WEBVTT 00:00:09.679 --> 00:00:14.419 In Acts chapter 1, we are going to read the entirety 00:00:14.419 --> 00:00:22.019 of verses 15 through verse 26. So starting in 00:00:22.019 --> 00:00:27.839 verse 15. At this time, Peter stood up in the 00:00:27.839 --> 00:00:31.800 midst of the brethren. A gathering of about 120 00:00:31.800 --> 00:00:37.619 persons was there together. And said, Brethren. 00:00:38.350 --> 00:00:43.189 The scripture had to be fulfilled, which the 00:00:43.189 --> 00:00:47.270 Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning 00:00:47.270 --> 00:00:52.409 Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested 00:00:52.409 --> 00:00:56.570 Jesus. For he was counted among us and received 00:00:56.570 --> 00:01:02.490 his share in this ministry. Now this man acquired 00:01:02.490 --> 00:01:06.319 a field with the price of his wickedness. And 00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:09.180 falling headlong, he burst open in the middle, 00:01:09.219 --> 00:01:12.659 and all his intestines gushed out. And it became 00:01:12.659 --> 00:01:16.200 known to all who were living in Jerusalem, so 00:01:16.200 --> 00:01:20.439 that in their own language that field was called 00:01:20.439 --> 00:01:26.400 hakeldema, that is, field of blood. For it is 00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:29.200 written in the book of Psalms, Let his homestead 00:01:29.200 --> 00:01:32.680 be made desolate, and let no one dwell in it. 00:01:33.150 --> 00:01:37.030 and let another man take his office. Therefore 00:01:37.030 --> 00:01:40.409 it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied 00:01:40.409 --> 00:01:44.189 us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and 00:01:44.189 --> 00:01:47.750 out among us, beginning with the baptism of John 00:01:47.750 --> 00:01:51.989 until the day that he was taken up from us, one 00:01:51.989 --> 00:01:56.890 of these must become a witness with us of his 00:01:56.890 --> 00:02:01.689 resurrection. So they put forward two men. Joseph 00:02:01.689 --> 00:02:04.549 called Barsabbas, who was also called Justice, 00:02:04.650 --> 00:02:09.409 and Matthias. And they prayed and said, You, 00:02:09.409 --> 00:02:14.110 Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which 00:02:14.110 --> 00:02:19.770 one of these two you have chosen to occupy this 00:02:19.770 --> 00:02:23.689 ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned 00:02:23.689 --> 00:02:28.189 aside to go to his own place. And they drew lots 00:02:28.189 --> 00:02:31.349 for them, and the lot fell to Matthias, and he 00:02:31.349 --> 00:02:35.569 was added to the eleven apostles. Let's pray. 00:02:36.509 --> 00:02:40.129 Father, I come before you. Lord, I ask and I 00:02:40.129 --> 00:02:43.710 pray for your help today in proclaiming this 00:02:43.710 --> 00:02:48.150 text and preaching the word of God as we discuss 00:02:48.150 --> 00:02:54.099 a topic that is very, very evident. as we discuss 00:02:54.099 --> 00:02:56.800 a topic that is seen throughout scriptures, and 00:02:56.800 --> 00:03:00.800 as we discuss a topic that so clearly shows us 00:03:00.800 --> 00:03:05.319 who you are. Lord, I ask and I pray for your 00:03:05.319 --> 00:03:08.500 help that the Holy Spirit would fill me with 00:03:08.500 --> 00:03:12.520 power and strength. Lord, I ask that he would 00:03:12.520 --> 00:03:15.020 work in the hearts and the minds of the people 00:03:15.020 --> 00:03:19.020 present today, that you would apply your truth 00:03:19.020 --> 00:03:22.849 to our hearts, our minds, and our souls. for 00:03:22.849 --> 00:03:26.490 our edification, for our encouragement, for our 00:03:26.490 --> 00:03:30.289 uplifting, for our support, for our holiness, 00:03:30.650 --> 00:03:35.569 for our sanctification, to compel us forward 00:03:35.569 --> 00:03:40.650 into good works in this life. Father, I ask and 