Finding the next step (Acts 1:12-26) P2

Introductory information

Jesus told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit to come to them, before they went out to preach the gospel to the world

In Matthew 19:28 Jesus said things to the disciples that placed significance on there being 12 of them - possibly as a corollary to the tribes of Israel

One of their 12, Judas, had betrayed Jesus and killed himself, leaving only 11 of them

Read the passage

Question to consider as we read:

What do you do when the next step isn’t clear?

Acts 1:12–26 ESV

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. 15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms, “ ‘May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it’; and “ ‘Let another take his office.’ 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 men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” 23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show 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 numbered with the eleven apostles.

Examine the passage

What are some key points in this passage?

Acts 1:14 ESV

14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

The disciples didn’t just passively wait for the Holy Spirit - they were actively praying

Acts 1:16 ESV

16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.

Peter raises the issue of Judas’ leaving an “empty seat” in the 12

And he sees this as a fulfillment of God’s word

Possibly He has Psalm 41:9 in mind: “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.”

“God’s promises of guidance are not given to save us the bother of thinking.” - John Stott

Acts 1:20–22 ESV

20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms, “ ‘May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it’; and “ ‘Let another take his office.’ 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 men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.”

Based on what he already knew, Peter proposes the next step is to replace Judas as one of the 12

“One of the many lessons Acts teaches quietly, as it goes along, is that you tend to get the guidance you need when you need it, not before, and not in too much detail.” - N.T. Wright

Acts 1:24–26 ESV

24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show 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 numbered with the eleven apostles.

The disciples don’t have a clear direction of who to replace Judas with

So they prayed, asked God to guide them, and then made a decision

The practice of “casting lots” may have been tied to the Proverbs 16:33 “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.”

Interesting fact: After the Holy Spirit fills them, there isn’t a mention of the apostles casting lots again

Apply the passage

[Pose the following questions for group discussion, offering the suggested answers only if the group has nothing to say or drifts too far off topic]

What are the “big ideas” you see in this passage?

Suggested “big ideas” to offer if needed:

God may not always make it clear what we are to do next

We must sometimes take what has already told us, make a decision, and trust Him with what happens next

How do these ideas apply in your life?

Suggested application to offer if needed:

I need to stop waiting and expecting for God to give me the play-by-play

I need to take risks and trust God to guide me along the way

What is your next step?

Suggested next step to offer if needed:

I need to revisit what God has already revealed so I can draw wise conclusions

Reflect on the lesson

Prayer Point

Pray for the Holy Spirit to bring to our remembrance what God has already taught us

Devotional Question

What important decisions are you delaying because you’re afraid of making a mistake, and not trusting God with what He has already shown you?