Mark 3:13-19 (NASB)
13 And He went up on the mountain and summoned those whom He Himself wanted, and they came to Him. 14 And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach, 15 and to have authority to cast out the demons. 16 And He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter), 17 and James, the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James (to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means, “Sons of Thunder”); 18 and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot; 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him.
On day 11 of Christmas, we are reminded of the 11 faithful apostles and of the one apostle who was unfaithful. Jesus called each of these men in the midst of their daily lives, and each followed immediately without question. Apostle means one who is sent, and each of the eleven faithful apostles heard Jesus’s words first-hand and were sent out to tell the world about Him. Today, each Christian is “sent out” to share the Good News of Jesus.
Thank You, Lord, for the eleven faithful Apostles and other faithful followers who knew You personally for sharing the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ. Thank You that more than two thousand years later, we can individually be saved because these faithful followers spread Your Word throughout the world. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
Image: © Depositphotos.com/maystra