Reconciliation Series

WELCOME & INTRODUCTION

- Speak on the goodness of our being together this morning

- This series called “We Are Better Together”

- Intentional in pointing our minds to unity as a church family and as part of the churches of Christ.

LOVE THY NEIGHBOR

The offense: A 24-year-old man Filo liked to drive his souped-up Ford Escort at high speeds through his neighborhood. The neighbors were not impressed and worried about an accident that could involve their own cars, home, or even people that lived there.

One morning in May of 2012, Filo went out to his car to discover that it had been hoisted 20 feet up a tree. None of Filo’s neighbors admitted to having done it, although one did say that someone had borrowed his crane.

It turns out Filo didn’t have a driver’s license to begin with so his complaint to the police was dropped. He had relented and said he would be more considerate in his driving in the future. His words were, “I got the message…but I think it was a bit harsh.” (This is a real picture by the way…)

Maybe you have someone like Filo that makes you mad. Maybe you’d love to retaliate like these neighbors. Perhaps these are people you know all too well: family, a friend, a church member… This morning, we are going to look at the way the disciples handled their situation following the betrayal of Judas and the death of Jesus.

In the closing of the Gospels, Jesus appears to his remaining disciples several times. Fear had gripped them and when they met, it was under lock and key. They feared they may meet the same fate as Jesus. If you recall last week, we read in Matthew 10 that Jesus actually warned them of this possibility and that is why they needed to go and do their miraculous acts and sharing the Gospel in pairs.

John tells us in his gospel that “On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” [John 20:19]

Until Jesus had appeared to them, it is possible they were gathering trying to figure out what their next move would be. Perhaps they should stay there until things settle down with the Jews. Maybe they should go back to their homes. It’s possible that Simon the Zealot was ready to rise up and attempt to overthrow the Pharisees. But what does Jesus do? He charges them with the mission:

Matthew 28:18-20

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

This must have been a boost for these men and even the women who met with them. Because as we will see the disciples needed some encouragement and a reconciliation to bring them back to what they had known from the beginning of their time with Jesus. Let’s read a portion of this passage in Acts and then we will draw some conclusions from what it teaches us.

READ ACTS 1:12-26

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. 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. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

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

17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” [Lets skip ahead to verse 21 – It was prophesied that another should take Judas’ office of apostle…] 21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all 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.”