Acts 12 – The Listening Plan

Devotional

Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

– Acts 12:1-2

It is interesting to me that James was the first of the Apostles to die in service to the Lord, and John (his brother) was the last of the Apostles to die. Perhaps there is no significance to it, but it is interesting. Additionally it is interesting that something (seemingly) as momentous as the martyrdom of one of the Apostles would be worthy of more than a simple statement in one sentence. But then perhaps we make more of a big deal of death than we should.

Don’t misunderstand, I’m not making light of death. But if we believe as we say we believe, then death really is a ‘change of address.’ One second we’re here, and the next we’re in eternity.