Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Matthew 10:1 – 4

The thing that strikes me first, I suppose, is how Matthew refers to himself as “Matthew the tax collector.”  Only two others have a designation, Simon who was a national and religious zealot, a member of the movement who were intent on lifting the Holy Land from Roman rule, and Judas Iscariot who did in fact betray Jesus.  The other nine were not engaged in politics nor do we read that they had any political leanings.

What strange “bed fellows,” we say, Matthew and Judas Iscariot.  Matthew worked to collect taxes for the Roman occupiers, Judas wanted nothing at all to do with those who collaborated with the Romans. Like Matthew.  Had I been choosing disciples, I would not have picked two such different people.  How they learned to live together for three years or so I cannot imagine.

It sounds very much like the church of today.  We represent a great variety of interests.  Nationalism, idealism, political leanings and so on are present among the church around the world today.

For that reason, we must keep in mind that Jesus did not come to establish an earthly kingdom but the heavenly kingdom on the earth, a kingdom that is eternal.  This is at the heart of our life with Jesus Christ.