Nameless Disciples

We went to see a play on Friday at the Arctic Playhouse. You usually don’t stop to think about all the people who are involved in putting on a show. The obvious ones are the director and actors, then the stage manager and person running the lights and sound. But what about the people who set up the chairs, those who put together pr printed the program? Who made the cookies and popcorn, made sure the floor was clean? Then there’s the costume designer, the set builders, the prop people, and others I can’t even think of.

In the same way when we think of Jesus’ ministry we all know Peter, James, John, and the others. There were also many other disciples, unnamed, who participated in the work of the kingdom and made Jesus’ work easier.

Luke 19:29–34 NIV84

As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ” Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” They replied, “The Lord needs it.”

Jesus works through people

Has it planned

Has it provided for

Gives direction

Let’s take a quiz. Pull a sheet of scratch paper out of your memory bank and see how well you do with the following questions:

1. Who taught Martin Luther his theology and inspired his translation of the New Testament?

2. Who visited Dwight L. Moody at a shoe store and spoke to him about Christ?

3. Who worked alongside and encouraged Harry Ironside as his associate pastor?

4. Who was the wife of Charles Haddon Spurgeon?

5. Who was the elderly woman who prayed faithfully for Billy Graham for over twenty years?

6. Who financed William Carey’s ministry in India?

7. Who refreshed the Apostle Paul in that Roman dungeon as he wrote his last letter to Timothy?

8. Who helped Charles Wesley get underway as a composer of hymns?

9. Who found the Dead Sea Scrolls?

10. Who personally taught G. Campbell Morgan, the “peerless expositor,” his techniques in the pulpit?

11. Who were the parents of the godly and gifted prophet Daniel?

A committed little lady braved the bitter cold of a Chicago street corner to give out tracts inviting men to the Pacific Garden Mission. Because of her, Billy Sunday, the famous evangelist, came to the meeting and received Christ. In turn, he led thousands of people to know the Lord. Historians did not record her name.

Some are sent

Sent out 72 disciples in pairs to surrounding villages

Some meet a need

The women who travelled with Jesus and provided for their needs

The person who let Jesus use the upper room for Passover

Jesus wants to work through us

Our names may not go down in the history books, people in fifty years may not know who we are or what we did, but God will remember.

We may feel unworthy to be used for Jesus’ work, we may think we don’t have the ability, but there are no worthy people and God will provide whatever we may need.

Most likely we will never know all the ways God used us. It may be a smile, or taking a little time to listen to someone, or lending a helping hand and makes a big difference in someone’s life.