Wrapping Up Lose Ends
Series: Book of Acts #7
Acts 1:12-26[1]
12-4-05
Intro
We will begin this morning with a clip from the movie “Crimes & Misdemeanors.” To cover sins of adultery and extortion, Judah Rosenthal has had his mistress murdered. In this scene he sits down beside Cliff Stern, a documentary film maker (played by Woody Allen). As if it were a plot for a documentary film, Judah describes his own experience as a murderer.[2]
Show Clip (1:35:55 to 1:39:20)[3]
Conviction of sin—it is a wonderful blessing from God. It makes us uncomfortable with self-destructive behavior. It leads us toward repentance. It turns us toward God. In the clip we just saw Judah describes his own struggle with conviction—the upheaval in his conscience—the process by which he made a choice not to repent but to live in his sin—the temporary relief he felt when he decided to do the wrong thing.
Our text from the second half of Acts 1 tells about an important prayer meeting. As it turns out it is a history-making prayer meeting. But there is a chilling ABSENCE at this meeting.
I. The DISQUALIFIED Disciple: Judas is not there.
Judas was a gifted man with great potential. He was chosen by Jesus Himself as one of the twelve disciples --privileged to be with Jesus during His earthly ministry. In the Luke 9 he is sent out in ministry by Jesus along with the other eleven. In that ministry he heals the sick, casts out demons, and preaches the kingdom of God. He is in the group who return to Jesus with good news about the results of their trip. Had we seen him with the other eleven during those three years we would have never guessed that he would end up a traitor. In the upper room when Jesus said that one of them would betray Him, nobody knew it was Judas until Jesus told them.[4]
What happened to Judas? How can a person be called into ministry and end up betraying Jesus, committing suicide, and spending eternity in hell? Although God knew the choices Judas would make—those choices were his to make. There was that one sin that Judas lived in even when doing religious ministry. John tells us what it was in John 12:6. In that text a woman named Mary took costly perfumed oil and worshipfully poured it on the feet of Jesus. Judas was outraged. He stepped forward and asked, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor?” That question sounds so innocent—so politically correct—so very, very religious. But in the next verse John tells us what was going on inside Judas. “He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.” I suspect that the first few times Judas stole from the money bag he felt a disturbance something like that described in our clip. But in time he justified his own actions. Maybe he felt like he deserved some payback for the work he was doing. Maybe he said to himself, “I’m only taking one-thirteenth and I deserve that any how. We come up with some amazing rationalization to silence our conscience in a situation like that. In time one sin led to another—one justification led to another—greed led to betrayal which involve him in a murder—and not just any murder but the murder of Christ.[5]
In verses 18-19 of our text Luke gives a parenthetical explanation of what eventually happened to Judas. “(With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)” When we set Luke’s comment here in our text beside Matthews account we get a picture of what took place at the end of Judas’ life. Matt 27:3-10, “When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. 4 "I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood." "What is that to us?" they replied. "That’s your responsibility." 5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. 6 The chief priests picked up the coins and said, "It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money." 7 So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. 8 That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: ‘They took the thirty silver coins, the price set on him by the people of Israel, 10 and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.’”
The priests actually bought the field but because it was bought with Judas’ money Luke refers to Judas as the buyer. The field was initially called “the field of blood” because it was bought with blood money related to the death of Jesus. But as people heard about what happened to Judas some called it “the field of blood” because of the way Judas died.[6]
What does the Bible say about suicide? There is much unsaid about suicide. Some groups think it is the unpardonable sin. But nowhere in the Bible is it called the unpardonable sin. One thing is very clear—never in the Bible is suicide shown in a favorable light. We don’t have the right to take our own lives any more than we have the right to take other people’s lives. The commandment in Scripture, “You shall not murder.”[7] is abundantly clear. Even if grandma is suffering and wants you to murder her, you are not authorized to do so. It’s sad that a statement like that even needs to be made. But we live in a society that is leaning toward those kinds of acts.
Judas hung himself. We don’t know whether the rope broke or the branch broke or what but Luke tells us that he fell headlong –he may have hit a rock or something—but when he hit his abdomen burst open and his intestines fell out. That is not a pretty thought. But I don’t think Luke or Matthew wants us to see it as a pretty thought. They want us to see it as a picture of what sin can lead to.
In Acts 1:25 we get the rest of the story on Judas. While referring to Judas’ apostolic ministry Peter concludes with these words, “...which Judas left to go where he belongs.”
