Band of Brothers

Reaching Higher: A Series on My Journey of Discipleship

Luke 6:12-13; Mark 6:7-13

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%206%3A12-13%3B%20Mark%206%3A7-13&version=NIV;NLT

[Preface: This series is autobiographical to the extent that it is loosely based on my spiritual journey. In some ways, you could compare it to the stock market with a gradual overall increase, but many ups and downs; even a crash or two. Through it all though, the Lord has loved me and been with me the whole time. I hope you find my journey encouraging, but also, that the Lord might speak to you through it.]

 

At the end of the summer of 1971, when I decided to drop out of college and stay in East Lansing, I didn’t have a clue what I was going to do, or where I would even live. Thankfully though, the church I attended owned a house that they rented out to young men.

 

 

This house became known as the Hagadorn House because it was… well… on Hagadorn Road. The other guys in that house, and in our college fellowship group, soon became my closest friends.

 

We lived together, ate together, worshiped together, prayed together and played together. In fact, our softball team was called… The Hagadorn Brothers. We became a Band of Brothers.

 

¹² One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. ¹³ At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles.        NLT

 

Even though this was early in Jesus’ ministry, he had a large following; possibly as many as the 120 disciples that are mentioned in Acts 1:15. From this group, Jesus chose, and appointed, his apostles. Apostle means “one who is sent with a special mission”.

 

⁷ Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits… ¹² They went out and preached that people should repent. ¹³ They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.            NIV

 

These men became a Band of Brothers who spent all their time together, day and night, for three years. They experienced highs like, healing the sick and driving out demons; as well as lows like arguing over who was the greatest, and completely rejecting Jesus at his hour of greatest need.

 

We all need a Band of Brothers, or Sisters, to laugh and cry with; to support one another in the good times and in the bad; to do the work of the Lord together. Like the Apostles, we have also been chosen and sent on a mission; a mission to love and serve others, and to share the love of Christ.

 

Who is in your Band?