Latest / Providence Baptist Church - Sermons / Acts 1:12-26

Transcript

Acts 1:12-26 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

0:00
Turn to the book of Acts chapter 1.
0:08
Our text for today will be verses 12-26.
0:18
! Beloved, this is God's word to us.
0:20
It was written for His glory and our good.
0:25
We would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises.
0:29
And obey its commands.
0:32
I read from verse 12.
0:34
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet,
0:38
which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away.
0:43
When they had entered, they went up to the upper room where they were staying,
0:46
Peter and John and James and Andrew,
0:49
Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew,
0:52
James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the zealot and Judas the son of James.
0:57
All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer together with the women
1:02
and Mary, the mother of Jesus and his brothers.
1:05
In those days, Peter stood up among the brothers.
1:08
The company of persons was in all about 120 and said,
1:12
Brothers, the scripture had to be fulfilled,
1:16
which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas,
1:21
who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.
1:24
For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.
1:29
Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness,
1:33
and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out.
1:38
And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
1:41
so that the field was called in their own language,
1:44
Akaldama, that is, field of blood.
1:48
For it is written in the book of Psalms,
1:51
May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it,
1:55
and let another take his office.
1:58
So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the times of the Lord Jesus
2:01
went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John
2:04
until the day when he was taken up from us,
2:07
one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.
2:11
And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas,
2:16
who was also called Justice, and Matthias.
2:19
And they prayed and said,
2:21
You Lord, who knows the hearts of all,
2:24
show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry
2:29
and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.
2:33
And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias,
2:38
and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
2:42
Now the text before us today, on first glance,
2:47
may seem fairly insignificant.
2:50
It seems like a simple historic sidebar of inconsequential facts
2:56
leading up to the great day of Pentecost.
2:59
Last week we looked at the ascension of Jesus Christ,
3:02
and we find ourselves in this ten-day waiting period.
3:06
The disciples are now waiting for the Spirit of God to come upon them,
3:10
and some amazing things begin to happen in chapter 2.
3:15
So, rushing past this, we can just see it as that.
3:18
Just some statement of fact.
3:19
What was going on in those days?
3:20
Well, here's some stuff that they did.
3:21
Let's get on to chapter 2.
3:24
But upon a more careful reading,
3:25
we can note the very early activity of the church of Christ.
3:32
And there are a number of things that they were doing that are worth our attention.
3:37
And so this morning, I want us to note five things together from verses 12-26.
3:43
And the first of those is that they were obedient.
3:51
They were obedient.
3:53
Now, you may miss this if we don't back up to Acts 1, verses 4-5.
3:59
If you're just picking up in our study today with us,
4:02
what were they obedient to?
4:05
Verse 4 says,
4:06
So they were told by Christ before He ascended
4:28
to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the Spirit of God.
4:32
Stay and wait.
4:33
This was the command that was given to them.
4:35
And this is the command that they are being obedient to here in our text.
4:40
Verse 12,
4:41
Then they returned to Jerusalem.
4:43
They were with Jesus on the mount called Olivet.
4:46
They returned about a half a mile back to Jerusalem.
4:51
And they stop and they stay in the upper room.
4:55
It was the place that they were habitating at the time.
4:59
We get this list in verse 13 and 14 and into 15
5:04
of the people that were there.
5:06
They were obedient.
5:09
The they I speak of is recorded for us by Luke.
5:15
Verse 13,
5:15
The remaining eleven apostles.
5:18
Those who had traveled with Christ minus Judas.
5:21
Eleven apostles left.
5:22
We see that the women.
5:24
And this is likely referring to Mary Magdalene.
5:28
Mary the wife of Clopas.
5:30
Mary and Martha.
5:33
And Salome among others.
5:36
Likely other women that were part of the band of disciples.
5:40
Not apostles.
5:41
Disciples.
5:42
Might have been a troubling thing to have the name Mary in this day.
5:45
Of special note amongst the women,
5:48
we see that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was amongst them.
5:53
And I hope that hearing that blesses your heart.
5:56
If I were the Messiah,
5:57
I certainly would want my mother to believe the truth concerning me.
6:03
And we see this evidence here
6:04
that she is still counted amongst those who followed Christ.
6:08
And it shouldn't really be a surprise to us
6:10
that before Jesus' birth,
6:12
Mary fully comprehended and understood who Jesus is.
6:18
Her song of praise recorded by Luke in Luke 1.
6:22
Verse 46 and 47.
6:24
This is the beginning of the Magnificat,
6:27
which is Latin for my soul magnifies.
6:30
So it's the magnification of Christ by Mary.
6:34
Verse 46 says,
6:35
And Mary said,
6:37
My soul magnifies the Lord,
6:40
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
6:45
And here we see here,
6:47
they're doing this very thing.
6:50
We also see a special note,
6:52
Jesus' brothers.
6:54
There's a later mention of a total company of persons
6:58
numbering 120.
7:00
But in the midst of that are Jesus' brothers.
7:03
And Luke's not referring to his spiritual brothers,
7:05
but rather his biological brothers.
7:08
The brothers who had doubted who he was.
7:11
You can read about that in Mark 5.
7:15
Mark 6.3 gives us their names.
7:17
James,
7:18
Joseph,
7:19
Judas,
7:20
and poor Simon didn't get a J name in that mix.
7:25
James and Judas,
7:27
later known as Jude,
7:30
authored part of the New Testament.
7:31
So his brothers have come to faith,
7:34
and they are now following him.
7:36
And so this is the they plus some others,
7:40
numbering 120.
7:43
They were obedient to stay and to wait
7:47
for what God had promised would come.
7:49
Many of us need to learn
7:52
the incredibly important lesson
7:55
of waiting on the Lord.
7:58
The Lord's timing is impeccable.
8:02
He is never early,
8:05
and He is never late.
8:08
He is always right on time.
8:12
We are often so impatient,
8:15
and we will not wait on the Lord.
8:17
What would you have done
8:20
with ten days?
8:23
They've seen Him ascended.
8:25
He has given the command,
8:26
stay and wait.
8:27
And I just have to tell you,
8:29
because I'm not a very patient person,
8:31
I would have had a really difficult time
8:32
doing nothing but wait for ten days.
8:36
It would have been very difficult for me
8:37
not to go,
8:38
look, He gave us commands,
8:39
let's go.
8:40
He said He's sending the Spirit,
8:43
but it hasn't happened yet.
8:44
We've got things to do.
8:46
The time is short and urgent.
8:48
But they stayed,
8:51
and they waited.
8:53
And they were exactly where God
8:55
desired them to be
8:56
when He struck a match,
8:59
placed it in their midst,
9:00
and set a fire of gospel renewal ablaze.
9:04
Praise God, the apostles stayed and waited.
9:08
And we get to see in chapter 2
9:09
what happens when the Spirit of God
9:12
is sent upon them.
9:14
So they were obedient.
9:16
They were also together.
9:21
They were obedient,
9:23
this is secondly,
9:24
they were obedient together
9:26
as a group,
9:29
as a body.
