“A replacement strategy”

By Rev. Michael Stonhouse

Meditation – Thursday, February 24, 2022

Acts 1:15-26 (Forward, p. 26) CEV p. 1133

I have often wondered how Joseph Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias felt. After all, they were the ‘also rans’, the replacements for the traitor Judas. On the one hand, they weren’t part of the original Twelve, the ones originally expressly chosen by Jesus, so they might have felt a little let down about this. But, then, on the other hand, they did make the grade in the follow-up roll call—or, at least, Matthias did, not Justus. I wonder how the two of them felt in light of this. Humbled, elated, in the case of Matthias? Or dejected and saddened, or perhaps even relieved, in the case of Justus? On these counts, we will probably know the answers for both of them seem to disappear from history, or at least from the Bible.

(There is another Justus, Jesus Justus, mentioned by Paul in Colossians 4:11, but this is probably not the same person, though he is mentioned as being a Jewish believer!)

However, two things should be noted here before we move on. First is that both of them had thoroughly proved themselves to be faithful and unwavering in their devotion to Jesus. They had been there when He was baptized at the River Jordan, meaning that they had probably been John’s disciples previously, or, at very least baptized by him. They would have seen Jesus’ miracles and heard His preaching and may have been in ‘the other boats’ on the Sea of Galilee (Mark 4:36) when the disciples encountered that terrible storm out there on the lake. Most probably they had been part of the seventy that Jesus sent out on a mission trip and so had experienced God’s work in and through them. They would have ‘tasted’ just what missionary work/ ministry was like and would have had experienced some of its thrills and troubles.

But, apparently this was not enough for a particular segment of the disciples. We read in John’s Gospel that many erstwhile disciples turned away from following Jesus because they could not ‘stomach’ some of His teaching (see John 6:64-69), but apparently these two did not. They stuck with Jesus nonetheless. Furthermore, they had been witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection and to His ascension into heaven.

One other thing: Peter and the remaining eleven wanted another witness to the resurrection, someone to help them in telling others that Jesus had been raised from the dead. And, for some reason, they felt that a full complement of twelve was important and necessary, perhaps as an echo of the twelve tribes of Israel, perhaps a newly constituted Israel.

As I mentioned previously, both Matthias and Justus disappear from our records, having made such a brief appearance upon history’s stage. Nevertheless, I like to think that there was something important and vital to their ministries, even if unacknowledged or unrecorded. And, I think that this likewise true of all of our ministries, no matter who we are, or what we have done. All of them are valued by God and all are worthwhile to the kingdom of God. And so, no matter what—just like Justus and Matthias—we soldier on, knowing that in the Lord our labour is not in vain (see 1 Corinthians 15:58). Amen.

Forward notes: “And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles” (verse 26).

Commemoration of Matthias, Apostle

“The story of Saint Matthias is an amazing one. As Jesus’s apostles are gathering new believers after the Ascension, they remember the betrayal of Judas and decide that they have to get their number back up to twelve. So they come up with two strong candidates—and then they choose between them by casting lots.

“I would very much like to know what kind of lots they cast. Did they flip a coin? Draw straws? Roll dice? More importantly, though, I would love to know what Matthias was thinking. There’s no possible way he could have known what was coming or just how important the twelve apostles would become in history. And yet, he was in the right place at the right time, and he managed to rise to the task.

“Even if no dice or straws are involved, we may sometimes find ourselves asked to serve in a way that feels like it’s purely by chance. Our best way forward is to listen for the guidance of the Spirit and trust that God will equip us to do what is right.”

MOVING FORWARD: “Are you being asked to do something that seems beyond your capacity or expectation? Pray to God for guidance and strength.”