Empowered Disciples 2

The Upper Room

This morning we are continuing our series in Acts titled Empowered Disciples.

Last week we looked at the Kingdom of God, as Jesus prepared the apostles to continue the work and ministry He had started.

This morning we are going to pick up in verse 12 of chapter 1 of Acts as we look at the Upper Room.

After Jesus ascended into heaven, the two angels appear and tell the disciples that Jesus is going to come back just as He has left.

The apostles returned to Jerusalem in compliance with the Lord’s command to wait for the Holy Spirit.

There they joined the other Christians in an upper room where they devoted themselves to fervent prayer.

Prayer

Devoted to Prayer

Acts 1:12–14 NASB95

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 When they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, 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 These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

The disciples make their way back into the city of Jerusalem which was a Sabbath day’s journey.

A Sabbath day’s journey is 2,000 cubits or roughly 2/3 a mile.

When entering the city of Jerusalem the apostles went to the upper room where they were staying.

Large groups normally would meet in a upper story of the homes because the largest rooms were upstairs.

The lower stories had smaller rooms so that their walls would bear the weight of the upper stories.

We are then told the names of the eleven apostles that were out on the Mount of Olives and came back into Jerusalem and the upper room.

We will see in our next section of verses that there was 120 people in the upper room.

This was a variety of people, men and women, apostles and ordinary people, and even members of the Lord’s earthly family.

All these people were in one mind, or with one accord, that is there was a wonderful unity that bound them together in Christ.

That is the kind of unity we as believers need today.

The primary characteristic that marked their life together in this period was prayer, as they anticipated together the promised gift of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer was a hallmark of the church in its early days.

The time before Pentecost was a time for waiting, a time spent in prayer undoubtedly for the promised Spirit and for the power to witness.

There is no effective witness without the Spirit, and the way to spiritual empowerment is to wait in prayer.

Illustration

Imagine a sports team preparing for a championship game.

Before stepping onto the field, they gather in the locker room.

They review the plan, encourage one another, and focus on their common goal.

The disciples were in a similar position.

Jesus had ascended, and the mission before them was enormous.

Instead of rushing into action, they gathered in the upper room and devoted themselves to prayer.

Imagine a church family waiting for the arrival of a newborn baby.

Everyone is excited, but there is a season of waiting before the child arrives.

The disciples were waiting for the promised Holy Spirit, and prayer became the bridge between the promise and its fulfillment.

Application

When facing uncertainty, our first response should be prayer, not panic.

God often prepares us in private before using us in public.

Unity in prayer strengthens the church and aligns the hearts of God’s people with God's purpose.

Families, ministry teams, and churches should make prayer a priority rather than an afterthought.

Challenge: What situation in your life requires more prayer and less worry?

Judas’ Outcome

The rest of chapter 1 is devoted to the replacement of Judas Iscariot.

It begins with Peter standing up and taking a leadership position in a sense.

Acts 1:15–20 NASB95

15 At this time Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty persons was there together), and said, 16 “Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 “For he was counted among us and received his share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out. 19 And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem; so that in their own language that field was called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his homestead be made desolate, And let no one dwell in it’; and, ‘Let another man take his office.’

The phrase, “At this time” marks a transition to a new section.

During this period of prayer and waiting, one essential item of business had to be considered by the young Christian community - the reconstitution of the apostolic circle of Twelve.

As Peter stands before the 120 he eludes to the Old Testament, which shows his high view of the Scriptures.

Peter specifically references David’s writing in Psalms which were inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Peter states that David prophesied of Judas Iscariot, David did not refer to Judas directly or by name.

Judas did not personally by a field, but he did so indirectly.

The priests used the betrayal money Judas flung into the temple to make the purchase of the field in Judas’ name.

Matthew 27:3–8 NASB95

3 Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? See to that yourself!” 5 And he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself. 6 The chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the temple treasury, since it is the price of blood.” 7 And they conferred together and with the money bought the Potter’s Field as a burial place for strangers. 8 For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.

Now this account here in Matthew states that Judas hanged himself, and Luke’s account in Acts 1:18 states that he fell and he burst open in the middle spilling his intestines.

One may say this is a contradiction but most Bible scholars agree that something happened when Judas hung himself, either the rope broke or the tree limb broke causing Judas to fall, his body possibly already distended and when hit the ground his body burst open.

