From Ordinary to Extraordinary: Our Story

As we wrap up our series of messages about moving from ordinary to extraordinary, I want to review a few things about these ordinary men we call The Disciples. These ordinary men gave up everything to follow Christ (Luke 18:28). They left homes, jobs, land, family, and friends to follow Jesus. Their sacrifice was indeed heroic.

We do not see much of their heroism in the Gospel accounts. The Gospel writers instead give us an honest portrait of these men. They are not portrayed as mythical figures, but as real and ordinary men. The disciples are never the main actors in the Gospel story - that role is always left to Christ. In those rare moments that the disciples step to center stage it is only to reveal their weakness and to bring to life the lessons that Jesus is teaching. The Gospels record the actions of Christ and the work He did to train His disciples. As a result, we can only imagine the countless untold stories of faith shared by these men.

The move for the disciples from ordinary to extraordinary comes after Jesus’ return to Heaven. It is then, emboldened by the Holy Spirit, that the Disciples begin to act in extraordinary ways. We live today with a part of the extraordinary legacy of the disciples - the church. The church is born from the extraordinary efforts of the Disciples to tell the story of God’s Messiah.

As we examine one more of the disciples, we will discover that the Bible tells us very little about this disciple. Most of the story of this particular disciple is left untold. Perhaps that is one way we can relate to him . . . Most of us will be but a mere stat in the history of time – a number – or at best a name on list or a grave marker somewhere. Our lives will be untold stories in history.

The ninth name in Luke’s list of the disciples (Luke 6:14-16) is James the son of Alphaeus. That is it. That is all we really know about him – his name. If James the son of Alphaeus ever wrote anything – it is lost. If he ever asked Jesus anything – it is unrecorded. If he ever did anything to stand out – it is untold. He never attained fame. He apparently never stood out. Even his name was common – James.

There are several men in the New Testament with the name James. There was James the son of Zebedee – brother of John – part of Jesus’ inner circle. There was another James - the son of Mary and Joseph – Jesus’ half brother. That James became a leader in the early church in Jerusalem and is the author of the Book of James.

His lack of prominence is even reflected in his nickname from Scripture – James the Less. The actual Greek word is mikros which actually means little or small in stature. Perhaps he was short or small-framed. The word can also be loosely translated to mean someone who is young of age; therefore, he might have been younger than James the son of Zebedee. This nickname would have been a way to distinguish him within the group. However, his nickname was more likely a reference to his influence as compared to that of the other James and that too set him apart. He was James the Less.

In Mark 2:14, Levi (Matthew) is referenced as the son of a man also named Alphaeus. It is possible then that James the Less was the brother of Matthew. It would make sense in that there were other sets of brothers among the twelve – Peter and Andrew and James and John. On the other hand, no actual reference is given that they were brothers.

Perhaps even more interesting is the possible lineage shared by James the Less. When we compare Mark 15:40 and John 19:25, we discover what could be a highly intriguing family connection for James. Mark 15:40 mentions, “Mary Magdalene and Mary mother of James the Less and of Joses.” John 19:25, describing the same gathering, mentions “(Jesus’) mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.” It is therefore possible, and perhaps even likely, that Mary the mother of James the Less and Mary the wife of Clopas are the same person. If true, that would make James the Less the Cousin of Jesus! But alas, we do not know because it is never actually recorded.

So, he may have been Matthew’s Brother. He may have been Jesus’ cousin. He may have been a small – younger – even quiet. He may have been person who stayed mostly in the background. It may be that all of these things were true of James the Less, but we just do not know. We might say his most distinguishing mark was his obscurity and the truth is we each live most of our lives in obscurity. It is one of the things we all have in common and it is one of the things that make each of us ordinary.

Early church history is nearly silent on the life of James. Many of the early stories confuse him with the brother of Jesus and therefore are inaccurate regarding his life. There is some evidence that he took the Gospel to Syria and Persia. Even the accounts of his death differ. He apparently died as he lived – in the shadows of obscurity.

James the Less sought no recognition. He displayed no great leadership. He asked no critical questions. He demonstrated no unusual insight. And yet, his name remains. All that he did or did not do is lost to time and history, but his name remains.

James the Less was one of the twelve disciples. Jesus chose him for a reason and eternity will remember his name. I think that is the point of James the Less – that is the lesson that is left for us to discover.

What made him ordinary also made him extraordinary. For this quiet ordinary life was lived serving His Master – Jesus – The Christ – The Savior of the World and because of his service to the Master we still remember him today.

How will you be remembered?




Interested in learning more about these ordinary disciples who became extraordinary try reading John MacArthur's Book - Twelve Ordinary Men

From Ordinary to Extraordinary: Thomas' Story

I believe we all, in our own way, are seeking ways to be extraordinary. The difficulty we have is that our own ordinariness gets in the way of dreams and desires. Taking it a step further, we may believe that anything is possible. Our problem is that we refuse to believe in the possibilities in our own life.

