May 16, 2021
Scripture Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 Meditation
15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (together the crowd numbered about one hundred twenty persons) and said, 16 “Friends, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit through David foretold concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus— 17 for he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.”
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 must become a witness with us to his resurrection.” 23 So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed and said, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us 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 added to the eleven apostles.
I haven’t had one in years, but I bet many of us could say how we like to eat an Oreo Cookie. Some like to dunk them in milk. Or eat them on their own, or maybe, just maybe, you are one of the people who twist off the two chocolate wafers to eat the icing in the middle first. There are lots of jokes about Oreo cookies, but why they came to mind today is because this Sunday feels like the icing between two chocolate wafers in Church events. Let me explain. Thursday was Ascension of our Lord, the time when we honor Jesus’ ascent into heaven forty days following his resurrection. Next week is Pentecost the Sunday we mark the arrival of the Holy Spirit breaking through into the lives of the disciples empowering them to continue Christ’s work. Ascension and Pentecost are like the two chocolate wafers and today is the icing. Today is the thing that makes these two events stick together. An aside that fits this Oreo analogy is that the Gospel of Luke is like one wafer and the Book of Acts is the other, because both were written by the same physician, the same man, with the gospel of John smushed in between these two books like frosting. Ok enough about Oreos.
Luke completes his gospel narrative with the Ascension of Jesus and then starts the Book of Acts with the same event. The ascension is a big deal. Once again, the disciples must figure out how to continue without Jesus in their midst. The first time, they were in shock and grief with Jesus’ death. But the resurrection meant Jesus once again companioned them on their path as they start to figure out what they are called to do. Once Jesus ascends to heaven, they really must take the reins and move forward. But there is a catch. Jesus told them to stay in Jerusalem to receive the Holy Spirit, essentially stay in Jerusalem until Pentecost. They return to an upstairs room, and the writer names the eleven remaining disciples who are devoting themselves to prayer. But there is a gaping hole. No Judas. Judas identified in all the gospels as “One of the Twelve” is missing. (Matthew 10:2-5, 26:47; Mark 3:14-9, 14:10, 20, 43; Luke 6:13-6, 22:3, 47; John 6:70-1).
So in addition to praying, what do they do while they wait? Peter gathers about 120 followers with a plan to choose a new disciple. We also hear of Judas’ demise, in the omitted verses, but the focus is on restoring the disciples to an even dozen. Twelve disciples. Here is the icing, the part that holds the two events together. We talk about the twelve disciples all the time, so we don’t get the significance. But “the Twelve” as they were called, were not just Jesus’ devoted followers they represented the twelve tribes of Israel. They helped to bridge the two worlds of the Old Testament and Jesus’ new testament of God. We see this in Luke. While the apostles are eating their last supper with Jesus, Jesus tells them, “I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, so that you … will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Luke 22:28-30). So, as they chose a new apostle, they need to be mindful of their ancestral roots going back to the twelve tribes of Israel, the twelve sons of Jacob. An important aspect of what it meant to establish the new Israel of God was that the twelve apostles should be in place to witness the messianic kingdom inaugurated by the death and resurrection of Jesus.
They couldn’t do that with eleven, the number was not complete, it did not reflect God’s perfect plan to share the hope of Christ. To start the mission of Christ in the world, to receive the Holy Spirit, they needed their twelfth member. Interesting they never replaced another disciple and neither of the two men proposed are mentioned again in scripture. But it was imperative that God’s mission of Love through Christ start with a full contingent of twelve disciples.
So they looked around, sort of like we do when our nominating committee searches for our new officers. We ask who has the skills, the faith, the energy to be of service to God in this place. That is how new leaders are chosen. I want to say I am so thankful for all the leaders in our church. I have enjoyed working with all of you over these last ten years!!! Ten years ago this month, you invited me to be your pastor. What a blessing it is to serve. When we look for elders and deacons again, I sure hope you will consider serving.
As they look for a new disciple, Peter said they needed to be with Jesus from the beginning all the way through the ascension so that they could “become a witness with us to his resurrection” (v. 22). They needed firsthand knowledge and experience of Jesus both his ministry and his resurrection. Soon they would get their marching orders, direction and inspiration from the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. They needed a full team for this huge undertaking. It sort of reminds me of a soccer match when a player is red carded and expelled from the game giving the other team an advantage. Playing without a full team is not how the apostles want to start their ministry in Christ’s name. So Matthias and Joseph were put forth.
So, the first business of the early church was the election of a new twelfth disciple, implying both horizontal and vertical dimensions. On the horizontal level, they chose a twelfth disciple to help lead the ministry. Had they not, this could have “symbolically called into question the early Church’s claim to follow in the tradition of Israel. As one commentator wrote, “By maintaining this connection, Acts makes clear that God’s Kingdom is for both the nascent community of Jew and Gentile believers in the Way and the Jews as the original covenant people of Israel” (Working Preacher, Amy Lindeman Allen).
But there is a vertical dimension to the story as well: discerning God’s will! The disciple’s dedication to prayer and the casting of lots shows a surrender to God’s leading in such an important matter. Once two men, Matthias and Joseph have been identified, two men who meet the requirements Peter set forth, then they cast lots which to us seems kind of strange. It almost feels like gambling with an important decision. But you noticed they call out to God saying, “Lord, you know what is in everyone’s heart.” So, the casting lots became a surrendering to God, not an act of chance. It was also recasting what the soldiers did at the crucifixion – so that now this practice is of God’s leading, not luck. We can do the same today. When faced with a big decision we can pray for God’s leading; surrender to God’s will. We might not cast lots, but you can ask God to increase your desire for a certain action if it is in God’s will or decrease your desire if it is not. Pray and trust that over time, God will lead you in right direction.
I feel like we have been doing that throughout this COVID year. Praying for God’s guidance as a church as we make decisions about gathering, restrictions and when to reopen. We have been listening to science and our leaders for guidance, trusting that we are following God’s will in doing so. It is hard to trust new behaviors, hard to think we can go out in public without a mask. But it is also good that we continue to listen for God’s will for each one of us as we discern God’s calling. What is right for one person, might not be right for another. But we each get to trust that God is leading and working through the process. I certainly prayed a prayer of gratitude when the mask rule changed this week! I also wore a mask when I entered the grocery store. We will find our way. God is with us as we journey.
We still have the call to be a witness to Jesus’ resurrection, just like the twelfth disciple had. We get to share in telling the story of Jesus as our risen Lord. We get to wait on the Holy Spirit to come to us, to lead us. And today we are strengthened by the gift of the Lord’s Supper, breaking bread in Christ’s name. May this be a renewing of our commitment to surrender to God’s leading, discerning God’s will and trusting in our Lord for guidance in our lives. Amen.