9:31
Beloved, this is the early church.
9:34
Of all the thousands that had followed Christ around
9:37
and heard His teaching,
9:38
this is the faithful few.
9:41
And they are gathered together.
9:46
Now, no one has ever been saved
9:51
by someone else's faith.
9:54
By being a member of a Bible-believing congregation,
9:57
you aren't necessarily a Christian.
10:01
No one has ever been saved
10:02
by someone else's faith.
10:03
When we stand before God
10:05
in the final analysis,
10:07
we will rise or fall
10:09
on the basis
10:10
of our individual faith in Christ
10:13
or lack thereof.
10:16
In that way,
10:18
and only in that way,
10:19
is redemption personal.
10:22
But,
10:25
when we are saved,
10:26
we are saved into a body.
10:29
We become part of a global faith family.
10:34
We are Christ's church.
10:37
Is there an essence of which Christ died for you?
10:41
Yes.
10:41
But Christ ultimately died for His church.
10:44
The notion of a Christianity
10:47
apart from the life of the church
10:49
is completely foreign
10:51
to the pages of the New Testament.
10:55
And it is so for good reason.
10:58
Beloved,
10:59
we need one another.
11:03
No one has grown to the point
11:06
that they no longer need the church.
11:09
The church is a grace to us.
11:11
It is a tool in the hands of the Almighty
11:14
to help bring about our sanctification.
11:17
To have us pursue holiness.
11:19
We need one another.
11:21
I will not grow tired of saying this
11:23
because we all need to hear it.
11:25
The more I mature in Christ,
11:28
the more aware I become
11:30
of my need of the church.
11:33
Not that I ever didn't need it.
11:34
I don't come to realize,
11:36
hey, I now need the church.
11:39
I've always needed the church.
11:42
But the more I grow in Christ,
11:43
the more painfully aware I become
11:46
of my need of You.
11:48
We need one another.
11:52
And that need extends beyond mere attendance.
11:57
Just coming in right at 10.30 or 5.
12:03
Sitting down.
12:05
Hearing sermons preached.
12:07
Hearing songs sung.
12:08
These are good things
12:09
and these are valuable things
12:10
for the Christian life.
12:11
But it is not the expression
12:12
of what the church is meant
12:14
to be doing together.
12:15
Afterward, you say a couple hellos
12:17
and out the door you go.
12:19
We need to be in life together.
12:21
We need to be sharing
12:22
what's happening in us
12:23
by the grace of God.
12:25
We need to be expressing
12:26
those places in which we're challenged
12:28
that we might be encouraged
12:29
and sharpened to live more holy.
12:32
We have to be sharing life together.
12:37
College students,
12:40
many of you have seen the need for this.
12:42
You have planted yourself
12:43
and you've stayed put.
12:44
For those of you who are guests
12:45
with us this morning
12:46
and haven't heard me say it yet,
12:49
you're in a transitionary period
12:50
of your time and I get that.
12:51
I remember those days.
12:53
But you were up here
12:54
nine months out of the year.
12:57
Get invested in a local congregation.
13:00
Don't float from place to place to place
13:03
for the next four years
13:04
because I guarantee you
13:05
your walk with Christ will suffer if you do.
13:08
Find a people to invest your life into
13:11
for the mission of God.
13:14
Be there and be with them
13:16
and be sharpened by them.
13:18
This reminds me of a story
13:19
I once heard John MacArthur tell.
13:21
I've heard other people tell it too,
13:23
but I've got to give somebody the credit.
13:24
So John MacArthur gets it this morning.
13:27
He does it like this.
13:28
A member of a certain church
13:29
who previously had been attending services regularly
13:32
stopped going.
13:34
After a few weeks,
13:35
the pastor decided to visit him.
13:37
It was a chilly evening.
13:39
The pastor found the man at home alone
13:41
sitting before a blazing fire.
13:45
Guessing the reason for the pastor's visit,
13:47
the man welcomed him,
13:48
led him to a big chair near the fireplace,
13:51
and waited.
13:52
The pastor made himself comfortable
13:54
but said nothing.
13:56
In the grave silence,
13:57
he contemplated the play of the flames
13:59
around the burning lungs.
14:01
After some minutes,
14:02
the pastor took the fire tongs,
14:05
carefully picked up a brightly burning ember,
14:07
and placed it to one side of the hearth,
14:10
all alone.
14:11
Then he sat back in his chair,
14:13
still silent.
14:14
The host watched all this
14:15
in quiet fascination.
14:17
As the one lone ember's flame diminished,
14:21
there was a momentary glow,
14:23
and then its fire was no more.
14:25
Soon,
14:25
it was cold
14:26
and dead.
14:28
Not a word had been spoken
14:30
since the initial greeting.
14:31
Just before the pastor was ready to leave,
14:33
he picked up the cold,
14:34
dead ember
14:35
and placed it back
14:36
in the middle of the fire.
14:38
Immediately,
14:39
it began to glow once more
14:40
with the light and warmth
14:41
of the burning coals around it.
14:44
As the pastor reached the door to leave,
14:46
his host said,
14:47
Thank you so much for your visit,
14:50
and especially for the fiery sermon.
14:52
I shall be back in church next Sunday.
14:57
We need one another.
14:59
We need to be preaching the gospel
15:00
to one another
15:01
that our hearts would stay warm to it.
15:04
And note that they were not just together,
15:06
but in verse 14,
15:07
they were together with one accord.
15:11
This is modeled for us,
15:13
the type of unity that they had,
15:14
even before the Spirit of God
15:17
is poured out on the people of God.
15:20
They are so concerned
15:21
with the mission of God in the world,
15:23
the purpose of God in the world,
15:24
that they're together,
15:26
unified around that,
15:28
just that teaching they're unified around.
15:31
It's better.
15:32
It's higher for us today.
15:35
Later, Paul writes to the Ephesians,
15:38
chapter 4, verse 1 through 6,
15:39
I therefore,
15:41
a prisoner for the Lord,
15:42
urge you to walk in a manner
15:43
worthy of the calling
15:44
to which you have been called,
15:46
with all humility and gentleness,
15:49
with patience,
15:50
bearing with one another in love,
15:52
eager to maintain
15:54
the unity of the Spirit.
15:57
Not create,
15:58
but to maintain,
16:00
which is a work,
16:01
it's a discipline,
16:02
but it's a maintenance
16:03
of the unity of the Spirit
16:06
in the bond of peace,
16:08
which already exists in Christ.
16:12
There is one body
16:13
and one Spirit,
16:15
just as you were called to the hope,
16:16
one hope that belongs to your call.
16:18
One Lord,
16:19
one faith,
16:21
one baptism,
16:22
one God and Father of all
16:23
who is over all,
16:24
and through all,
16:26
and in all.
16:28
So this is a discipline for us.
16:31
It's not a thing
16:32
that just happens naturally.
16:34
We are to work
16:35
to maintain
16:37
the unity
16:38
of the Spirit.
