The last two verses of Acts 1 tell us of casting lots, the unexpected means the apostles took to determine who would replace Judas.

verse 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.

verse 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Note… They prayed before they cast lots. See verse 24. Casting lots wasn’t haphazard. They didn’t toss up their hands and flippantly cast lots. They prayed, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen.”

Judas turned aside to go to his own place: This is vague, and it is probably on purpose. We are not told specifically where Judas spends eternity, but their are hints. This is one of them.

And they cast lots for them: This is unexpected from our perspective. But it’s a historic and a Biblical (Old Testament) way to make decisions. This is the only place in the New Testament where it appears. See Proverbs 16:33, Proverbs 18:18,  Leviticus 16:8-10, Numbers 26:55-56, Joshua 7:14, 1 Samuel 10:20, 1 Samuel 14:41-42. It is not practiced today.

Dependence on God and trust in God. These two virtues are at the core of everything. But they are hard virtues. Oh, so very hard, because they fight against everything in us that is prideful and self-sufficient and self-important and worrisome about things that are out of our control. How can we trust God more? Look up Mark 9:24 and the verses that surround it. What does the man ask for? Look up Matthew 28:1-10. If that event is true, if you believe it is true, everything else God said is then true. Put your faith in the God of that event. Trust that God is always faithful.

 

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Two links about casting lots. One.  Two.

A few more quotes

Jesus chose the original twelve disciples. The disciples don’t replace Judas on their own. They wisely turn to Jesus.

verse 23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias.

verse 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen

Joseph called Barsabbas: This is his Jewish name. Barsabbas means son of the sabbath, which probably means he was born on the sabbath.

Justus: This is his Gentile name. Many see this same thing in Paul originally being Saul. They see Saul as his Jewish name and Paul his gentile name. Why? Perhaps their culture also judged people too quickly.

Matthias: Nothing is known about either man. And they are not mentioned again in Scripture.

And they prayed: This is significant! Don’t read it as being something passive or something they did in passing. Read it as something that stopped them in their tracks, something they truly depended on, something they took very serious. They are now without the presence and words of Jesus. They are dependent on prayer

You, Lord, who know: This is a doctrine and a good one. God knows all things. He is all knowing. The theological term for this is Omniscient. God has total knowledge. He knows all things from the beginning of time. Nothing surprises God. Nothing is unexpected.

know the hearts of all: This is not to be seen as a fully positive statement. Our hearts are sinful, selfish, prideful, stubborn, and blind. Our hearts do have a virtuous side, but even the virtuous things we do can be done with selfish or ulterior motives. Yes, we do many good things, but we must be careful of not patting ourselves on the back.

show which one of these two you have chosen: They are seeking God’s will and God’s wisdom. The could choose on their own, but they decide not to. What can seem right to us can be quite wrong. They humbly step away from their opinions and ideas and ask Jesus to lead them. There is wisdom here.

Tim Keller taught “God will either give us what we ask or give us what we would have asked if we knew everything he knows.” The disciples know this truth. Jesus knows more about the two men than they do. The disciples trust Jesus.

 

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A short, helpful article about the interior of our lives

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These two verse are a gold mine. They are a finely focused description of what kind of man God needed to replace Judas and become a witness to the world.

verse 21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

Verse 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.

one of the men who have accompanied us:Peter will layout what is required of the replacement. He had to be one of the people who accompanied the disciples as they followed Jesus. Though not part of the inner circle, the replacement had to be someone close to it. This matters. The disciples must longterm knowledge of what sort of man he is, how he works with others, and his passion and devotion for Jesus.

during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us: The replacement could not be part-time or casual or an aloof follower. He had to be neck deep in the ministry. He had to be recognized as man they didn’t have worry about.

beginning from the baptism of John: It was required that the replacement was with Jesus and the disciples from the beginning. This man would have the longevity of friendship, instruction, and witness to all the healings, converts, and confrontations with the Jewish leaders.

until the day when he was taken up from us: The replacement had to be with Jesus and the disciples to the very, very end of Jesus’ time on earth. He had to know and see and felt everything.

must become with us a witness to his resurrection: And this is why. The replacement must, along with the eleven, go out and be a witness to the world about the fact and power of the resurrection. A qualified witness had to have both spiritual depth and depth of experience.

Peter’s words are helpful for anyone wanting to spread the gospel. First, the person must know Jesus, and not just know about Him. Second, the person must know the reality and the power of the cross. Third, the person must be able and willing to go out communicate the gospel to the lost. And fourth, the person must do it as part of the community of believers.

The first two are the most important!

