Refuge Audio Podcast

It’s difficult to appreciate just how good the good news truly is without first working through the bad news. Part of that was the responsibility of John the Baptist. He prepared the way for the good news of Jesus Christ by preaching repentance, which meant bringing to the forefront the bad news of sin. Some readily receive the bad news that they are sinners, which prepare them to receive the good news of complete forgiveness and the gift of righteousness. But some reject the good news of Jesus Christ because they reject the reality that they are sinners. In their self-righteousness, they are unable to believe, receive, and respond.

There’s an interaction that Jesus has with two of His disciples in Luke 24 that shows us His heart after His resurrection. He wants to meet with His followers and walk with them in familiar intimacy. But we often tend to miss God in our midst, not because he's too extraordinary, but because he's too ordinary. When our hearts are tuned to His voice, we can experience an intimacy with Him that allows us to enjoy fellowship with Him. 

John the Baptist was the greatest prophet, and yet he still needed to learn how to be content in any and every situation, that God’s grace is sufficient, and that His power is made perfect in weakness. And yet, at times John still wondered about Jesus: “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” This wondering and doubt is something that we struggle with too. Jesus’ answer should be enough for us, but we are still learning the same things that John was learning.

Have you endured so much pain & uncertainty that you muster up enough strength & faith to move the hand of God? Does it seem like the Lord is silent but responding to everyone else? You are not alone. The greatest man born among women also experienced this kind of discouragement. He asked Jesus, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” It’s a tough question with a tougher answer

In Matthew 10, we read of Jesus sending the twelve Apostles on their first mission trip and giving them several Christian principles to put into practice. In those principles, we learn that what Jesus was sending them to do had no guarantee of total success. There was a chance that people would treat them poorly. But what often draws us into a deeper and more reliant relationship with Jesus is the pain that comes when people treat us poorly. Not everyone will listen when you share the love of Jesus with them. As Jesus experienced, some may betray and even persecute you—including the very people that you laid down your life to serve.

After calling the 12 disciples who were called to be Apostles, Jesus sent them on their first mission. And in the remainder of Matthew 10, we read of the way that Jesus prepared them for this special task. He gives them a series of principles to put into practice. It’s a somewhat rapid-fire list of important truths to consider as they encounter much of ministry for the very first time.

The unlikely and gloriously ordinary men that Jesus called to be His Apostles were transformed by His great love. But one of the Apostles missed out on that transformation. He never saw the resurrected Jesus or received the indwelling power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Though he wrestled with remorse, he never repented. In the end, his sin and unwillingness to repent of it eventually consumed and destroyed him. His name was Judas Iscariot. 

As we continue our study of the Apostles, we turn our attention to a group of lesser-known Apostles. Though they aren’t mentioned much in Scripture, Jesus chose these three young men from His disciples to be His apostles: James the son of Alphaeus; Judas (not Iscariot), who was also called Lebbaeus and Thaddaeus; and Simon the Cananite, who was also called Simon the zealot.

As we considered Thomas and Matthew, we again see the kinds of people God calls to follow Him. Thomas was a realist who was often perceived as a pessimist. Matthew was a notorious tax collector—a traitor to the Israelites. But we see that Jesus looks beyond those attributes and changes them from the inside out. Maybe you feel like you say the wrong things and are often misunderstood. Or perhaps you feel like your heart and mind just aren’t working quite right. Jesus loves you as much as He loves Thomas and Matthew. He wants to be with you and mend your broken heart—not just sad hearts, but hearts that don’t function as they should. This is His specialty. He isn’t repulsed or annoyed by your personality. He’s not confused by who you are. He knows you and He loves you—and He’s calling you too!