5 Smooth Stones

The fi rst twelve were called the Apostles of the Lamb and they had special requirements which no other apostle will ever be able to ful fi ll. (Revelation 21:14). The requirements for the Apostles of the Lamb were discussed when the eleven were seeking to replace Judas, who had taken his own life. Acts 1:21-22 says that one of the twelve had to have been one of Jesus’ disciples and with the others “all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.” Many have suggested that Saul of Tarsus, who later was known as Paul the apostle should have been chosen rather than Ma tt hias. However, these requirements disquali fi ed him, as well as any of the other post-Pentecost apostles. Jesus chose to ordain only apostles and allow them to ordain the other ministries after He ascended. Now among the twelve were other ministries also. John the Revelator was most certainly a prophet, and Peter was most certainly an evangelist. The fact is that no one can be only an apostle, but must walk in at least one of the other fi ve in order to manifest his or her ministry. Prophets may prophecy, and evangelists will evangelize, teachers will teach and shepherds will shepherd. But an apostle cannot “apostle,” he must be an apostle and to do this the apostle must manifest his commissioning through one or more of the other ministries. It has already been mentioned that apostles must be able to function in each of the fi ve ministries as the need may arise, to function as mentor and father, to instruct others who are called into the various fi ve ministries. Apostles are “sent ones.” The word its self indicates an ambassador or messenger who is sent. But this is not enough of a de fi nition to delineate the apostolic ministry from the others for proper characterization. Prophets, for instance, also are sent, Luke 11:49 "Therefore the wisdom of God also said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles ...” Point of fact, any of the fi ve ministries might be sent. The di ff erence between the apostle and prophet is that the apostle is sent to complete a task, while the prophet is sent to deliver a message. In the city of Antioch we fi nd there were prophets and teachers working together in the church there. Barnabas had been sent down to Antioch from Jerusalem by the apostles, most likely because of his ties to the disciples who planted the church there, as he and they both had ties through Cyprus (Acts 4:36; 11:20). Barnabas went to Tarsus and brought down Paul to the church in Antioch (Saul is his name translated from Hebrew, Paul his name translated from Greek). Barnabas was sent down from Jerusalem as he was “a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith” 118