When most people hear the word Apostle, they think of the twelve Apostles who were selected by Jesus to accompany Him during His three-year earthly ministry here on this planet.

Part of these Apostle's stories are recorded in what has become The New Testament of our Holy Bible. Yet another Apostle, Saul who later changed his name to Paul, which means "Little", wrote most of this New Testament Bible.

Paul was also called by Christ to be an Apostle. Although Paul did not write The Acts of the Apostles, it includes much about his early ministry. Saul enters our drama when Stephen, a "Spirit filled" waiter, was stoned to death for his radical blasphemy against the acceptable Jewish belief system in Roman province city of Jerusalem.

Acts 7:59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on [God] and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

Acts 8:1 Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church, which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Saul was going to round up or catch followers of Jesus, the radical one who was considered responsible for leading many devout Jews astray. Acts 26: 9 "Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 "This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against [them.] 11 "And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled [them] to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted [them] even to foreign cities. 12 " While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

Called Saul of Tarsus, he was blinded by a light, knocked from his donkey on the road to Damascus. Acts 9:4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"

Acts9: 14 "And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? [It is] hard for you to kick against the goads.' 15 "So I said, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16 'But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. 17 'I will deliver you from the [Jewish] people, as well as [from] the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18 'to open their eyes, [in order] to turn [them] from darkness to light, and [from] the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.'

Saint Paul, (circa ad 3-62), the greatest missionary of Christianity and its first theologian, is often called Apostle to the Gentiles. Yet the other believers did not immediately embrace Paul.

Acts 9:26. And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple.

With all due respect, I suggest that Paul was the first "Modern Day Apostle."

After Judas hanged himself, prior to Saul's conversion and call, The Lord's Apostles selected a disciple Acts 1:26 And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Paul was, by no means, the last Apostle to be called. He introduces himself as

Romans 1:1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called [to be] an apostle, separated to the gospel of God

So how does an Apostle fit into the body of Christ?

1 Cor 12:28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.

In reference to Jesus, Ephesians 4:11 And He Himself gave some [to be] apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,

Hebrews 3:1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,

This series, "Modern Day Apostles," will focus on who and what Apostles are and what they are called to do. Published by author Rascal, the series should provide some new information to be considered.

Additional ezine articles ~ which may be of interest to readers ~ are published as author Russ Miles. They are easily accessed via my website and are located in the "Rascal's Free Reprint Articles" section.

~Rubit "Modern Day Apostles Series Appears"~

Rascal