Apostleship
Overview
The Office of Apostle and Why It Still Matters
The Twelve whom Jesus called were a profoundly ordinary mix—fishermen, a tax collector, a craftsman, even a former insurrectionist. The word disciple means "student" or "learner," while apostle means "one who is sent." Apostleship was a unique teaching office established by Jesus himself, and the requirements for it were unusually strict. In Acts 1:21-22, Peter spells out two: the candidate must have accompanied Jesus throughout his ministry from John's baptism to the ascension, and must have been an eyewitness of the resurrection. A third requirement emerges in Acts 1:24—the apostle had to be chosen by the Lord himself. The disciples proposed Joseph (Barsabbas) and Matthias, prayed, cast lots, and Matthias was added to the Eleven. (Note: this is the last instance of casting lots in Scripture; once the Holy Spirit comes at Pentecost, the practice ceases. It is not a model for Christian decision-making today.)
The replacement of Judas was treated with such weight because the apostles' role was foundational—not incidental—to the church. Judas's betrayal and death fulfilled what was written in the Psalms (Psalm 69:25; Psalm 109:8). Where Judas purchased a field of death with the price of betrayal, Jesus, by the price of his own blood, purchased us who were dead in sin and far from our heavenly homeland. Judas, who never truly believed, "turned aside to go to his own place" Acts 1:25—a sober reminder that proximity to Jesus is not the same as faith in him.
Why such careful requirements? Because the apostles received, declared, and wrote the Word of God under the Holy Spirit's guidance. Paul writes that the household of God is "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets" Ephesians 2:19-20. Peter insists, "We did not follow cleverly devised myths… but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty" 2 Peter 1:16, and urges believers to remember "the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles" 2 Peter 3:2. Paul thanks the Thessalonians for receiving his preaching "not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God" 1 Thessalonians 2:13. Jesus had promised this very thing: the Spirit would teach the apostles and bring all his words to their remembrance John 14:26. Because no one today can meet the apostolic requirements, the office ended with the apostles' deaths—but their writings remain as the inerrant, infallible Word of God.
This is no abstract doctrine. By nature, we are all theologians—and often bad ones. Our hearts gladly hum along with cultural creeds like "Salvation is yours if you do what is true to you and you do it with love." Such sentiments feel beautiful, but they are deadly lies that pin our hope on our own performance and sincerity. How do we know they are wrong? Because we hold in our hands the apostolic Scriptures—an objective truth outside of us by which every claim can be measured. There we learn that Christ has borne our sin, has been raised, and has claimed us as his own. The closing picture of Acts 1 is the pattern for the church in every age: obeying, praying, immersing ourselves in Scripture, and submitting to the apostolic authority God has graciously placed in our hands.
Transcript
Would you open up your Bible please with me to the very first chapter of the book of Acts? 0s
The Twelve. 7s
The Twelve. 9s
They're known as the Twelve. 11s
They're known as disciples. 13s
And when you look at this lot that Jesus had chosen to be his Twelve, it's an interesting 18s
and conglomeration of folk. 26s
You've got some fishermen, you've got some craftsmen, tax collector. 29s
Even one who had worked at the overthrow of the Roman government. 34s
This is an interesting assortment of people that Jesus has brought together. 40s
But what ties them all together in one of the strains of what brings them together is simply this. 46s
They were profoundly ordinary. 53s
You were profoundly ordinary. 58s
The Cypals means student learner, Apostle means one who is sent. 64s
The Apostolic office was a special office. 70s
It was a teaching ministry office that the Lord Jesus Christ established. 74s
So you've got this group with all unique personalities coming from very backgrounds that God has brought together in this role of Apostleship. 82s
Remember where we were last week in the verses that proceed our study for today? 99s
Judas had betrayed Jesus, 30 pieces of silver. 104s
He threw the silver on the floor. 108s
It was gathered up by the religious folk there, but they couldn't use the money. 110s
They couldn't put it in the treasury because it was blood money. 115s
So because it was still Judas's money there, it's understood that Judas purchased a piece of land. 118s
Remember what that land was used for? 126s
It was used to bury dead foreigners. 129s
The point of last week's study for the price of the blood of Jesus, Judas purchased a field where the dead foreigners would be buried. 132s
You contrast that with Jesus. 148s
For the price of his own blood, he purchased us who are dead in our sin, 151s
so that we who are foreigners away from our homeland of heaven will live with him forever. 159s
In the last week we started the process there, revealed in Scripture of the replacement of Judas. 171s
You had 12 apostles, Judas here by this point has killed himself. 178s
There needs to be the replacement of Judas. 183s
That's where we pick up. 186s
Look when he plays at verse 20 of Acts 1. 188s
For his written in the book of Psalms, let his home stead become desolate and let there be no one to live in it. 193s
That's Psalm 69, 25, by the way. 201s
And let another take his position of overseer, that Psalm 109, 8. 205s
Here you have as we've seen constantly in the past that the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy here it's in relationship with Judas. 211s
There has to be requirements for the new apostle. 223s
It's not a situation that anybody who's available is going to be able to fulfill this position here of this apostle ship that had been vacated by Judas. 229s
