that’s easier! Let’s be honest, you were sort of the “absent-minded professor” of the apostles, weren’t you? You were in your own world most of the time. A visionary, they called you.
Sandals unlatched, hair disheveled. You didn’t care. They said this about you: “The light is on, but I’m not sure if anybody is home.”
They didn’t know the real you, did they. You thought big. You dreamed dreams like Joseph of the OT. You were an introvert. But that’s no problem. The kingdom of God is not dependant upon enthusiastic extroverts.
You wouldn’t be picked for the “Who’s Who” listing in your yearbook, but Jesus picked you to be His disciple. Most would have said that was a mistake, but Jesus knew what He was doing.
When Jesus first saw you from a distance He said, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile” (prejudice)
You must’ve felt convicted since it was you who had just whispered to Philip, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?
Jesus saw your strength as a visionary and not your weakness as an opinionated, prejudiced man. (What was it that Jesus said, oh yeah, “I saw you under the fig tree, before Philip called you to me.”)
He saved your soul and changed you. The Lord placed you on His Potter’s wheel and made you different…and then used you to make a difference! He took your burdens and gave you a new burden for souls. He took your empty, meaningless visions and replaced them with greater vision for the lost.
Bartholomew, are you in the crowd today? Catch a vision for the lost!
Matthew, are you here?
It’s hard to believe you used to be the despised tax-collector. Money used to mean everything to you. And you were hated by all.
They all knew you took a cut above what they really owed in taxes. You could feel the heat of their stares and you just knew they were always talking about you behind your back. A crowd of people would suddenly end their conversation as you entered a room, but that was alright, you were rich and that’s all that mattered.
You had heard about Jesus. But you did not expect to meet Him. Life must have moved in slow motion as He walked toward you at your tax booth. You could already feel the pain of hearing Jesus’ words of condemnation… “Thief! You steal from these innocent people of mine just to satisfy your own greed!”
But no, instead you heard the words, “Follow me.” Me, follow Him? You nearly fell off your seat at hearing Him say that! But you did forsake it all and followed Him.
The people of your region saw the tremendous change in your life and many came to Jesus for your testimony. The Lord changed you and made you different…and then used you to make a difference!
Then God used you to write the first gospel in the NT. And you, the self-centered money-lover, wrote an entire gospel without mentioning yourself even once in it! And you included in your gospel the best financial teaching the world has ever known.
Matthew, are you here in this room? There are lost people who need to see the change in your life since you were saved. They need to experience the same change in their life. Where are you Matthew?
Simon, James, where are you guys?
No, not you Simon Peter, I mean Simon the Zealot. No, not you James, son of Zebedee, you were part of the “inner circle” of Peter, James and John. I mean the other James, “James, the less”.
It was risky for Jesus to choose you two. Simon, you were a political fanatic--the James Carville of Palestine. And you, James--the Bible records nothing about you other than your name. No talents to speak of. No leadership. No great accomplishments.
Well I want to say: Thank God for you two! And for the millions in history that you represent.
You two could have easily felt inconsequential and inadequate. Like two tiny snowflakes that could not have any affect—you wouldn’t stick. Just two little snowflakes, floating around in meandering patterns, and immediately melting into nothingness at the first contact with anything tangible.
By yourself you might not have won the entire world to Christ, but you realized that two flakes of snow joined with millions of other faithful flakes combine efforts and highways are blocked, airplanes are grounded, and in the south, just a quarter inch of you will cancel school!
I bet you two were encouraged to see the little lad who brought his lunch to Jesus. It wasn’t much was it? But you witnessed first hand how much Jesus could do with very little.
Simon the Zealot, Jesus took your burden for your nation and gave you a burden for your neighbor. Your burden was politics but now it is people.
James, you had no burden in life at all. You were a follower. But you answered the call to follow Jesus, and He gave you the burden to become a fisher of men. The Lord changed you and made you different…and then used you to make a difference!
Simon, James, if you are seated in this auditorium, just keep following Christ. There are hundreds watching you, and you can motivate them to follow Him too.
Judas, are you here?
Oh, I’m sorry. You prefer to be called Thaddeus, brother of James. I don’t blame you. Your mother couldn’t have known what your name would mean in later years! Kimberly and I didn’t name our daughter Jezebel for similar reasons!
