Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us. Acts 1:21
A company that provided safety training programs to large industries had developed an excellent team of workers to present the programs. This team travelled together to the various industry sites and set up their equipment and displays, and then present two-day safety courses. The company president would open the program and emcee each day’s activities. Each of the team members had a special role. Some presented information and fielded questions. Some performed sample safety situations. Some provided dramatic enactments of accidents. All the team members were experts and all were integral to the program. So when one of the team members suddenly quit and departed in the middle of a course at a pipe fabrication plant, the company president was left in a lurch. That is, until he realized that he had somebody else who could fill the role. His assistant accompanied the team to every location, and knew the course material as well as anyone. So the president offered her the opportunity to fill in and make the presentations that were the responsibility of the departed team member. She performed admirably, and became a regular team member. There were people like her who had followed the Lord Jesus in His ministry.
When we consider the work and travels of the Lord Jesus during His ministry we usually think of 13 men making the dusty journeys, attending the daily public sessions, participating in the many activities. But there were more than 13. How many we are not sure. We know there was a group of women who provided cooking and mending, and other chores along the way. But there were some men who were just as devoted to the Lord Jesus as His disciples. They had experienced almost all of the events of Jesus’ ministry, had heard almost all of His sermons, and knew by heart almost all of His promises and commandments. After the crucifixion, the resurrection, and the return of the Lord Jesus to Heaven, they were still there, still faithful and devoted. And one of them was to be selected to fill Judas Iscariot’s vacant disciple position. They were qualified, and they were available, and God could, and did, use them for His service. He always has somebody available to fill in when somebody else fails.
We have all seen failures in Christian service; maybe we have been one ourselves. But the work of God has never stopped, in fact it has never broken stride. Whenever one person fails, another is prepared by God to step in and pick up the load. In this we see the great wisdom of God in His older for each Assembly, that there be a multiple number of overseers. Sadly, overseers are not immune to spiritual disasters, but when they occur, the result need not be disaster for the Assembly, as would happen in places with one-man ministeries.
God’s program means that fresh reserves are available to carry on when one of us falls by the way. Are we available if He needs us to fill in? -Jim MacIntosh