Put a member of a rugger team in the Sin Bin and the team deems itself lucky if the opposition only manage to score three points during the 10 minutes forced to play with a below strength side.
If a team plays with a member short, it affects the overall performance.
Ask my son. He plays football for a team which “gets together when it can” and often they have to play an under strength side because some of the team members are unable to make the match. Those are the occasions when they are very glad to come away from the match with a draw rather than a loss.
The performance of any team with a member short is affected. And that is what faced the disciples.
They were used to working as a team. They went in two’s, rarely on their own , so 11 was not a good number.
And 12 is a special number. It points to the 12 tribes of Israel and if the apostles were to be like a New Israel they would have to make up their team to 12. So with Judas’ death they needed a replacement. And this is where we realize that it was not just the 12 who followed Jesus from the beginning of his ministry but also many others were involved in the journey.
We are told there were about 120 gathered, that is 10 people suitable for every apostle.
The decision is made that it should be someone who had been with Jesus from the beginning. One of those who saw the Baptism on the Jordan and at that life changing moment followed Jesus for the rest of his earthly Ilfe. The person also had to have been there at the resurrection, and to have seen the ascension.
We hear of a resurrection appearance to some 500 Christians at one time, check out 1 Corinthians 15 verse 6. So this gathering in Jerusalem is a much smaller group.
The ascension was now past and they were in prayer in anticipation of important work.
But first they needed to replace Judas. That there was to be such an appointment at all was a tragedy. The shadowy figure of Judas had been fully involved in the apostolic group, then had made a not wholly explicable and ultimately heartbreaking compact with the enemies. The ugly details of his death would indicate that this was neither dignified nor creditable suicide. So a replacement was needed, but it was essential that the person would be God’s choice.
Certain criteria were agreed. The person had to have been with Jesus throughout his ministry, had to have met him risen from the death and be able to proclaim, credibly and authentically, the resurrection of Jesus. So the selection of a new apostle depended on long associafion with Jesus.
The important thing was having someone who knew Jesus, not someone who had just heard of him. The person had to have followed and loved Jesus. It had to be someone who would show others that Jesus was alive, that Jesus was not just a figure of history or a holy man of the past, but the Living Lord.
Two people become obvious candidates: Joseph and Matthias. And the final choice was taken in prayer and by casting lots. We may find this a little strange but they wanted the choice to be God’s and 2,000 years ago it was a natural way of seeking that choice. The names of the candidates were written on stones they were placed in a vessel and that vessel was shaken until one stone fell out. The one whose name fell out was the chosen one, the one God wanted. So Matthias become apostle Number 12. Matthias was now part of the team. And Matthias in his new role is both witness that the Lord has been raised and also guardian of the gospel tradition, able to ground new Christians in the teaching of Jesus and to preserve the memories of his ministry in an expanding fellowship.
Today we are part of that expanded fellowship. The teachings of Jesus have been passed down from generation to generation. Yes there have been a few hiccoughs as gospel interpretations have veered from the truth, but over the years these have been brought back to the message that Jesus Lives.
We are all needed to expand the fellowship. And by spending some time each day with our Lord we can get to know him. Are we sure we speak of a risen Lord? And do we speak of Jesus in the present tense?
Does the prayer that we heard Jesus make in the Gospel from John resonate with our souls? IT is a prayer as much for today as it was for the disciples on the evening before Jesus made his lonely way to the cross.
Jesus prays for the disciples whom he has gathered and who will continue his work on earth. They have heard and heeded his word and realise that he is sent by God. They have become a distinct community within the world and now they are sent into the world as Jesus was sent with purpose, to do God’s work. There may be controversy and pain; for they do not belong and will not always be popular.
Jesus prays for them, for their unity and joy. He guarded them while he was with them, – with one exception only and even this was in fulfilment of prophecy – and he prays that the disciples and followers may still be protected. Jesus requests not their complete detachment from the world but their separation from evil.
The church must be involved in its surroundings, but different, distinctively committed to God and to godly living.
We are part of the expanded fellowship. We are the church here today. It is important that we each know Jesus personally and it is important for us to realise we are part of the team. The Jesus team.
Edwina