00:03:40.650 --> 00:03:42.469 I pray that you would be honored, that you would 00:03:42.469 --> 00:03:47.009 be glorified by the response to this text from 00:03:47.009 --> 00:03:50.969 the people and by the preaching of this text 00:03:50.969 --> 00:03:54.479 too. the people. I pray this all in Christ's 00:03:54.479 --> 00:03:59.819 precious name. Amen. You may be seated. Whoever 00:03:59.819 --> 00:04:03.580 said that the Bible is not fascinating and interesting 00:04:03.580 --> 00:04:08.159 to be read? I mean, we read that text and we 00:04:08.159 --> 00:04:12.099 see some harsh language in there, don't we? We 00:04:12.099 --> 00:04:14.819 read that text and we're like, whoa! Is that 00:04:14.819 --> 00:04:18.920 in the Bible? It's harsh. It's heavy. But it's 00:04:18.920 --> 00:04:21.850 there for a purpose. It's there for a purpose. 00:04:22.430 --> 00:04:26.230 Today as we look at this text, as we look at 00:04:26.230 --> 00:04:30.610 Acts chapter 1 leading up to Pentecost, as we 00:04:30.610 --> 00:04:33.509 look at Acts chapter 1 verses 15 through 26, 00:04:33.709 --> 00:04:37.829 we're going to split it into two chunks. We're 00:04:37.829 --> 00:04:41.889 going to look at verses 15 through 20 and we're 00:04:41.889 --> 00:04:45.610 going to see a providential dilemma which is 00:04:45.610 --> 00:04:48.550 presented and they address and they talk about. 00:04:49.310 --> 00:04:54.410 which is the opening of the office of apostle 00:04:54.410 --> 00:04:59.329 for Judas' place. So that's a dilemma. They only 00:04:59.329 --> 00:05:03.009 have 11, and they need 12. Christ ordained that 00:05:03.009 --> 00:05:05.930 there would be 12 apostles for a very specific 00:05:05.930 --> 00:05:08.790 reason, which we'll touch on later. So verses 00:05:08.790 --> 00:05:12.930 15 through 20, the providential dilemma, which 00:05:12.930 --> 00:05:15.490 is presented and explained. And then verses 20 00:05:15.490 --> 00:05:20.259 through 26, We really see this dilemma resolved. 00:05:21.220 --> 00:05:25.500 But it's providential as well. So verses 15 through 00:05:25.500 --> 00:05:28.519 20, which deal with the requirements and the 00:05:28.519 --> 00:05:33.019 conditions for the office of apostle, God's sovereign 00:05:33.019 --> 00:05:37.139 providential choice of the replacement. So in 00:05:37.139 --> 00:05:41.480 verses 20 through 26, we see the providential 00:05:41.480 --> 00:05:46.319 dilemma resolved. Resolved. Leading up to this 00:05:46.319 --> 00:05:49.879 text in the book of Acts, we really need to back 00:05:49.879 --> 00:05:54.139 up a little bit and go into the Gospels and look 00:05:54.139 --> 00:05:59.800 at Christ's ministry and look at Judas and the 00:05:59.800 --> 00:06:03.899 disciples and the twelve and Christ's earthly 00:06:03.899 --> 00:06:08.959 ministry among men in the public eye. So people 00:06:08.959 --> 00:06:13.959 looking in at the disciples, but also... We need 00:06:13.959 --> 00:06:17.120 to go back and see what it was like for the disciples 00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:20.319 working and serving and ministering alongside 00:06:20.319 --> 00:06:25.579 of Judas and Jesus. So in the Gospels, every 00:06:25.579 --> 00:06:30.079 Gospel presents a section fairly early on where 00:06:30.079 --> 00:06:34.500 Jesus chooses or selects 12 of His disciples 00:06:34.500 --> 00:06:38.319 among many. We know that there was a period of 00:06:38.319 --> 00:06:41.620 time where there was at least 70 disciples and 00:06:41.620 --> 00:06:45.060 there was many more. But he chose, he selected 00:06:45.060 --> 00:06:49.399 12 of them in particular. He did this personally. 