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\u201cFor,\u201d said Peter, \u201cit is written in the Book of Psalms: \u201c\u2018May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,\u2019 and, \u201c\u2018May another take his place of leadership.\u2019 \xa0Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John\u2019s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.\u201d So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, \u201cLord, you know everyone\u2019s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.\u201d Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles. (Acts 1:20-26)

We often assume that the \u201cearly church\u201d we are to strive to be is the Acts 2 church from Acts 2:42-47 where the believers shared \u201ceverything in common,\u201d devoted themselves to prayer and the apostle\u2019s teaching, broke bread together, and had people added to their number daily through the work of the Spirit. \xa0In part that\u2019s right. \xa0But it\u2019s also partly wrong. \xa0 \xa0

You see the church was not constituted in chapter 2 on the day of Pentecost in the book of Acts. \xa0It was empowered on that day by the Spirit, yes. \xa0But the church was constituted on the command of Jesus from Acts, chapter 1.

Jesus had commissioned the church to \u201cbe my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.\u201d \xa0But the Acts 2 church preferred to huddle rather than go out to the ends of the earth. \xa0It takes the stoning of Stephen before they would scatter out as missionaries like yeast through the dough as Jesus had told them to do.

Jesus had also commanded the church to \u201cwait\u201d\u2014to wait for God to give what only God can. \xa0This is the command Pastor Michael mentioned yesterday, and it is in fact the very first command the church is given. \xa0But just as the empowered Acts 2 church preferred to huddle rather than go out as witnesses, so the huddling Acts 1 church preferred to get busy rather than wait. \xa0That\u2019s the story from the text today.

While they were supposed to be just waiting and praying\u2014Peter decided to call the first church administration meeting. \xa0Now, often when we read this story of the selection of Matthias as the 12th apostle, we assume that this is a good news story. \xa0We assume we are told this story as a picture of God at work in his people. \xa0But, you may recall from the gospels that the pre-Spirit-filled Peter often put the cart in front of the horse. \xa0He often got out ahead of Jesus. \xa0And its worth wondering if the very same thing isn\u2019t happening here. \xa0

You\u2019ll notice that Peter quotes scripture and declares what is necessary\u2014he takes up the role of leadership in this vacuum that has come from Jesus\u2019 absence. \xa0He just can\u2019t sit still any longer. \xa0There apparently need to be 12 apostles, Peter thinks, if they are to appropriately \u201cwitness\u201d to the resurrection as Jesus told them to. \xa0Jesus told them to wait for his gift of power. \xa0But surely it couldn\u2019t hurt to help Jesus out a little in the meantime, right? \xa0The disciples don\u2019t disagree. \xa0So they nominate two men, pray about it, throw the dice and assume Matthias has been chosen by God. \xa0 \xa0

But oddly, God himself never shows up as an actor in this run of verses. \xa0Nor does Peter yet have the Spirit-inspired interpretation of Old Testament texts that he will in Acts 2. \xa0Perhaps most interestingly of all, we never hear of Matthias again in the whole of the New Testament.

It\u2019s not that God slaps the disciples on the wrist. \xa0But this action of administration that came when they were supposed to be waiting also doesn\u2019t seem to bear any fruit. \xa0

Not until Acts 9 will this mystery of Matthias get solved for us when Jesus himself chooses the 12th Apostle on the Damascus road, named Paul. \xa0He was not among the disciples, was not witness to the things Peter thought he should be\u2014but by the power and choosing of God he was made an apostle none-the-less. \xa0And through Paul\u2014half our New Testament was written and witness to Jesus Christ was brought to the ends of the earth. \xa0

Perhaps we really can wait on the Lord to accomplish his work after all. \xa0Perhaps waiting and praying is more powerful than we thought.*

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*We\u2019ve got to credit Andrew Root and Blair Bertrand from their 2023 book When Church Stops Working for some of the insights they offered on Acts 1 and waiting!