Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• Matthias is Chosen
• Example of a fall from grace
• How does a church recover from this?
• Only God's grace can restore in such a situation
• Have we thought of what a trauma it was for Judas to betray Jesus with a kiss?
• They must have been devastated
• Yet they were to learn that God had a purpose in his fall
• God would bring good from evil
• The Church would go forward in the power of God
• Looking at Acts 1
• God is continuing His work - He is pouring out His Holy Spirit
• Scripture must be fulfilled
• Overview:
• God's Sovereign Purposes
• The Churches Wise Procedure
• Principles that apply to us

God's Sovereign Purposes

• The Cross was no mistake [God is sovereign over all things]
• God had planned that one of the disciples would betray Jesus
• Acts 2:22-23
• This was according to the foreknowledge and plan of God
• Acts 4:27-28
• God is sovereign over all things
• The death of Christ was all planned by the God in heaven
• Judas has his part to play
• Jesus after His resurrection explained about the Scriptures and that one would betray Him
• Examples
• Zech 11:12,13
• David predicts Judas' evil works: Ps 41:9, 55:13
• God is sovereign
• When everything falls apart - remember that God is sovereign
• Peter quotes from the Psalms
• There appears to be two different accounts of how Judas died: Matthew vs Luke
• There are many things in Scripture that we are not to know
• Some say that Judas didn't personally buy the potters field
• Yet God was sovereign in all these things
• Peter knew this and quoted from the Psalms 69:25 & 109:8
• We must be reminded that God is sovereign in all things
• God had chosen another
• Do not look book - look forward
• The 11 apostles became 12 again
• When bad things happen - it must not shatter our confidence in God

The Churches Wise Procedure

• You may say that the Church didn't officially start until Pentecost
• Jesus said where 2 or more are gathered He would be there
• Jesus said He was building His Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it
• The leadership of the Church (Elders) was being established
• God was directing His people
• The Church was united in prayer
• They were in one accord in prayer and supplication (v14)
• Thus the prayer meeting is very important
• They were meeting regularly: 120, Mary, the women, His family, the apostles
• It wasn't just a business meeting
• They are making their decision in the spontaneity of prayer
• Peter stirred by the Spirit takes the lead
• They put forward two names and ask the Lord to decide
• They were all united
• Personal example
• There is a need for spiritual direction
• The Church is not a business
• Peter's leadership
• Peter who had previously denied the Lord Jesus had the full backing of the 120
• There was no self recrimination
• There was no recrimination from others
• He had been publicly reinstated by the Lord Jesus in front of the other disciples
• Peter guides them to the Scripture and makes a positive proposal
• We must pray for this in leadership
• He makes a qualification (v21-22)
• The 120 propose two men
• Each must have been equally qualified
• Example
• They drew lots
• An indication that God was choosing
• Jesus choose the disciples cf John 15:16
• The wisest way
• Application:
• There must be prayer in church decisions
• There ought to be clear church leadership - but not dictatorship
• Example
• God working amongst His people
• Sometimes the Church choses (Chapter 6), sometimes the Elders bchose (Chapter 13)
• A united prayerful church working in harmony

Principles that apply to us

• Future-proofing
• God wanted 12 apostles and not 11
• God was getting them ready
• God was building up the Church
• Chapter 14 - they appoint Elders in every church
• Paul exhorts Titus to appoint Elders in every city (Titus 1:5)
• God's will always prevails
• We must pray that God's will should be done
• The church must always be united
• The position of Judas
• So near to Jesus
• He enjoyed all the means of grace
• A tremendous warning - attending the church of God but not belonging to God - not born again
• Love for Christ, love for His word, love for His person
• Christ will build His Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it
• His purposes will always be fulfilled