00:06:50.439 --> 00:06:54.480 He chose them out of the lot. He selected them 00:06:54.480 --> 00:07:00.079 from the bunch. Those men, he selected, he chose 00:07:00.079 --> 00:07:03.600 them. Now it's important for us to realize that 00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:07.079 looking at the history of the disciples in Christ's 00:07:07.079 --> 00:07:12.220 ministry, there is a difference between being 00:07:12.220 --> 00:07:18.160 an apostle, and being a disciple. So there was 00:07:18.160 --> 00:07:21.439 a period of time where these disciples had not 00:07:21.439 --> 00:07:25.100 yet been given the name apostle. They were disciples 00:07:25.100 --> 00:07:28.740 of Christ. Now, we're all disciples of Christ 00:07:28.740 --> 00:07:32.660 who know Christ. Disciple means learner. Apostle 00:07:32.660 --> 00:07:36.980 simply means one sent, essentially. So in Luke's 00:07:36.980 --> 00:07:42.220 gospel, which is the first volume, of the book 00:07:42.220 --> 00:07:46.000 of Acts, we see that he clarifies that there 00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:49.199 is a distinct difference between being an apostle 00:07:49.199 --> 00:07:54.199 and being a disciple. So in Luke, the Gospel 00:07:54.199 --> 00:07:58.160 of Luke, chapter 6, verse 13, we read, And when 00:07:58.160 --> 00:08:01.339 day came, and Jesus had been praying all night, 00:08:01.639 --> 00:08:06.899 and when day came, he called his disciples to 00:08:06.899 --> 00:08:14.240 him and chose twelve of them. whom he also named 00:08:14.240 --> 00:08:18.540 as apostles. So this is the first reference we 00:08:18.540 --> 00:08:24.139 have to this unique office of apostle. Jesus 00:08:24.139 --> 00:08:28.120 instituting the office, and then Jesus personally 00:08:28.120 --> 00:08:32.419 filling the office with the officers, the men. 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:35.960 So he creates the office of apostle, and then 00:08:35.960 --> 00:08:38.659 he chooses the men to put into the office, which 00:08:38.659 --> 00:08:43.779 is the 12. Not the 11, not the 13, not the 14, 00:08:43.860 --> 00:08:49.879 not the 10, the 12. So we see Jesus instituting, 00:08:49.879 --> 00:08:53.720 naming the office of apostle and putting these 00:08:53.720 --> 00:09:01.240 particular 12 men into the apostleship. Now I 00:09:01.240 --> 00:09:06.120 think Mark's gospel is the most clear in regards 00:09:06.120 --> 00:09:11.289 to Jesus choosing The apostles and Jesus appointing 00:09:11.289 --> 00:09:14.889 the apostles. So in Mark's gospel, we read this. 00:09:15.590 --> 00:09:20.730 And listen to the language. And he went up on 00:09:20.730 --> 00:09:27.230 the mountain and he summoned those who he himself 00:09:27.230 --> 00:09:31.830 wanted. So we'll stop there for a minute. Jesus 00:09:31.830 --> 00:09:36.470 called to himself those whom he himself wanted. 00:09:37.740 --> 00:09:45.320 And they came to Him. And He appointed, not merely 00:09:45.320 --> 00:09:49.740 chose or selected, but He authoritatively appointed 00:09:49.740 --> 00:09:58.860 12. So that they would be with Him and that He 00:09:58.860 --> 00:10:03.580 could send them out to preach. That was Mark 00:10:03.580 --> 00:10:08.750 3, verses 13 -14. So Jesus doesn't just choose 00:10:08.750 --> 00:10:12.629 or select, but Jesus appoints authoritatively 00:10:12.629 --> 00:10:19.230 12 men to this office of apostle. And why? Why? 00:10:19.350 --> 00:10:23.940 So that they could be with him. so that they 00:10:23.940 --> 00:10:26.899 could be around him, so they were near him, so 00:10:26.899 --> 00:10:29.980 they were under his teaching and his tutelage 00:10:29.980 --> 00:10:33.399 and his instruction, so they grasped him, so 00:10:33.399 --> 00:10:35.740 that they could see him and hear him, so that 00:10:35.740 --> 00:10:40.100 they could know him, and so that he could send 00:10:40.100 --> 00:10:45.019 them out to preach. He's training them for what 00:10:45.019 --> 00:10:47.919 they are getting ready to do here in the book 00:10:47.919 --> 00:10:59.990 of Acts. Jesus personally wanted these 12. Jesus 00:10:59.990 --> 00:11:03.289 chose these 12 out of the masses, out of the 00:11:03.289 --> 00:11:06.889 crowds. He personally appointed these men in 00:11:06.889 --> 00:11:11.190 particular, not others. There are hundreds of 00:11:11.190 --> 00:11:13.610 men Jesus could have called and he could have 00:11:13.610 --> 00:11:17.269 appointed as apostles, but he chose these 12. 