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Sermon #1: Not In It For the Fame
A sermon on the apostles James and Simon
based on Matthew 6:2-4
by Rev. Frank Schaefer
Today, I want to introduce you to two of Jesus’
disciples that you don’t usually hear much about: James (son of Alpheaus)
and Simon (the Zealot). Now I’m not talking about James, brother of John,
nor am I talking about Simon Peter. These two disciples shared the same
name with their more famous counterparts. In order to prevent confusion,
the gospel writers felt they had to give them a suffix, that’s why they
are known as:
- James, son of Alpheaus and
- Simon, the Zealot.
What we know about these two disciples could be
summed up with two or three paragraphs (see handout). Literally, besides
their names, nothing is known with certainty. There are some legends that
place them in certain locations and tell of their martyrdom. That’s it.
In Christian art James, for instance, is depicted holding a club
because according to one tradition he was beaten to death with a club in
Egypt while sharing the Gospel message.
Another tradition holds that James, though strongly clinging to Jewish
law, was sentenced to death for having violated the Torah. According to
this source, James was arrested along with an unspecified number of
Christians and was subsequently beheaded by Herod in the ensuing
persecution of the church. But, since we know according to the book of
Acts that this exactly what happened to the other James (John’s brother),
this theory is less likely to be factual. [1]
Simon’s story is even more obscure. According to one tradition, Simon
is associated with St. Jude as an evangelizing team; the most widespread
tradition is that after evangelizing in Egypt, Simon joined Jude in Persia
and Beirut, Lebanon, where both were martyred in 65 AD. According to
legend, Simon was put to death by a saw. [2]
The twelve disciples (with the exception of Judas
Iscariot) were the ones that changed the course of history by carrying on
Jesus mission. Had it not been for the twelve, Christianity would have
simply vanished. Because of their work, Christianity grew into the most
influential religion ever. So here we have two of the most influential and
history-changing people that ever lived on the face of the earth and what
we know about them is virtually nothing.
We know that they were involved in the work of the
gospel, because they were in the company of the apostles after Christ’s
death and resurrection. We can pretty safely assume from church tradition
that they were both martyrs for Christ—put to death because of their work
for Jesus.
In my book James (the lesser) and Simon (the Zealot)
are true servants and role models of Christ’s disciples. They quietly and
humbly did their work for the Lord, apparently not being concerned about
making a name for themselves, but to making God’s name known to humankind.
This is not to say that the other apostles tried to
glorify themselves. But the lesson we can learn here is that James and
Simon selflessly worked for the Kingdom of God to help others along the
way. They did not mind being nobodies in the eyes of the world.
Think about our culture today where the opposite is
true: people toot their own horn, people take credit for something they
haven’t accomplished, and some people, it seems, would do anything to
become famous. I even found a top ten list of how to become famous:
How to become famous:
10. Enter a reality show.
9. Become a super model
8. Invent something like Rubik’s Cube
7. Become an athlete and break a record
6.
Write a best selling novel,
5. Find a cure for the common cold
4. Be a comedian, magician or entertainer
3. Become a politician
2. Become a successful entrepreneur like Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg
1. The easiest way to becoming famous is to marry, date, or be a
relative of someone famous
Note that being an apostle or a Christian who helps
others and who is willing to die for their faith is no longer on the list
of becoming famous. O well, perhaps it’s not so important to be famous,
because worldly fame is deceptive. It only lasts for a little while and
then enters into obscurity. A record only stands until it gets broken, a
supermodel lasts as long as plastic surgery can stay ahead of the aging
process, a politician is beloved today and hated tomorrow.
“Truly I tell you,” I can hear Jesus say in my mind,
“these least of my apostles shall be the first in the Kingdom of God.”
True heroes, humble and meek, yet full of enthusiasm for God’s cause and
the cause of their fellow human beings.
James and Simon are a perfect illustration for God
word in Micah 6:8:
He has shown you, O mortal,
what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
Likewise, their lives are a perfect illustration for
Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:2-4:
2 “So when you
give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do
in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I
tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when
you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand
is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your
Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
James and Simon are the real thing, they’re true
trendsetters, showing us what’s really important in life and how to live
in a way that gets us lasting reward and treasure in all eternity. Amen.
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[1] Wikipedia, James, son of Alphaeus -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James,_son_of_Alphaeus
[2] Wikipedia, Simon the Zealot -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_the_Zealot
[3] Hubpages: 10 ways to become famous -
http://compu-smart.hubpages.com/hub/10_top_tips_to_becoming_famous
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