Rev. James Preus, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ottumwa, IA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Acts 1:12-26.
After Jesus’ ascension, His disciples return to Jerusalem, according to His command. They gather together as the Church, including the faithful women and Jesus’ mother and brothers, in order to devote themselves to prayer. As they wait for Jesus to send the Spirit, they go about the task of filling Judas’ empty office. Peter recognizes the Scripture as the inspired Word of God and states that what has happened to Judas has fulfilled what God had spoken. The one to replace Judas must meet the qualification that Jesus had given concerning His witnesses. Two such men are identified: Barsabbas and Matthias. The Church leaves the choice up to Jesus, and by their casting of lots, Jesus selects Matthias as the twelfth apostle. Pastors today still have the Divine Call of Jesus to serve in His Church, though their call today comes not immediately, but mediately through the Church.
“To the End of the Earth” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Acts. In his second volume, St. Luke records all the things that Jesus continued to do through the ministry of His Church. By the end of the book, the proclamation of the Lord’s Word that began in Jerusalem grows all the way to Rome. By God’s grace, even now, that same Word is proclaimed to us.