16:40
It's a discipline.
16:41
You've got to pick it up
16:42
and you've got to practice it.
16:44
And you've got to do this
16:45
day in
16:46
and day out.
16:49
I know
16:50
that church
16:51
can be so
16:52
frustrating.
16:54
You know how I know that?
16:56
Because I know you guys.
16:58
I'm not immune to that.
17:00
I'm not unaware
17:00
of the challenges
17:01
that face you
17:02
in your involvement
17:03
with the church.
17:05
The church
17:06
is a magnificent
17:07
mess.
17:10
It's a mess
17:11
because it's made of people.
17:15
And it's magnificent
17:16
because it is made of people
17:17
who have been recipients
17:19
of God's grace
17:20
and who are growing
17:21
in God's grace.
17:24
None of us have arrived.
17:25
None of us are perfect.
17:26
But if we are the church,
17:28
we are pictures
17:29
of God's redemptive
17:30
purpose.
17:32
I can look at you
17:33
and I can see Christ
17:34
because I see Him
17:35
at work
17:36
amongst you.
17:38
The existence
17:39
of the church
17:40
is a miracle.
17:42
And it should be viewed
17:43
as such.
17:44
The fact that
17:45
any of us care
17:46
at all
17:47
about the things of God
17:48
this morning
17:48
is a miracle.
17:51
We do not love
17:52
the things of God
17:52
or the work of God
17:54
apart from
17:55
His intervention.
17:56
On the front
17:59
of your bulletin
17:59
there's a quotation
18:01
from Martin Lloyd-Jones.
18:03
We must cease
18:04
to think of the church
18:05
as a gathering
18:06
of institutions
18:07
and organizations
18:08
and we must get back
18:10
to the notion
18:11
that we are
18:12
the people
18:13
of God.
18:16
If you go to
18:17
your favorite restaurant
18:18
and you're treated rudely
18:19
and the food
18:20
isn't cooked well,
18:21
go someplace else.
18:23
I encourage it.
18:24
I love the free market.
18:25
It put bad businesses
18:26
out of business.
18:28
That is not
18:29
the church.
18:31
We're a people
18:32
called together
18:33
by God's grace
18:33
for His glory
18:35
and we are in
18:36
process.
18:38
We need
18:39
to love
18:40
one another
18:40
in that process.
18:42
Don't expect
18:43
perfection
18:43
from me
18:44
or anyone else
18:45
in this congregation
18:46
because you will
18:47
always be sadly
18:48
disappointed.
18:50
So they were
18:51
obedient
18:52
and they were
18:53
together
18:54
and thirdly,
18:56
they were
18:57
prayerful.
18:59
They were together
19:00
and they were,
19:01
verse 14,
19:02
devoting
19:02
themselves
19:03
to prayer.
19:06
The Greek word
19:07
for devoting
19:07
is a very
19:08
strong
19:09
word.
19:11
Here in ESV,
19:11
which I'm preaching
19:12
from,
19:12
it simply says
19:13
devoting.
19:14
The New American
19:15
Standard Bible
19:15
renders this
19:16
continually
19:17
devoting.
19:18
The verb has
19:19
a continual
19:20
action.
19:20
I would add
19:21
to it
19:21
continually
19:22
and fervently
19:24
devoting
19:24
themselves
19:25
to prayer.
19:26
This was
19:27
the major
19:27
part of
19:28
their activity
19:28
in this
19:29
time of
19:30
waiting.
19:31
What were
19:32
they praying
19:33
for?
19:35
Some have
19:35
suggested the
19:36
Spirit
19:36
and that
19:37
that becomes
19:38
part of the
19:38
equation for
19:39
us as
19:40
Christians.
19:41
A second
19:41
baptism and
19:42
we must pray
19:43
that God
19:43
would give
19:44
us the
19:44
Spirit.
19:45
We are
19:45
granted the
19:46
Spirit of
19:46
God when
19:47
we place
19:47
faith in
19:48
Christ.
19:49
And they
19:49
were not
19:49
told to
19:50
pray for
19:50
the Spirit.
19:51
They were
19:52
told to
19:52
wait for
19:53
the Spirit.
19:54
So what
19:55
were they
19:55
praying?
19:57
And we
19:57
cannot know
19:58
for sure.
19:59
We see
20:00
some evidence
20:00
that they
20:00
certainly
20:01
asked the
20:01
Lord who
20:02
should replace
20:02
Judas.
20:03
That's
20:03
evidence of
20:04
a specific
20:05
thing that
20:06
they prayed
20:06
for.
20:06
We don't
20:07
know with
20:07
confidence,
20:08
but I
20:08
suggest that
20:10
they were
20:10
praying the
20:11
way that
20:12
they were
20:12
taught to
20:12
pray.
20:14
They asked
20:14
the Lord,
20:15
how should
20:16
we pray?
20:17
He said
20:18
to them in
20:18
Matthew 6,
20:19
9-13,
20:20
Our Father
20:20
in heaven,
20:22
hallowed be
20:22
your name.
20:24
Your kingdom
20:24
come,
20:24
your will be
20:25
done on
20:25
earth as
20:26
it is in
20:26
heaven.
20:27
Give us
20:27
this day
20:28
our daily
20:28
bread and
20:29
forgive us
20:29
our debts
20:30
as we
20:30
also have
20:31
forgiven
20:31
our debtors.
20:33
And lead
20:33
us not
20:34
into temptation,
20:35
but deliver
20:36
us from
20:37
evil.
20:38
Jesus was
20:39
teaching them
20:39
how they
20:40
should pray.
20:41
He wasn't
20:42
saying pray
20:42
this,
20:43
He was
20:43
saying pray
20:44
like this.
20:46
Which doesn't
20:46
make praying
20:47
the Lord's
20:47
prayer wrong
20:48
if your
20:49
heart is
20:50
in it
20:50
and you
20:50
desire
20:51
these things
20:52
to come
20:52
to bear.
20:54
But what
20:54
He was
20:54
giving for
20:55
them was
20:55
a pattern
20:56
of how
20:56
they should
20:57
pray.
20:57
These are
20:58
the things
20:58
you should
20:59
be concerned
21:00
about and
21:01
lifting up
21:01
to me.
21:02
If we
21:02
don't view
21:03
this this
21:03
way,
21:03
it's possible
21:04
what,
21:04
did they
21:04
just recant
21:05
this thing
21:06
over and
21:06
over and
21:06
over again?
21:07
I don't
21:07
believe so.
21:08
I believe
21:09
they were
21:09
praying
21:10
things in
21:12
the will
21:12
of the
21:13
Father as
21:13
outlined by
21:14
the Lord's
21:15
prayer.
21:15
They were
21:16
continually
21:17
and fervently
21:18
devoting
21:19
themselves to
21:20
pray for
21:20
the things
21:21
of God.
21:23
That His
21:23
kingdom come,
21:24
that He bring
21:24
about holiness
21:25
in their lives,
21:25
that they be
21:26
able to
21:26
resist evil.
