The Disciples - Part 6

And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him. (Mark 1:19-20 ESV). Of the three apostles who comprised the inner circle, Peter, James and John, we know the least about the apostle James. We do know, however, that the apostle James was the eldest brother of the apostle John and that their father's name was Zebedee. James, his brother John, Peter and Andrew were all partners in a fishing business prior to being called by Christ to follow Him. Zebedee was also a partner in the business. There is also some evidence that James was the first cousin of Jesus the Messiah and had been acquainted with Him from infancy. It is believed that his mother Salome was the sister of Jesus' mother Mary. Not much is known of his ministry after the Lord's resurrection, but it is believed that he lived another 14 years before his martyrdom. In fact, the apostle James was the first apostle to suffer martyrdom. By order of Herod Agrippa I, James was beheaded in Jerusalem about the feast of Easter, 44 AD. Nicknamed with his brother as the "Sons of Thunder", James was a "go for it" type of individual, with a fiery spunk. James was not a perfect man. You cannot clearly say that he was the strongest or most faithful among the disciples. Remember, he was the one who asked to be first, on Jesus’ right hand. In spite of his closeness to Christ, we don't see that he was without fault. However, what we do see about James, son of Zebedee is this: He loved Jesus and was willing to give his whole life to serve Him! James was much like you or I should strive to be, not necessarily the most noteworthy character, but one who was fully committed to his call. And, isn't that the attitude of which God is seeking? James is a reminder to us that with a heart fully devoted to Christ, we can receive great victory in the Kingdom of God. Mark Hatfield tells of touring Calcutta with Mother Teresa and visiting the so-called "House of Dying," where sick children are cared for in their last days, and the dispensary, where the poor line up by the hundreds to receive medical attention. Watching Mother Teresa minister to these people, feeding and nursing those left by others to die, Hatfield was overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the suffering she and her co-workers faced daily. "How can you bear the load without being crushed by it?" he asked. Mother Teresa replied, "My dear Senator, I am not called to be successful, I am called to be faithful." Like James, she was found faithful. It is an example for us to follow.