This is tough stuff. All four parts can make people cringe. Our love for God is put to the test here, as well as the depth of our convictions and the maturity of our faith. This is tough stuff.

 

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Why boys don’t wrestle girls

Some additional quotes

You might have noticed that there are differences in Scripture about Judas. The gospel of Matthew and Acts seem to differ.

Matthew 27:3-8 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.” So they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field as a burial place for strangers. Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.

Acts 1;18-19 Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.

The two versions of the story can be brought together.

First, Judas did hang himself. He hung himself in such a way that the rope or or a branch or something broke, his body fell, and his body burst open. This would happen if his body was left and had some element of decomposition. And it is possible if he hung himself on a steep hillside or cliff and his body fell some distance.

Second, the chief priest bought the field in Judas’ name. That would leave a needed paper trail in Judas’ name.

But… Someone might say that Luke writes, “this man acquired a field,”  thus it appears Luke believes Judas himself (“this man”) bought the field. It does not need to be read that literally. The money Judas was paid, that he returned, that the Pharisee refused to accept back, was used by the Pharisees to buy the field. Matthew writes, “So they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field.” The Pharisees bought the field with Judas’ money. It is safe to presume they would not use any of their names. And it makes sense they would put it in Judas’ name to clear their own names.

And… And more importantly, Luke keeps the blame on Judas. This section is about Judas and the need to replace him. Judas, on his own volition, betrayed Jesus, and to a degree he betrayed they trust and fidelity of the other eleven apostles. Judas committed the greater sin. For Luke, on this matter, all eyes are on Judas.

But… We should be humble whenever Judas is a topic. Every Christian has struggled with faithfulness and loyalty to Jesus. By God’s grace, not our virtue, we are Christians and remain Christians.

 

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Something provocative about our phones

And a few more quotes

Nothing with Judas is easy. Verse 16 and 17, and then verse 20, are about Judas and they are not easy. Part of studying Scripture is wrestling with tough verses. It’s best not to avoid them or downplay or dismiss them, but to jump in with both feet. We’ll never fully unravel tough verses, but we will learn and we will grow.

Verse 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.

Verse 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.”

Note… Peter is speaking here.

Brothers:  This is the common and good and helpful term Luke uses for the men following Jesus. We can lose sight that we are brothers and that we should always treat each other as brothers.

Scripture had to be fulfilled: Peter is referring to what he will say in verse 20. At first glance many prophesies used in the gospels and in Acts appear to be unclear. The two quotations in verse 20 are not specific about Judas or a betrayal. In the eyes of many of Luke’s original readers verse 20 is seen differently than we see it. Prophesies are understood easiest looking back. Psalm 69:25 is part of a denunciation of evil men. Psalm 109:8 is about the need to replace evil men.

which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David: This is a helpful insight. The Holy Spirit inspired David’s words, and the Holy Spirit is saying more than David is saying. In other words, David didn’t know that what he was saying could and would be applied to the Messiah. How does Peter know Psalm 69 applies to Judas? Peter knows, through being taught be Jesus, that the Old Testament  teaches more about Jesus than anyone was originally aware of.

Peter’s point is that Judas needs to be replaced. He says first, from Psalm 69:25, that Judas was evil like the men in the Psalm (See John 6:70 where Jesus calls Judas a devil!). Then, second, Peter, from Psalm 109:8, says with David, that the evil leader needs to be replaced.

A key verse in all this is 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” It often appears there are missing links in prophesies, because we don’t see what Peter or Luke see. This is how 2 Timothy 3:16 is helpful. What appears foggy to us is cleared up in knowing that everything in Acts (and all the Bible) has been breathed out by God. We can trust it. We can believe it.

Judas: His betrayal and death had to be a cloud hanging over them, both in moving forward and looking back. It would be a heavy thing for long time.

became a guide to those who arrested Jesus: It is good to see this sin. It is good to see our sin. We can point fingers at Judas, but we are sinners too. And we too have sinned in not being fully and consistently loyal to Jesus. It is best and wise to look at Judas with humility.

For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry:  This is part of the cloud hanging over them, and part of the need to move forward. This is the only time in Scripture that an apostle is replaced. When James is killed in Acts 12:2, he is not replaced. Judas failed to carry the weight of an apostle. James did not. What matters is to replace Judas, for the twelve  will rule over the twelve tribes of Israel. See Matthew 19:28.

These three verses are not easy. And the solution may not be fully satisfying. Wrestling with Scripture is good and healthy. It’s how we learn and grow.

 

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A helpful link about misconceptions of heaven and hell

A workable New Testament reading plan

And a few more quotes

Verse 14 and 15 are a window into the internal workings of disciples.

