ONLY ORDINARY PEOPLE NEED APPLY

Howdy Folks,

An advertisement in a California newspaper in 1860 read: “Wanted young, skinny, wiry fellows. Not over 18, must be expert riders. Willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred.” Incredibly, 183 men, some as young as 11 years, were hired to ride for the pony express during its operation of just over 18 months. This advertisement in a London newspaper for a polar expedition in 1894 brought 5,000 applications. “Men wanted, low wages. Bitter cold. Long months in darkness. Under constant danger. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition if successful.” I wonder what the advertisers expected to achieve with this type of advertisement and, more to the point, why did these advertisements even attract any applicants?

Here is an advertisement that might have appeared in the “Capernaum Times” in 29 A.D. “Wanted ordinary people. Severe hardship. Expect to be arrested and whipped. Opposed by everyone. Constant public ridicule and slander. Violent death likely. Willing to persevere to the end.” As you have probably guessed this is not a real advertisement and, to the best of my knowledge, there was no “Capernaum Times” But this is what Jesus said to the twelve as He sent them forth to minister in His name (Matthew 10:16-22). I see Jesus gathering His disciples around Him to brief them before they left on their mission trip. He told them to expect hardships and persecution, but through it all they should trust in God’s unfailing care of His own and keep their eyes fixed on the eternal goal. These men were non-professionals. They had no position or wealth. They were chosen not for who they were but for what they would become. This is a characteristic of God’s work. He chooses ordinary people.

I believe in this instance that Jesus was speaking beyond His immediate audience. The scope of this passage reaches beyond the personal ministry of the twelve. Dependence on God and rejection by men apply to the mission of the church today. Yet, for over 2,000 years, countless numbers of ordinary people have responded to the call, trusted in God for His provision and relied on His resources. Jesus came to die for our sins and to rise from the dead to give us eternal life. But His life, death, and resurrection would be in vain if the story was never told.

Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the Cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
Forward into battle see His banners go!

On the trail for Him,

Mike and Suzann