Choosing a 12th - ACTS START
Taking chances or discerning the Spirit?
Acts 1:21 (ESV) So one of the men who have accompanied us during tall the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 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.” 23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called zJustus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
The last vote taken, the last lot cast in the book of Acts is in the first chapter. The 11 disciples need a 12th and they bring two men forward, say a short prayer for God's help, and the lot falls to a man named Matthias. And we never hear from him again. I feel bad for the guy. Jesus comes down one more time to pick another man named Paul and the rest is history.
But I have a question for you: Are you taking your chances or are you trusting the Spirit?
After this moment the Holy Spirit fell and empowered this little band of disciples to turn the world upside down. They never took another vote. That's the evidence of the power of the Holy Spirit in a church. Instead of guessing what God wants us to do, we experienced the leading and power of the Holy Spirit.
The book of Acts is not about what the disciples do, but what the Holy Spirit would do through them. In all their frailty and weakness, in their minute numbers (120), the world forever would be changed because of the power of God alive in them.
Life is saturated with decisions. Are you listening to the Holy Spirit in your life? Are you hearing Him speak to you? Are you confident that He's leading you? You can be. Ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit in your life.
Every church has to make a decision as to who's going to leave them. The popular opinion or the Holy Spirit. I'd like to think that Acts 1 is as telling statement for how the church should operate as it gets. Can the Lord work for voting? Of course we can. In the Old Testament He used donkey, but that was just because of the prophet was too stupid to listen to God.
Why not rather ask for the Holy Spirit to be live by God and power to serve and reach our nation with the message of Jesus Christ? How desperate we are in these days to share Jesus with a culture growing more and more contemptuous towards our message.
PRAYER:
Father, I ask you for the leading and guiding of the Holy Sprit. May I have an ear to hear what the Spirit is saying. And may I have the boldness to do what He says when He speaks.
Acts 1:21 (ESV) So one of the men who have accompanied us during tall the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 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.” 23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called zJustus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
The last vote taken, the last lot cast in the book of Acts is in the first chapter. The 11 disciples need a 12th and they bring two men forward, say a short prayer for God's help, and the lot falls to a man named Matthias. And we never hear from him again. I feel bad for the guy. Jesus comes down one more time to pick another man named Paul and the rest is history.
But I have a question for you: Are you taking your chances or are you trusting the Spirit?
After this moment the Holy Spirit fell and empowered this little band of disciples to turn the world upside down. They never took another vote. That's the evidence of the power of the Holy Spirit in a church. Instead of guessing what God wants us to do, we experienced the leading and power of the Holy Spirit.
The book of Acts is not about what the disciples do, but what the Holy Spirit would do through them. In all their frailty and weakness, in their minute numbers (120), the world forever would be changed because of the power of God alive in them.
Life is saturated with decisions. Are you listening to the Holy Spirit in your life? Are you hearing Him speak to you? Are you confident that He's leading you? You can be. Ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit in your life.
Every church has to make a decision as to who's going to leave them. The popular opinion or the Holy Spirit. I'd like to think that Acts 1 is as telling statement for how the church should operate as it gets. Can the Lord work for voting? Of course we can. In the Old Testament He used donkey, but that was just because of the prophet was too stupid to listen to God.
Why not rather ask for the Holy Spirit to be live by God and power to serve and reach our nation with the message of Jesus Christ? How desperate we are in these days to share Jesus with a culture growing more and more contemptuous towards our message.
PRAYER:
Father, I ask you for the leading and guiding of the Holy Sprit. May I have an ear to hear what the Spirit is saying. And may I have the boldness to do what He says when He speaks.
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