There were requirements, what are the requirements? 239s
Look at verse 21, please. 243s
So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 246s
beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us, 254s
one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection. 260s
So here are two requirements for Judas's replacement. 265s
One, you had to have accompanied Jesus for the years of his ministry. 269s
Remember Jesus was discipling these disciples for three years. 276s
So you had to have someone from the baptism of John until Jesus was taken up and remember that means his ascension that we've studied. 279s
One of the requirements here for the replacement of Judas was you had to have someone that witnessed all of this. 288s
They heard the teachings of Jesus. They saw the miracles, etc. 295s
What's the second requirement? Look at the end of verse 22. 300s
Must become a witness with us to his resurrection. 304s
So here's the second requirement. 310s
The replacement of Judas, not only was it someone who would accompany all during the ministry, but also it had to be someone who was an eyewitness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. 313s
So who do they put forward? 328s
Verse 23. 330s
So they proposed two Joseph called Bar Sabas, who was also known as Justice and Matthias. 333s
Matthias, you know this is the last time we ever hear about those two. 341s
They never ever mentioned again in Scripture. All we know about them is their name and we also know what else about them. 348s
That they failed the requirements to be an apostle, right? 358s
Or their names wouldn't have been put for. 362s
Verse 24, then they prayed and said, Lord, you know everyone's heart, show us which one of these two you have chosen. 368s
There's the third requirement to be an apostle. 378s
You had to have a company Jesus in the years of his ministry, right? 382s
You had to have been an eyewitness of the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ. 386s
That's two. 391s
And number three, Jesus had to choose you. 393s
Jesus had to choose you. 398s
So here the early disciples are simply following the pattern. 400s
Jesus chose all of the twelve. 404s
They've got a vacancy here because of Judas. 406s
And now it has to be of Jesus' own choosing. 410s
Verse 25, to take the place in this ministry and a apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place. 417s
Well where's that? 432s
That's hell, isn't it? 434s
Remember what we've studied, Judas never believed. 436s
He never ever believed. 439s
Jesus called him a devil. 442s
Jesus said there are some among here that don't believe. 444s
Judas was one of them. 447s
Judas never ever believed. 448s
Where then was his ultimate destiny? 453s
Hell itself. 457s
Why? 458s
Because he rejected the only way on the salvation. 459s
Jesus Christ. 462s
Verse 26, 467s
And they cast lots for them. 470s
The lot fell on Matthias and he was added to the eleven apostles. 473s
Don't let this casting of lots raise any concern here. 483s
Because we see in Scripture in the Old Testament that the casting of lots was away at times to discern the will of God. 488s
For example, in Proverbs 16 it says, 499s
The lot is cast into the lap, but the decision is the Lord's alone. 503s
That does not mean that if you are facing a difficult decision that you're trying to 512s
make, that when you leave here today you should go home and you should cast lots. 518s
Don't do that. 525s
Don't do that. 527s
You know why? 528s
This is the last time we see in Scripture lots being cast. 529s
This is it. 534s
It's the very last time. 535s
Because the Holy Spirit comes. 538s
And with the Holy Spirit, there's no need for casting lots. 541s
So do not hear from the message this morning a method for you to determine a decision. 545s
Nope. 551s
Lots is done now after this time. 552s
Okay, what's the big deal here? 558s
What's the big deal? 560s
What's the big deal with the replacement of Judas? 562s
Why do you have these three requirements? 567s
Why is there so much emphasis? 570s
Why is Peter standing up and he's teaching here and he's instructing and he's calling here. 572s
The early disciples to do this replacement. 578s
Why is it such a big deal? 580s
Let me ask another question. 584s
Does the office of a apostle still exist? 588s
Why? 593s
Because no one can fulfill these requirements. 595s
Right? 596s
So when did the office of a apostle ship go out of business? 599s
When they all died. 605s
So is there an office of a apostle now? 607s
Are we all sent as ambassadors for Christ to proclaim the gospel? 612s
Absolutely. 618s
Are any of us apostles? 619s
Well, because none of us fit all the biblical requirements of an apostle. 622s
Let's back up to the first question. 631s
Why is this such a big deal? 634s
Why is it such a big deal who replaces Judas? 637s
You know, they're evening. 648s
My wife Denise and I went to the bass hole and took in a musical. 651s
It was something rotten is the name of the musical. 656s
It was really funny. 662s
The funny musical. 664s
Just the backdrop of it. 665s
It's at the time of Shakespeare and they portray Shakespeare as just this rock star. 667s
When he walks into the room, people sing his name. 672s
And there's these two other playwrights who don't get any attention because Shakespeare just takes all the air right out of the room. 676s
And so they can't stand Shakespeare. 683s
So they're trying to make a way for themselves. 686s
And so they figure out that they can't compete with Shakespeare. 688s
But what they could do is they could create the very first musical. 693s
Well, you've got all the comedy surrounding of that. 699s
Where people are asking what the world is the musical. 701s
And then they're explaining it that they'll be dialogue going on. 703s
And then all of a sudden people will start just bursting into song. 706s
And you've got all the comedy associated with that. 709s