The only time you are mentioned in scripture you are asking Jesus to help you understand some of the mysteries of the Christian life and of the end times. His reply to you was simply, “Keep on doing what is right and you will understand it all in due time.”
Is this why you are known as the steady apostle? Even though you had questions about Jesus, the church, and the world, you just had faith and kept going for the Lord.
You understood that faith meant trusting God in more than just salvation. Faith wasn’t just something that activated your fire insurance policy…it was a daily commitment to follow God, obey His word, and trust Him with everything else.
We salute you, Thaddeus, for your fine example to us. Jesus took the burden from your questioning mind and gave you a burden for souls. The Lord formed you into a fine sculpture…solid and yet different…and then He used you to make a difference!
Thaddeus, if you can hear me, don’t ever quit. Jesus is your answer and the world’s.
Judas Iscariot, it is with great fear that I ask if you are here today.
It pains me to think that in all likelihood, there are people here today who are representative of the “Judas kind” of churchgoer. You looked like everyone else, but had never truly been saved. I can’t pick you out in this crowd, but God can.
Judas, you are not condemned for who you were, but for who you became. You were no worse than the best of us sinners.
But unlike the rest of us, you never received Christ as your Savior. You never accepted His free gift of salvation by putting your faith in Him. He never forgave your sins because you never asked him to. He wanted to come into your heart, but He was never truly invited in. It was all a game of pretend…going thru the motions, mimicking the actions of all the others.
You were not a bad man. Jesus chose you to be His disciple…and the treasurer of the board, no less. But the natural man cannot understand the things of God. You were never born again and thus Satan used you to betray the very Son of God! Jesus did not choose you to be the one to betray Him. You had your chance to follow Him just like the others did.
The fact that you did follow Jesus for 3 years and then denied Him reminds us of the fact that it is possible to look and act just like a Christian w/out truly being saved! Right here there are tares among the wheat, and if the rapture trumpet were to blow some would be left scratching their heads.
Oh Judas, Jesus wanted to relieve you of your burden. He wanted to pay in full the debt of your sin. But you chose to carry your own burden, and now you pay for your sin in hell for all eternity! You may have looked like the other guys, but you were different. And you made a difference all right, but not in the way we would hope.
Judas, if you’re here today, swallow that pride and come to Christ before it is eternally too late!
Peter, are you here?
Peter, you were the leader. You had all the personality, all the talents. You spoke your mind with authority and enthusiasm.
Jesus gave you special attention, it seemed. He called you “Cephas” which means “A stone.” You enjoyed hearing that, but you knew deep down inside that you were only dust. You wanted people to think you were strong, mighty and wise. But in your heart you knew you were weak and foolish.
Jesus said He would build His church on the rock-like faith you had. But immediately, upon hearing that, you showed your true colors. You corrected Christ with your next breath saying He would not die at the hands of men. “Get thee behind me, Satan”. Jesus answered.
Jesus made all of us from dust. We’re just like you, Peter. We want the Lord to make us into a rock of faith for Him. But may we never forget we are only dust.
Peter, it seemed the only times you opened your mouth…it was just to change feet! You rode the see-saw of insecurity most of your life. Just when you would get confident in yourself you would plummet back to the earth. Your greatest lesson must’ve been learned the night you swore you would not deny Christ. Three times you denied Him before men and then you heard that painful sound…the rooster crowing!
Did you expect Jesus to deny you? He never denies His children. He rose up from the tomb and accepted you with open arms of love…and then He asked you, “Simon, lovest thou me?” Three times He asked you this question instructing you to prove it with the rest of your life. He said, “Feed my sheep.”
Peter, Jesus took your burden. He took weak sand and created a solid stone upon which to build the church. He replaced the burden of your human frailty with a burden for the souls of lost men, and He used your witness to turn the world upside down. The Lord formed you into a rock that would make a difference!
Peter, I know you’re here. Jesus wants to take you like clay in His hand and form a soul winner!
James, are you here?
You are known as the ambitious one. Perhaps you got that from your mother. You and your brother, John were known as the “Sons of Thunder.” You came to Jesus with your mother and said, “We don’t ask for much, just to sit on your right and left hand in Heaven.” Jesus couldn’t grant your request…but you just thought you would ask!