21:28
And rightly
21:28
so,
21:29
as they were
21:30
the people
21:31
of God.
21:32
They were
21:33
a church.
21:35
Again,
21:36
on the front
21:36
of your
21:36
bulletin,
21:37
another Spurgeon
21:38
quotation,
21:39
the condition
21:40
of the church
21:41
may be very
21:42
accurately gauged
21:43
by its prayer
21:44
meetings.
21:45
Let this
21:46
sink into
21:47
you.
21:48
The condition
21:49
of the church
21:50
may be very
21:51
accurately gauged
21:53
by its prayer
21:54
meetings.
21:55
So is the
21:56
prayer meeting
21:57
a grace-o-meter,
21:59
and from it
21:59
we may judge
22:00
of the amount
22:01
of divine
22:01
working among
22:03
a people.
22:04
If God
22:05
be near a
22:05
church,
22:06
it must
22:07
pray.
22:08
And if He
22:08
be not there,
22:09
one of the
22:10
first tokens
22:11
of His
22:11
absence
22:12
will be
22:13
a slothfulness
22:14
in prayer.
22:17
Why do the
22:18
people of
22:18
God
22:19
pray?
22:20
The people
22:21
of God
22:21
pray because
22:23
they desire
22:24
with their
22:24
very being
22:25
all that
22:26
they are,
22:27
all that
22:28
they want,
22:29
is to see
22:29
the purposes
22:30
of God
22:30
accomplished.
22:31
And they
22:32
know that
22:32
this will
22:33
not happen
22:34
apart from
22:35
the power
22:35
of God.
22:37
I'll say that
22:38
to you again.
22:38
The people
22:38
of God
22:39
pray because
22:40
they desire
22:40
to see the
22:40
purposes of
22:41
God
22:41
accomplished,
22:42
and they
22:42
know that
22:43
this will
22:43
not happen
22:44
apart from
22:46
the power
22:46
of God.
22:48
There's a
22:48
thing that
22:49
we want to
22:50
see done,
22:51
and we know
22:51
it cannot
22:52
be done
22:52
unless God
22:53
does it.
22:55
And He gives
22:56
to us the
22:56
tool of
22:57
prayer.
22:57
He uses
22:58
His people
22:58
because He
22:59
loves us
22:59
to accomplish
23:00
His will.
23:01
So He moves
23:02
us to pray
23:02
that He will
23:03
act.
23:04
And that is
23:05
why the
23:05
people of
23:06
God
23:07
pray.
23:10
Beloved, we
23:10
have opportunities
23:11
to gather
23:12
and pray
23:12
corporately.
23:14
Your personal
23:14
prayer life is
23:15
of vital
23:16
importance to
23:16
you.
23:17
What this
23:17
old saint
23:18
called closet
23:19
prayer, that
23:20
quiet time,
23:21
you and the
23:21
Lord praying
23:22
together.
23:23
And I
23:23
encourage that.
23:24
But now,
23:25
in this text,
23:26
I want to
23:27
encourage corporate
23:28
prayer.
23:30
We pray in
23:31
our community
23:31
outreach group
23:32
meetings.
23:32
If you're not
23:32
part of one,
23:33
you should be.
23:34
We have
23:35
prayer meetings
23:36
every Sunday
23:37
morning at
23:37
nine o'clock.
23:38
That's not
23:39
early.
23:42
Six a.m.
23:42
is early.
23:43
Nine a.m.
23:44
is not
23:45
early.
23:45
You can get
23:46
up and make
23:46
it to this.
23:47
Come and
23:48
join God's
23:48
people in
23:50
prayer.
23:52
Form prayer
23:52
meetings.
23:53
Do it
23:53
any time.
23:54
I don't care
23:55
when it
23:55
happens.
23:56
You just
23:57
can't pull
23:57
it off on
23:58
Sunday
23:58
morning?
23:58
Find another
23:59
time that
24:00
you can get
24:00
a group of
24:00
people together
24:01
and pray
24:02
that God
24:03
would accomplish
24:03
His purposes
24:04
in our
24:05
world.
24:07
You recall
24:07
that after
24:08
Jesus cleared
24:08
the temple
24:09
of money
24:09
changers,
24:10
He reminded
24:11
the people
24:12
in Matthew
24:12
21-13,
24:13
My house
24:14
shall be
24:15
called a
24:16
house of
24:17
prayer.
24:18
And He
24:18
was not
24:18
referring to
24:19
this building
24:20
or any
24:21
other.
24:21
He was
24:22
saying,
24:22
My people
24:24
will be a
24:24
people who
24:25
pray.
24:28
So they
24:28
were obedient.
24:30
They were
24:30
together.
24:32
They were
24:32
prayerful.
24:33
And fourthly,
24:35
they were
24:36
scripturally
24:38
concerned,
24:38
or scriptural
24:40
if you
24:40
prefer.
24:41
They were
24:42
concerned about
24:42
what it was
24:43
the Scriptures
24:44
had to say.
24:45
They had
24:45
already turned
24:46
their attention
24:47
to the Old
24:48
Testament
24:48
text.
24:50
Beginning
24:51
in verse
24:51
16,
24:54
Peter stands
24:55
up and
24:55
makes a
24:56
speech
24:57
amongst
24:58
the 120
24:59
who are
24:59
gathered
25:00
there.
25:01
Brothers,
25:01
the Scripture
25:02
had to
25:04
be
25:04
fulfilled.
25:06
There's
25:06
an element
25:06
of which
25:06
it has
25:07
already
25:07
been
25:07
fulfilled.
25:08
Judas
25:08
has
25:08
already
25:09
betrayed
25:09
Christ.
25:10
And there
25:11
is an
25:11
action
25:12
that's
25:12
about
25:12
to
25:12
take
25:12
place
25:13
where
25:13
it
25:13
will
25:13
continue
25:14
to be
25:14
fulfilled.
25:15
It
25:15
has
25:16
to be
25:16
fulfilled.
25:17
God
25:17
does
25:17
not
25:17
lie.
25:18
Everything
25:18
that the
25:19
Scripture
25:19
says
25:19
will
25:19
come
25:20
to
25:20
pass
25:20
will
25:20
come
25:21
to
25:21
pass.
25:22
And
25:22
they're
25:22
concerned
25:22
about
25:22
this.
25:24
Which
25:24
the
25:24
Holy
25:24
Spirit
25:24
spoke
25:25
before
25:25
him
25:25
by
25:26
the
25:26
mouth
25:26
!
25:27
concerning
25:28
Judas
25:29
who
25:29
became
25:29
a
25:30
guide
25:30
to
25:30
those
25:30
who
25:31
arrested
25:31
Jesus.
25:32
For
25:33
he
25:33
was
25:33
numbered
25:33
among
25:34
us
25:34
and
25:35
was
25:35
allotted
25:35
to
25:35
share
25:36
in
25:37
his
25:37
ministry.
