SIMON PETER, THE ROCK

Strong, Loud, Leader

He's strong. He's loud. He's a little out there, doing crazy things. One time he wants to cut off a guy's ear. Another time he wants to tell Jesus what to do. But later he's transformed. Is that kind of like you? Are you kind of like that?

ANDREW, THE INTRODUCER

Cautious, Witness

Now many times when you find brothers, if one goes this way, the other's gonna go that way. "I don't wanna be like my brother." And so Andrew's very different. Instead of being loud mouthed and all that (like his brother, Peter), he's more cautious. He's more careful. He, he takes it a little more personal and sincere, but he's bringing people to Jesus. He's bringing a little boy with a sack lunch. Phillip comes to him and says, "Hey, we got some Greeks here. What do we do with 'em?" Andrew says, "Let's take 'em to Jesus." Is that your personality? Maybe you don't want to be up on the platform out front like Peter, but you're constantly bringing people to Jesus. You love to build relationships. And we would have no Peter if it weren't for Andrew, because when Andrew saw Jesus he goes and he gets Peter and says, "We found the Messiah. Come and see." 

JAMES, THE HOTHEAD

Bold, Determined

There are people in the church that are just loud. James is known as a hothead. He was bold, he was determined, and he had a temper. Anybody got a temper? Maybe that's you, maybe you're like James. And yet God used him. 

JOHN, THE BELOVED

Transformed, Loving

And then his brother was like him early on, but he was transformed to the point, by the time they're at the Lord's Supper, he's leaning on Jesus. He was affectionate. John became that loving disciple who actually, when he writes his gospel, calls himself the disciple Jesus loved. And then he will write the Revelation, he was used by God to listen to God in incredible ways, and to write it down, and to share it with us because he loved Jesus so much. Maybe that's like you.

PHILIP, THE CAUTIOUS

Introverted, Hesitant

He was very introverted. He was very hesitant. He didn't want to make decisions, but he was always there, he was always faithful, he was willing to serve. God used him in a mighty way. 

BARTHOLOMEW, THE GUILELESS

Studious, Honest

You could trust him. He did not have any hidden agenda. He was just transparent, he was honest, he was open, and he would tell you, but he also was very studious. Jesus said, "The first time I saw you, I saw you sitting under the fig tree." What was he doing? He was studying the Word of God. And when Philip comes to share with him, he says, "Wait a minute, Philip. The scripture doesn't say anything good's going to come out of Nazareth. The Messiah is supposed to come out of Bethlehem."

MATTHEW, THE TAX COLLECTOR

Meticulous, Details

Maybe you are a phenomenal business person, you're meticulous, you have the details, you know those things, you're able to work in cooperation with other systems and people and economy out there. That was Matthew. And yet Jesus said, "Hey, I could use that kind of a skill." And Jesus called him and he followed, and he ended up writing the first and really longest of the Gospels.

THOMAS, THE DOUBTER

Need Proof, Questioning

He was probably a businessman, but he's known for doubting. He had to have proof. "You've got to show me. I can't just take an emotional approach. I need a mental and intellectual channel by which I find God's truth." And so he wanted proof, and he was always questioning what was going on. And Jesus called him to follow. 

JAMES, THE LESS

Small, Faithful, Unknown

He was small, he was faithful. We don't know too much about him, but he was faithful.

JUDAS, NOT ISCARIOT, THE UNKNOWN

Seeking Answers

Also called Thaddeus. He was one who was always seeking answers. We only have one quote in scripture from him, but when it was, it was, "Jesus, I just don't understand why you're doing it the way you're doing it. Why don't you just reveal yourself to everybody, and they'll know that you're the Messiah?" And Jesus had to explain to him that you must have the cross in order to change people on the inside before you can have the crown and rule over redeemed people. What kind of kingdom would you have if all the people were lost and wicked, and you're trying to be a good king? So Jesus changes us from the inside.

SIMON, THE ZEALOT

Passionate, Willing to Sacrifice

Passionate, political, willing to sacrifice, and yet he sees the passion of Jesus and follows Him. 

JUDAS ISCARIOT, THE TRAITOR

Compromise, Self-Centered

Hopefully that will not be the person that you identify with. He was disgruntled, he was unhappy, he was always thinking that Jesus wasn't doing it the right way, and eventually, he compromised, he sold out, he joined with the religious leaders in trying to betray Jesus, and he himself was extremely self-centered. 

     Now, I want you to understand, God uses different people. We have Matthew, who's highly educated. We have fishermen who probably weren't. We have loudmouth leaders. We have quiet people. We have a Roman cooperator, in Matthew, who would have been considered a mortal enemy to Simon the Zealot. You would have thought they'd have been fighting and killing each other, and yet Jesus brings these different people together. He even called Judas Iscariot to follow Him. God uses and brings together different people for His Kingdom's cause!