Strength From the Upper Room
Model for the Church ACTS • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Acts 1:12-26
Acts 1:12-26
I went and worked out at the YMCA the other day. It had been a while since I last worked out, but I walked in as if I had not missed a beat. I decided to do leg day, and without thinking, loaded up the leg press with weights and the squat bar too. I forgot to consider my body weight and the press machine weight, so as you can imagine, I overdid it. For the last two days, I have been walking around like a stiff board. I have rethought our decision to buy a house with stairs, thinking this will be my life in twenty years. Do you think I learned my lesson? No. Yesterday, I decided to work out that soreness and work on the upper body. Now my legs hurt, my arms hurt to lift above my head, and I must roll out of bed. It might be God’s way of preparing me for my future.
But the reality is, the way I worked out is the way we try to strengthen our walk with Christ. We often go days, weeks, and even months without meaningful conversations and reading His word in our lives, and then we jump back into full swing only to find ourselves sore and tired. Our resolve needs to be for steady growth through an Upper Room experience.
Luke illustrates four strengths experienced by the Upper Room, the apostles, and the disciples. The first illustration is the overflow of prayer. The second illustration is the revelation of the Holy Spirit. The third illustration is the fulfillment of Scripture. The final illustration is the Lord’s calling.
Overflow of Prayer:
Overflow of Prayer:
The life of a Christian is fundamentally reflective of their prayer life. For those in the Upper Room, prayer became their sole means of communication with Jesus. They transitioned from His physical presence among them to His departure, which curtailed their ability to engage in casual or profound conversations in person. Nevertheless, they discerned a significant insight: Jesus frequently secluded Himself to spend time with the Father. Their confidence was derived from the abundance of their prayer life. They harbored a sincere desire to communicate with Jesus and to deepen their relationship with Him. This marked the inception of prayer involving asking in the Name of Jesus, as referenced in John 14:13-14.
“Whatever you ask in My name, this will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
“If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.
Prayer became their sole means of communication with Jesus. Consider it akin to reaching out to a friend or family member who no longer resides nearby, yet whom you deeply miss. Each opportunity arises, you seek to connect with them.
I recall a day when I inquired of Mady how many times she had texted her boyfriend. Both she and Brooklynn informed me that it was over 120 times within the past three hours. I was enraged that she could dedicate so much time to texting this young man, yet not to her family. God swiftly brought this to my attention. We tend to spend more time with others and with material matters than with our Heavenly Father, who remains a jealous God, as stated in Exodus 34:14.
(for thou shalt worship no other god: for Jehovah, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God);
Initially, the disciples could have requested Jesus to teach them anything. However, what did they specifically ask Him to instruct them? (Luke 11:1) Jesus demonstrated that there is a time for diligent work, but also a time to withdraw and engage in prayerful communication with the Father (Mark 6:46). Prayer is a discipline that all Christians are obliged to observe. Nonetheless, for many of us, our busy lives often result in this discipline being among the most neglected.
It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.”
After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.
I have posed this question numerous times: “What would our lives resemble if we devoted more time to God than to anything else?” I acknowledge our busy schedules, but how can we collectively involve Him in every aspect of our lives? How do we declare, Lord, we are going to our Upper Room and will pray until our lives overflow with Your presence? Will life be devoid of problems? Certainly not! However, we will be better equipped and possess a deeper understanding when challenges arise.
Revelation of the Holy Spirit:
Revelation of the Holy Spirit:
The Word of God was written when the Holy Spirit moved upon men to pen His Words, as stated in 2 Peter 1:21. Through Scripture, the Holy Spirit guided them in selecting the individual who would succeed Judas. Peter did not invent these events; rather, he yielded to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and Scripture. Peter affirmed that Judas's betrayal was an essential element of the Sovereign's plan, who had foretold it in the Old Testament. This revelation was imparted to Peter through the Holy Spirit and Scripture.
For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Adam and I were assembling Roger and Sharron’s kazebo and noticed we were missing some pieces. We searched extensively for the eight pieces that comprise the screen. Despite our efforts, we could not locate them. Roger then sat down to read the instructions and reached the section that explained the whereabouts of these pieces, which indicated they were embedded in one of the legs. At that time, approximately 75% of the kazebo had been assembled, and we had to tilt it to retrieve those parts. Had we read the instructions beforehand, the process would have been considerably simpler.
We possess the instructions and the Holy Spirit within us to guide us through His Word. It is imperative that we return to His instructions to navigate our lives effectively.
