Expository sermon on Mathew 10 verses 1 to 4

1. The Master’s men - Part 4
Andrew, James and John
Mathew 10:1 to 4

2. INTRODUCTION to the topic and contextual background
Before chapter 10, Mathew’s focus was on
Jesus’ public ministry. In Mathew 10, he directs
his attention to Jesus training of the 12
. apostles. For the past 3 Sundays, We had
learned about their conversion, their training
and their weaknesses in general. We learned
that this chapter is all about the 3rd phase of
Jesus training of these twelve men which is
their internship. We had an overview of the 12
apostles, and we learned about how God
choose 12 ordinary men to spread the Gospel
message. We learned all we can from the list of
their names found Mathew 10:1 to 4.
Last Sunday, we learned about the first person on the list, Simon Peter the
leader of the Apostles. We learned how God transformed this fickle minded
individual into the leading apostles which brought great glory to Him. Today we
are going to examine the next three apostles in the first group.

3. Up close and personal: ANDREW – The “behind the scenes” apostle
Name: Andrew (Greek: Andreas - which means
manly)
Former Occupation: Fisherman
.
Residence: A native of Bethsaida and later
moved to Capernaum and lived with his
brother Peter
Relationship status: Unknown
Known family Relationships: Father: John
(Jonah), Brother – Peter, an apostle as well.
Note: Together with John, they were formerly
a disciple of John the Baptist. (John 1:36,37)
Was the one who introduced his brother Peter
to Jesus. Was called to be a “fisher of men”
by Jesus together with his brother Peter.

4. Although belonging to the first group who was the closes with Jesus, Andrew
was not as close to Jesus as the other three, who were considered as
belonging to the “inner circle”, the apostles Peter, James and John. Andrew
never wrote an epistle and there are only three instances wherein we see
Andrew mentioned in the Gospels and from here we can glean what type of
.
person he was
1.) John 1:37-42 tells us of Andrew’s previous discipleship to John the Baptist,
his confession of Jesus as the Messiah, and his reporting to Peter his discovery
and introducing him to the Lord. From his first encounter with Jesus, Andrew
demonstrated an eagerness to introduce others to His Lord.
2.) John 6:5-9 in the feeding of the 5,000, although confused with Jesus initial
question, Andrew helped to locate food for the crowd. Andrew’s bringing the
boy to Jesus suggests that he believed his Master could somehow make more
of this small amount of food.
3.) John 12:20-22 – Shows Andrew bringing others to the Lord. When some
God-fearing Gentiles came to Philip asking to see Jesus, Philip asked Andrew
to accompany him to approach Jesus.

5. LESSONS WE CAN GLEAN FROM ANDREW’S PERSONALITY
- Open and lacking of prejudice, brought about
the fact that he is the apostle who is always
mentioned bringing somebody to Christ
- Simple but strong faith. We do not know what
was in his mind when he brought the boy with the
loaves and fish to Jesus, but he obviously
believed Jesus could make use of the boy and his
food.
- Andrew also appears to have been humble. – In the Gospels and in his
ministry later on Andrew was mainly known as Peter’s brother, and he was
never as intimate with Jesus or used by Him as publicly or dramatically as was
his brother, Peter. Though part of the first group, Andrew seemed always to be
in the shadow of Peter, James, and John. Yet there is no indication that he ever
regretted this. He was content simply to serve Jesus. Yet God used this behind
the scenes, silent, humble apostle to somebody with a strong personality like
Peter to Jesus.

6. AT THE END OF ANDREW’S LIFE
Church tradition states that the Apostle
Andrew preached along the Black Sea as far
as the Volga, Kiev and Novgorod. (Areas in
Eastern Europe and Russia.
Andrew is said to have been martyred by
crucifixion at the city of Patras, Greece)
Andrew crucifixion is described as him being
bound/nailed to an “X” shaped cross (called as
Crux decussata or saltire now commonly
called as St. Andrew’s Cross supposedly at his
own request, as he deemed himself unworthy
to be crucified on the same type of cross as
Jesus had been. Andrew is said to have for
hung in the cross for two days, where he
continued to witness to those who passed by.

7. Up close and personal: JAMES– The FIERY apostle
Name: James the son of Zebedee, (Name not
of Hebrew origin, Hebrew/Greek name is
Jacobus, variant of Jacob which means Heel
. grabber) Also known together with his brother
as “Boanerges” or “Sons of Thunder”
traditionally as “James the greater” to
distinguish him from James Alpheus
Former Occupation: Fisherman, businessman
(fishing partner with their father Zebedee who
seems to be a little well off as they employed
hired servants in their business. (Mark 1:20)
Residence: Capernaum
Known family Relationships: Father: Zebedee,
Probably the older brother (As he was always
mentioned first of John an apostle, known as
“John the Beloved.”

