When reading the Gospels, the Apostle Andrew tends to be overshadowed by other men, such as his brother Simon Peter and also the two sons of Zebedee, James and John. Andrew was a fisherman from Galilee and an early follower of ...
6 minCommands of Christ
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The Centurion at Capernaum: I Have Not Found So Great Faith
6 min
Aquila and Priscilla: The Couple Whose House Was a House of Prayer
6 min
Onesimus: Profitable to Thee and to Me
5 min
Philemon: A Wronged Master and a Redeemed Slave
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Matters of Life & Death is a free teaching series looking at the nature & character of God revealed in Scripture and bringing inspirational stories of people who, with Christ’s power, held fast to God’s Word in their daily lives.
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Topics
Character Qualities
Commands of Christ
Basic Life Principles
Attributes of God
When reading the Gospels, the Apostle Andrew tends to be overshadowed by other men, such as his brother Simon Peter and also the two sons of Zebedee, James and John. Andrew was a fisherman from Galilee and an early follower of John the Baptist. He was the first of the twelve disciples to make a bold statement concerning Christ’s identity: “We have found the Messias” (John 1:41).
The man we examine in this article was a most unusual disciple of Jesus. He was a commanding officer in the Roman army—one of the last people one would expect to find as a devotee to a Jew from Nazareth. Jesus said of this man, “I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel” (Matthew 8:10).
Aquila and Priscilla were ordinary people, humble tentmakers who lived out genuine, practical Christianity in day-to-day life. The couple is the supreme example of a Christian husband and wife working together for the advancement of the Gospel. They made their dwelling a house of prayer, and many were edified there.
In the biography of Onesimus, a Phrygian slave, we see the power of the Gospel to change a penitent soul, restore a damaged relationship, clear a guilty conscience, and to restore a runaway slave to a kind, believing master. Onesimus, the slave of Philemon, became Onesimus, the redeemed of Christ.
In the personal letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to another believer named Philemon, we have a window into the realities of the first-century world and an example of mediation, reconciliation, and forgiveness. According to the Biblical account, Onesimus was a bondslave in the house of Philemon.
The chronological account of the New Testament dawns upon a Godly married couple named Zacharias and Elisabeth, who also were the parents of John the Baptist. There is much that we can learn from their marriage and home.
Not all of the Apostle Paul’s companions were faithful to the end. Some, such as Timothy, started and ended well. Others, such as John Mark, started out poorly; however, as time went by and to God’s glory, he ended well. Yet, sadly, there were some, such as Demas, who started well but ended poorly.
It takes courage, humility, and moral courage to go to offenders with the purpose of bringing about correction and reconciliation. Paul was skilled in this practice. This humility—this reliance upon the grace of God—gave the Apostle Paul the ability to confront and correct his brothers in the Lord when they erred.
What can a grandparent do to change the world? Actually, grandparents often have an overlooked and underappreciated role in the life of the family, as well as in the church and even the nation! The pages of the New Testament record for us the example of Lois, a Godly grandmother who invested heavily in the life of her grandson Timothy.
In the life of Epaphroditus of Philippi we have a splendid example of a selfless Christian. The Apostle Paul said of this man: “Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me” (Philippians 2:30). Epaphroditus demonstrated the command of Christ to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him.
No one would have suspected that Judas would be the betrayer of Christ. In many religious paintings of the Last Supper, Judas Iscariot is portrayed as a swarthy, sinister-looking man who is readily identified as the villain. But the Bible record presents an entirely different picture. Judas Iscariot would have passed as among the most faithful of the Lord’s disciples.
James, the son of Zebedee, held the distinction of being the first of Christ’s apostles to lay down his life as a martyr. James and his brother John are at the center of all the action in the Gospel record. These two brothers were always named nearest to Christ. Along with their parents, Zebedee and Salome, we find a splendid example of an entire family loving and serving Jesus together.
Paul wrote to Timothy that “Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.” Perhaps this little statement is in Scripture to teach us this lesson from the life of Trophimus. We cannot expect our problems to cease when we become a Christian. Whether healthy or sick, God is still and always good. We can assuredly take upon ourselves Christ’s yoke and wholly trust that He will give us the strength to carry whatever burden He gives us to bear.
Although Joseph was descended from a long line of kings and governors, he was a common worker who earned his bread by the sweat of his brow. However, the man had a notable heritage. Had there been an Israelite king in the days of the coming of the Messiah, it could very well have been Joseph!
Mary had the unique privilege of being the mother of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Savior of the world. The Messiah of Israel was sheltered in her womb, nourished at her breast, and warmed in her bosom. On the human side, their lives were intertwined, and yet on the divine side, she depended upon the One she had held in her arms for her salvation.
Epaphras is only mentioned three times in the New Testament. Yet in those three passages, the Apostle Paul bestowed upon him these worthy titles: “our dear fellowservant,” “a faithful minister of Christ,” “a servant of Christ,” and “my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus.”
This encouraging, faithful believer never wrote a book, although some scholars suggest that he may have been the author of the Book of Hebrews. It seems that Barnabas never preached a sermon. As far as history reveals, the man never pastored a church or had a specific ministry of any sort. Instead, he is always linked with others and stands humbly in the background.
While the Epistle of James is a warm exhortation to obedience written for believers, Jude’s epistle is a strong warning against false teachers. Jesus had warned that “wolves” would come disguised as “sheep.” Jude wrote to warn the early church of the dangers of heresy and subtle errors creeping into doctrine and practice.
We do not know how Nathanael and Philip’s friendship began. However, the first person whom Philip wanted to tell about his newly found Messiah was his friend, Nathanael. Perhaps as Jesus and His followers neared the town of Cana, Nathanael’s hometown, Philip ran ahead down the road to go and tell Nathanael the good news!
Have you ever considered the life and ministry of Onesiphorus? Except for his sacrificial service to Paul at a time of desperate need, we might not know at all of this exceptional man. Onesiphorus is a good example of a follower of Jesus who truly fulfilled the “Golden Rule”.