The story so far...
They say a week is a long time in politics. The ten days between when Jesus ascended to Heaven, and Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came, was long enough for something to happen. Peter stood up “among the believer and said they really needed to find a replacement for Judas, who had betrayed Jesus. He had been one of the twelve Apostles. He had then taken his own life. So there was a gap: the Twelve were now only Eleven and to Peter it didn't feel right. So he told the group to choose someone to take Judas' place as an Apostle. It must be someone who – like Judas – had been with Jesus from the very start of his ministry, and who was a witness to the resurrection.
There were two men who seemed equally suitable: they had been following Jesus throughout his ministry and had met Jesus again after the resurrection; presumably they had other strengths that made them seem particularly suitable. But their discussion could only narrow their selection down to two...
So they prayed, and asked the Lord to show which of the two He wanted to become the twelfth Apostle. Then they wrote the names, Joseph and Matthias on stones or pieces of broken pottery, put them in a jar, shook it up and picked or threw one out. Matthias was declared to be the twelfth Apostle.
What's the point?
Now, When I read this, I wondered what Luke wanted us to teach us by giving us this story? And I wondered what God wants to teach us today through this story.
Luke gave us the story, primarily, because it happened. Luke tells the story positively and without comment. But what does he see in the story? I believe the good things about this action were:
1. They believed the bible. Peter interprets Judas' action from Scripture, quoting Ps 69:25 and Ps 109:8... Luke is happy enough to use the story to remind us that what we do is rooted in God's historic dealings with people as recorded and prophesied in the Bible. We need to be confident in the Bible, to trust its authority and to be taught and guided by it.
2. They wanted clear and effective witness to honour Jesus. Central to what they were about, was the message contained in the Jesus story. Jesus is central. As Luke tells the story it’s a reminder that Jesus is central and that the mission of the Church is foremost.
3. They were thinking apostolic, by appointing someone to be Apostle (Someone sent out) and “witness with us...” They are accepting the importance of witness and preparing for the task. Before, they had been asking “are you restoring the Kingdom now?” In choosing another Apostle, their actions show that they were beginning to think in terms of getting ready for the long haul. I don't believe that Paul was meant to be the twelfth apostle. His ministry was a different kind of apostleship, and a pointer to the fact that we will always need the apostolic anointing. We're all meant to be sent out ones. C H Spurgeon once said “Every Christian is either a missionary – or an imposter!”
4. They prayed - eventually. (Although doesn't it look like they only made it a matter for prayer when they got stuck?) But once they narrowed the field down to two men, they asked God to show by the process of casting lots, whom he had chosen.
5. And just in case you think it seemed a bit odd that a position like that in the leadership of the church should be decided by pulling a name out of a hat, casting lots was a recognised traditional way of finding out God's will in Old Testament times. The “Urim and Thummim” that the priest had attached to his garment, were a means of casting lots to find out what God was saying. They were probably two stones with the words “Curse” and “Perfection” engraved on either side.
What's the problem?
Firstly, finding a replacement for Judas, was not something Jesus had told them to do. Waiting in Jerusalem, for the Holy Spirit to come, was what he had told them to do. After all, if it was that important, Jesus would have told them to find someone.
Secondly, nowhere else in the New Testament was casting lots used as a way of making a decision – except by the soldiers who crucified Jesus! Jesus spent a night alone with the Father before appointing the twelve. The Church talked things out, and made decisions (Acts 6. 1-5); or else, when they were praying, the Holy Spirit gave clear and direct instructions (Acts 13. 1-3). As John Chrysostom, Bede, and others point out, the Church were in an “absence” situation. They no longer had the direct presence of Jesus with them; and the did not yet have the Holy Spirit inside them. So they resorted to methods which were good – they were Biblical, prayerful, well-intentioned, rooted in tradition, and things God had already used. But they were the means of absence rather than presence.
I believe if they had simply waited on God, the Holy Spirit when he came would have led them to the right person, if indeed they needed to appoint the twelfth apostle at all.
These are two weaknesses the Church keeps coming back to.
1. We find it difficult to wait: just to wait on the Lord. We're very good at finding other things to do with waiting time. Pam worked in Africa with mission partners who wouldn't sit down to take part in an evening of fellowship without bringing their knitting or crochet. We plan. We find jobs for people or people for jobs. We tidy things up.
2. We find strategies for coping without God. We do good things, Biblical things, sensible things, well-intentioned things – but things that betray a lack of expectancy that God will act; things that seem as though it all depends on us, or activity, our decisions, our resources. We do things that are based on God's absence rather than his presence.
What's the difference?
What is God saying to us through this story? He calls us to faith.....
Firstly, faith to believe he is able to work through and in spite of our weaknesses and foolishness. Okay, Jesus didn't specifically tell the disciples to appoint another Apostle, but I don't think Matthias was the wrong guy, Sure, he is never mentioned again in the NT: but only three of the Apostles are clearly referred to again in the Acts: Peter, James, and John. That doesn't mean that Thomas or Batholomew didn't achieve anything. Far from it: I believe that what they did , and what Matthias did, still mattered. Even though some of our structures are clunky, God can still use them. Even though we are not perfect, and we have our weaknesses, God can use us, because he is sovereign.
Secondly, faith to wait instead of assuming we always have to be busy. We have a message and a mission. There is a lost world out there and there is an urgency about the kingdom of God. But we must have the faith to wait upon the Lord. Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They that rush around like headless chickens shall definitely NOT renew their strength...
Thirdly, faith to believe and expect God to be at work, to speak, to act where we are. Faith for presence not absence. Faith to let God act, instead of acting for him.
A week is s long time in politics. But time spent waiting on God is never wasted. And he can work mightily in a split second!
© Gilmour Lilly May 2013
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