D—SETTING the STAGE for the SPIRIT
FILLING THE VOID-I—Acts 1:15-26
Peter initiated the selection process by which an apostle would be chosen to remove the void in their ranks created by Judas Iscariot.
A void in leadership/the ranks must be removed.
A void in leadership/the ranks creates a vacuum which must be removed.
When must a void in position/leadership be removed?
1—A void in leadership must be removed as....
BURDEN Demands It(:15-16)
Explanation:(:15-16)
:15—“And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred & twenty), & said,”
Peter saw a need & acted on it.
*He Sought to set things right....
....Rather than being satisfied w/status quo.
:16—“Men & brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus;”
“Fulfilled”—plhrow—To make full, to fill up, i.e. to fill to the full; To render full, i.e. to complete.
Argumentation:
2Tim. 3:16-17—“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, & is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Isa. 13:1, 15:1; 17:1; 19:1;21:1;21:11;21:13—The burden against....Babylon, Moab, Damascus, Egypt, the Wilderness of the Sea, Dumah, Arabia, the Valley of Vision, Tyre, the beasts of the South, etc.
Jer. 20:7-9—“O LORD, You induced me, & I was persuaded; You are stronger than I, & have prevailed. I am in derision daily; Everyone mocks me. For when I spoke, I cried out; I shouted, “Violence & plunder!” Because the word of the LORD was made to me A reproach & a derision daily. Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not.”
Illustration:
Junk-filled yard/You might be redneck if...you mow the frontyard & find a car on blocks/BURDEN Demands It
Giving poor people your trash/What should we really do?/Give them something they can use!—NOT what makes you feel better!/BURDEN Demands It
Not let it proceed any further
Application:
?Your BURDEN demand leadership from the Lord?
?You Removing the Void with God’s leadership?
2—A void in leadership must be removed as....
VACUUM Demands it(:16-17)
Explanation:(:16-17) Emptiness
:16—“Men & brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus;”
“Guide”—odhgov—A leader of the way, a guide; A teacher of the ignorant & inexperienced. From two words meaning—a leader to the way, road or course.
“Arrested”—sullambanw—To seize, take one as a prisoner; To conceive(of a woman); To seize for one’s self.
:17—“for he was numbered with us & obtained a part in this ministry.”
“Obtained/Received”—lagcanw—To obtain by lot; To cast lots, determine by lot.
—Jesus chose Judas & it was Jesus’ intention that Judas rise above his fears & desires to enter into saving belief in Christ....
—Judas had an equal part in or in other words, an equal opportunity to serve as did the other eleven. Judas’ part in the apostolic ministry was afforded him ‘by lot’ or choice aside from merit!
*You will never sense the BURDEN if you don’t feel the VACUUM!
Argumentation:
1Cor. 12:24-27—“....But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, & members individually.”
Heb. 10:23-25—“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love & good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, & so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”
1Sam. 3:1—“Then the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.”
Lam. 2:9—“Her gates have sunk into the ground; He has destroyed & broken her bars. Her king & her princes are among the nations; The Law is no more, And her prophets find no vision from the LORD.”
Amos 8:11-13—““Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord GOD, “That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the LORD. They shall wander from sea to sea, And from north to east; They shall run to & fro, seeking the word of the LORD, But shall not find it. “In that day the fair virgins And strong young men Shall faint from thirst.”
Illustration:
Lawnmower startup/Gas line has a priming bulb/Can pull the starter cord all day long & it won’t crank/There is a natural vacuum in the line unless filled by ‘supernatural’ means(my pressing the bulb)/Connection to the fuel must be established/VACUUM demands it!
Application:
?Your VACUUM demand leadership from the Lord?
?You Removing the Void with God’s leadership?
3—A void in leadership must be removed as....
REALITY Demands It(:18-19)
Explanation:(:18-19)
:18—“(Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; & falling headlong, he burst open in the middle & all his entrails gushed out.”
—Having the money(30 pieces of silver—Mat. 26:14-15; Mat. 27:3) in hand, Judas actually returned it(throwing it to the temple floor ?“at the feet of the chief priests & elders”?(Mat. 27:3,5), feeling remorse at having betrayed “innocent blood”(Mat. 27:4).
—The money was taken up by the chief priests & elders who used it to purchase “the potter’s field” for the burial of strangers(probably in Judas’ name for the money was legally his).
—In this newly purchased field, Judas hung himself(or attempted his hanging). His hanging went awry in that his body, fell to the ground—obviously with some force— so that he burst open in the middle causing his intestines to gush out.
:19—“And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood.)”
Mat. 27:3-8—“Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful & brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests & elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!” Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple & departed, & went & hanged himself. But the chief priests took the silver pieces & said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.” And they consulted together & bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.”
“Akel Dama/Aceldama/Hakeldama”— Akeldama—Hebrew origin.
Argumentation:
Acts. 21:10-12—“And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands & feet, & said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, & deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” Now when we heard these things, both we & those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem.”
Acts 1:11—“who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.””
Illustration:
Moving/We must learn to move on, facing the facts/Let go of past & face REALITY
Physical illness/We must learn to move on, facing the facts/Denial or face REALITY
Application:
?Your REALITY demand leadership from the Lord?
?You Removing the Void with God’s leadership?
CONCLUSION
Action:
A void in leadership must be removed as....
BURDEN Demands It(:15-16)
VACUUM Demands it(:16-17)
REALITY Demands It(:18-19)
Presented 07/04/05pm to:
Richland Baptist Church
40510 Stewart Road
Zephyrhills, FL 33540