25:39
Now
25:39
this
25:39
man
25:39
acquired
25:39
a field
25:39
with
25:40
reward
25:40
of
25:40
his
25:40
wickedness
25:41
and
25:41
falling
25:41
headlong
25:42
he
25:42
burst
25:42
open
25:43
in the
25:43
middle
25:43
and
25:44
all
25:44
of
25:44
his
25:44
bowels
25:44
gushed
25:45
out.
25:46
And
25:46
it
25:46
became
25:46
known
25:46
to
25:46
all
25:47
the
25:47
inhabitants
25:58
a
25:58
lot
25:58
about
25:58
the
25:59
particular
25:59
nature
25:59
of
26:00
the
26:00
way
26:00
that
26:00
Judas
26:01
died
26:01
but
26:01
he
26:01
died
26:01
horribly.
26:04
I
26:04
also
26:04
want
26:04
to
26:04
say
26:04
that
26:05
this
26:05
account
26:05
Luke's
26:06
account
26:06
in
26:06
Acts
26:06
does
26:07
not
26:07
contradict
26:07
Matthew's
26:08
account
26:08
in
26:08
27.5
26:09
although
26:09
it
26:10
seems
26:10
to
26:10
on
26:10
the
26:11
surface
26:11
27.5
26:12
says
26:12
in
26:12
throwing
26:13
down
26:13
the
26:13
pieces
26:14
of
26:14
silver
26:14
into
26:14
the
26:14
temple
26:15
he
26:16
departed
26:16
and
26:17
he
26:17
went
26:17
and
26:18
hanged
26:18
himself.
26:19
So
26:19
these
26:19
two
26:20
separate
26:20
accounts
26:21
we
26:21
need
26:21
to
26:21
reconcile
26:28
is that
26:28
he
26:29
hung
26:30
himself
26:30
poorly
26:30
so
26:31
that
26:31
he
26:32
did
26:32
in
26:32
fact
26:32
hang
26:33
himself
26:33
but
26:33
he
26:33
did
26:34
so
26:34
in
26:34
a
26:34
rather
26:35
shoddy
26:35
manner
26:36
maybe
26:36
the
26:36
knot
26:36
broke
26:37
or
26:37
he
26:37
picked
26:37
a
26:38
bad
26:38
branch
26:39
from
26:39
which
26:39
to
26:40
hang
26:40
himself
26:41
MacArthur
26:42
suggests
26:42
that
26:43
he
26:43
hung
26:43
himself
26:43
on
26:43
the
26:44
edge
26:44
of
26:44
a
26:44
cliff
26:44
so
26:45
that
26:45
when
26:45
whatever
26:46
failed
26:47
in
26:47
the
26:47
system
26:47
failed
26:48
he
26:48
actually
26:48
fell
26:49
off
26:49
the
26:49
side
26:49
of
26:49
a
26:49
cliff
26:50
and
26:50
he
26:50
cites
26:50
a
26:50
relief
26:51
in
26:51
a
26:52
cathedral
26:52
who
26:53
knows
26:53
if
26:53
this
26:54
is
26:54
true
26:54
or
26:55
not
26:55
but
26:55
it
26:55
would
26:55
seem
26:55
that
26:56
quite
26:56
possibly
26:57
if
26:57
we're
26:57
going to
26:57
reconcile
26:57
these
26:58
two
26:58
that
26:58
he
26:58
hung
26:58
himself
26:59
poorly
26:59
and
27:00
therefore
27:00
fell
27:02
when
27:02
he
27:02
was
27:03
hung
27:03
he
27:04
fell
27:04
and
27:04
was
27:05
split
27:05
in
27:05
half
27:06
so
27:06
that
27:06
his
27:07
entrails
27:07
became
27:08
his
27:09
X
27:09
trails
27:09
sometimes
27:20
I don't
27:20
think
27:20
before
27:21
I
27:21
talk
27:21
and
27:24
tradition
27:24
holds
27:25
that
27:25
the
27:25
authorities
27:26
use
27:27
the
27:27
money
27:27
to
27:28
buy
27:28
a
27:28
field
27:28
in
27:28
which
27:28
Judas
27:29
was
27:29
buried
27:29
so
27:30
the
27:30
field
27:31
was
27:31
purchased
27:31
by
27:32
him
27:32
because
27:32
it
27:32
was
27:32
purchased
27:33
by
27:33
the
27:33
money
27:34
that
27:34
he
27:34
was
27:34
given
27:34
for
27:34
the
27:34
betrayal
27:35
so
27:35
he
27:35
tosses
27:36
the
27:36
money
27:36
back
27:37
they
27:37
go
27:37
and
27:38
buy
27:38
him
27:38
a
27:38
field
27:38
and
27:38
he's
27:39
buried
27:39
there
27:39
in
27:39
that
27:40
field
27:40
and
27:40
so
27:40
that's
27:40
how
27:41
we
27:41
reconcile
27:42
these
27:42
two
27:42
So
27:43
!
27:43
Luke's
27:43
!
