Lesson for the Lord’s Day
And He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers. Ephesians 4:11
Do you know any apostles, or know of any apostles among us today? Most of us recognize that the apostles were among the early Christians in the short period that followed the ministry, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. They served their specific roles and died and are gone from the ranks of the Lord’s people. There are some today who would claim to be apostles, such as the pope and various leaders of various cults. There are also those who would claim that everything to do with apostles has totally been terminated, and we have neither the office nor the work of apostles today. Actually, the truth lies between these positions, and there is a lesson for us today as we examine the truth about apostles.
Apostles were real men. They had a real job to do in the early days of Christianity, which would not be the same without the work those men did. It was as apostles that the disciples preached and spread the Gospel. It was as an apostle that Paul conducted his missionary journeys and wrote his epistles. These men spoke with authority, made decisions, and established principles. But the function of the apostles was foundational, and only until the Word of God was complete. Once the foundation was laid, the office of apostle was terminated, and needs no replacement. The office of apostle is vacant today, because its purpose has been fully served. This office is no longer needed.
But some of the work of the apostles has not ended. Remember the Great Commission Jesus gave his disciples before He returned to Heaven? They were to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). The word ‘apostle’ means ‘sent one’. And it certainly includes the evangelists, pastors, and teachers listed in our text. But not all of us are evangelists, pastors, or teachers. And yet, I believe all of us are sent ones. We all have a responsibility concerning the Gospel. If we left it up to the evangelists, pastors and teachers, there would be little accomplished in reaching souls. There are many things we can do when it comes to spreading the Gospel. The most important is to make sure our life is in accordance with the Word of God. We cannot expect anyone to want to be a Christian if the only Christians they know are unkind, unpleasant, and uninterested. We can also be strong supporters of those who do preach the Gospel, attending meetings, providing help wherever possible, giving out invitations and tracts, and being faithful in prayers and financial support.
You are not an apostle; neither am I. But there is one aspect of apostleship that we should never ignore or neglect. -Jim MacIntosh