It's really a delightful, delightful funny show. 711s
But what are the songs had this lyric? 716s
And this was the lyric to the song. 721s
Salvation is yours. 727s
If you do what is true to you. 730s
And you do it with love. 734s
Salvation is yours. 738s
If you do what is true to you. 739s
And you do it with love. 743s
The late R.C. Sproul said that we are all theologians. 748s
Everyone's a theologian because you can't open your mouth and talk about God without communicating a theology. 754s
We're all theologians. 762s
He said the question is, are you a good theologian or are you a bad theologian? 763s
So that's the question. 769s
Left to ourselves by nature. 773s
We come up with songs like this. 779s
We do. 782s
It comes naturally. 782s
We believe that by what we do, we can earn our way into God's good graces. 784s
We believe that as long as we believe it sincerely, that it doesn't matter what you believe as long as you believe it sincerely, 789s
then God will be impressed. 796s
That indeed we earn our way into the good graces of God by simply how we love. 800s
Left to ourselves are sinfulness, manifests itself and we write songs like this. 804s
We live by creeds like this. 815s
The law comes though, and it can mix us. 821s
It can mix us of our sinfulness. 827s
It can mix us that there's nothing we can do to earn our way into the good graces of God. 828s
That God is holy and we are not that but one tiny little sin separates us from God for all of eternity and makes us deserving of God's eternal wrath in hell itself. 834s
But law condemns us through holy scripture. 849s
But how do we know that that lyric in the musical? 860s
How do we know it's wrong? 867s
How do we know it's wrong? 872s
Because by nature we're going to sing right along with that. 875s
By nature we're going to say, what a beautiful lyric. 882s
How do we know then it's wrong? 889s
In Ephesians, the second chapter, it says this. 898s
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens but your citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God. 903s
Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. 913s
Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. 922s
What did the apostles do? 928s
They received the Word of God. 932s
They declared the Word of God. 935s
They wrote the Word of God. 938s
So the apostles' words were the spirits' words. 942s
Listen to these texts, second Peter 1. 949s
We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 952s
But we've been eye witnesses of his majesty. 959s
Second Peter 3. 964s
You should remember the Word spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken through your apostles. 966s
First, thisologians 2. 976s
We also constantly give thanks to God for this. 979s
That when you receive the Word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it. 982s
Not as a human word but it really is. 987s
God's Word which is also at work in you. 990s
What did Jesus say to the apostles in John 14? 994s
He said, the advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name will teach you everything and remind you of all the people of the Holy Spirit. 998s
That I have said. 1008s
What was the role of the apostles? 1011s
They collected the Word of God. 1015s
They received the Word of God. 1017s
They wrote the Word of God and what they didn't write. 1019s
They approved because they were eye witnesses. 1023s
Now go back to the text, verse 21. 1029s
One of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us. 1034s
Beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection. 1041s
Then they prayed and said, Lord, you know everyone's heart. 1054s
Show us which one of these two you have chosen. 1057s
Why is this such a big deal? 1064s
Why do you have the requirements for the replacement of Judas? 1067s
Why? 1071s
Because it's the apostles who received the Claird and wrote the Holy Spirit from us. 1073s
Guided by the Holy Spirit so we know it is an aarant and it is infelible. 1083s
There are no aars and it is incapable of air. 1091s
Scripture says that Scripture is God-breathed. 1096s
How can God exhale air? 1099s
The apostles were those that God used for this task. 1102s
So that when we hold this word, we hold the very word of God whereby we can judge every statement that comes at us, 1108s
reporting to be truth. 1121s
We receive the word of God and in that word of God is the truth. 1124s
Jesus Christ has borne our sin on the cross that he's been raised from the dead that we have been redeemed, 1130s
that this is not our action, it is God's action, that God puts those words of victory together with the ordinary water 1137s
and claims us as his own in those waters of baptism, that God has made his decision about us and there's no if ands or buts about it. 1145s
We know that we receive the truth and as we open up the pages of Scripture, we then have the objective truth outside of us that can judge the statements so that we can say that's a really funny musical, 1158s
but that song stinks. 1178s
Why? 1183s
Because we have the truth placed in our hands. 1186s
What a glorious gift. 1193s
As we leave the first chapter of Acts, it's an amazing picture, isn't it? 1197s
So amazing picture of these early disciples and what are they doing? 1202s
They're obeying and they're praying. 1208s
They're immersing themselves in holy Scripture and they're submitting to the apostolic authority. 1212s
That's a picture for the Church of all time, isn't it not? 1224s
Oh, begin pray? 1231s
Emerson Scripture submit to the apostolic authority recorded in God's holy word. 1235s
Let's pray. 1246s
Gracious God, thank you for this time and your word and thank you for the precious gift that you have placed in our hands. 1247s
We thank you for the office of the Apostle that you have used and we thank you for the fruit of your work in the treasure of the inheritance and then fellable word that you have given us to study, to embrace. 1254s
Thank you, Lord, for your goodness, for your grace in Jesus name. 1275s
Thank you. 1296s