27:43
account
27:43
doesn't
27:44
contradict
27:45
then
27:45
but rather
27:46
it just
27:46
augments
27:47
Matthew's
27:48
account
27:49
verse 20
27:50
for it is
27:52
written in
27:52
the book
27:52
of Psalms
27:53
may his
27:53
camp
27:54
become
27:54
desolate
27:55
and let
27:56
there be
27:56
no one
27:57
to dwell
27:57
in it
27:58
and let
27:58
another
27:59
take
28:00
his
28:00
office
28:01
So
28:02
Peter
28:02
cites
28:03
from
28:03
Psalm
28:03
three
28:04
different
28:04
times
28:04
Psalm
28:06
55
28:06
12
28:06
15
28:07
predicts
28:07
the
28:08
betrayal
28:08
Psalm
28:09
69
28:10
25
28:10
tells
28:11
of his
28:11
removal
28:11
from
28:12
his
28:12
apostolic
28:13
office
28:13
and
28:14
Psalm
28:15
109
28:15
8
28:16
promises
28:16
his
28:17
replacement
28:18
and that's
28:19
where they
28:19
find
28:20
themselves
28:20
so they
28:21
knew
28:21
what the
28:22
scripture
28:22
said
28:23
concerning
28:23
Judas
28:24
that his
28:24
betrayal
28:24
removal
28:25
and need
28:25
for
28:25
replacement
28:26
had to
28:27
be
28:27
fulfilled
28:28
so they
28:30
set about
28:30
the work
28:31
of doing
28:32
that
28:32
let me
28:34
ask
28:35
how aware
28:36
are we
28:37
of the
28:37
predictions
28:38
and promises
28:39
of God
28:40
in the
28:41
scripture
28:42
how much
28:43
time do we
28:43
set forth
28:44
to understand
28:45
the promises
28:46
of God
28:47
in the
28:48
scripture
28:49
I ask
28:49
again
28:50
what would
28:50
we
28:50
have
28:51
done
28:51
with
28:51
those
28:52
ten
28:52
days
28:53
I
28:54
hope
28:54
the
28:54
answer
28:55
would be
28:55
that we
28:55
would be
28:55
here
28:56
and we
28:56
would be
28:56
looking
28:57
we'd be
28:58
waiting
28:58
but looking
28:59
to the
28:59
scripture
29:00
what needs
29:01
to be
29:01
done
29:02
how can
29:02
we better
29:03
equip
29:03
ourselves
29:04
in
29:05
the
29:06
waiting
29:06
do
29:08
do we
29:08
do we
29:08
believe
29:09
that the
29:10
Bible
29:10
is a
29:11
sufficient
29:12
guide
29:12
for faith
29:13
and practice
29:14
and beloved
29:15
if we do
29:16
if we truly
29:17
believe that
29:17
that's true
29:18
we will
29:19
treat it
29:19
much
29:20
differently
29:20
than I
29:21
fear we
29:21
so often
29:22
do
29:22
it's a
29:23
precious
29:24
book
29:24
a precious
29:25
book to
29:26
be read
29:27
and believed
29:28
we don't want
29:29
to be an
29:29
illiterate
29:30
people
29:30
you remember
29:30
one of our
29:31
goals for
29:31
this study
29:32
of the
29:32
book of
29:32
Acts
29:33
is to
29:33
better
29:34
love
29:35
and understand
29:36
the
29:36
scripture
29:37
so they
29:39
were
29:39
scripturally
29:40
concerned
29:41
and then
29:41
fifthly
29:42
and lastly
29:42
they were
29:44
submissive
29:46
to
29:47
apostolic
29:48
authority
29:50
they were
29:52
submissive
29:53
to
29:54
apostolic
29:55
authority
29:56
so this
29:58
issue
29:58
is before
29:59
them
29:59
that they
29:59
need to
29:59
replace
30:00
Judas
30:01
the
30:01
scripture
30:01
has said
30:02
that he
30:02
needs
30:03
to be
30:03
replaced
30:04
and let
30:04
me
30:04
remind
30:05
you
30:05
that at
30:06
this
30:06
time
30:06
there
30:06
are
30:06
only
30:07
in this
30:07
text
30:07
there
30:08
are
30:08
eleven
30:08
by the
30:09
end
30:09
of the
30:09
text
30:09
there
30:10
are
30:10
twelve
30:11
who
30:11
are
30:11
considered
30:12
apostles
30:12
the rest
30:13
of the
30:13
people
30:13
there
30:14
are
30:14
not
30:15
at
30:16
this
30:16
point
30:16
in
30:16
time
30:17
they're
30:17
considered
30:17
to be
30:18
disciples
30:18
of
30:19
Jesus
30:19
Christ
30:20
there's
30:20
a
30:20
distinction
30:21
made
30:22
there
30:22
and so
30:23
as Peter
30:23
stands
30:23
up
30:24
and
30:24
states
30:25
this
30:25
case
30:26
they
30:26
are
30:26
submitting
30:27
to
30:27
his
30:27
authority
30:27
!
30:28
in
30:29
addition
30:30
to
30:30
that
30:30
they're
30:31
submitting
30:31
themselves
30:32
to
30:32
this
30:33
laid
30:34
out
30:34
criteria
30:35
for
30:35
apostleship
30:36
here
30:36
in our
30:36
text
30:37
so
30:37
verse
30:37
twenty
30:37
one
30:38
so
30:39
one
30:39
of the
30:39
men
30:39
who
30:39
have
30:39
accompanied
30:39
us
30:40
during
30:40
all
30:40
the
30:40
times
30:41
the
30:41
Lord
30:41
Jesus
30:41
went
30:41
in
30:42
and
30:42
out
30:42
among
30:42
us
30:42
beginning
30:43
from
30:43
the
30:43
baptism
30:44
of
30:44
John
30:44
until
30:45
the
30:45
day
30:45
when
30:46
he
30:46
was
30:46
taken
30:46
up
30:46
from
30:46
us
30:47
one
30:47
of
30:47
these
30:47
men
30:47
must
30:48
become
30:48
with
30:48
us
30:49
a
30:49
witness
30:49
to
30:50
his
30:50
resurrection
30:51
so
30:52
there's
30:53
criteria
30:53
laid
30:54
out
30:54
by
30:54
Peter
30:55
here
30:55
for
30:56
apostleship
30:58
Firstly
30:58
they must
30:59
have been
31:00
part
31:00
of the
31:00
band
31:01
of
31:01
disciples
31:01
from
31:02
the
31:02
beginning
31:02
of
31:03
Jesus'
31:03
ministry
31:03
that's
31:04
what
31:04
he's
31:04
referring
31:04
to
31:05
when
31:05
he
31:05
talks
31:05
about
31:05
the
31:05
baptism
31:06
of
31:06
John
31:06
and
31:08
remained
31:08
with
31:08
Jesus
31:09
to
31:09
the
31:09
end
31:10
of
31:10
his
31:10
ministry
31:10
he
31:11
didn't
31:11
get
31:11
to
31:11
be
31:11
one
31:11
of
31:11
the
31:12
disciples
31:12
that
31:12
are
31:12
recorded
31:13
that
31:13
blanked
31:13
out
31:13
on
31:14
him
31:14
he
31:14
talks
31:15
about
31:15
eating
31:15
!
31:23
Notice
31:23
that
31:24
none
31:24
of
31:24
Jesus'
31:25
brothers
31:25
are
31:26
asked
31:26
to
31:26
be
31:26
apostles
31:27
Secondly
31:31
they must
31:32
have
31:32
been
31:32
an
31:32
eyewitness
31:33
to
31:34
the
31:34
resurrection
31:35
at
31:36
the
31:36
end
31:36
of
31:36
verse
31:36
22
31:37
one
31:37
of
31:37
these
31:37
men
31:38
must
31:38
become
31:38
with
31:38
us
31:39
a
31:39
witness
31:39
to
31:40
his
31:41
resurrection
31:41
they
31:42
must
31:42
have
31:42
actually
31:43
seen
31:43
him
31:44
physically
31:44
post
31:45
resurrection
31:45
and
31:47
thirdly
31:48
they
31:50
must
31:50
have
31:50
been
31:50
commissioned
31:51
by
31:52
God
31:53
Jesus
31:55
selected
31:56
the
31:56
twelve
31:57
Judas
31:57
departs
31:58
from
31:58
his
31:58
office
31:59
Matthias
32:01
chosen
32:02
through
32:02
the
32:03
casting
32:03
of
32:04
lots
32:05
verse
32:06
23
32:06
they
32:07
put
32:07
forward
32:08
two
32:08
they
32:08
selected
32:09
two
32:09
men
32:09
who
32:10
fit
32:10
these
32:10
criteria
32:11
there
32:11
may
32:11
have
32:11
been
32:11
more
32:12
there
32:12
but
32:13
the
32:13
apostles
32:13
selected
32:13
two
32:14
they
32:14
thought
32:14
were
32:14
worthy
32:15
of
32:15
the
32:15
office
32:16
Joseph
32:16
called
32:17
Barsabbas
32:18
who
32:18
was
32:18
also
32:18
called
32:18
Justice
32:19
and
32:19
Matthias
32:21
and
32:22
they
32:22
prayed
32:22
and
32:23
said
32:23
you
32:23
Lord
32:23
who
32:24
know
32:24
the
32:24
hearts
32:25
of
32:25
all
32:25
show
32:25
which
32:26
one
32:26
of
32:26
these
32:26
two
32:26
you
32:27
have
32:27
chosen
32:28
to
32:28
take
32:29
the
32:29
place
32:29
in
32:29
this
32:29
ministry
32:30
and
32:30
apostleship
32:30
from
32:30
which
32:31
Judas
32:31
turned
32:31
aside
32:31
to
32:31
go
32:32
to
32:32
his
32:32
own
32:32
place
32:33
and
32:33
they
32:33
cast
32:34
lots
32:34
for
32:35
them
32:35
and
32:36
the
32:36
lot
32:36
fell
32:36
on
32:36
Matthias
32:37
and
32:37
he
32:37
was
32:38
numbered
32:38
with
32:39
the
32:39
eleven
32:39
apostles
32:40
now
32:40
this
32:41
morning
32:41
for
32:42
time
32:42
and
32:43
because
32:43
I'm
32:43
just
32:43
not
32:43
sure
32:51
lots
32:51
and
32:51
it
32:52
made
32:52
me
32:52
uncomfortable
32:52
I
32:54
wasn't
32:54
so
32:54
sure
32:55
about
32:55
it
32:55
but
32:55
historically
32:57
we should
32:58
understand
32:58
why
32:59
they
32:59
did
32:59
it
32:59
here
32:59
and
33:00
R.C.
