Purpose

Have you ever wondered why things are the way they are?

I can't believe I just asked that question.

As we all wear masks, we kind of wonder. What's the purpose? Purpose is a question, we often have. What's the purpose? Why is this? I live in a neighborhood where there's a three-way intersection and when we first moved here, there was only one stop sign at that three-way intersection and it wasn't where you expected it to be. More recently. They introduced a second, stop sign at that three-way intersection. And those of us who lived in the area drove that much more cautiously because we knew that people were that much more now confused.

A few weeks ago they introduced a third stop sign. So now there's a stop sign at every part of that intersection and people are still confused. So, we noticed this morning when we drove here. That now they've painted big white lines as well, so people know to truly stop. Why, what's the purpose? This morning our passage is a passage from The Acts of the Apostles and it seems to be concerned the issue of replacement replacing one of the disciples making space. Now that there's a space for a disciple bringing that person, a new person in to be one of the disciples or Apostles, at least. That's what it seems to be about when we read it and we're going to read it here in a few moments. That's what it seems to be. And yet we must ask the question isn't really why it was recorded. Is it really all so that we might remember that that person Judas was replaced and another person was put in, is that what it's all about? Is that why parchment was taken up? This was an expensive proposition. Any time you wrote something down? Was this that important? I mean if we did a quiz right now as a full congregation and we were to try list out all 12 names of the disciples Apostles without checking our notes or are smartphones. Would we even be able to name all 12?

So if we can't do that. Then what's the point of recording this?

Chances are Luke the writer of both the gospel and the Acts of the Apostles had a greater purpose and it will be for us to kind of unearth and discover the underlying reasons. So, listen, now for the word of the Lord let's ask God to prepare our hearts to hear it.

Oh Lord, may you guide us this morning.

May you help us as we ask questions.

May you prepare our hearts for the answers.

May you prepare us, not just to hear O Lord, but to truly take in and to live out what we here, for O Lord, we are ready to admit that we are more than willing to hear your good news. But we're more cautious. When it calls us to change.

So help us. Oh Lord help us this morning to hear what you have to teach us. And help us to show ourselves as students ready to learn. We pray this Jesus through your spirit. Amen.

We're in the Acts of the Apostles chapter 1 beginning, at the 15th, verse

in those days, Peter stood up among the brothers, the company of persons was in all about a hundred and twenty Peter said, brothers and sisters, 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. For he was numbered Among Us and was allotted his share in this ministry. 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.

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. For it is written in the book of the Psalms may, his Camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it. And let another take his office.

So, one of the men who have accompanied US during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and Out Among Us. Beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken away from us. One of these men must be come with us a witness to the resurrection.

And they put forward two: Joseph called Barsabbas, Who is also called Justice. And Matthias. And they prayed and said you Lord, you know, the hearts of all show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.

And they cast lots for them and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Well, on many levels, it looks to simply be about replacement. And we know all about replacement, we know what it's like when there's an absence on the team we the sports, we watch, we can quickly count if there are enough players out on the field or on the court, we know suddenly if there's one less and if we're a hockey fan we really feel it because they allow that.

When do ants like at work, when suddenly there's a position that's unfilled and we yearn for in long, for that replacement to take up that extra work. So we understand the importance of replacement, we understand the need for the purpose of it.

but I suspect, There's more going on here. They were being called here more as Luke takes considerable parchment to explain these events to us. If not, he might easily have said and Mattias, replaced Judas and we move on.

but rather Luke records more for us, so that we can see Other purposes that can play a part in our own lives.

First, we might think that it all begins with, they're trying to figure out who will replace Judas. But that's not really how it begins. You see, we need to go a little bit into the background of the situation. We need to recognize just under what circumstances, those apostles were now living. Remember, it was not long ago that they were huddled, away the doors were locked, and they were in fear for their own lives. As they'd watched Jesus be crucified. they were concerned, they had their own sense of protection survival.

