Articles
The Noblest of Men
If you had a life-saving message to tell someone, and had to choose a person to communicate that message, what qualities would you look for in your messenger? Courage? Honesty? Reliability?
Consider the twelve apostles, Jesus’ hand-picked ambassadors for the gospel. Hours before selecting them Jesus spent an entire night praying to God (Luke 6:12-13), indicating how vital these men would be to the future of His kingdom. They would not only serve as preachers and prophets but as eyewitnesses to the most pivotal moment in all human history, Jesus’ resurrection (Luke 24:48; Acts 1:8; 22:15). And He chose these men knowing the intense persecutions they would suffer for that message (Matt. 10:16-23; Acts 9:16).
Because of the apostles’ faithful testimony, the gospel spread like wildfire, convicting the hearts of many to serve Jesus as King. Because of their courage to withstand countless threats of imprisonment, beatings, and death without once abandoning their stand Christianity thrives almost 2000 years later. Because of them, we can have that same confidence in Jesus today.
The apostles came from a variety of backgrounds. One collected taxes for Rome; another was a member of the anti-Roman party called the Zealots. The two sets of brothers, Peter and Andrew, James and John, were common fishermen. Most were from the hills of Galilee, considered by most to be “redneck country.” Paul appears to be the only one who had any formal religious education.
Despite their differences, they shared one important quality: they were the kind of men who would not back down from truth, even when their lives were at stake. They testified to the Sanhedrin: “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20).
What kind of person refuses to compromise what they know to be true in the face of social ostracism, flogging, stoning, or worse (Acts 4:20; 7:58; 21:13)? Most would have renounced Jesus to save their own skin, or at least withdrawn in silence, but these were men of integrity, honor, and faith (albeit imperfect). They could not be silenced. Aside from Judas, every single one preached Jesus’ resurrection until their own death. We owe much to their fervor and courage. They were the noblest of men.
Are we the same kind of men and women? Will we speak up when Christ’s name is belittled or blasphemed by our co-workers or in the media? Will we courageously invite others to consider the risen Jesus as their Lord and Savior? Will we stand unmoved and unapologetically upon the clear teaching of Scripture even when it is unpopular? Will we refuse to relegate our faith to a small dusty corner of our lives, bringing it to light only when it’s convenient? Will we confess Jesus before men?
Today, may the same thing seen in the apostles be seen in us: “As they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus” (Acts 4:12).
