Sunday July 6, 2008

Acts 1:12-26
7/6/08
“The starting point”

Acts_1_12-26
I. Now after Jesus ascended into heaven while they watched, we read.
Acts 1:12-14 (NKJV)
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey.
13 And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James.
14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
A. Obedience to Christ
1. Jesus had told them to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came upon them and the received power to be effective witnesses of Him.
a. So they journey from the Mount of Olives which is where the ascension took place back to Jerusalem which was a Sabbath days journey or about 3000' (3/4 of a mile) according to Jewish tradition.
(1) It was thought that the distance between the camp and the tabernacle in the wilderness was 2000 cubits (3000')
Conjecture probably from:
Joshua 3:4 (NKJV)
4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.”
2. Obedience, following good instructions contains blessings and brings us benefit, and this is all the truer when as it pertains to the instruction or commands of God.
a. What a wonderful thing it is to let this picture penetrate our hearts, for 40 days they have experienced the resurrected Christ appearing in their midst, after all hope had been lost, and He has been speaking to them about the kingdom of God during this time.
(1) Then He tells them to wait, and He ascends into the clouds headed for heaven as they watch.
(2) And here they go back to Jerusalem to wait according to His instructions.
3. We don't like to obey and we don't like to wait (these are problematic of our fallen nature).
a. But when we are full of God's Spirit, His Spirit bears fruit in our lives!
Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
(1) Ever tried to build something without following the instructions (not obeying) usually because we can't wait we are impatient, and the frustration etc. that brings.
(2) But if you have ever struggled through and disciplined yourself to read and follow the instructions, you discovered that the designer had a better plan than you and your way would have led to failure or rework...
(a) If only we would learn to obey and wait!
(b) Jesus already said in waiting they would receive power to do, but look at some other benefits of waiting (for God to direct, to empower, to provide)
4. Waiting on the Lord
Psalm 25:5 (NKJV)
5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day.

Psalm 25:21 (NKJV)
21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for You.

Psalm 37:9 (NKJV)
9 For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the Lord, They shall inherit the earth.

Psalm 37:34-36 (NKJV)
34 Wait on the Lord, And keep His way, And He shall exalt you to inherit the land; When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.
35 I have seen the wicked in great power, And spreading himself like a native green tree.
36 Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more; Indeed I sought him, but he could not be found.

Psalm 130:5-6 (NKJV)
5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope.
6 My soul waits for the Lord More than those who watch for the morning— Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.

Proverbs 8:34 (NKJV)
34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors.

Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV)
31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 64:4 (NKJV)
4 For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him.

5. Now as they waited in that upper room a number of people are listed as being there
13 And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James.
14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
a. We note Mary the mother of Jesus and His brothers who were apparently converted or began to believe in Him as a result ot the resurrection where they had not believed before:
John 7:5 (NKJV)
5 For even His brothers did not believe in Him.
(1) His brothers (actually half brothers)
Mark 6:3 (NKJV)
3 Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him.
B. Unity( with one mind, with one accord, with one passion)
1. They had a common purpose of mind
Homothumadon is a compound of two words meaning to "rush along" and "in unison". The image is almost musical; a number of notes are sounded which, while different, harmonise in pitch and tone. As the instruments of a great concert under the direction of a concert master, so the Holy Spirit blends together the lives of members of Christ's church.

Strong, James: The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible : Showing Every Word of the Text of the Common English Version of the Canonical Books, and Every Occurrence of Each Word in Regular Order. electronic ed. Ontario : Woodside Bible Fellowship., 1996, S. G3661
2. We are too quick often in trying to artificially put this together or make this happen.
a. We base success or the vibrancy of a church or it's leaders on whether they do things the way that we want or think they should be done (the activity of the church)
(1) Committee's attempting to steer churches or it's leaders.
(a) Often causes great division.
(2) Or you have a church where the pastor is the master and he tells everyone else what to do
(a) The result may be a lot of activity and seem exciting but it doesn't really have life and it fizzles when the man is not there to keep it energized. (Because it was a work of man).
i) And those involved are involved often with alterior motives.
3. Unity is achieved when we play as a team, and we let God be the coach and call the plays...
a. He gives the instruction and assigns the players and then a real work of God is the result and there is a common passion given by God that is really a work of God, but in and gthrought the lives of human instruments.
(1) This is what we want to wait for God to do, and this is what we watch unfold as the disciples are gathered together and were in one accord, that is, they were "WAITING" for God to move them, motivate them, empower them, give them further instructions.
(a) My son has been given certain instructions but he doesn't know beyond the fact that he is to show up on a certain date, and then wait for further instructions. (Some general ideas of what may be coming, but that is not enough to act on yet).
C. Prayer
1. They continued with one accord in prayer and supplications, that was there one activity they prayed together in unity asking God to snow them what they needed to know and do.
a. Note it was not just individual prayer for individual direction (I am sure they did that also), but it is here WE are Lord what would you have US to do?
(1) So many critics of the church but very few who will come together "with one accord" and wait in prayer for God to speak and show His plan.
(a) are you a critic or are you part of what God is wanting to do, and how do you know?
i) Well this text would appear to be a picture of what should be happening.
D. They obviously believed in prayer and they believed that God speaks to us through His word, look how the text goes on.
II. Prayer and the Word of God was there key activity while they waited for God to lead them.
Acts 1:15-26 (NKJV)
15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said,
16 “Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus;
17 for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry.”
18 (Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out.
19 And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood.)
20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms: ‘Let his dwelling place be desolate, And let no one live in it’; and, ‘Let another take his office.’
21 “Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
22 beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”
23 And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
24 And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen
25 to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.”
26 And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
A. Peter stood up and addresses the rest of the group (120 people) and he is motivated by what scriptures says concerning their circumstance as they are waiting, stating that they needed to replace Judas and the office or position he vacated.
20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms: ‘Let his dwelling place be desolate, And let no one live in it’; and, ‘Let another take his office.’
1. He recognizes that the words of David in the psalms speak about Judas and his desertion of his part in the ministry.
a. Judas had deserted his office through his sin (not his suicide)
b. Judas had obtained a part in the ministry but abandoned it through his sin, what a wonderful truth that we "GET" to serve Jesus and one another, it is not by compulsion.
c. Peter points out that Judas had been a part of their "apostolic" ministry an office which was now vacated and needed to be filled, but it seems clear that Peter is not suggesting that their is to be apostolic succession.
(1) Because he makes it clear that a qualification of an apostle was that he was an eye witness to the ministry of Jesus from His baptism to His resurrection.
21 “Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
22 beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”
(2) Two men were possible candidates in their eyes and Matthias (gift of God) was chosen.
2. Judas hung himself and split open in the process, and with the betrayal money a field called the field of blood was purchased by the Sanhedrin.
B. Observations
1. The believed in and saw the need for prayer.
a. We will see that prayer plays a significant role throughout this book and some mighty things God does through prayer.
(1) What a cool thing that Peter steps up, takes charge and they begin to seek God in prayer for direction.
2. Clearly they believed that God would guide and direct them and that His word plays an important part in His leading!
a. Guide THEM not just guide some one else!
3. We need to note Peter quotes from scripture.
a. God is opening up their understanding to His word.

Communion