Akeldama is Aramaic for Field of Blood.

The reason for the name was, the priests used the money that they gave Judas that he returned to purchase the field, the money was considered blood money, thus the name Field of Blood.

Illustration

A bridge may appear strong on the outside, but hidden structural damage can cause a sudden collapse.

Judas looked like a faithful disciple for three years.

He walked with Jesus, witnessed miracles, and shared ministry opportunities.

Yet inwardly, his heart was drifting from God.

Judas allowed the things of the world to draw him away from God, and to deny Jesus.

Application

Outward religious activity is no substitute for genuine faith.

We must remember that God sees our hearts, we may be able to fool the people around us, but God sees through it.

Sin that is hidden and unrepented will eventually bring consequences.

Judas allowed the things of the world to distract him and lead him astray, but the consequences of those sins caught up with him.

God's purposes are never prevented by human failure.

We must remember that God can accomplish anything that He wants, and He does not need us, but decides to use us, but if we rebel it will not stop God’s plan.

Every believer should regularly examine their heart before God.

We all fall short of the glory of God, and we need to regularly examine our heart, and ask God to convict us of things that we need to repent of.

Challenge: Are there areas of compromise in your life that need to be surrendered to Christ before they produce painful consequences?

Selecting a Replacement

Now that Peter has shared Judas’ outcome, it was time to fill the empty position.

Acts 1:21–26 NASB95

21 “Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us— 22 beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.” 23 So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two You have chosen 25 to occupy this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.

Because Judas was no longer alive or apart of the apostles, Peter states it is necessary to fill the vacant position.

Peter then offers some requirements of the replacement, the man must be one that had accompanied Jesus during His earthly ministry, all the way from the time Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist to the day that Jesus ascended to Heaven.

With one specific thing, that was the man had to be a witness of Jesus resurrection, that is the man had to have seen Jesus during the forty days He spent on earth with the apostles before ascending to heaven.

The reason the resurrection was specified was it is a cornerstone of the Christian faith, and if this person was going to be a witness of Jesus’ they must be able to give an eyewitness account of seeing Jesus after His resurrection.

The group of 120 present two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (Justus), and Matthias.

Two things the apostles did, first they prayed.

Once the eleven prayed asking the Lord to reveal to them His choice, it says they drew lots.

Lots was like what we may call drawing straws, it is believed that they could have possible written the names of the two men on stones.

A stone with the name Joseph, and a stone with the name Matthias.

They then would take and place the stones in a container, and shake the container, the first stone to fall out was considered the Lord’s choice.

This was the last time in the Bible lots were said to be used to determine God’s will.

I believe because after this time the believers received the Holy Spirit to direct them.

The procedure of casting lots to determine God’s will possible came from Proverbs 16:33

Proverbs 16:33 NASB95

33 The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the Lord.

We may look at it as a poor method to determining God’s will, but we must remember nothing happens without God.

The rock that God wants to fall out first will fall out first.

Illustration

When a company hires a key leader, they do not simply choose the most popular candidate.

They look for someone who has demonstrated character, faithfulness, and experience over time.

The disciples sought someone who had faithfully followed Jesus from the beginning.

Matthias had not been one of the famous disciples, but he had been faithfully present.

God often chooses people who have quietly remained faithful when no one is watching.

Consider David.

Before becoming king, he spent years tending sheep in obscurity.

Faithfulness in hidden places prepared him for greater responsibility.

Application

God values faithfulness more than fame.

God is not looking at how famous or popular you are but rather how faithful you are to Him.

The best preparation for future ministry is faithful service today.

Churches should seek leaders based on character and spiritual maturity, and not popularity.

God's guidance should be sought through prayer and submission to His Word.

Challenge: Are you faithfully serving where God has placed you, even if no one notices?

Conclusion

Our text this morning of the upper room teaches three important lessons for empowered disciples:

Pray faithfully while waiting on God's direction.

2. Guard your heart against spiritual compromise.

3. Remain faithful, knowing God uses those who are available and obedient.

Before Pentecost power came, there was prayer.

Before public ministry, there was private preparation.

The disciples who changed the world first gathered together in an upper room, seeking God with one heart and one purpose.

The same God still works through believers who pray, remain faithful, and trust His direction.