In John 17:12 Jesus referred to him as the son of perdition and said he was lost. Judas died and went to hell. But it is interesting how Peter put it. Peter said that Judas went to “where he belongs.” When we die we go to where we belong. If we love God and love His presence then we will feel quite at home in heaven. But if a person despises the light and loves darkness then the outer darkness of hell is where that person belongs.[8] God will never send a person where he doesn’t belong. By his own choices Judas belonged in hell. That’s a hard statement to make and maybe a hard one to hear. But that is what Peter is saying in our text.
Matthew’s account tells us that when Judas saw that Jesus was condemned he felt tremendous remorse. He went back to the temple and threw the money at them. But regret is not the same as repentance. If you study Judas’ life you will see plenty of opportunities to repent along the way. In the incident I mentioned earlier in John 12 about the perfume Mary poured on Jesus’ feet. Jesus answered Judas with these words, “Leave her alone...[It was intended] that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” That was a powerful opportunity for Judas to humble himself and repent. But instead of repenting Judas went on his way.
So here in this history-making prayer meeting Judas is absent. He is absent because of choices he made. Judas is an extreme case. But I wonder what opportunities we miss because of bad choices. Does God have a special outpouring of the Spirit planned for you? Will you be there at the meeting? Will you make the choices that lead your steps to the place where God can abundantly bless you? Judas did not. But there were those who did.
II. The DEVOTED Disciples are there.
Look with me at those PRESENT at this prayer meeting.
(1) The other eleven apostles were there. One chose to betray the Lord. But there were eleven who in spite of failures and shortcoming continued to follow the Lord. I’m so glad that when I read about the lives of these people I don’t find perfection. I find sincerity. I find commitment. I find people who ask dumb questions and sometimes do dumb things but through it all they keep coming to Jesus. That is an important key for all of us to remember. You won’t do everything right. But you can always choose to keep coming to the Lord—through thick and thin, through success and failure—there is only One who has the words of eternal life.[9] There is only one place to go—go to your Great High Priest Jesus. He is touched with the feelings of your infirmities and He will give you the help you need.[10] This list of the eleven is essentially the same as what we have in Luke 6:14 except Judas is missing.
Who else was there?
(2) Acts 1:14 says there were faithful women there praying along side the apostles. In the first few verses of Luke 8 we are given the names of some of the women who followed Jesus, were involved in His ministry, and helped support Him financially. Mary Magdalene was one. There were influential women like Joanna whose husband was the manager of Herod’s household[11] and several others who are not named.
It is possible that the upper room where they were staying belonged to John Mark’s mother. The Scripture does not specifically say that but it’s a good possibility. This upper room is probably the same place where Jesus ate the Lord’s Supper with His disciples. It may also be where the Christ appeared to the disciples after His resurrection in John 20.[12]
I think it’s important to notice how involved these women were in this ministry. They were praying right along with the apostles. And it’s helpful to notice the Greek words used of Peter’s address to this mixed congregation. Acts 1:15 “In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty)” Verse 16 “and said “andres adelphoi....” -- “and said men brothers.” Both those words have masculine endings. “Andres” usually means men and “adelphoi” usually means brothers. From the context we know that Peter is addressing both the men and the women. In other words, both terms are used here in a gender-inclusive fashion,[13] in the way we often use the terms “man” or “mankind” to refer to human beings (both men and women). Especially with the word “adelphoi” we must allow the context to tell us whether it is referring to exclusively men or to “brothers and sisters”[14] in the New Testament.
(3) Mary, the mother of Jesus is there as well. But notice that she is not leading the group. She is simply praying along side the others. In Luke 1:42 Elizabeth spoke under the anointing of the Spirit and said to Mary, “Blessed are you among women...”—not among the gods, not above women but among women. That is exactly where we see her in our text. Nowhere in the Bible are we ever told to pray to Mary or use her as an intercessor for us. She has a wonderful place of honor—as the person chosen by God to give birth to the Messiah. But it is not biblical to deify her.[15] In fact, this is the last time we hear of her in the New Testament.
(4) The brothers of Jesus were also there. We know from John 7:5 that before Jesus’ death they were not believers. 1Cor. 15:7 tells us that after His resurrection Jesus appeared to the oldest brother, James and it was probably through his testimony that the others became believers. Jesus’ brother, James, became the principle leader of the church in Jerusalem. He wrote the book of James in the New Testament and another brother named Jude probably is the one who wrote the book of Jude.[16] If you have unbelievers in your family that you’re praying for let the presence of these brothers at this prayer meeting be an encouragement to continue to believe for their salvation.
Now let’s talk about
III. The DECISION to Replace Judas.
(1) At some point Peter stood up and began to address a need. Jesus chose 12 apostles. There is a special relationship of those twelve apostles to the twelve tribes of Israel that I can not fully explain to you. But I can assure you that it’s there. In Matt 19:28 Jesus made this promise to the apostles, “Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.’” There were not to be eleven thrones but twelve.[17] Obviously, Judas has been disqualified. So Peter shows from Scripture that there needs to be a replacement for Judas. He quotes the judgment of this from Psalm 69:25 “May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it.” Then he draws the Scriptural mandate to fill the office by someone else from Psalm 109:8 “May another take his place of leadership.”
