During this series we are looking at the book of Acts.  You can see and hear more sermons online! Visit htcfamily.org and look for the sermon series “Chronicles of the Apostles”.

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  1. The Sabbath Walk and Upper Room
    1. They returned and walked to Jerusalem a Sabbath Day walk
      1. To show Jesus did not come to replace the Torah
      2. The disciples were still concerned about obeying the law
    2. (Exodus 16:29) Remain every man in his place; let no man go out of his place
      1. Place is 2000 meters beyond a city wall (Numbers 35:4, 5)
      2. You can walk as much as you want in a city and outside the gates, but you can only travel 2/3 of a mile past the city
    3. Mount of Olives is probably the place that the ascension happened
    4. Then they went to the upper room (Vs 13)
      1. May be enclosed room or the roof of a house
      2. Rooms of the biggest houses in the area could probably house 70 people
      3. This was probably the upper room where Jesus had the last supper with the disciples
      4. Two possibilities of where this room was:
        1. People of tradition claim it is in the center of town near the square so the gospel could go out
        2. Other people claim a community of disciples returned and built it outside the city to commemorate where the site was as a type of synagogue
      5. Key: It would only house 70 and there were 1210 people filled with the Holy Spirit
        1. (Luke 24:53) The disciples spent all their time in the temple praising God
  2. The Eleven (Vs 13)
    1. Disciples who are left
      1. Jesus chose two Simons, Two James, and three Judas.
      2. They used nicknames to stop confusion
    2. There were also women and siblings of Jesus in the room (Vs 14)
      1. So not always in the temple, but also in the upper room praying
    3. They prayed the prayer
      1. Definite article left off of the English version
      2. The prayer would be their liturgical prayers that were happening
      3. Also, according to the Didache, they were praying the Lord’s Prayer three times every day
    4. Who were these 120-500 people?
      1. Families of the disciples
      2. Those who saw Jesus rise from he dead
      3. James the brother of Jesus, who Jesus appointed as the leader of the church (Gospel of Thomas)
      4. Some of the 70 who Jesus sent out by twos to pray over people and announce the kingdom of God is here
      5. I don’t think the 120 were the only ones who waited for the pouring out of the spirit — I think they were the closest people who were lodging there because they were from Galilee
        1. Why love the unlovable? 
        2. God wants to form his character in us
    5. Not eternal waiting for power
      1. I believe they suspected that something was going to happen on Pentecost
  3. The Vacant Seat (Vs 15-17)   
    1. Peter stands and addresses the group about filling Judas place
      1. He quotes David who is a type of Messianic King (Psalm 41:9, John 13:18)
    2. Why was it important to fill this seat?
      1. Jesus promised that they would sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28)
      2. His share was with us — share is the same world as lot
        1. This could mean lot in life or casting of lots
    3. Brief reminder of the fate of Judas (Vs 18, 19)
      1. Judas bought a field?  Could be sarcastic as the field was bought by the temple leaders with the blood money of betrayal
    4. They have a disagreement about what to do with replacing (Judas Vs 20)
      1. Leave it desolate and vacant (Psalm 69:25)
      2. Fill the position (Psalm 109:8)
    5. In the end, they agree to fill the position with three requirements
      1. Must be baptized by John
      2. Must have followed Jesus in his teachings
      3. Must pass the qualifications of being an apostle
        1. Seen the resurrection of Jesus
    6. Passed the test:  Joseph, Barsabbas, and Matthias (Vs 23)
    7. They cast lots for the person (Vs 24-26)
      1. Based this on Proverbs 16:33 — God decides the outcome of the lots
      2. Should we do this to find out God’s will?
      3. Only used when two people are of equal status
      4. God knew the heart (1 Samuel 16:7)
    8. Barsabbas was not chosen, he will be mentioned later in church history
      1. Philip will have virgin daughters and they will tell the story of a man named Justus who drinks poison and it does not affect him
    9. Matthias is chosen
      1. He will rule over the tribes of Israel
      2. His name will be inscribed not he wall of the new Jerusalem (Revelation 21:14)
      3. He will be killed when the Sanhedrin kills four disciples                                   

—•: Chronicles of the Apostles :•—