When the television show Deal or No Deal first debuted we watched in our household. It provided for some interesting drama and some fun entertainment. But I was struck by the fact that in nearly every show, the contestant at some point would say, “Howie, I believe I have the Million Dollars in my case!”

Just once I wanted the banker to offer them the contents of their case right at the beginning. Wouldn’t that be an interesting way to test their faith? It wouldn’t make for a very long game show – perhaps that is why I have not been asked to create any television game shows? Just cut through all the drama and tell me do you believe?

Do you believe?

This question is not new to our generation. The religious leaders of Jesus’ time did not have a problem believing in the miracles of Jesus’ – many of which they had witnessed first hand – none of them denied the reality of the miracles of Jesus. It was the message that they hated - a message that carried the news that they were sinners and needed to repent.

So it is in the context of choosing to believe, we hear Thomas’ Story or the story of “Seeing to Believe”

Our main character is Thomas also called Didymus, or the twin. He is most often referred to as “Doubting Thomas” and it is this label that I find most unfair. We are no different than Thomas in that our own doubts make us ordinary. When we are honest with ourselves, doubt is one thing we all have in common. It is only when we rise above our doubts that we have any hope of becoming extraordinary.

Thomas is only mentioned 6 times in scripture and three of those are in lists contained in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The other three mentions are contained within stories in the Gospel of John. These stories reveal some of Thomas’ personality and let’s face it, Thomas was a negative person. He worried. He brooded. He was angst-ridden. He was a New Testament version of Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh.

He would have been a perfect fit for the Old Russian saying:

“How are you today?”

“Well, not as bad as tomorrow will be. Thanks for asking”

I want to briefly examine the stories that John tells about Thomas – these are stories not of a doubter but of someone struggling to become extraordinary:

His disciples replied, "Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better." Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. So then he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him." Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him." John 11:13-16 NIV

That’s a positively negative outlook. Okay, let’s go so that we too may die! This is not the statement of one who doubts his faith. Optimists are supposed to be Loyal because it will eventually be good. But this pessimist remains loyal believing that the worst is still coming!

Moving from ordinary to extraordinary will demand loyalty even when thoughts and feelings betray your loyalty. Thomas is a pessimist, but he is a loyal pessimist.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" John 14:1-5 NIV

Can you see Thomas reacting to Jesus?

“You are leaving?!”

“How will we know the way if you are gone?!”

It is more of the same from this pessimist. Now, Thomas declares it is better to die with you than be left behind all alone - same loyal pessimistic view coming from Thomas. Demands for loyalty will not be satisfied in one instance. The decision to follow Jesus is not a once in a lifetime decision – it is an every day, every moment of your life decision.

Questions of doubt will always be there. In Dr. Fowler’s theory of Faith Development he has discovered that any advancement of faith is preceded by a questioning of that faith and in this instance, Thomas’ questioning is about to bring to him the ultimate discovery.

Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"

Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
John 20:24-29 NIV

Although Thomas is singled out as being THE ONE that did not believe, Mark’s Gospel tells the story that all of the disciples were slow to believe. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either(Mark 16:13 NIV) Let us not forget that all of the disciples were slow to believe!

Thomas wasn’t with them we they received the report – he was depressed, sullen, wallowing in misery. For Thomas this was the final worst case scenario that he had pessimistically envisioned. Thomas must have regretted not having died with Jesus. Thomas leaves the group and is presumably alone in his misery for a week.

He is now alone, betrayed, rejected, forgotten, foolish, broken hearted, shattered, devastated, crushed, beaten down, lost, and lonely. It is after a week that Thomas makes his way back to the group. He still does not believe, but he is choosing to be loyal to friends.

It is in that moment that Jesus appears and tells Thomas he understands his weakness – his doubt.

Wow! Our Savior, our Lord, understands that we have doubts. And in those moments of doubt, HE is there with us (Hebrews 4:15). It is in this moment that Thomas declares his loyalty again! If Thomas had other times of doubt, we do not know. It is given that his loyalty to the one he called My Lord and My God did not waiver.

There is considerable evidence that Thomas carried the Gospel to India. There are today churches in south India whose roots trace back to the beginning of the church age and church tradition has Thomas as their founder. There is even a place outside of Madras, India where it is purported that Thomas was buried. Tradition has it that he was martyred by the running through of a spear. For the one who longed to see the mark of the spear on his Lord and wished to die with him, it was a perhaps a fitting end.

We will be pessimistic – it is our nature. We will have moments of doubt. We will be ordinary for it is our nature.

It is when in spite of our pessimism, in spite of our doubts, that we choose to remain loyal that we begin to move from being ordinary to becoming extraordinary. It is when we act in faith – Having not seen BUT still believing. It is in those moments that we move from being ordinary to becoming extraordinary.

Have you declared your loyalty? In spite of your doubts, in spite of your pessimism – will you declare your intent?

Jesus is still asking are you available? Do you believe? Will you follow me?

Your doubts do not need to be gone in order to begin this journey.

Is today the day to begin your move towards extraordinary?