Verse 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

Verse 15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said,

All these with one accord: They were unified, they were together aiming in one direction, they had priorities higher than themselves. This is instructive for Christians. Divisions hurt the very heart of the church.

were devoting themselves to prayer: Alongside unity, a devotion to prayer is much needed in the church. In the modern church much is said about prayer, but little praying is actually done. It’s easier talk about it than to do it. We’ll pray for someone or for something, but soon forget it. A devotion to prayer is old school. It is a life priority. It is a morning, afternoon, and evening commitment. It is a love. The desire to talk with God reveals who we are.

together with the women: Men will be the central characters in Acts, as they were in the gospels, and as they were in the Old Testament. Nevertheless, the body of Christ is at its best when it has a high spiritual view of women. The church needs strong, mature, Bible-immersed, seriously-praying women.

Mary the mother of Jesus: This is the last time Mary is mentioned in the Bible.

his brothers: By all indications, Jesus’ brothers did not believe in Him in the four gospels. But something changed in Acts. We know Jesus appeared to His brother James after his resurrection (see 1 Corinthians 15:7). And James will show up several more times in the book of Acts (see Acts 12:17, 15:13, & 21:18).

Peter: Time and again God uses people we would not expect Him to use. Peter the mouthy one, the one who denied Jesus, becomes the spiritual leader of the disciples. Never underestimate God using anyone. It is, though, good to remind ourselves of the confrontation Jesus and Peter had in John 21:15-19. The issue is two-fold. The depth and breadth of Peter’s love. Jesus pressed Peter. He needed to be confronted about this. He had been mouthy, but he had not loved Jesus. Second, Jesus’ insistence that Peter “Feed my lambs. Tend my lambs. Feed my sheep. Follow me.” Peter was given explicit marching orders. He had an all-consuming job to do.

brothers: This is the first time the term is used in Acts, and it’ll show up over fifty times. This is a good term, and a needed term. But it is a difficult term. We like the term until we don’t. Someone is brother to us until they have crossed one line too many. One of the truest tests of our spiritual maturity and love is how we talk about a “brother” behind their back who is under our skin, or hurt us, or we don’t trust.

These are two helpful and insightful verses. There is much to think about and much to learn.

 

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Another helpful and short and GOOD video

A workable New Testament reading plan

And a few more quotes

Verse 12 and 13 gives us two lessons. First, patience, trust, and obedience. Second, God works through people. He always has and he still does. God is working through each of us every day.

Verse 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.

Verse 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.

they returned to Jerusalem: They were commanded to wait and stay in Jerusalem (see verse 4). Waiting is something God uses in our life. Patience is a high virtue, though a difficult one. Trusting God is one highest Christian virtues, and it too can be very difficult. It is good to see that the disciples were faithful and obedient and loyal to Jesus. Learning patience and practicing patience matures us. And it pleases God. It is one of the way God disciples us.

the upper room: This is likely the same upper room that the disciples used in Luke 22:12 and John 20:19 and John 20:26. And it might well be the same room in Acts 2:1. The gathering of believers which then forms a community of believers can be highly encouraging. We are made for community. We, as Christians, are made to be together.

Peter and John and James and Andrew… Jesus chose the twelve (now eleven) to carry out a specific task. Spread the word about the the kingdom of God, namely the life, teaching, miracles, death, and resurrection of Jesus. And we can see them doing this in Acts 2:31, 4:2, 4:33, etc.. Carrying out the commands of Jesus is a privilege, honor, and duty. It is one of the truest ways we walk with God.

Judas the son of James: The Bible lists the disciples four times (Matthew 10:1-4, Mark 3:13-19, Luke 6:13-16, & Acts 1:13). The lists are the same with once exception. Matthew and Mark list Thaddaeus, while Luke and Acts list Judas the son of James. This is best understood that Thaddaeus is another name for Judas the son of James. See Acts 1:23 where someone has three names (“Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus.”)

The disciples were wise and mature to wait and be patient, to wait and trust Jesus’ words, to wait for a promise. We are wise and mature (and getting wiser and more and more mature) when we trust God and when we practice patience. As God used these men, trust that God works through you too!

Good men, verse 10 and 11 are a reminder that Jesus is coming back. It’s a promise. And it’s reminder to be faithful.

Verse 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,

Verse 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

were gazing: This seems to be more than the idea that they were merely viewing the event. It seems it was a prolonged viewing.

behold, two men stood by: These two men have been historically interpreted as angles. The presence of these two men is why the “gazing” seems to be prolonged. The angels are correcting and re-directing the men.

Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven?: This question would not be asked if the gazing was short.

