Acts Bible Study - 2/3/2021
Study of Acts 2021 • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction:
When the roots of trees touch there is a substance which is produced which amazingly reduces conflict. Now you might be asking how can a tree root be in conflict with another tree root. Well if you think that trees are all vying for their needs to survive water, sunlight, & nutrients. But when tree roots touch either there is not this competition.
In fact, an unknown fungus helps link roots of different trees—even of dissimilar species. They in essence form partnerships. A whole forest may be linked together. If one tree has access to water, another to nutrients, and a third to sunlight, the trees have the means to share with one another.
This is a perfect illustration of how the Church should be. Not in competition but rather all striving for the same goals of furthering the Gospel. Tonight we are going to talk about that oneness.
1.) Replacement for Judas
21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.
Peter has now set the criteria for what should be looked for in a replacement now that Judas was dead. The criteria was quite simple, he had to be a witness. Witness of the Baptism of Jesus, the resurrection, & the ascension. Why was that critical for them?
Past the miracles Jesus performed & the wisdom He shared there is one foundational aspect of our faith that if eliminated, causes are faith to be null & void. That is the Death, Burial, & Resurrection of Christ. The apostles primary objective was to share with others about the resurrection. Therefore they deemed it critical for the replacement to have first hand knowledge of the event.
Now, why was it so important to replace Judas. Could they have not just carried on with the 11 remaining apostles? Perhaps at first glance they could have just continued this way with the 11. But there are 2 scriptures which bring out certain Judeo symbolic meanings that point to why there was a need to replace Judas. The 1st is in the Gospel of Matthew.
28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Another is in the Book of Revelation.
14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
There are obvious places where the group was supposed to remain 12.
23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, 25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. 26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Brother Chris mentioned this during the conclusion of our meeting last Wednesday. The whole group of Jesus Followers that had assembled together was a part of the process of nominating candidates to replace Judas. The two candidates became Barsabas & Matthias. Just as a side note - the name Barsabas means “son of the Sabbath”. But as the text points out he also used the Greek name of Justus.
We notice in the text that prayed and said Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, show us which of these 2 are chosen. Now some commentators, as I believe Brother Chris pointed out last week, argue that this was man’s attempt at rushing to fill the position after Judas’ apostacy & subsequent suicide. They frequently interject that it was Paul, & not Matthias, whom was the correct choice for that role.
However, there are a few things that we can deduct from these scriptures that differ from that line of thinking.
1st - We do not even get a hint within the text that the way they chose Matthias was contradictory to how they were being led.
2nd - Peter was merely the spokesman for the group & had not been deemed a leader above question or reproach.
3rd - The fact that there was this group of assembled believers which earlier mentioned some 120 people, did not seem to clash or have any concerns in the replacement or process. Which to say they were selecting this person in unity.
4th - The need to replace Judas had been communicated in scripture and needed to happen. In particular
8 Let his days be few; And let another take his office.
5th - The qualifications were clear and the 2 men had been chosen, but then the group collectively went into prayer. What was their prayer? For God to show to them or specify who was His choice. Obviously that had come to the conclusion that God had a divine plan and a person already in mind. In essence, they prayed for God’s Will.
Now the problem for some is the text tells us they cast lots. Odds are the manner in which they did this was to take 2 stones and mark each them with something which labeled each a representative of the 2 men. 1 for Barsabas and the other for Matthias. They put them in a container and threw them in a manner in which we do dice in modern times. This really seems like a gamble and just feels wrong to most which is something that really feeds the narrative that Matthias was not properly chosen. Even though this seems to be a non typical way of how we do things, this was a very common Jewish practice of discovering the will of God.
How do I get that well lets look at Proverbs.
33 The lot is cast into the lap; But the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.
Meaning the decision of how that lot falls is still within the framework of God’s plan. Now you may ask the question well where does free will come in. Free Will would have been knowing what God had led you to and deciding not to follow or support it. However, it is important to note that this is the final time that this approach was used to gain perspective of God’s Will. From then on the guidance of the Holy Spirit would be, & still is, the only way to know how God is leading.
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
It is important to highlight that Luke reiterates the oneness or togetherness the early Church had. Here we are at 1 of the 3 great annual feasts, the other 2 being Passover and Tabernacles, which all Jewish males were all expected to attend. We can see that in the Book of Deuteronomy.
16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty:
There are some who claim that this particular feast was the most popular of the Jewish year. What does that mean & why is that significant? Because massive crowds would gather and now be presented with the Gospel. Pentecost celebrated the finishing of the grain harvest so it was no doubt a perfect symbol of the mighty spiritual harvest that was about to transpire on this day.
In the Old Testament this feast was called the “feast of weeks”. However, Jewish people who spoke Greek called it Pentecost which means ‘50th’. They got that from the fact that it fell on the 50th day after the Passover Sabbath.
So, the first thing that takes place is this grand sound that sounded like rushing wind. The Jewish people believed the power of wind is came from the very breath of God.
7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: Because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: Surely the people is grass.
Therefore God controlled it.
25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, Which lifteth up the waves thereof.
4 Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell?
God created it.
13 For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, And declareth unto man what is his thought, That maketh the morning darkness, And treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The Lord, The God of hosts, is his name.
God used the wind for specific purposes.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
9 Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
The Jewish population believe the winds originated from the 4 corners of the earth and depending on which direction it blew from determined what it would bring.
The translated word for wind here is pneuma which is the same word Jesus used when referring to the Spirit in His conversation with Nicodemus.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Now this wind was said to fill the house where Jesus’ Followers were. Not is important to remember that the sound was not wind, God’s Word says it was like the wind. In similar fashion it is important to see that the “tongues of fire” is what it seemed or looked like. Not literal fire breathing apostles. Like wind, the Bible commonly associates fire with the presence of God, as Moses found out one day in the desert. The bigger aspect of this which we must not look over is the fact that “cloven tongue” means that it was given to each in turn. Once again reaffirming the unity and equality amongst the Followers.
In verse 4 we see the marvelous use of different languages. Most scholars, especially evangelical ones, does not attribute this to the unusual sounds that Paul dealt with at Corinth but rather referred to actual languages and dialect.
Acts A. Symbols of the Spirit’s Coming (vv. 1–4)
Some argue for a miracle of hearing as well as speaking in this chapter. The text does not really justify that. On the other hand, when people filled with the Holy Spirit proclaim the gospel, a supernatural ministry always takes place. When the hearers respond, a miracle of understanding certainly follows
However, one thing is for certain, this is yet another way for people to come together as one to hear & witness the movement of God.
Conclusion:
Dr. J. Vernon McGee told a story about a little community where there were three churches on the same corner, a Presbyterian church, Methodist church and Baptist church. One Sunday night, all the windows were open and they could hear each other singing. They didn't get along very well. The people in the Presbyterian Church were singing this song, "Will There be Any Stars in My Crown?" When they finished, the Methodist church sang, "No, Not One." Then the Baptists sang, "Oh That Will be Glory for Me."
Dr. McGee said that all three of those churches ought to sit down together and sing the doxology of praise to God. That's what the world needs to see. They need to see us together. Jesus said, "When we come together, that's when the world knows that God has sent us."
Gangel, K. O. (1998). Acts (Vol. 5, p. 25). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
Larson, C. B. (2002). 750 engaging illustrations for preachers, teachers & writers (p. 61). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.