(2) Notice how they go about identifying the candidates for this choice.
> First, they are saturating the whole process with prayer. In what context did Peter stand up? Acts 1:14 “They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” They were there because Jesus had told them to wait in Jerusalem until the Spirit is poured out. They are there in obedience to Jesus’ directive. They are in a wonderful state of unity in the Spirit. In that context of much prayer Peter calls their attention to this need.
> Secondly, Peter grounds his directive in the authority of the word. He shows them in Scripture where they are commanded to let another take Judas’ place of leadership.
Some people have thought that Peter is making a big mistake—that they are being premature in doing this and that Paul was really the one who was to take Judas’ place. But Paul’s apostleship is to the Gentiles not the Jews and Paul doesn’t even meet the criteria as we will see in a minute. Everything being done here is saturated with prayer and supported by Scripture.[18]
> The whole group is involved in the process not just Peter. Peter leads the meeting but in verse 23 it is the whole group that comes up with the two candidates. There is not one voice of descent because they all know that they are doing exactly what they are supposed to do.
> They use objective criteria to determine who is qualified to fill this office. What were the criteria? Verses 21 & 22 “Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who...”
First, “... 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.” When we read the gospels we can there idea that only the twelve are there with Jesus. But much of the time there were others following Him as well. Matthias was one of those who stayed with them from the time John was baptizing all the way to Jesus’ death and resurrection. (Of course, Paul could not possibly have met this criterion.)
But there is something here we don’t want to miss. Matthias was not originally chosen among the twelve. What do you do when you don’t get chosen for that special place? You keep following and serving Jesus anyway. What if Matthias had gotten offended because Jesus didn’t choose him to be one of the twelve? What if in that offense he had decided to pull back and do something else? He too would have been absent from this meeting. He would have disqualified himself and never become one of the twelve. Sometimes our hearts get tested when we think we deserve a place and someone else gets it. The right response is to continue faithfully anyway.
Second criteria, “For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” The person qualified for this office must have seen the resurrected Christ and be an eye witness to that fact.
Using those criteria they brought it down to two men: verse 23 “Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus[19]) and Matthias[20].”
How do you feel about the way they determined which man would fill this eternal office?
What they do next is upsetting to some people.
(3) They cast lots to decide which man it would be. And the lot (verse 26) “fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.”
Does this verse justify us getting God’s guidance by simply leaving the matter to chance? Absolutely not, look at everything that was done prior to that time: 1. United, extended prayer 2. Scriptural authority for the action. 3. Objective criteria had to be met. 4. Unity among the whole group on the two candidates. Only after all those steps were completed were they able to identify two equally qualified men. Then they prayed and asked God to overrule chance and choose His man.
Let me give you three good reasons why this should have been done. 1. They had exhausted their own means of making the determination. 2. There was plenty of OT precedent for casting lots.[21] Most people think the way this worked was to mark two stones (one marked for Joseph and the other marked for Matthias). Then they put them in a jar and shook them and the one that fell out was the choice.[22] It’s a bit like rolling dice or picking straws. Proverbs 16:33 says, “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.” 3. It was Jesus who had personally selected the other eleven and this was a way to submit the final choice of this twelfth apostle to Him.[23]
We never see the casting of lots used again in the New Testament. Since this occurs before the outpouring of the Spirit (in Acts 2) some have concluded that it is no longer needed since we now have the personal guidance of the Holy Spirit. I personally don’t buy in to that but it is plausible. I do think that we must understand what’s happening here in the context of everything that is being done. To just cast lots without the prayer, without the Scripture, without the unity, without the objective criteria could be a big mistake. The casting of lots is not an alternative to spiritual discipline and prudence.
Conclusion
While I was studying this passage I began to think about how Judas’ betrayal of Jesus must have felt to the other disciples. I began to feel something as I read Peter’s words in verse 17. Speaking of Judas, Peter said, “ he was one of our number and shared in this ministry.” I had never read those words with any feeling until last night-- “he was one of our number”--he was one of us. This experience had been painful. We were in this thing together. He “shared in this ministry.” I have always looked at Judas’ betrayal in its impact upon Jesus—and surely that is the most important. But I suspect that all these guys felt hurt by what Judas had done. They too had trusted him. Judas betrayed their trust as well as Jesus’ trust. When Judas betrayed their leader he betrayed the whole group as well. In verse 19 Peter says, “Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this...” It was an embarrassment for the whole group. It was humiliating for people to know that there was this traitor in the group all along.