And then Jesus returns and is raised from the dead, and they get to celebrate and get to live with them and ask questions and journey with him for roughly 40 days before he's now taken up into heaven. Known as Ascension Day. Usually this Sunday is the Sunday before Pentecost today, where we usually talk about Christ's Ascension. So, usually that would be our Focus today. But today, we're focusing on those. Who are left behind.

The apostles. We all know what It's like to say Goodbye to someone. To wish we had more time with them friends or relatives that visit from far away and you spend time and you try to pack as much as you can into the days there with you. Only to see them go and think of that other item or that question or that thought we wanted to still yet cover. It's in this realization that. we can recognize there's a certain sense of grief, a certain sense of Sorrow that the apostles might be under as well as Like so many of us after relatives and friends, leave. We got to get back to life. We got to get back to what we were doing. And for them. It comes back to a question is, what is our purpose now?

What was Jesus doing those three years in preparation of them? What did Jesus have to say to them? After being resurrected and before being ascendant? All that was being thrown into that conversation and that development is also part of our journey.

And so here, as they look for their purpose, We might miss it. But notice what Peter does.

When he stands up. We find that he refers to scripture.

When we're trying to find our Direction in life, where we're trying to find where we're going or what we need to do next scripture. Scripture has answers for us. We've journey through these many months of covid and we wondered what could scripture say to us? Well,

Had I to do it it all over again? I probably would have had us journeying a lot with the Israelites as they came out of Egypt Into the Wilderness.

That wandering. That period of uncertainty wondering. What would happen next? Or maybe we would have journeyed with the Israelites after they were in Exile, in Babylon, and then Persia, and when they came back and started to rebuild the Temple because you as well as myself, we've all wondered what is going to happen as we begin to emerge from this pandemic. How are we to be the Church of Jesus Christ?

We're full of ideas. We're full of thoughts, we might even be full of anxieties. Scripture.

Peter references two different Psalms verse from each Psalm.

Let me share with you the songs from which he pulls his thoughts. Psalm 69 and Psalm 109. Both Psalms concern someone who's crying out to God because they are being punished. And not only are they receiving punishment in both Psalms but it there. Now complaining about the other people who are now coming alongside and piling on never had that happen to you. Someone gives you a hard day, some give you a hard time and I'll just come along and they kind of pile on. Never happened to you?

You're already upset about what's happened and someone else piles on what kind of feelings do you have about that person who piles on? The only difference between the two Psalms is in the first Psalm.

The person who is suffering says, look, I deserved my judgment.

But God, please take care of these people who are piling on. In the second Psalm. It's I didn't deserve this judgment and now I got these people who are piling on as well.

So both Psalms speak to God, we'd like you to do this, to those people who are piling on. This is what we think should happen to those who are piling on and so, Peter, pulls from that. Now, why would he be thinking that way?

Why would he be thinking about that? They're under judgment and people are piling on?

You think it's been easy for them?

Jesus was crucified. And now they're saying he's risen from the dead and people aren't believing them. They are not exactly being accepted among their people.

So there's no doubt in understanding why Peter probably was musing on both these Psalms and in them he found a verse from each that applied to their situation and applied to the fact that Judas was no longer with them. From the first Psalm he says may his Camp become desolate and let there be no one to dwell in it. I'll translate for you. Lorde. Remove his name from the memory of us all.

and in the second one,

he sees this verse. let another take his office.

In other words, let there be a replacement. For his purpose. not his purpose of taking Jesus to the Cross, but of his purpose of being one of us,

It's in those two passages that Peter stands up before a hundred and twenty others. And says, you know what? It's time to find someone to fill his space.

Oh, we like to talk about. Well, they did it so that there was a good number of 12. Again, 12 is an important number 12 is a number of fulfillment. 12 is a number that fits through their history like the 12 tribes in Jesus chose of all those people who were following 12 particular people to pour in his ministry so it makes sense in all those regards. But, let's not lose sight. That in purpose. Peter began with scripture. As we start to figure out what's next for us as a church as a people of God. Let us begin with scripture. Find our Direction and what we are to do next and who we are to be.

The next part of our purpose is to recognize what Peter says.