8. So little is said of James the son of Zebedee in the Gospels. We know that Jesus
referred to the brothers James and John as “Boanerges, which means, ‘Sons of
Thunder’” (Mark 3:17), and from that descriptive name we can assume James was
passionate, zealous, fervent, and aggressive. Here are some passages where
James is mentioned in the Gospels
.
1.) Luke 9:52-54 – Tells the story where Jesus sent several disciples ahead to
make arrangements for lodging en route from Galilee to Jerusalem. On the way,
they would need to spend a night in Samaria. Jews and Samaritans had great
religious and racial animosity for one another, and when the Samaritans refused to
give accommodations to Jesus James and John said to Him, “Lord, do You want us
to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”
2.) Matt. 20:21-22 – Records the account where the mother of James and John,
asked Jesus to grant them seats on either side of His throne in the kingdom, the
Lord asked them, “Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” Without
hesitation they replied confidently, “We are able” Whether they instigated their
mother’s request or not, they obviously thought it was perfectly appropriate. They
had no reservations about their deserving the honor or their ability to meet any
demands it might make of them.

9. From a human standpoint James and John displayed more natural reliability than
Peter. They were not as vacillating and were not given to compromise or
equivocation. But they were brazenly ambitious.
Zeal is a great virtue, and the Lord needs those who are fearlessly aggressive. But
zeal is also prone to be brash, loveless, insensitive, and lacking in wisdom.
Insensitivity can destroy a ministry, and James had to learn to bridle his ambition
and to love.
AT THE END OF JAMES’ LIFE
When Herod wanted to destroy the new church, he singled
out James for arrest and execution. It was only after he saw
that the murder of James pleased the Jews that Herod
arrested Peter also (Acts 12:1-3). To Herod, James seemed
to be the most dangerous. Because of his fierceness he
became the first apostolic martyr and the only apostle whose
martyrdom was recorded in Scripture. According to tradition
the Roman soldier who guarded James was so impressed
with his courage that he knelt at the apostle’s feet, begging
forgiveness for his part in the execution. James is said to
have forgiven him. The soldier is said to have been so
moved by James’s compassion that he publicly confessed
Christ and was beheaded alongside the apostle.

10. Up close and personal: JOHN– The apostle of love
Name: John, (Yoḥ anan in Hebrew, which is a
common name and means “Yahweh is
gracious”) Also popularly known as “John the
.
Beloved.” Traditionally known as John the
Evangelist or John the Apostle.
Former Occupation: Fisherman,
businessman (fishing partner with their
father Zebedee who seems to be a little well
off as they employed hired servants in their
business. (Mark 1:20)
Residence: Capernaum
Known family Relationships: Father:
Zebedee, Probably the younger brother (As
he was always mentioned next to James the
greater”

11. Because of his eventual gentleness as he writes in his epistles and
how he is described in the Gospel, we are sometimes inclined to think of John
as being naturally retiring and mild mannered, perhaps even somewhat
effeminate. But in his early years he was fully as much a “Son of Thunder” as
.
James. He joined his brother in wanting to call down fire on the unbelieving
Samaritans and in seeking a position next to the Lord in the kingdom. Like
James, he was naturally intolerant, ambitious, zealous, and explosive, though
perhaps not as much as James.
John was the first to recognize the Lord on the shore of Galilee and
was the first disciple to see the risen Christ. Although frequently mentioned in
the Gospel alongside the Peter and James, John is mentioned alone in the
Gospel in only one single instance and that is in Mark 9:38 where he told Jesus
that he saw someone casting out demons in Jesus name and that he stopped
the person because he was not one of the disciples. To which Jesus instructed
him not to stop the person because if he is not against them, he is for them. In
here we can John appeared prejudiced and sectarian.

12. Throughout his life, John remained uncompromising in doctrine and in
standards of morality, but the Holy Spirit developed in him an unparalleled capacity
for love, so much so that he is often called the apostle of love. In his five New
Testament books John uses forms of the word love eighty times and witness or its
synonyms some seventy times. Love without certain standards or strong
convictions is a spiritual disaster. Truth guarded his love, and love surrounded his
truth.
Tradition tells us that John did not leave the city
of Jerusalem until Mary the mother of Jesus died,
because the Lord had entrusted her into his care (John
19:26). The Lord said to Peter, “Tend My sheep” (John
21:17); but to John He said, in effect, “Take care of My
mother.” John had a special love that Jesus knew would
lead this disciple to treat Mary as his own mother.
AT THE END OF JOHN’S LIFE
Scripture reports that John was banished to the small
and barren Isle of Patmos (Greece) in the Aegean Sea,
off the west coast of Asia Minor where he wrote the Book
of Revelations. Traditionally he is said to have died
naturally sometime in A.D 98 - 100 and is said to be the
only apostle who lived to an extreme old age.

13. CONCLUSION
These were three men with ordinary
temperaments, ordinary strengths and weaknesses,
and ordinary struggles. Yet in the power of Christ they
.
were transformed into men that turned the world upside
down. It was not what they were in themselves but what
they were sovereignly and willingly made to become
that rendered them such powerful instruments in the
Master’s hands.
The fishermen of Galilee became fishers of
men on a vast scale, and in God’s power they gathered
thousands of souls into the church and played a vital
part in the salvation of millions more. Through the
testimony of their lives and writings, those fishermen
are still casting their nets into the sea of mankind and
bringing multitudes into the kingdom if God.