Luke 6:13-16 KJV
13 And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;
14 Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,
15 Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes,
16 And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.

Acts 1:13 KJV
13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.

Today is a lesson that meant to be short and sweet no doubt, but it more of a history lesson concern disciples. Though through the gospels not every disciples stands out like Peter, Andrew, James, John, Thomas, Philip, Matthew, and Judas Iscariot. There are four more name Bartholomew, Simon called Zelotes, James son of Alphaeus, and Judas, James' brother. There are four less known disciples. Nathanael probably goes by the name Bartholomew. I was checking several commentaries this morning and most of them agreed Nathanael from yesterday lesson had another name. His short story of conversion to faith in Jesus, short and sweet, but in reality it tells us little of this Israelite that would of known his Old Testament. The last four disciples is barely mentioned in scripture but they exist even into the upper room.

It important to note who the disciples are, but to note we do not know everything about them, but we get a glimpse of their stories of the main eight disciples as they journey with Jesus. It important to know they would of been in the the smaller group talking with Jesus when not in the crowd. Even some of the women that traveled with them would of been perhaps at time in this grouping. There of course were other disciples but one core group that went everywhre and participated or helped with the needs of Jesus. Jesus took only five disciples with him on the night he would be betray to the area in which he prayed on the hill side, and left the others below. He had another core group out of the twelve.

Is this essential even today for ministers to have groups of people working together to complete a task for different functions of the church. If the whole congregation is deciding on all issues nothing would ever be done, but major issues are often given to the whole church. Committee meeting not your thing it does not mean you can not participate in ministry, it means you might not be able to make any decision of what people do. For some that okay, to help is fine, or to participate is fine. Jesus day He sent the disciples out to heal, with instruction and he taught more then just his 12 what to do. Most of us only have a glimpse of Christ ministry. We do not see the full spectrum of it or even concentrate on it. As the crowds grew in size the need of the disciples that were close would of been important. There was no tent, or covering, but crowds of people, gathering to see what Jesus was doing, and what he was teaching. He taught so long on some trips that food was provided for the people. Getting an image that this was not just one healing here and another healing there is need to understand why his fame remains even today. Jesus was not just the only Begotten Son of God, but he was superstar as far as teaching world goes. Most that do not except him as being equal to God the Father and part of the trinity can except him as a world class teacher or prophet because of his fame.

I hope what this lesson does is explain why the crowds, why the ministry of Christ was in need of a core group of disciples. Bands seldom go without others to help with the work. Yet in Christ day microphones and that type of equipment unheard of. Yet to sit on a hill or pull out from shore was enough for the crowd to hear. Right location it would of sounded like a microphone. Echo of sound perhaps even understood to those gathering. We often assume Jesus just sat or stood in an area maybe not even marked, but it may of been even an area where locales of an area gathered to hear stories. Time in which Christ died was the year of opposition, some of the crowd may of even been going another way, but the year of popularity which was his second year of ministry would of been like a whirlwind of a crowd. Jesus tells the story of the sower for a reason, because though the word of faith was sown not all would follow Jesus even with miracles. Some would meditate on the word and share it and it would spring forth life and sometimes the word was just planted in bad soil that never took root. Yet the core of the disciples hung with him even after the cross. only loosing Judas Iscariot because of his betrayal, and the disciples would appoint Matthias before the empowerment of the Holy Spirit came upon them.

Dear Heavenly Father, Help the small groups to handle the crowds of all that will come to know Jesus. The small minister groups to the larger industrial church groups, In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Acts 1:26 KJV
26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.