Welcome back to our study of the book of Acts with Dr. RC Sproul, today we’ll turn our attention to Acts 1:12-26.
Last week, as we reflected on the ascension of Christ, we were reminded of the clear mandate He gave to His disciples—to return to Jerusalem and wait. For ten days, they obeyed His command, a seemingly simple task, yet one that carried incredible significance.
Upon their return to Jerusalem, they gathered in the upper room, not as isolated individuals but as a unified community. They prayed together, encouraged one another, and faithfully waited. It was here, in the very beginnings of the church, that they modeled obedience, unity, and devotion—principles that remain essential for us today.
Today, we’ll take a closer look at this period of waiting, the actions of the early church, and the spiritual truths that emerged from their faithfulness.
A New Apostle Appointed To Replace Judas
Acts 1:12-26 NASB
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the [a]mount called [b]Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a [c]Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 When they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John and [d]James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, [e]James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the [f]son of [g]James. 14 These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
15 [h]At this time Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty [i]persons was there together), and said, 16 “Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was counted among us and received his share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out. 19 And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem; so that in their own language that field was called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms,
‘Let his homestead be made desolate,
And let no one dwell in it’;
and,
‘Let another man take his [j]office.’
21 Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out [k]among us— 22 beginning [l]with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.” 23 So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two You have chosen 25 to [m]occupy this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they [n]drew lots for them, and the lot fell [o]to Matthias; and he was [p]added to the eleven apostles.
Be Sure To Subscribe To Ligonier Ministries on Youtube
PS: All the videos series from RC Sproul added to the website have been thoroughly listened to by myself. And I highly recommend them to anyone looking to deepen his/her faith in Christ. We live in the age of relativism and now more than ever understanding what we believe, and why believe what believe is not optional.
My name is Tayib Salami and I started Tayibs.com for the sole purpose of exploring difficult questions about the Christian faith that most of us shy away from. In 2017, I entered a very dark time in my life and it’s only by the grace of the Living God that I’m still alive today. It led me to really go deeper in my faith and consider a myriad of questions that I never thought about asking myself or others before. Welcome and enjoy the ride with me.