Scripture:
Vs 6 So when they had come together, they (the apostles), asked Him (Jesus), “Lord, will you at this time …?”
vs 7 He said to them “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.
Vs 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses …
vs 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women …
vs 23 And they put forward two …
Vs 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship …
Observation:
The Apostles have their final encounter with the risen Jesus. They want to know “What’s next?” … “Will you …?”
Jesus redirects their question from what they want to know to what they will have, the power of the Holy Spirit, and what they will do, be witnesses of Jesus.
The followers of Jesus come together to pray and ultimately choose a new apostle for their ministry.
Application:
I have heard and said many times the cliché of, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know”. In reading Acts 1, this statement rings entirely true in the best possible way.
I completely undeservedly know and have the best “Who” possible … the Holy Spirit and His power. This is infinitely better than any “what” I could know.
So, then why do I constantly run after the “what” of knowledge, rather than the “who” of the Holy Spirit? Is it because I believe that other cliché, “Knowledge is power”?
Jesus promised something much greater than knowledge.
When the apostles wanted knowledge, Jesus said, “It is not for you to know … but you will receive power of the Holy Spirit”. If I am filled with the Holy Spirit, then why would I want to be filled with mere information?
I am selfish. I think knowledge will give me power.
So, I have to ask myself then, what “power” am I devoted to? The power of knowledge or the power of the Holy Spirit? The first followers of the Resurrected Jesus, “with one accord devoted themselves to prayer”. What am I more devoted to? Seeking knowledge or seeking the power of the Holy Spirit? The Apostles were at the height of a “what’s next” time in their life … “Jesus, what’s gonna happen now?”
I find it incredibly relevant to myself and to our church … “Jesus, what’s next?!”
We are looking for the next leader of this ministry of Good Life. I am blessed to participate in the process … as the apostles did … to “put forward” individuals. And I can know as much as I can about the individuals we are choosing among.
But I must “pray and say, ‘You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these You have chosen”.
I will imitate the apostles in putting forward individuals based on knowledge.
Will I imitate the apostles in being “devoted to prayer”?
Will I imitate the apostles in acknowledging a more important knowledge? “You, Lord, know the hearts of all”.
What a beautiful testimony the early apostles give to the sovereignty of God.
And what a sweet relief it is to me to know I do not do the choosing … “You, Lord, have chosen”!
Prayer:
Help me, Lord, be devoted to prayer Help us, Lord, be in one accord Show us, Lord, who You have chosen Amen