00:11:19.960 --> 00:11:25.139 Specific men. He gave them authority. He taught 00:11:25.139 --> 00:11:31.299 them. He instructed them. He mentored them. He 00:11:31.299 --> 00:11:35.480 ministered to them. He equipped them. He discipled 00:11:35.480 --> 00:11:40.720 them. He spurred them along. He rebuked them. 00:11:40.820 --> 00:11:50.570 He poured into those men for three years, Judas 00:11:50.570 --> 00:12:01.389 Iscariot. Including Judas Iscariot. Jesus handpicked 00:12:01.389 --> 00:12:05.509 his disciples, his apostles. He appointed them 00:12:05.509 --> 00:12:12.250 so that when the crowds looked on, they saw these 00:12:12.250 --> 00:12:18.870 apostles with Jesus. Jesus, who knows the hearts, 00:12:19.440 --> 00:12:25.259 Of all men, Jesus who knows all things, Jesus 00:12:25.259 --> 00:12:31.519 who is God in flesh, chose these 12, including 00:12:31.519 --> 00:12:38.820 Judas Iscariot. This was public knowledge. There 00:12:38.820 --> 00:12:41.799 was an awareness of Jesus and his disciples. 00:12:42.659 --> 00:12:45.559 You know, when you were reading the text this 00:12:45.559 --> 00:12:49.840 morning in Luke, he sent them out. And the regions 00:12:49.840 --> 00:12:52.940 and the villages became aware of who Christ was. 00:12:53.899 --> 00:12:57.539 They heard about this master, this rabbi, this 00:12:57.539 --> 00:12:59.740 man that could work wonders and he could give 00:12:59.740 --> 00:13:02.139 authority to his apostles and they could work 00:13:02.139 --> 00:13:05.879 wonders. The towns and the villages, the crowds 00:13:05.879 --> 00:13:08.519 and the masses, they heard and they knew who 00:13:08.519 --> 00:13:13.240 Jesus was. And for three years, the twelve were 00:13:13.240 --> 00:13:19.409 associated with Christ. The 12 apostles were 00:13:19.409 --> 00:13:22.330 associated with Christ, and the public knew it, 00:13:22.350 --> 00:13:29.110 and the disciples knew it. Judas included. Judas 00:13:29.110 --> 00:13:34.129 included. So when Jesus fed the 5 ,000, there 00:13:34.129 --> 00:13:37.629 was apostles, including Judas, passing out baskets. 00:13:38.230 --> 00:13:44.120 And the crowds saw Judas with Jesus. When Lazarus 00:13:44.120 --> 00:13:46.360 was raised and the Jews were standing around 00:13:46.360 --> 00:13:49.659 and they were mourning over Lazarus and some 00:13:49.659 --> 00:13:54.600 were mocking Jesus, they saw Lazarus there among 00:13:54.600 --> 00:13:59.440 the disciples with Jesus near Mary and Martha, 00:13:59.740 --> 00:14:03.279 close by when Christ was working his miracles. 00:14:04.419 --> 00:14:09.460 When Jesus healed the blind man born blind, one 00:14:09.460 --> 00:14:12.220 of the first things he saw was Jesus. and his 00:14:12.220 --> 00:14:18.659 apostles, Judas being one of them. When Jesus 00:14:18.659 --> 00:14:21.340 sent the twelve out to preach the kingdom of 00:14:21.340 --> 00:14:26.840 God and to work miracles, testifying to his deity 00:14:26.840 --> 00:14:32.019 and his mission, Judas went out and preached 00:14:32.019 --> 00:14:36.539 and worked miracles based on Christ's authority. 