33:01
Sproul
33:01
wrote
33:01
this
33:02
concerning
33:02
it
33:02
in
33:03
choosing
33:03
lots
33:03
they
33:03
were
33:04
following
33:04
an
33:05
ancient
33:06
tradition
33:06
in
33:06
the
33:07
Old
33:07
Testament
33:07
involving
33:08
the
33:09
use
33:09
of
33:09
the
33:09
urim
33:10
and
33:10
thumim
33:11
which
33:11
were
33:11
symbols
33:12
on
33:12
the
33:12
breastplate
33:13
When
33:14
Old
33:14
Testament
33:14
priests
33:15
were
33:15
unable
33:15
to
33:15
discern
33:16
the
33:16
will
33:16
of
33:16
God
33:16
they
33:16
prayerfully
33:17
cast
33:18
lots
33:18
the
33:18
outcome
33:19
of
33:19
which
33:19
was
33:20
determined
33:20
by
33:21
the
33:21
providence
33:22
of
33:22
God
33:23
so
33:24
the
33:24
apostles
33:24
used
33:25
this
33:25
old
33:25
practice
33:25
which
33:26
they
33:26
still
33:26
believed
33:27
and
33:27
apparently
33:27
it
33:28
was
33:28
otherwise
33:29
I
33:29
believe
33:29
God
33:29
would
33:29
have
33:30
intervened
33:30
in
33:30
the
33:30
process
33:31
an
33:32
appropriate
33:32
practice
33:33
in
33:33
this
33:33
case
33:33
and
33:34
this
33:34
is
33:34
the
33:34
way
33:35
that
33:35
God
33:35
showed
33:35
them
33:36
whether
33:36
they
33:36
should
33:36
select
33:37
between
33:37
these
33:38
two
33:38
men
33:38
Joseph
33:38
called
33:38
Barsabbas
33:39
also
33:40
Justice
33:40
and
33:41
Matthias
33:42
and
33:42
the
33:42
lot
33:42
falls
33:47
let me
33:48
say
33:48
that
33:48
we
33:48
often
33:48
use
33:49
the
33:49
term
33:50
disciple
33:51
and
33:52
capital
33:53
A
33:54
apostle
33:54
the
33:55
office
33:55
of
33:56
apostle
33:56
interchangeably
33:58
in
33:58
referring
33:58
to
33:59
the
33:59
twelve
33:59
we
34:00
preach
34:00
through
34:01
Mark's
34:02
gospel
34:02
and
34:03
I
34:03
believe
34:03
I
34:03
did
34:04
that
34:04
a
34:04
lot
34:04
I'm
34:05
guilty
34:05
of
34:05
doing
34:05
so
34:06
just
34:06
interchanging
34:06
disciple
34:07
apostle
34:07
back
34:08
and
34:08
forth
34:08
but
34:08
this
34:08
can
34:09
be
34:09
a
34:09
mistake
34:09
it's
34:10
possible
34:10
that
34:10
this
34:11
is
34:11
a
34:11
mistake
34:12
disciple
34:13
the
34:13
Greek
34:13
for it
34:14
simply
34:14
means
34:14
a
34:15
student
34:15
or a
34:16
learner
34:16
the
34:18
idea
34:18
of
34:19
apostle
34:19
uppercase
34:20
is
34:21
much
34:22
weightier
34:22
an
34:23
apostle
34:24
uppercase
34:25
Greek
34:25
was an
34:26
ambassador
34:26
commissioned
34:28
by a
34:29
king
34:29
so
34:31
it has
34:31
a
34:31
greater
34:31
deal
34:32
of
34:32
weight
34:32
to it
34:32
so
34:33
all
34:33
of
34:33
the
34:34
capital
34:34
A
34:34
apostles
34:35
were
34:35
disciples
34:36
but
34:37
not
34:37
all
34:37
of
34:37
the
34:38
disciples
34:38
were
34:39
or
34:40
are
34:40
capital
34:41
A
34:41
apostles
34:42
so
34:43
you
34:43
hear
34:44
me
34:44
clearly
34:44
there
34:44
now
34:45
there
34:45
is
34:45
a
34:45
sense
34:46
of
34:46
which
34:46
we
34:47
now
34:47
as
34:47
Christians
34:48
are
34:48
ambassadors
34:49
for
34:50
Christ
34:50
we've
34:50
been
34:50
made
34:51
ministers
34:51
of
34:52
reconciliation
34:53
there
34:53
is an
34:54
apostolic
34:55
sense
34:55
to what
34:56
we do
34:56
but we
34:58
are not
34:58
and never
34:59
will be
34:59
anybody
35:00
today
35:00
capital
35:01
A
35:01
apostles
35:02
okay
35:04
so
35:05
here's
35:06
these
35:06
criteria
35:06
I've
35:07
laid out
35:07
for you
35:07
the
35:08
three
35:08
find
35:09
them
35:09
here
35:09
in
35:09
this
35:09
text
35:10
what
35:11
about
35:11
Paul
35:12
the
35:13
thirteenth
35:14
we
35:15
refer
35:16
to
35:17
Paul
35:17
as
35:18
an
35:18
apostle
35:18
capital
35:19
A
35:19
as
35:20
he
35:20
does
35:20
so
35:21
himself
35:21
in
35:22
fact
35:23
he
35:23
takes
35:23
great
35:24
labor
35:24
and
35:25
Luke
35:25
takes
35:25
great
35:26
labor
35:26
a number
35:26
of
35:26
times
35:27
in
35:27
Acts
35:28
to
35:29
present
35:29
him
35:30
as
35:30
an
35:30
apostle
35:31
capital
35:31
A
35:32
for
35:33
the
35:33
sake
35:33
of
35:34
his
35:35
apostolic
35:35
authority
35:36
to speak
35:36
on behalf
35:37
of
35:37
God
35:38
amongst
35:38
the
35:38
churches
35:39
of
35:40
the
35:40
Gentiles
35:40
one
35:42
example
35:42
him
35:43
stating
35:43
this
35:44
Galatians
35:44
1
35:44
1
35:45
Paul
35:45
an
35:46
apostle
35:46
capital
35:48
A
35:48
not
35:49
from
35:49
men
35:49
nor
35:50
through
35:50
man
35:51
but
35:52
through
35:52
Jesus
35:53
Christ
35:53
and
35:53
God
35:54
the
35:54
Father
35:54
who
35:55
raised
35:55
him
35:55
from
35:57
the
35:57
dead
35:57
Paul
35:58
did
35:59
not
35:59
possess
35:59
the
35:59
first
36:00
two
36:00
criteria
36:01
he
36:02
had
36:02
not
36:02
been
36:02
with
36:02
