Peter Leads The Prayer Meeting

Acts 1:15–26
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Tonto and the Lone Ranger were riding through a canyon together, when all of a sudden both sides were filled with Indian warriors on horses, dressed for battle. The Lone Ranger turned to Tonto and asked, “What are we going to do?” Tonto replied, “What you mean & … More

Prayer

After the Lord Jesus ascended Peter became the recognized leader of the disciples. He was bothered by the empty space left by the treachery and suicide of Judas, and had decided that someone must replace the missing member of the Apostolic ranks. With this mind a prayer meeting was called in the Upper Room. We are told that the number of the disciples was about 120 (v. 15). These 120 simple folk were told to go out and evangelize the whole world. If ever anything began from small beginnings, the Christian Church did. Since there were about 4,000,000 Jews in Palestine, this means that fewer than 1 in 30,000 were Christians. We may well be the only Christians in our shop, our factory, our office, in our circle. These men gallantly faced their task, and so must we; and it may be that we, too, will be the small beginning from which the kingdom in our sphere will spread.

In addressing these 120 of the Lord’s followers in the Upper Room, Peter proceeded to give a full description of the suicide of Judas (vv. 16-19). Peter believed that the person who took the place of Judas should be a man who had intimate personal knowledge of the Lord from beginning to end (vv. 20-22). Evidently there were several who qualified, but after a sifting process, just two people were left, Justus and Matthias (v. 23). We know nothing of these two men beyond their names. These believers prayed not for the Lord to choose, but that the choice He had already made be made known to them (vv. 24-25). The two names were then put on lots (probably small stones) and shaken out of a container (v. 26). The first lot to fall out was considered the Lord’s choice, and Matthias got it. This was in accord with Old Testament practice (Proverbs 16:33). With the coming of the Holy Spirit this practice is no longer necessary for Christians.

Application

What part does prayer have in this passage? I want to make prayer one of my special projects this coming year. I know that it is one of the weakest areas in my spiritual life.

Acts 1:15-26 (English Standard Version)

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