I think by the time we get to our text Judas has been forgiven by Peter and the others. By that I mean that they are not carrying resentment and bitterness over the matter. But they do need to lay the whole thing to rest. They do need to put it behind them and move on with the new thing God is about to do.
Is there anything you need to put behind you in preparation for the new thing God is about to do in your life? Maybe there are people to forgive? Maybe there are old debts to pay? There comes a time for wrapping up loose ends so that those matters are not a distraction in the days ahead. Paul said in Phil 3:13&14 “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (NKJV) These 120 have now prepared themselves for the Day of Pentecost.
As preparation for what God wants to do next in your life I invite you to put behind you anything that would be a weight our hindrance to your future progress. Is there an old habit that needs to be set aside this morning? Are there vain regrets that drain your energy? Put it behind you and live in the now. Are there promises that need to be kept? I don’t know what God is telling you to address or put behind you but I know what He’s dealing with me about. As I go to prayer articulating my decision to put something behind me I invite you to do the same if God is speaking to you.
Pray
Acts 1:12-26 TEXT
12 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."
18(With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 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.
Richard Tow
Grace Chapel Foursquare Church
Springfield, MO
www.gracechapelchurch.org
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[1] Text which was read at the beginning of the service is available at the end of this manuscript. All Scripture quotes are from New International Version unless otherwise specified.
[2] www.movieministry.com accessed 11-29-05
[3] A 1989 movie written and directed by Woody Allen. We deleted 01:37:10 to 1:37:12 because of an inappropriate use of the word hell.
[4] John 13:21-26
[5] Charles R. Erdman, The Acts in Commentaries on the New Testament Books (Philadelphia: The Westminister Press) p. 31 writes of Judas, “His is the example of one who, in the light of close companionship with Christ, clings to an evil passion. Under such conditions, character most rapidly deteriorates. His love of gain gradually became his master...” Judas stands as a warning against presumption and compromise for all of us.
[6] I. Howard Marshall, The Acts of the Apostles in Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1981) pp. 64-65 points out that Matthew or Luke may have been simply reporting what was commonly said in Jerusalem. F.F. Bruce, Commentary on the Book of Acts in the New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1986) p. 46 says there is some grounds for translating “prenes genomenos” as “swelling up” which is what we find in RSV margin.
[7] Exodus 20:13; Romans 13:9; James 2:11
[8] John 3;18-19; 1John 1:6; Jude 13. Consider the reaction of wicked spirits to the holy presence of Jesus in Luke 8:28. The wicked could not possibly be happy in heaven. The holy presence of God even in heaven would be torment.
[9] John 6:67-68
[10] Hebrews 4:15-16
[11] It is interesting to note the range of social standing among the followers of Jesus. Although Luke is careful to point out Jesus’ interest in social outcasts and low status people there were also people of social standing responding as well.
[12] Stanley Horton, The Book of Acts (Springfield, MO: Gospel Publishing House, 1981)p. 24
[13] Ben Witherington III, The Acts of the Apostles: A So0cio-Rhetorical Commentary (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998) p. 120.
[14] BDAG p. 18
[15] John MacArthur, Jr., The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Acts 1-12 (Chicago: Moody Bible Institute. 1994) p. 29 sees the unbiblical elevation of Mary as having “its roots in paganism, some of it dating back to the tower of Babel and Nimrod’s wife Semiramis. She, along with her son Tammuz, formed the basis for the many counterfeit mother-child cults of antiquity. The Roman syncretism of such pagan beliefs with Christianity led Catholicism to unbiblical teachings about Mary.” Perhaps the greatest value of this observation is the warning it carries for us, as Evangelicals, to not compromise biblical truth to gain a following.
[16] F.F. Bruce, Commentary on the Book of Acts in the New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1986) p. 44-45
[17] Horton, p. 26. Also see Luke 22:29-30.
[18] Ajith Fernando, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998) pp. 78-79. The argument that Paul is prominent in the New Testament and Matthias is not seen again is not persuasive since most of the apostles are not seen again in the New Testament.
[19] His Roman name (See Horton p. 27).
[20] Bruce p. 50-51 says Eusebius reported Matthias to be one of the seventy disciples sent out in Luke 10:1. Later tradition represents him as a missionary to the Ethiopians.
[21] Lev. 16:8; 1Samuel 14:41: Proverbs 16:33; 18:18. Lots were probably used in Num. 26:55 and Josh. 7:14.
[22] Witherington III, p. 125-126. See 1Chor. 26:13-14
[23] The importance of every apostle being personally chosen by Jesus may account for the somewhat unique way this was done.
