Our Savior Lutheran Church

Introduction

Last week Judas Iscariot’s greed and treachery sobered us. We can only speculate what Judas hoped he would gain from following Jesus; but when it didn’t materialize, he began to steal from the fund that supported Jesus’ ministry. His hollow, false heart became a chamber Satan could enter. Greed served as the key. Satan prompted Judas to betray Jesus. Then Satan betrayed Judas to a flood of remorse that prompted him to commit suicide.

This week we move outside the original apostolic band and look at the successor of Judas. Matthias had followed Jesus as long as Judas or any of the other apostles. He had witnessed all Jesus said and did. Most importantly, he had seen the resurrected Lord. Matthias did what Judas could never have. He effectively spread the gospel as a co-laborer with the other eleven apostles. And the Spirit lifted him from private servanthood to prominent leadership.

To Get Us Started

Making choices is serious business. We’ve cared about how to choose all our lives – how to choose teams, how to choose friends, how to choose a college, a career, a wife, a church, a town, and a house to live in. The series of life choices goes on until someone else chooses the suit and the casket to bury us in.

1. How did you feel about “choosing up sides” to play ball games in gym or in your neighborhood?

2. What position that you were chosen to fill made you proudest at the time? Why were you so pleased?

The Word

Jesus chose twelve apostles. That made sense to all of their Jewish minds. There had been twelve sons of Jacob and twelve tribes of Israel. On one occasion Jesus told the apostles, “I assure you: In the Messianic Age, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28).

When Judas Iscariot killed himself, only eleven apostles remained. Eleven was a defective number. Some action had to be taken to complete the full complement of apostles. In the days following the ascension of Jesus, the eleven apostles “united in prayer, along with the women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brothers” (Acts 1:14). They were waiting, in obedience to Jesus’ instruction, for the promised Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5). While they waited, God moved in the heart of Peter.

Qualified and Divinely Chosen – Acts 1:12-17, 20-26

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day's walk from the city. [13] When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. [14] They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

[15] In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) [16] and said, "Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus-- [17] he was one of our number and shared in this ministry." …

[20] "For," said Peter, "it is written in the book of Psalms,

" 'May his place be deserted;

let there be no one to dwell in it,'

and,

" 'May another take his place of leadership.'

[21] Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, [22] beginning from John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection."

[23] So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. [24] Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen [25] to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs." [26] Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

Observations

Matthias, a man who is never mentioned by  name in the Gospels and only in connection with one event in the book of Acts, suddenly became one of the Twelve Apostles (Acts 1:26). From that moment until his death as a martyr he helped unveil a great mystery that “was not made known to people in other generations” (Ephesians 3:5). That mystery consisted of the church, the body of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:10), a movement that has changed the course of human history.

Observation 1

God is an omniscient, almighty person who makes choices and uses methods and means that  only He understands.

When the Lord chose Matthias to replace Judas, He blessed the method that was even used among the pagans. Haman cast lots to determine when to destroy the Jews when they were in bondage to King Xerxes (Esther 3:7). The Roman soldiers cast lots for Jesus’ garments after He had been crucified (Matthew 27:35). When the apostles used this method, they combined it with prayer. God honored this approach and selected Matthias, the man He had already chose before time began.

Sometimes God achieves His purposes in unusual ways, simply because He is the almighty God. He always knew that Judas would betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver and that he would end up in a Christ-less eternity. Yet He chose him to be one of the apostles. He also knew that Matthias would replace Judas and had chosen him for this position before He ever created the world (Romans 9:22-24). Only God understands these divine mysteries. Only He can make these decisions, yet be just and fair.

Observation 2

The omniscient and almighty God who makes eternal choices has designed His church in such a way that leaders are to be chosen on the basis of Christian character.

God’s choice of Matthias to replace Judas illustrates a unique transitional moment. Matthias was highly qualified in terms of character. When Jesus chose the original Twelve, He worked with what He had. With a few exceptions, these men lacked character, and Jesus spent over three years “discipling them” and preparing them to carry out the Great Commission.

Peter, who began as a tough-minded businessman, became one of God’s greatest servants. James was power-hungry but became the first Christian martyr. John was terribly self-centered but was transformed into the great apostle of love. Philip stopped allowing his pragmatic nature to interfere with his faith. Matthew turned from his materialism to seek God’s kingdom first. Thomas became a transformed pessimist and operated as an eternal optimist. Simon left the Jewish Zealots and became a “zealot” for Jesus Christ.

Jesus had shaped Matthias’ character before he became an apostle. From this point forward, leaders for the church were chosen on the basis of proven rather than potential character. The seven men designated to care for the Grecian widows were chosen because they were “men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom” (Acts 6:3). Stephen earned special recognition as “a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6”5).  The apostles and elders of the church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas to Antioch to help establish the first Gentile church on the basis that “he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith” (Acts 11:24). The Pastoral Epistles outline the character qualities to be used in selecting spiritual leaders for individual congregations (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9).

To Discuss

3. How do you tend to feel when you’re asked to do something you’re not qualified to do? How do you tend to feel when you’re asked to do something you are qualified to do?

4. Why do you suppose the Holy Spirit prompted Peter to be so restrictive about who could become the twelfth apostle (Acts 1:21-22)?

5. Why was it important in replacing Judas that the apostles and their associates had “continually united in prayer” for several days (Acts 1:14-15)?

6. Peter applied David’s prayers concerning wicked men in general to Judas, the ultimate wicked man (Acts 1:16-17, 20). What points did Peter make from Psalm 69:25 and Psalm 109:8?

7. What was said about Judas, good and bad, in the course of the replacement procedure (Acts 1:16-17, 25)?

8. What qualifications did Peter lay down for the replacement of Judas (Acts 1:21-22)?

9. Why did they cast lots to choose Matthias rather than electing or appointing him (Acts 1:24-25)?

10. If, like Matthias, you had witnessed the whole ministry of Jesus from His baptism to His resurrection, what events or teachings would stand out to you? Why?

11. In the selection of Matthias to replace Judas, how do you see both responsible human choices and divine power at work?

12. Why should we look for proven character before putting church leaders in office instead of trusting God to develop character after they take office?

13. How can we keep the selection of church leaders focused on spiritual issues rather than popularity or charisma?

14. What role does God play in the selection of our church leaders?

The selection of Matthias to replace Judas Iscariot reminds us it’s never too late to start getting ready for the time when The Great Conductor points to you to play the lead instrument. Matthias invested more than three years of his life in being a private, committed Christ-follower. That had been an end in itself, but it became the means to an unforeseen greater end. Don’t worry that you don’t know what the future holds. Follow the Lord Jesus as closely as you can, and you will find yourself equipped for whatever He has in mind for you. Be ready, so that when Jesus calls you out of obscurity, you’ll be ready.

15. How has the Lord Jesus impacted your character development as you have matured as a Christian?

16. What ministry roles do you fill in the church? What part did people play in choosing you for that ministry? What part did God play?

Next Week

Next week we move still further outside the original apostolic band to consider the life and ministry of Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles. Paul broke onto the scene in the book of Acts as a premeditated murderer and persecutor of the church. Despite this, we will see how the Lord chose Paul and commissioned him to fish for men. Jesus commissioned Paul as clearly as He called the Twelve. Finally we will note what happened when Jesus sent Paul fishing in a bigger pond for different kind of fish.