The Ascension and the Choosing of Matthias

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1. Observe

   Before his ascension, what did Jesus command the disciples to do in Jerusalem, and what did he promise would happen?

   • He told them to begin preaching immediately, and promised large crowds
   • He told them to wait for the promise of the Father — baptism in the Holy Spirit — not many days from then
   • He told them to elect a leader among themselves, and promised he would return within a year
   • He told them to travel to Rome first, and promised the Spirit would meet them there

2. Observe

   How was Matthias chosen to replace Judas as the twelfth apostle?

   • Peter appointed him based on his years of service
   • The other apostles voted among themselves and Matthias won the majority
   • They drew lots after praying, and the lot fell on Matthias
   • The Holy Spirit spoke audibly and named Matthias

3. Interpret

   Why does Jesus redirect the disciples' question about restoring the kingdom to Israel toward the mission of witness?

   • Because the restoration of Israel's national kingdom was no longer part of God's plan
   • Because Jesus didn't want them thinking about politics when there was preaching to do
   • Jesus was not denying a future for Israel but shifting their focus from a question about timing — which is the Father's alone — to their present calling; the Spirit's power was about to transform them into witnesses reaching every nation, expanding the scope of the kingdom far beyond any single political restoration
   • Because the disciples misunderstood the question and Jesus was correcting their theology

4. Interpret

   What qualifications does Peter list for Judas's replacement, and what do they reveal about the nature of apostolic authority?

   • An apostle must be a fisherman who personally accompanied Jesus in Galilee
   • An apostle must be a man who accompanied Jesus from John's baptism through the resurrection, so he can be a firsthand witness of the resurrection
   • An apostle must have received a vision of the risen Christ and be recommended by two other apostles
   • An apostle must be a Jewish man who had not been in contact with Gentiles

5. Apply

   Acts 1:8 maps the mission from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. How does this geographic expansion challenge the way a believer thinks about the scope of their own responsibility?

   • It only applies to professional missionaries sent by churches to foreign countries
   • The structure shows that global concern begins at home and ripples outward — every believer has a Jerusalem (immediate relationships), a Judea and Samaria (nearby communities including those culturally different), and a concern for the uttermost parts; faithfulness in each zone is not optional but part of a single Spirit-powered witness
   • The structure is only descriptive of Acts as a book and carries no application for individuals
   • Most believers are called to stay in their Jerusalem and not worry about further zones

6. Apply

   The 120 disciples gathered with "one accord" in prayer while waiting for the Spirit (v. 14). What does their unified, sustained prayer before action suggest for how believers should approach major transitions or new ministry ventures?

   • Prayer before action is mainly for those who lack confidence in their own abilities
   • Waiting in prayer was a temporary necessity that the Spirit's arrival made obsolete
   • Before any major step forward, the pattern of Acts 1 invites believers into unified, persevering prayer — not as a delay of real work but as the essential preparation that aligns the community with God's purposes, cultivates dependence on the Spirit, and builds the relational unity needed for what comes next
   • Corporate prayer is primarily a Sunday worship practice unrelated to ministry planning

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