Sermon Tone Analysis

Hello everyone!

Glad that you made it to church this weekend!

We have a busy weekend to start off December!

I think we are only going to get busier to!

This is a great time of year.

Christmas always give us a lot of opportunities to share the Gospel to friends, relatives, coworkers, and total strangers!

Make sure you are living an outspoken Christian life this Christmas season!

We are in a study on the book of Acts.

Today we are going to conclude chapter 1 of Acts.

Our text is verses 15-26.

Let’s look at them together.

Acts 1:15-26 (NIV)

15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) 16 and said, “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus— 17 he was one of our number and shared in this ministry.”

18 (With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open, and all his intestines spilled out.

19 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

20 “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the book of Psalms, “‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, “‘May another take his place of leadership.’

21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us.

For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”

23 So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias.

24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart.

Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.”

26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so, he was added to the eleven apostles.

The background real quick, a little review.

Christ has ascended back to heaven to rule at the right had of His Father.

The Disciples are instructed to return to Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit.

They meet in the upper room and wait and pray.

There are 120 of them up there prayer, Big Room!!!!

They are waiting for the Holy Spirit to come and give them the power to start the New Testament Church.

That happens in Chapter 2 and we are not quite there yet.

That is the power chapter.

We are still pre-ignition!

So after their prayer Peter decides that they need to replace Judas as a disciple.

We don’t know for sure the reason that this was necessary, but they seemed to think that they needed 12 not just 11.

So they cast lots and choose Matthias.

So really, they decided that it was up to God to choose so they put the two names in a hat and drew one out and Matthias was chosen.

When you consider that all of the disciples were killed except for John, I am not sure that, humanly speaking, he got a great bargain!

On a side note, I would like to point out that this moment is the first major decision of the early church.

They were choosing a leader, sort of like hiring church staff, or hiring a minister.

I want you to notice that the idea of voting, like many American churches and many Southern Baptist do, this idea of voting was so foreign to the early church that instead of holding a vote, they rolled dice.

They left this important choice of who their 12th church leader was going to be, completely to chance.

They rolled the dice!

They said, “We are not going to trust ourselves to make this decision, we will let God decide!”

That is important to notice as we continue this study in to Acts and look at the template these early church leaders gave to us for the church today.

What I would like for us to do in the time that we have together is compare and contrast the two main characters in this passage and see if there is anything we can learn from them.

I am talking about Judas and Peter.

They are far more alike than you may have originally thought.

You see, both Peter and Judas were disciples of Jesus Christ.

They both heard the same teaching.

They both had moments of great faith.

They both were tempted, they both failed.

Let us look at the Story of Judas First.

Judas

Judas was a Disciple for about 3 years.

Like most of the disciples, Judas thought that He was going to overthrow Rome and establish a new Kingdom.

He really believes that Jesus was the Messiah.

No doubts!

There were several moments that Judas’s faith was tested and towards the end of Jesus’ ministry here on earth, Judas begins to falter.

The first instance was when Mary poured the expensive ointment on the feet of Jesus.

And then again just before the Last Supper.

Let us look at God’s Word.

Betrays Jesus

Matthew 26:14-16 (NIV)

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

14 Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests 15 and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?”

So they counted out for him thirty silver coins.

16 From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

At this point, we see that Judas had become disillusioned with Jesus as the Messiah, the deliverer.

His faith had faltered.

Then at the Table of the Last Supper.

Matthew 26:20-25 (NIV)

20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve.

21 And while they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.”

22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I, Lord?”

23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.

24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him.

But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man!

It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?”

Jesus answered, “Yes, it is you.”

Here we see that Jesus knew his heart.

He knew that Judas was going to betray him for money.

Friends, Jesus knows our hearts too.

He knows our intentions.

Good or Bad.

Next time we see him is in the Garden.

Matthew 26:47-50 (NIV)

Jesus Arrested

47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived.

With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people.

48 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.”

49 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.

50 Jesus replied, “Friend, do what you came for.”

Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him.

Judas Sins Against Jesus

Here, the betrayal is complete.

Judas has acted on his premeditated thoughts.

He has sinned against His Lord.

Look what happens next.

Judas

Matthew 27:3-8 (NIV)