In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Paul elucidates the purpose of God’s Word for believers. As I mentioned last week, “Our lives are in shambles because our faith is fickle.” Our faith wavers largely because our willingness to be receptive to the Holy Spirit's revelations is limited. The apostles and disciples faced a pivotal moment, yet instead of viewing it as an obstacle, they transformed it into a divine appointment for the selection of the twelfth disciple.
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
Fulfillment of Scripture:
Fulfillment of Scripture:
Scripture serves as an illuminating guidance for our journey, as stated in Psalm 119:105. It is more penetrating than any two-edged sword, as Hebrews 4:12 affirms. The writings were intended to instruct us and lead us toward hope, a truth that Paul elaborates on in Romans 15:4. Peter also addressed how the Holy Spirit revealed through Scripture that Judas would betray Christ, and that another would take his place, as evidenced in Psalm 69:25 and 109:8. Furthermore, Jesus employed Scripture to tell His disciples that the one who would betray Him was the one who would share bread with Him, referencing John 13:18, which itself draws from Psalm 41:9.
Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
May their camp be desolate; May none dwell in their tents.
“I do not speak of all of you. I know the ones I have chosen; but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.’
Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.
I recall the moment when we learned that Gracelynn's life outside of Jenefer was not possible. Many of you might have experienced watching a film where sudden dramatic events cause the scene to slow down. You see lips moving, yet the words are unclear. When the doctor informed us that Grace was not developing properly and would not survive, everything around us seemed to slow to a halt, much like a scene in slow motion. At that instant, God caused time to appear to stand still, and Psalm 23 suddenly filled my mind, heart, and soul. I began to comprehend the significance of Scripture being fulfilled in a believer's life. Peter recognized that Scripture was not simply to be fulfilled passively but that its fulfillment also involved those who believe.
Peter was not sharing a personal opinion but was affirming a divine word from God. As with all prophetic Scripture, the prophecies he was about to cite required fulfillment. God’s Word is trustworthy, and what He predicts must inevitably come to pass. In Psalm 115:3, God Himself affirms this truth, as further emphasized in Isaiah 46:10. Isaiah added that God’s word never returns empty but always accomplishes its purpose (Isaiah 55:11).
But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.
Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’
So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
Lord’s Calling:
Lord’s Calling:
When they began to pray, they asked the Lord to reveal His will to them. Why? Because they understood that the Lord knows the thoughts and hearts of all men, as stated in 1 Samuel 16:7. He would know who He had already chosen to replace Judas. Judas had a ministry that needed to be filled, as Scripture indicates. The issue with individuals leaving the church when they are involved in ministry is that they leave a void. Some are called away, but others depart due to hurt. In either case, a void is created, which can impede the efforts of the body of believers. However, Jesus, in His omniscience, knew that Judas would betray Him before the foundation of the world. He also knew in advance who He had chosen to replace Judas. A.W. Tozer expresses it well: “God does not call the qualified; He qualifies the called.” None of us are truly qualified without the Lord’s calling on our lives.
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
How many of you have ever participated in a sports selection process? Recall instances during recess or on weekends when two captains would commence the selection. During our upbringing, we employed the game of rock, paper, or scissors to determine who would go first. In contrast, the apostles utilized casting lots, an Old Testament method to discern God’s will, as referenced in Proverbs 16:33. It is uncertain whether rock, paper, or scissors constitutes an Old Testament method, but it was effective on the playground. The captain would review the group of players and attempt to identify the most suitable candidate. If you were the last to be chosen, it implied that no one believed in your potential.
The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the Lord.
Allow me to share an insight regarding the final individual selected. While some may harbor doubts about them, it is evident that our Lord and Savior held a profound belief in their worth, to the extent that He sacrificed His life for them. Furthermore, it should be noted that this incident marks the last occasion on which this method is documented in Scripture.
Some individuals question whether the apostles erred in selecting Matthias, considering that the eminent Apostle Paul eventually came to faith in Christ. However, the twelve apostles were intended to preside over the twelve tribes of Israel, while Paul occupied the throne of the Gentiles. Paul is recognized as the apostle to the Gentiles, as stated in Romans 11:13. The Lord’s calling signifies His plan for everyone, designed for His purpose and glory. Matthias was called.
But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,
Application:
Application:
1. Our walk with Christ may mirror that of the early Church, provided that our prayer life also reflects similar devotion.
2. We can derive strength from the Upper Room if we permit the Holy Spirit to disclose His truth through the Scripture.
3. Scripture fortifies the believer by fulfilling God’s purpose and His plan for you.
4. Strength resides in the Upper Room when we heed the Lord’s calling.