This Jesus: Once again, it can be seen that the central focus of Acts is Jesus.

will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven: This is the redirection the angles are aiming at. First, they are to see the promise and reassurance that Jesus will return. He will be back. His leaving is not permanent. Second, they are to see that the prolonged gazing up at the clouds isn’t what Jesus has commanded them to do. They have been given a task and they are to get going with it.

The presence of the angels is one more evidence, one more thing to witness about, one more thing revealing the glory of God, and one more emphasis on Jesus. 

 

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Something short about studying the Bible

A couple more quotes

Good men, the two verses below are the power and the root of everything that will happen in the book of Acts. Through the power of the Holy Spirit they will bear witness around the world about what they have seen and heard and felt regarding Jesus.

verse 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

verse 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

But you will receive: This is one of the clear and true promises of God. All followers of Jesus have the Holy Spirit. The apostles had a different, unique kind of power. The could perform miracles and they could speak foreign languages.

power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you: We too have great power and great strength because we have the Holy Spirit. Amongst many things, the Holy Spirit is the great prompter in our life. He prompts us to pray, to read Scripture, to be holy, to do good, and to trust God. He prompts us what to pray for and to stick with prayer. He prompts us see things in Scripture and be convicted and encouraged by it. He prompts us to hate sin and to fear God. He prompts us to love kindness, love our enemies, to be patient and gentle. And He prompts us to keep trusting God, through thick and thin. Paul writes about this power in Ephesians 3:14-21

witnesses: This was their divinely appointed task. Be a witness to what they have seen and heard and felt. And this would be their super-power. The Holy Spirit would use their words and do mighty and lasting things with them. We have been given the same task. And we have the same super-power. Most Christians are timid about this. Start small. Believe in and trust that God is working with you and through you. Never underestimate that God has already been at work in people’s lives and has opened them to hearing who God is and what He has done in your life.

Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth: God is always far more at work behind the scenes than we realize. The Good News will spread by men and women being witnesses, and the Holy Spirit will be deeply involved with both the witnesses and the hearers every step of the way.

And when He said these things: These are the last instructions to the apostles. These are their marching orders and their job description.

He was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight: It is not a passing thing they witnessed this. It is one more way they witness something supernatural and jaw-dropping and memorable. The magnitude of this can be lost in how simply it is written. This miracle alone reveals the greatness and glory and power and wonder of God. These things are the root and joy and motivation of their witness.

These two verses are about Jesus. Yes, they are about the Holy Spirit. And yes, they are about their task to bear witness. But both are really about Jesus.

 

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A very short and encouraging link

We need this message. This message changes the world.

More quotes

Good men, below are some insights into the sixth and seventh verse of Acts 1. It’s the first time the disciples speak in Acts. It’s also the first question in the book.

Verse 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

Verse 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.

Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?: Their question has deep roots. The nation of Israel, both spiritually and politically, looked forward with great earnest for the promised restoration of leading themselves and being a theocracy (God is the leader and Scripture is central to all governance) again.

will you: The get this part right. Jesus is the change agent.

at this time: They were doing the math. Jesus had died, and had been resurrected, and was leaving again, and was about to send the Holy Spirit. They saw and hoped these big events were setting things up the great moment of wanted change.

kingdom: The men were thinking more politically. The Kingdom of God is spiritual. The men will be spiritual leader. They will change the world with the gospel and not with politics. And they will fully devote themselves to this spiritual change.

It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority: See Mark 13:32 for the same kind of statement. And see Acts 17:26 for a statement that God sets the boundaries of for all nations.

you: They were to be witnesses (see verse 8), not political or professional religious leaders.

It is not for you to know: This is difficult for us hear. God keeps secrets. Proverbs 25:2 says, “It is the glory of God to conceal things.” See also Deuteronomy 29:29.  We must trust that God knows what information is good for us to know and what information isn’t.

Father/authority: He is the potter. We are the clay. He is Lord and we the servants. He is the Shepherd and we are the sheep. He is the creator and we are the creation. He is infinite we are finite. Keeping these distinctions in mind matures us.

Christian maturity often come down to what is called a high view of God or a low view of God. A high view holds God high in word and speech and thought and action (actions matter more than words with this!). God is treasured in the inner-life, and the outer-life clearly reflects it. A low view of God pushes God away from the center of thought, speech, word, and action. A low view of God is a passive, casual, sloppy view.

Seeing God as a wise, trustworthy Father and taking his authority very seriously matures us.

 

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This video! We need this! We need to be reminded! It’s only 4 minutes long.

Some wise words about social media

A couple more quotes