When the Samaritans wouldn’t let Jesus and you and the disciples pass thru their land you asked the Lord, “Should we call down fire from Heaven and burn them up?”
Ambition was your middle name. You were a whole-hearted follower of the Lord. You just needed a little taming.
When Jesus asked, “Are you able to drink of the same cup I drink,” you answered cockily, “I am able!” You were right. And in your death as a martyr you did indeed drink of the same cup as our Lord did.
Jesus was able to harness your driving ambition and turn it into humble service for Him. He taught you that he who is the greatest will be the servant. You learned this lesson well.
Jesus took the burden of your vanity and replaced it with a burden for souls. The Potter reformed you and made you different…and then used you to make a difference!
James, I know you are here, somewhere. Channel your ambition into serving the Lord and serving others…especially your lost friends, relatives, associates, neighbors.
John, are you here?
You were not always the “beloved apostle” were you? When you were young in the ministry you had a bit of a temper, didn’t you?
An early record in scripture shows you coming proudly to Jesus saying, “I saw some others casting out devils in your name, but they are not with us, so I forbade them and put an end to it!” Jesus answered, “He that is not against us if for us...forbid them not!”
You may have once had a temper…after all, you were the other “Son of Thunder”. But you were so humble and correctable. You gladly accepted Christ’s only rebuke and went on to become “the disciple of love.”
You went on and on in your gospel as well as your 3 Epistles about loving others. “Love one another,” you said on many occasions.
Jesus took a temper and made something tender out of it. He turned anger into adoration. You were so tender and open to His voice that He used you to write His final Revelation.
Christ removed from you the burden of hatred and bitterness and gave you a burden for the souls of lost men and women.
John, I know you are listening. Love others enough to take them the gospel at any cost.
Thomas, are you here?
You were a more melancholy disciple. The evils of this world got you down easily. You became a pessimist—a gloomy, negative brooder.
If someone said something positive you just had to add balance to their life by showing them the flip side of things! (Was it paranoia)
You seemed to walk by sight, rather than faith. Some preachers have called you the Palestinian from Missouri! “Show Me!”
It was too good to be true to think that Jesus had really conquered death and risen from the grave. “Unless I put my fingers into the nail prints in His hand, I will not believe it,” you said.
When Jesus appeared to you he said, “Here, want to touch the nail prints?” You didn’t need to take Him up on that offer. Immediately your skepticism was turned into shining faith! You were made different by the loving touch of the Master’s hands, and you went on to make a difference.
Jesus saved you from your Show-Me State, and delivered you to the land of believing! Then the Lord told you, “Ye believe because ye have seen me; blessed are they that have not seen me, and yet believe.”
Secular history records the fact that Jesus saved you from your negative, doubtful tendencies, and made you a positive witness reaching many for Him.
Thomas, don’t ever doubt what the risen Christ can do through you if only you believe!
Paul, are you here?
You may not have been one of the original twelve, but you filled an important vacancy left by a traitor. Did God perhaps save the best for last? Time will not allow us to tell of all you did.
I can’t imagine the burden for souls you must have had, but it wasn’t always that way.
The Bible records how full of sin and hatred you were. You had studied all the prophecies of the OT, you had heard of Jesus and how He was crucified. You heard tell that He had risen from the dead! But you didn’t believe that nonsense.
Paul, many of us here today can relate to how you were changed, though. So many of us remember the time when we were headed down the road of life when we suddenly “saw the light.” We, like you, have come face to face with Jesus and have had our burdens lifted and our lives changed, and then we too can be used like you to make a difference!
But Paul, here’s how we’re different from you. When Jesus took your burden He replaced it with a burden for souls. Paul, the Lord is trying to give us here today a burden for souls, too! But often we only want the first half of what you got, Paul. We want our burden lifted but don’t necessarily want to take on a new burden for souls. We don’t pray for the lost with the same urgency. We don’t give sacrificially for the world’s sake. We don’t feel impressed to “Go.”
Many have never won a soul to Jesus, and without a burden, many never will. They will stand before God empty-handed. We should want to be different, and to make a difference!
Jesus, you are here today! Give us a burden for the lost!
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http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/DifferentMen.html
