Jesus Had a Mess on His Hands

Editorial by Eli Rojas

All you have to do is look at the list of disciples Jesus picked to know He had a mess on His hands. Two particular people, Matthew and Simon, had the potential to be immersed in conflict. Matthew, a Mokhes tax collector, was an enemy of the Jewish nation. Although Jesus knew everything about him, He still invited him to “Follow Me” (see Matt. 9:9). What was Jesus thinking?

Jesus also invited Simon the Zealot to follow Him. A zealot was someone who hated Romans and traitors. So, we have Matthew in one corner, a traitor of the nation, and, in the opposite corner, Simon, a patriot willing to kill for his nation. Can you feel the tension? It was messy!

Tensions among the disciples remained throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry. However, everything changes in Acts 1 and 2. The disciples returned to Jerusalem, prayed earnestly, became one in purpose, allowed the Holy Spirit to fill them and started to serve one another.

If we look at our church today, we might think Jesus still has a mess on His hands. Notwithstanding, God knows what He is doing. Let’s trust the Lord's plan, follow the model of the early church, seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and, together, experience genuine transformation and oneness in Christ.

Eli Rojas is the ministerial director for the Chesapeake Conference