00:14:38.379 --> 00:14:44.190 Judas Iscariot. Went out. So he was handpicked 00:14:44.190 --> 00:14:49.590 to be a faithful follower of Christ. And by all 00:14:49.590 --> 00:14:54.649 appearances sake, he was. He was. The people 00:14:54.649 --> 00:15:00.570 saw him with Jesus. So how is it that this man, 00:15:00.809 --> 00:15:05.570 who was handpicked, personally chosen, personally 00:15:05.570 --> 00:15:13.120 appointed, stabbed Jesus in the back. He betrayed 00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:19.600 him. He betrayed the Prince of Peace, the Prince 00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:23.860 of Life, after three years of being with him. 00:15:24.519 --> 00:15:29.820 Just as public as his ministry was and his disciples 00:15:29.820 --> 00:15:33.259 and his apostles were, that was all public in 00:15:33.259 --> 00:15:39.259 the public eye. So was Judas' betrayal. You can't 00:15:39.259 --> 00:15:43.000 tell me that that was not public news which was 00:15:43.000 --> 00:15:48.740 known that one of Jesus' personal hand -picked 00:15:48.740 --> 00:15:53.460 appointed apostles turned on him and betrayed 00:15:53.460 --> 00:15:58.759 him. Jesus of Nazareth, the one that worked the 00:15:58.759 --> 00:16:02.720 miracles, he was crucified in Jerusalem. Did 00:16:02.720 --> 00:16:05.299 you guys know how all that started? Well, Judas 00:16:05.299 --> 00:16:09.759 betrayed him. I'm sure that there was a lot of 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:13.740 talk of it in Jerusalem. And so for the first 00:16:13.740 --> 00:16:17.240 century, and for us, it raises some pretty good 00:16:17.240 --> 00:16:21.580 questions, doesn't it? It makes us ask some difficult 00:16:21.580 --> 00:16:25.139 questions. For the first century world in which 00:16:25.139 --> 00:16:29.620 Jesus lived, in which the apostles lived, looking 00:16:29.620 --> 00:16:33.440 into the church, think of what they were wondering 00:16:33.440 --> 00:16:36.559 in their hearts and their minds. as they encountered 00:16:36.559 --> 00:16:39.799 these people, as they saw these events transpire, 00:16:39.860 --> 00:16:42.799 and especially in the ranks of the disciples 00:16:42.799 --> 00:16:47.820 themselves. Think of the questions and the personal 00:16:47.820 --> 00:16:51.000 struggles which they would have dealt with because 00:16:51.000 --> 00:16:58.860 of Judas. I'm sure the question of, why did Jesus 00:16:58.860 --> 00:17:08.109 pick him? Was this an accident? Did he mean to 00:17:08.109 --> 00:17:14.309 pick Judas who would betray him? Was Judas ever 00:17:14.309 --> 00:17:21.930 really an actual disciple? Did he really deserve 00:17:21.930 --> 00:17:28.430 to be there? Did Jesus really know the hearts 00:17:28.430 --> 00:17:33.900 of all men? Is Jesus really God if he can't even 00:17:33.900 --> 00:17:39.460 tell that his disciples would betray him? Does 00:17:39.460 --> 00:17:43.980 he really know the hearts of all men if he chose 00:17:43.980 --> 00:17:51.779 Judas, the betrayer? Was this really part of 00:17:51.779 --> 00:17:57.299 God's plan? Was this really part of God's redemptive 00:17:57.299 --> 00:18:00.589 plan? that he's been working through history 00:18:00.589 --> 00:18:05.670 to bring about. And I think a big question that 00:18:05.670 --> 00:18:10.309 they considered and we have to consider, how 00:18:10.309 --> 00:18:14.190 can you reconcile the sovereignty and providence 00:18:14.190 --> 00:18:20.349 of this great God with Judas' apostasy, betrayal, 00:18:20.730 --> 00:18:25.710 and judgment? How can you reconcile those two 00:18:25.710 --> 00:18:30.710 things? How can you bring them together? I'm 00:18:30.710 --> 00:18:34.230 sure the gathered disciples were asking and needing 00:18:34.230 --> 00:18:40.190 assurance as to whether Christ's choice and appointment 00:18:40.190 --> 00:18:45.609 of Judas to the apostleship was really part of 00:18:45.609 --> 00:18:51.789 God's divine plan. Think about the questions 00:18:51.789 --> 00:18:53.609 that would have been raised in their hearts and 00:18:53.609 --> 00:18:56.690 their minds. I'm sure many of them would have 00:18:56.690 --> 00:19:01.829 thought, could it happen to me? Can it happen 00:19:01.829 --> 00:19:05.990 to me? Our text today answers these questions 00:19:05.990 --> 00:19:11.210 in the book of Acts in verses 15 through 26. 