James Simon Judas Acts 1:12 26 November 22, 2015
First United Methodist Church, Lindstrom
(This is a manuscript prepared for sermon delivery and may not represent actual words spoken.)
When they arrived, they went upstairs to I am going to make a general comment the room where they were staying. Those here. In John, chapter six, we read that lengthy present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; teaching about Jesus being the bread of life. Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.” And he James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, talked about eating his flesh and drinking his and Judas son of James. blood. It was an extremely difficult teaching. When he was finished, some of the people— We are coming to the end of this series they are referred to as disciples—some of on twelve (un)common men. We have not them said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can talked about Judas Iscariot. We will do that accept it?” And many of them no longer come Lent. followed Jesus. There were twelve left. Jesus asked them, “You do not want to leave too, do There are three others. James a you?” Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we different James from James the brother of go? You have the words of eternal life. We John. We have another Simon. He was a believe and know that you are the Holy One of zealot. There is also another Judas. This was God.” not the Judas who betrayed Jesus. These are the three apostles about whom the least is We have seen that there was room for known. In fact, pretty much all we know of growth in all these men. There is room for them is they were among the twelve. We know growth in all of us. Remember, Jesus sees that because they are included in each listing what we will be when we follow him. But these of the twelve. (un)common men had the seeds of a durable faith. They were going to follow Jesus. Times Now, I chose this reading from Acts would get tough. But they would follow. So we because in it we are given the qualifications for learn this lesson from all of them. Only Jesus being an apostle and we are also told what has words of life. So we will follow him. the apostle was to do. An apostle was someone who had spent time with Okay. There were these three about Jesus literal, physical time and had seen whom we know very little. But we do know they the risen Jesus. Peter said, when they were had a durable faith. looking for someone to replace Judas Iscariot, that the replacement needed to be someone James son of Alphaeus. There has been who had been with them the entire time from some speculation that he may have been John the Baptist to the ascension of Jesus. related to Matthew. No need to go there. There And the apostles would be those who would are lots of men in Scripture named “James”. A give eyewitness testimony to the resurrection. common name. There is James, the one who So there were others who spent significant wrote the book. James, the brother of John. time with Jesus. But twelve were designated as This James. He has also been referred to as apostles. When we look at the listing of “James the Less”. “Less” literally means small. spiritual gifts in the Church, the gift of But figuratively it refers to one of less apostleship is listed first. importance. We do know he was the son of Alphaeus. Identifying one as the son of someone was common. John and his brother
James were known as the sons of Zebedee. elsewhere John, chapter fourteen. Jesus had We can conclude that this James was content been teaching about his being the way, the to remain a bit in the background. He did not truth, and the life and all that. Jesus said he need headlines. The kingdom of God needs would show himself to those who love him. It folks like him. was Judas, not Judas Iscariot, but this more obscure Judas, who asked, “But, Lord, why do Simon the Zealot. Actually, we know you intend to show yourself to us and not to the quite a bit about him simply because he is world?” Just a simple question. identified as a Zealot. Zealots hated Rome. Their goal was to overthrow Roman Jesus did not rebuke this Judas for occupation by any means necessary. They asking that question. This Judas, as did the were extremists. They were militant and rest of the apostles, believed Jesus had come violent. They believed only God had the right to to set up his earthly reign. Judas wanted to rule the Jews. They believed they were doing know why all the world would not be part of God’s work by killing Roman soldiers and this. There is a bit of compassion in this Roman political leaders and anyone else who question. A compassionate Judas a bit opposed them. This Simon would have been different from the other Judas. so eager to follow Jesus because he believed Jesus was going to come and complete the So there we have it. The other three. work of the Zealots and overthrow Rome. Not a lot of horn blowing with these three. One who was known as the “Less” because he truly By the way, Simon the Zealot would was content to work behind the scenes. One have despised Matthew the tax collector. A who was a Zealot who learned to channel his zealot would have wanted to take out a tax zeal into proclaiming a kingdom where grace collector. And Jesus included these two men in and peace are the norm. And one who maybe his group of twelve. I have said it before, but I wanted no harm to come to any living thing. sure would like to know what these guys talked about when they were alone with Jesus. Jesus This brings us to the conclusion of our was able to bring these opposite personalities look at the (un)common men Jesus called to together—men with opposite convictions—and follow him. They were common when called. use them in the kingdom. They became uncommon. Peter was bold and brash, and he denied Jesus. Then he boldly Here is an understatement for you. The proclaimed Jesus. John had a bad temper. He kingdom of God is bigger so much bigger became the apostle of love. Matthew cheated than any earthly kingdom. Any allegiance we his people, and then he wrote a Gospel for his have to any earthly kingdom or earthly people. On and on. conviction pales in comparison to our allegiance to the kingdom of God. Together we So what is the point in all this? Good work for God’s kingdom the peaceable question. kingdom. Today is Christ the King Sunday. Nice it Simon the Zealot was passionate for the worked out that this little series ends on this kingdom of God. Boy, was he passionate. day. Christ the King Sunday is the final Sunday Jesus could use that passion. But Jesus in the Church year. The new Church year needed to first teach him about the true nature begins next week with the first Sunday in of that kingdom. We could all use a little Advent. We will spend four weeks looking to teaching about the true nature of God’s the coming of Jesus. Jesus arrives. Jesus lives kingdom and then passionately proclaim it. and teaches. Jesus is crucified. Jesus is resurrected. We proclaim Jesus. Then we And this other Judas. This other Judas come to this last Sunday when we celebrate was also known as Thaddaeus. We learn this Jesus as our king. in Matthew and Mark. He is mentioned
This means Jesus has a kingdom and Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; we are part of it. Jesus was questioned by James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, Pilate about his kingdom. Jesus answered, “My and Judas son of James. kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.” Isaiah talked about this kingdom when he proclaimed the coming of the Messiah a shoot from the stump of Jesse. He said this kingdom would be a place where the wolf will live with the lamb and there will be no harm or destruction the wolf and the lamb will feed together the lion will eat straw like the ox there will be no feeding on each other. This is Jesus’ kingdom.
Look at the world today. Harm. Destruction. Feeding on each other.
We are citizens of the kingdom of God. Right now we are not someday in the future but now. And we are called to make this kingdom known to make it known with what we say and with what we do. Us. Common folks. We know this.
We are all different. Boy are we all different. Different interests and convictions and opinions. We bring different gifts to the table. This is good. Some are gifted to speak boldly like Peter. Some have this great capacity for love and self sacrifice like John and James. Others pursue truth like Thomas and Nathanael. There are those who invite like Andrew and Philip. Those who welcome like Matthew. Those who are content with behind the scenes kind of stuff like the three we looked at today.
Whatever. Each one of us is necessary in the kingdom. Each one. No excuses. Common as we are God will do something with us. And when God does something with us, we become uncommon. Our church has said we will proclaim the good news of the kingdom to a lost and hurting world and we will begin right here in Chisago County. We are in this together. We all have a part.
When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew;