This past Sunday, we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus. After being betrayed by one of His disciples, enduring mockery by Roman soldiers, and suffering a beating to the point of being unrecognizable, He died an excruciating death on the cross. His body was taken by Joseph of Arimathea with the help of Nicodemus and was laid in a new tomb. The grave was sealed with a rock.
Many believed that was the end of the story. But Sunday was coming.
When Mary Magdelene went to the tomb early on the morning of the third day, she soon learned the truth as did the rest of His followers. The grave couldn’t hold Him.
For 40 days after His resurrection, Jesus appeared to many more followers, starting with Mary Magdelene and other women followers, the two Disciples on the Road to Emmaus, His disciples without Thomas and then with Thomas. And again, to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias.
1 Corinthians 15:6 says; After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
And then He ascended into Heaven to sit at the right hand of God.
Before his ascension, in Matthew 28:18-20, He gave the Great Commission:
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
As they watched Him ascend into heaven, I wonder if they thought, this is the end. It wasn’t. Not by a longshot.
That small band of followers spread out from Judea to Samaria and to the “ends of the Earth.”
But the cost was great.
Peter was crucified in Rome, upside down at his request, since he did not feel he was worthy to die in the same manner as his Lord.
Andrew preached in modern-day Turkey, and in Greece where he was said to have been crucified.
Thomas was active in the region east of Syria. He was believed to be preaching as far east as India, where he was pieced through with the spears of four soldiers.
Philip was believed to have a ministry in Carthage in North Africa and then in Asia Minor, where he converted the wife of a Roman proconsul. In retaliation the proconsul had Philip arrested and cruelly put to death.
Matthew ministered in Persia and Ethiopia. He was believed to be stabbed to death in Ethiopia.
Bartholomew traveled to India with Thomas, then back to Armenia, and Ethiopia and Southern Arabia. He, too, was martyred for the gospel.
James was reckoned to have ministered in Syria. James was stoned and then clubbed to death.
Simon the Zealot ministered in Persia and was killed after refusing to sacrifice to the sun god.
Matthias, the apostle chosen to replace Judas. He was believed to be in Syria with Andrew where he died by burning.
John was the only one of the apostles believed to have died of old age. He was exiled to the island of Patmos. There he wrote the book of Revelation. An early Latin account has him escaping unhurt after being cast into boiling oil at Rome.
John’s death wasn’t the end either.
Today, the gospel is still spreading throughout the world. The work stared by those first followers continues to change lives.
But one day, the end will come. Revelation 1:7 says; Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Until then, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
All the best…
Mary Alford
Christians Read 