00:19:12.109 --> 00:19:16.809 Our text answers these questions by showing us 00:19:16.809 --> 00:19:21.069 the providence of God at work. and the life of 00:19:21.069 --> 00:19:26.789 the early church, especially in regards to the 00:19:26.789 --> 00:19:31.650 judgment of Judas and the apostleship in his 00:19:31.650 --> 00:19:36.509 replacement. So before we go any farther, I want 00:19:36.509 --> 00:19:40.529 to define providence. I want to define what it 00:19:40.529 --> 00:19:44.230 is. When you hear me use the word providence, 00:19:44.250 --> 00:19:45.769 because I'm going to be using it a whole bunch 00:19:45.769 --> 00:19:49.730 today. When you hear me use that word, what goes 00:19:49.730 --> 00:19:52.450 off in your mind? So I'm going to read from the 00:19:52.450 --> 00:19:56.690 1689 Lundus Baptist Confession of Divine Providence, 00:19:56.789 --> 00:20:01.890 and we read these words. All things come to pass, 00:20:02.150 --> 00:20:07.109 unchangeably and certainly, in relation to the 00:20:07.109 --> 00:20:10.250 foreknowledge and decree of God, who is the first 00:20:10.250 --> 00:20:15.990 cause. Thus, nothing happens to anyone by chance, 00:20:16.559 --> 00:20:20.920 or outside of God's providence. Yet by the same 00:20:20.920 --> 00:20:24.539 providence, God arranges all things to occur 00:20:24.539 --> 00:20:28.140 according to the nature of second causes, either 00:20:28.140 --> 00:20:31.579 necessarily, freely, or in response to other 00:20:31.579 --> 00:20:35.559 causes. I'm going to jump down. The almighty 00:20:35.559 --> 00:20:40.359 power and unsearchable wisdom and infinite goodness 00:20:40.359 --> 00:20:44.519 of God are so thoroughly demonstrated in His 00:20:44.519 --> 00:20:49.900 providence that his sovereign plan includes even 00:20:49.900 --> 00:20:53.900 the first fall and every other sinful action, 00:20:53.980 --> 00:20:57.579 both of angels and humans. God's providence over 00:20:57.579 --> 00:21:01.420 sinful actions does not occur by simple permission. 00:21:02.200 --> 00:21:06.700 Instead, God most wisely and powerfully limits 00:21:06.700 --> 00:21:12.339 and in other ways arranges and governs sinful 00:21:12.339 --> 00:21:17.440 actions. Through a complex arrangement of methods, 00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:21.579 he governs sinful actions to accomplish his perfectly 00:21:21.579 --> 00:21:27.900 holy purposes. In the Baptist catechism, one 00:21:27.900 --> 00:21:32.579 of the questions is, how does God execute his 00:21:32.579 --> 00:21:37.960 decrees? God executes his decrees through his 00:21:37.960 --> 00:21:42.750 works of creation and his works of... Providence 00:21:42.750 --> 00:21:46.170 in the old Baptist catechism for kids. Can God 00:21:46.170 --> 00:21:50.490 do all things? God can do all his holy will. 00:21:51.509 --> 00:21:58.930 So in the Baptist catechism, what are God's works 00:21:58.930 --> 00:22:03.170 of providence? And this is the very good, concise 00:22:03.170 --> 00:22:08.329 definition. God's works of providence are his 00:22:08.329 --> 00:22:14.069 most holy, wise, and powerful, preserving and 00:22:14.069 --> 00:22:19.390 governing all His creatures and all their actions. 00:22:21.190 --> 00:22:25.869 We have a big God that we worship. We have a 00:22:25.869 --> 00:22:28.750 big and a mighty and a powerful and a holy God 00:22:28.750 --> 00:22:33.369 that we worship and that we serve. We serve a 00:22:33.369 --> 00:22:36.609 providential God who has all power in and of 00:22:36.609 --> 00:22:41.599 Himself. Now you take that... sovereign, absolute 00:22:41.599 --> 00:22:46.500 power of God, and you give it a purpose. You 00:22:46.500 --> 00:22:49.240 give it a plan. You give it a direction. That's 00:22:49.240 --> 00:22:53.240 providence. Providence is God's almighty and 00:22:53.240 --> 00:22:56.640 absolute power over everything, working with 00:22:56.640 --> 00:23:01.599 