He says he was numbered.

Or he is numbered. He says it twice. He says it once in reference to Judas. And then Luke says it later in reference to Mathias, who is judas's replacement. He was numbered. He was numbered among them. That's one of the 12 to be numbered. To another words belong. To be part. You see when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior. We become numbered among those who follow Christ Early on those people who followed Christ were known as followers of the way. What way? THE way. Let me describe to you the way. Later on they were derogatorily called by Romans and others they were called Christians. In other words those people follow that guy Jesus Christ. At our baptism.

We're given a new last name. The last name of Christian, we are numbered among the followers of Christ.

We know what it is to belong and have a purpose in our belonging. If I were to give you a vest right now and go out and make become a parking lot attendant with a vest on, you know, you have a purpose, you're wearing a vest, everyone can see you that they're dependent upon you that you're going to tell them where to park whether they want to follow your direction or not, they know that's your job. We might even give you a flashlight.

But when you have that vest, you are numbered among those whose purpose, it is to give direction to the rest of us. We know what it is to be numbered.

If you were all suddenly given the same t-shirt on a mission trip and you were traveling together. Remember years ago, this church sent a mission trip and we had Neon Bright t-shirts. Back when it was hard to communicate with each other when you're traveling and multiple cars, and I remember trying to communicate with the rest of the group that we'd be stopping at the next rest area on the highway but I couldn't get a hold of them. So I drove past it. As I drove past I look to my right at the rest area and I saw sure enough they had stopped because I saw this neon glow. In the rest area.

But when you wear such a t-shirt, you expect this, someone might say to you, someone who doesn't know, you might say to you, who are you? What are you all about? What are you doing?

And you expect to give an answer. Because you were numbered among those wearing a neon t-shirts.

If you were on a team and had a number on the back of your jersey, or maybe even support a team and, and wear somebody else's number. And someone has a question or says a remark, you would expect to align yourself with that team, whether you're on it or whether you're a fan of it.

Still remember walking into a 7-Eleven type store, it's called Wawa out in New Jersey. I've lost the bet between another church member in myself and my Michigan State Spartans, had lost to Rutgers University.

And my reward for losing that. Bet was to wear a Rutgers t-shirt and I walked into the Wawa and the man who was taking my money. So do you support you like Rutgers and I said no.

And he looked at me like I just crushed him turned out, his son was on the football team.

But he had every right to assume that I was numbered among them. Instead I was us. We know what it is to be numbered, and Peter is pointing Outlook someone needs to be now, numbered Among Us.

You are not made or created to be closet Christians.

That is not your purpose. That is not my purpose.

Peter is recognizing that we need someone else. Scripture tells us. It is time that we be numbered among those who follow Christ. Even when it has tremendous cost before us.

You see? Because we stand on the shoulders of those in the faith of generations. Before some generations who had to Bear incredible hostility And even death. So that you might be sitting here today.

If nothing else. May you hear that your purpose?

and be numbered among

is now to give the next purpose. That Peter lifts up.

Peter points out that Judas who was numbered among them. Was given the same Ministry, the same share in the ministry that it was a allotted to Judas, just as it was allotted to each of them, to be in Ministry to share, Jesus Christ, to be a witness to the resurrected Christ. Amen.

Good. I know. We're better than Frozen chosen and I know we can do it. Amen.

We are to be a witness.

The purpose that Luke has and sharing this event rather than simply a quick scribal note that Judas was replaced by Matthias, was to delve into the moment and to get deep into it. And to get the underlined understanding to be there by the bedside of a child, who asked that night before bedtime, why, why did they replace Judas?

Who did they replace Judas with? Why?

because, To follow Christ is to be numbered with. And to follow Christ. Is to carry the witness. That Jesus is God's message of incredible, love to each and everyone of us. The god, the one who created the heavens, and the Earth, that God, who created, everything that we see that children right now or on the nature path, discovering all the many wonders of creation that God, who did all this marvelous work, his greatest work was in you.

and when you and I and everyone else decide to run the other way,

He did not abandon his love for us. When he reached out to us and we were kicking and screaming and trying to get away to do things our own way, he didn't say fine.

