Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
I wonder if you have anyone in your life who CAUTIONS you? Someone who helps you slow down when you are rushing through life, perhaps stumbling as you go? Or someone who gives you that special look or squeezes your hand when they sense you are about to say something you’ll regret?
When I was a young boy my father had that memorable ability to clear his throat in a particular way which let me know I was walking on thin ice and I’d better be careful what I would say or do next, especially if we were with other people and he didn’t want to reprimand or shame me in public.
I left you yesterday walking back from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem with the disciples and perhaps some other close friends of Jesus. No one was speaking. They were all speechless for they had witnessed something none of them could explain, although they knew there would be many people badgering them for a detailed explanation! We can assume those who had seen the Resurrected Jesus were frequently pursued for answers to the normal questions we all have about the resurrection of Jesus.
But now there was something perhaps even more spectacular, more unreasonable, that the disciples had witnessed and they would be hounded, for the rest of their lives, to explain it. What was it? The ascension of Jesus Christ! While Jesus had been talking with the disciples Jesus simply elevated, slowly, right up into the sky and then He disappeared into the clouds!
Then suddenly two men appeared, who were evidently angels, explaining that Jesus had returned to heaven, in full view of His friends! (Acts 1:9-11) The disciples stood speechless looking up into the sky, then looking over there at busy Jerusalem, then back to the sky. Who would ever believe what they just experienced?
Luke, who wrote the book of Acts, tells us the disciples, Mary the mother of Jesus, and many other close friends gathered together in Jerusalem, as word began to spread that the disciples had fresh, shocking news about Jesus.
These friends of Jesus all wanted to be together. (Acts 1:12-14) They wanted answers. They wanted to question the eyewitnesses. I think it’s safe to say it was like a press conference with no media! Can’t you see it? Each of the disciples surrounded by 8 or 10 people badgering them with questions, one after another. Now if that was all happening in one large house or several rooms and the roof of a house, I would guess it got loud and quite energetic, maybe people even shouting trying to get the answers they wanted!
Somewhere in all the noise, evidently the disciple Peter stood up and called for quiet. He explained that Judas Iscariot, who had been one of the disciples but then betrayed Jesus to the arresting mob and then later killed himself in shame, this same Judas had obviously left an empty place in this group of disciples whom Jesus had personally assembled. (Acts 1:15-17)
For some reason Peter felt a replacement disciple should be found. That confuses me. Why? Because in the 40 days between Jesus’ resurrection and His ascension, and in all Jesus’ meetings with His disciples, Jesus never once gave even the slightest hint that it was His desire to replace Judas. If it needed to be done, don’t you think Jesus Himself would have made the selection, as He had with the other 11 disciples, or at least Jesus would have explained to His disciples that it was God’s desire to have Judas replaced and how to do so? But that didn’t happen. Jesus ascended to heaven giving no indication anything was to be done to replace Judas Iscariot in the group of 12 disciples.
I have to tell you my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends, I think this was another time the apostle Peter needed a friend to caution him, to perhaps urge him to sit down and be quiet. Seems to me Peter should have first discussed this with all the other disciples. But bold, brash Peter already had everyone’s attention and so he pressed on.
He quoted two portions of verses from the Psalms which in my opinion have little to do with Judas or what Judas had done. Peter claimed the Holy Spirit had led David to write prophetic Scriptures, hundreds of years before, about Judas. (Ps. 69:25; 109:8) And then Peter proposed an election process to replace Judas, right then and there! Have you ever found yourself in such a situation?
Jesus had told His disciples very explicitly to “wait for the gift My Father promised, which you have heard Me speak about…in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit… you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:4-8) Waiting was very difficult for Peter, and maybe others of the disciples. We don’t know exactly how many hours or days had passed from the time of Jesus’ ascension to the time Peter called for action to replace Judas, but one thing we know for sure: the promised Holy Spirit of God had not yet come!
So rather than waiting obediently, Peter made a plan. Peter called for action and evidently his persuasive personality led others to follow along. I wonder if anyone would have been listening, very carefully, if they might have heard Jesus clearing His throat from heaven, like my father used to clear his throat for me!?
Instead two men were nominated, Joseph called Barsabbas and Matthias. They prayed, asking God to lead them. They cast the lot and the record says: “The lot fell to Matthias, so he was added to the eleven apostles.” (Acts 1:23-26) And just like that the deed was done. Judas was replaced by a Peter led plan, a nomination, a prayer and a roll of the dice! Oh my friends, is there an important lesson for you and me here?
How often do we run ahead making a plan, asking God to bless our plan, and thinking that if, for some reason it isn’t God’s will then God will stop our headlong rush into our plan?! This is yet one more example of many in Biblical history that shows us God will not be forced or manipulated into action by our impetuous demands or actions.
Among the last things Jesus said to His disciples, on several occasions, was that true disciples of Jesus demonstrate their love for God by their OBEDIENCE to God’s instructions, or guidance. (John 14:23,24; Matt. 28:20) I find it interesting Mr. Matthias is not seen in any substantial role or event anywhere in the rest of the New Testament, after that day!
We need to pause and ponder this my friends, because I think it happens very often in many places around the world, especially with strong personality people who struggle with waiting or patience or living that powerful Scripture which says “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret…” (Ps. 37:7) Waiting on God, for God to guide us; for God to give us clarity in times of confusion; for God to act in ways only God can act, have you and I learned to do that, yet...wait on God?
I urge us all to take some time right now talking with Jesus about this issue and here’s a worship song to help us consider the significance of learning to wait on God.
Today’s Scripture: Acts 1:12-26.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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