Jesus
36:03
through
36:03
the
36:03
entirety
36:04
of
36:04
his
36:04
ministry
36:04
in
36:04
fact
36:05
he
36:05
had
36:05
not
36:05
been
36:05
with
36:05
Jesus
36:05
during
36:06
any
36:06
of
36:07
his
36:07
earthly
36:07
ministry
36:08
and
36:09
he
36:09
had
36:10
not
36:10
been
36:10
an
36:10
eyewitness
36:11
to
36:11
the
36:11
resurrection
36:12
he
36:12
had
36:12
not
36:13
seen
36:13
Jesus
36:14
post
36:15
resurrection
36:15
pre
36:16
ascension
36:16
he
36:17
sees a
36:18
vision
36:18
of him
36:18
on the
36:19
road
36:19
to
36:19
Damascus
36:19
but
36:20
he
36:20
didn't
36:20
see
36:20
him
36:21
in
36:21
the
36:21
flesh
36:22
post
36:23
resurrection
36:23
pre
36:24
ascension
36:25
however
36:26
he
36:27
did
36:27
possess
36:27
the
36:27
third
36:28
he
36:28
was
36:28
commissioned
36:29
by
36:30
God
36:31
by
36:31
Christ
36:32
himself
36:32
on
36:32
the
36:33
Damascus
36:33
road
36:34
and
36:34
told
36:35
to
36:35
go
36:35
take
36:36
the
36:36
gospel
36:36
to
36:37
the
36:37
Gentiles
36:38
so
36:40
those are
36:40
the criteria
36:41
for
36:41
Paul
36:41
right
36:42
why
36:42
can
36:43
no
36:43
one
36:43
today
36:43
if
36:44
those
36:44
are
36:44
the
36:44
criteria
36:44
he
36:44
meets
36:45
one
36:45
of
36:45
the
36:45
three
36:46
why
36:46
can
36:46
no
36:47
one
36:47
today
36:47
claim
36:48
to
36:48
be
36:48
an
36:49
apostle
36:49
why
36:49
can
36:49
I
36:50
not
36:50
come
36:50
to
36:50
you
36:50
and
36:50
say
36:51
I
36:51
had
36:51
a
36:51
vision
36:52
on
36:52
my
36:52
drive
36:53
from
36:53
here
36:53
to
36:54
my
36:54
house
36:54
Jesus
36:55
Christ
36:56
told
36:56
me
36:56
that
36:57
I
36:57
am
36:57
an
36:58
apostle
36:58
and
36:59
I
36:59
now
36:59
speak
37:00
!
37:00
on
37:00
behalf
37:00
of
37:00
God
37:01
and
37:07
be
37:07
very
37:08
very
37:08
very
37:08
wary
37:09
beloved
37:09
of
37:09
anyone
37:09
who
37:10
does
37:10
this
37:10
the
37:12
reason
37:13
is
37:13
because
37:13
Paul
37:14
was
37:15
confirmed
37:15
by
37:16
other
37:17
apostles
37:18
Galatians
37:20
chapter 2
37:21
verses 1
37:22
through 10
37:22
I'm not going to go to the text or read the text but I want you to get these notes down and look at the text together
37:28
!
37:28
Again here for the sake of time
37:30
but I want you to note the following verse 2
37:32
Paul did this to be sure that is received the confirmation that he was truly teaching and preaching the truth.
37:48
So God tells him go to Jerusalem make sure get this confirmation from the elders.
37:53
In verse 6 the elders in Jerusalem did not add anything or take anything away from the message that Paul taught or preached.
38:01
Verse 7
38:02
the elders recognized that God had entrusted to Paul the preaching and teaching of the gospel to the Gentiles.
38:10
And then in verse 9 James, John, and Peter confirmed God's call upon the life of Paul.
38:20
So this is how Paul, a single person in history, gets around those first two requirements because he was confirmed his teaching and everything he was doing,
38:29
his ministry to the Gentiles was confirmed by living, capital A apostles.
38:34
He was confirmed by those with higher credentials
38:37
and no men of that caliber are alive today.
38:41
No capital A apostles live anymore.
38:44
Therefore,
38:45
we can't be confirmed by them.
38:47
That's an impossibility now.
38:48
And so capital A apostles
38:51
no longer exist.
38:53
So,
38:54
they were submissive
38:56
to apostolic authority
38:59
in the selection
39:00
of Matthias.
39:02
And further,
39:04
in Acts 2.42
39:05
we see the church devoted to the teaching
39:07
of the apostles
39:09
as messengers,
39:11
those who spoke with authority
39:13
on behalf
39:13
of Christ.
39:16
And today,
39:17
because we don't have those men walking amongst us today,
39:20
we have the canonized Scripture
39:22
before us.
39:24
This book,
39:26
God's 66 books
39:28
written for us,
39:30
for His glory and our good,
39:32
we should listen to it
39:34
in order to believe His promises
39:34
and obey its commands.
39:37
We should devote ourselves
39:38
to the study of it.
39:40
This is the right
39:40
and proper activity
39:42
of the church.
39:45
In the first chapter
39:46
of the book of Acts,
39:48
before things
39:50
just blow up
39:52
in chapter 2
39:53
in the most glorious way,
39:55
we already gain a glimpse
39:57
of the work
39:57
of the early church
39:58
which sets forth
40:00
patterns
40:01
for us to observe
40:02
and to follow.
40:04
They were obedient.
40:07
They were together.
40:09
They were prayerful.
40:11
They were scripturally concerned
40:12
and they were submissive
40:14
to apostolic authority.
40:17
Let's pray together.