Sermon Tone Analysis

Good Evening, it is good to be with you again tonight.

It’s good to see each of you this evening let’s begin with a word of prayer and then we will get started.

Turn with me in your Bibles this evening to the book of Acts chapter 1 beginning in verse 12.

Let’s read:

Acts 1:12-

They prayed and said you oh Lord who know the hearts of all, show which of these men You have chosen to take the place in this apostolic ministry that judas left to go where he belongs.Then they cast their lots and the lots fell to Matthias and he was added to the eleven aposltes.

With this theme in mind, I want to preach on this subject “Next man up” It is something that happens in the world of sports on a regular basis, it is something that happens in the world of sports every year.

It does not matter if it is one of the starting 5 on a basketball team, it does not matter if it is one of the starting 9 on a baseball team, it does not matter if it is one of the starting 11 on the offense on a football team.

The point is it happens, every year on a regular basis.

What happens?

On a regular basis every year a key player gets hurt.

I remember when we were playing Alabama last year and they broke our quarterbacks leg.

But it seems to happen every year that a key player gets hurt.

When that player gets hurt they may not be able to lay for the next game, or if it is bad enough for the rest of the season.

It’s dissapointing because the player often times is of such high caliber that it affects the whole team, it is unfortunate because the player was expected to be a key ingredient in winning ball games but now they are out and cannot be used.

Now that player Cory cannot be used, now that player Eddie is no longer available because he is out for the next game.

So what does the team do when they lose one of their key players?

What does the team do when they lose that player but still have the rest of the season to go?

Do they cancel the game?

do they cancel the season?

Of course not every sports team has additional players on the roster in case of an injury to a starter.

Every sports team even though there are only 5 players on the court there are 15 players on the basketball team.

Although there are 9 on a diamond they have 25 players on the roster on a baseball team, Although there are only 12 players playing on either offense or defense there is 45 players on a football team.

Now as long as the starters are in the game you will never hear the name of the player who is not on the field.

As long as the starters are a part of the action you will never hear the name of the player who is not in the field, as long as nothing happens to the starter you will never hear the name of the ones who are not on the field.

THAT IS… until something happens to one of the starters, that is until something happens to one of the key players.

That is until something happens to one of the origional players.

When something happens to one of the starters when something happens to one of the players I have never seen them cancel the game, I have never seen them quit playing, or cancel the season.

no when something happens to one of the starters, when something happens to one of the key players the head coach is consulted and he sends in another player from the team.

In other words the teams mentality is NEXT MAN UP and that is exactly what is happening here in the book of Acts.

Judas iscariot one of the original apostles, judas Iscariot one of the original followers of Jesus Christ is not in this post resurrection meeting in the upper room.

The rest of the original 11 disciples were there, Peter who denied Jesus was there, Thomas who doubted Jesus was there, James and John the sons of thunder were there, Andrew and Phillip were there, Matthew and Bartholemew were there, Somin and and the other Judas the son of James are there.

All the original guys were there, yes all the original apostles were there in this post resurrection meeting in the upper room all EXCEPT JUDAS ISCARIOT who had committed suicide after betraying our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Do the disciples immediately decide to break up the team?

NO

Do the disciples in this upper room meeting decide to go back to their old lives of fishing and tax collecting?…

NO

Do these disciples in the upper room decide to retire NO

These disciples knew that they had been given an assignment they knew that they had been given a charge, they knew they had been given a great commission which was to GO THEREFORE AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.

And because they knew they still had work to do, and because they knew they had not yet fufilled their assignment these disciples gathered in the upper room with 109 other believers and in essence declared NEXT MAN UP.

We cant quit now, next man up, we cant stop now next man up, we cant turn back now because Judas fell into sin and is no longer with us.

They had the mentality NEXT MAN UP

These believers in spite of what happened I know that Judas in no longer with us, but they had the attitude NEXT MAN UP

Their hearts were heavy, their future was unsure, but they didnt let their feelings get in the way of their calling .... WOW

So how did they pull this assignment off?

Well there are a few things I want you to see in the text, first of all there was intense intentional prayer.

For such an important decision, for such a critical decision, these believers first of all called on their Heavenly Father in prayer.

PRAYER IS HOW WE TALK TO GOD.

Prayer is how we communicate with God.

In fact God encourages believers to pray, God expects to hear from his followers in prayer.

jesus teaches His disciples how to pray

ask and it will be given to you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it will be opened to you

MAtt.

21:22 in all things whatever you shall ask in prayer believe and you shall recieve

says alway pray and do not faint

1 thessalonians 1:19 pray without ceasing

says be anxious for nothing but in EVERYTHING by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known unto God and the peace of god which supasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ JEsus our Lord.

Even when Jesus had a crucial choice to make the Bible says He went to His favorite place to pray which was Gethsemene and prayed to His Heavenly Father.... daddy Father if it is possible let this cup pass from me.

Now think about that if Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, if Jesus the captain of our salvation, if Jesus the cornerstone of our faith

If Jesus the good shephered, if Jessu the great High Priest, If JEsus the Iam, If JEsus the lamb of God, if Jesus the light of the world, If JEsus the lion of Judah, If Jesus the prince of peace, If JEsus the aplha and the omega the beginning and the end, If Jesus when faced with an important decision called on his father in Heaven.

What about you and me?

These believers were trying to decide on a replacement for Judas one of the original 12 they were trying to decide on who from among them would be the next man up.

So the Bible says THEY CALLED ON GOD IN PRAYER

Listen to thier prayer

God I know its up to us but we dont wanna do this without your approval

But there is a second point:

HOW DID THESE DISCIPLES DECIDE WHO WOULD REPLACE JUDAS

#1 INtense Intentional prayer

#2 THEY PRAYED FOR DISCERNMENT

Not only did they oray for direction they prayed for discernement

In other words this next man up had a critical role as a disciple, this person would become part of the ministry of the original disciples.

This person would join the disciples in carrying out the great commission that was given to them by Jesus Christ.

THis person would join them in spreading the gospel to all nations.

This person would become a witness in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samria and to the ends of the Earth.

This person would share the gospel so effectively that according to they would literally turn the world upside down.

They prayed for discernement that would choose the right person for the job.

They had been fooled and dooped before, Judas was not who he said he was.

Make sure you pray for discernment

how did they decide who would replace Judas

Prayer

Purpose prayed for direction

Person

One of the things we can learn from this text is that everyone is replacable.

One of the things we can learn from this text is that everyone is replacable I am replaceable you are replaceable no one is irreplacable

When you think about Jdas and the hardness of heart to betray His Lord and Savior for money, this was the highest form of selfishness and displayed there was no regernation within his heart.

One of the things that I awlays keep in the forefront of my mind is that being a leader is a privelege not a right.

God has given me the privelage to serve this congreagation His congregation.

To be a leader it must be a humbling honor, that is never taken for granted.

Regardless of what takes place in our lives God’s plans will never be thwarted.

If we reject Jesus and go our own way which leads to destruction then we miss out on the blessing of being a part of what God is doing and He will use someone else to accomplish His mission.