But instead he decided to take the greatest act of Love of All and give up his son. In our place.

So that we might be reconciled to him. That our sins will be born on Jesus. And they would no longer be ours. That would be freed from our sins, past present and future.

And that he would raise his son Jesus from the dead to show that death, even death will no longer have a hold.

I think it's Lee Strobel among others. Lee Strobel, who was originally an atheist who upon investigating all of the Christian narrative, finally came to believe. Lee, Strobel, whose wife was became a follower of Christ, and his whole purpose in investigating Christianity, was to get her out of the cult of Christianity.

And upon all the investigation, you finally became a Believer himself and Lee, Strobel points out. Look, if it was a lie.

if it was made up,

if it was something that the disciples the apostles in anyway, we're somewhat uncertain about or confused about

Then why is it that all of them were willing to go to their death?

Proclaiming, that Jesus is Lord.

Luke preserves this to remind us that as followers of Jesus Christ.

We have a purpose in bearing, Witness. To the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The love that God has for us incredible mercy and Grace that he has lavished upon us that we can live in the Forgiveness of our sins. And how do others experience that from us? When we forgive them.

Even when we don't want to.

We begin to show the same love that God showed us.

All that sounds, wonderful. All that sounds like a challenge but we ultimately get down to the how How do they make this replacement? How does that come about?

And here, maybe here is perhaps the last little gift of purpose for our lives.

You see they set up prerequisite say hi and say it's got to be from one of the many who have followed with us, who been there from the very start and where they're all the way through to the very end. it's got to be from one of this group, this larger group that's been following him right along like groupies, if it were Why? Because they too have seen and heard and experienced.

They're not just taken anybody there taking somebody who has the background in the the institutional knowledge, if you will.

And that would seem to be enough. That's the way we work, we think about, who is gifted, who is qualified? Who has the right resume?

When we have questions about finances in the church, we put people in the in those positions that have good Financial background. When we need good leaders, we put people in place and have good leadership skills. When we need people to be compassionate we would bring along the people who show such a genuine and Caring Hearts. It's natural for us to do that. We're constantly looking and assessing one another, until we bring those gifts the bear and we bring forward the best that we think.

But we find in this final purpose, is it's a marriage. Between what we see and what God sees.

they put forward the parameters and they bring forward two

but in the end, they say, It is God. It is the Holy Spirit. Who will decide. For God, looks upon the heart. That part that we none of us can truly ever really see all. We think we can. but we can't see like, God can Even Samuel that great prophet who followed God in every way was not able to see when Jesse lined up his sons before him as to, who was to be the Lord's, anointed for the next king. And and Samuel looked upon the first one of them will this has got to be the Lord's Chosen one he's got the right height, he looks good, he's got Incredible strength, he's carrying himself. This must be the one God says. You don't look upon the heart. Like I do. And down through each of the son's till they get to the last one. And even that one is not the one whom God has chosen. Which leaves Samuel and everyone else to wonder what in the world? Until it's realize, there's yet another son. David, who's off tending? The Sheep.

See, the 11. The apostles, the disciples they have learned.

They followed Jesus, and they've learned, it's not always, as their eyes. See, what does God want? So they enter into prayer and they draw Lots. I love the image that's on the screen. Looks like they're drawing crayons. But they draw lots to see who God has chosen.

Let it be a reminder to us as we stepped forward and what seems to be. So obvious, sometimes that we still take the time to have the purpose of Prayer. I'm truly Discerning what God's will is even when it may seem obvious to us. That God sees far better. Then we can see. For God knows who will be able to Bear Witness. In just the right circumstance. Of his name and All His glory.

So today, when we consider this passage, which in so many ways, looks as simply a, a passage replacing one person for the next. Let's realize.

That it began with scripture.

That it was a recognition that we belong and are numbered.

And that our purpose is to give Witness.

And that in the end, we always must turn to God. For the final purpose and prayer of discernment.

And may God be glorified.

Let us pray.