a purpose in this world, which he owns and which 00:23:01.599 --> 00:23:05.420 he governs. That's providence. So when you hear 00:23:05.420 --> 00:23:08.559 me use the word providence repeatedly today, 00:23:09.319 --> 00:23:13.319 Think of God governing his absolute power at 00:23:13.319 --> 00:23:17.819 work with a purpose in this world. That's God's 00:23:17.819 --> 00:23:21.579 providence. So briefly, let's look at the providential 00:23:21.579 --> 00:23:26.819 dilemma in verses 15 through 20 of Acts chapter 00:23:26.819 --> 00:23:30.500 1. So Peter stands up in the midst of this gathering 00:23:30.500 --> 00:23:35.000 of about 120, and he presents the problem, the 00:23:35.000 --> 00:23:37.880 issue. There's only 11 apostles, and there needs 00:23:37.880 --> 00:23:42.569 to be 12. There needs to be 12 because Christ 00:23:42.569 --> 00:23:47.490 appointed 12. First, we see that Judas actually 00:23:47.490 --> 00:23:52.789 served and actually ministered with the other 00:23:52.789 --> 00:23:55.970 apostles in verse 17. He was counted among us 00:23:55.970 --> 00:24:01.029 and he had his place in our ministry. It wasn't 00:24:01.029 --> 00:24:04.269 that Judas was for three years going around with 00:24:04.269 --> 00:24:09.039 a scowl on his face, miserable in his life. And 00:24:09.039 --> 00:24:12.460 all the apostles knew it, and Jesus just ignored 00:24:12.460 --> 00:24:16.380 it. When Jesus said, one of you will betray me 00:24:16.380 --> 00:24:19.460 at the Last Supper, nobody pointed their finger 00:24:19.460 --> 00:24:27.759 at Judas. Nobody. So Judas actually performed 00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:33.619 duties. He actually ministered. He actually... 00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:37.839 did the work and fulfilled responsibilities among 00:24:37.839 --> 00:24:42.339 them. He wasn't simply a placeholder, but he 00:24:42.339 --> 00:24:46.779 was legitimately, genuinely, authentically in 00:24:46.779 --> 00:24:51.160 the apostleship. He was there, he served, he 00:24:51.160 --> 00:24:56.880 ministered. Then we see Judas' sin in verse 16 00:24:56.880 --> 00:25:02.200 of the book of Acts. We see that he became a 00:25:02.200 --> 00:25:08.039 guide. To those who arrested Jesus. He became 00:25:08.039 --> 00:25:11.700 a guide to those who arrested Jesus. Think of 00:25:11.700 --> 00:25:15.420 it. The Lord of glory who came to accomplish 00:25:15.420 --> 00:25:18.740 redemption on behalf of sinful people. You go 00:25:18.740 --> 00:25:22.279 out, you proactively seek them out and make a 00:25:22.279 --> 00:25:25.500 deal. What will you give me to betray this man? 00:25:27.660 --> 00:25:32.400 And then you bring them. to the very place where 00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:36.480 that man had loved you so deeply and so much 00:25:36.480 --> 00:25:42.700 for three years. He didn't just stand at a distance 00:25:42.700 --> 00:25:45.099 and say, that's him over there. He didn't just 00:25:45.099 --> 00:25:47.720 give them directions to where Jesus would be, 00:25:47.819 --> 00:25:51.240 but he walked up to the Lord Jesus and gave him 00:25:51.240 --> 00:25:55.579 a kiss as a sign and a signal, this is the one 00:25:55.579 --> 00:25:59.599 you need to take. This is the one that you need 00:25:59.599 --> 00:26:05.519 to capture. He's the one. So the sin of Judas 00:26:05.519 --> 00:26:11.099 wasn't simply his apostatizing from the apostleship, 00:26:11.099 --> 00:26:15.319 but his sin, which he would be judged for, was 00:26:15.319 --> 00:26:18.079 his betrayal and his rejection and his denial 00:26:18.079 --> 00:26:22.740 and his spitting on the Lord Jesus. That's what 00:26:22.740 --> 00:26:25.960 would bring judgment and heap condemnation. on 00:26:25.960 --> 00:26:31.059 his head. He became a guide to those who arrested 00:26:31.059 --> 00:26:40.019 Jesus. He gave up the perfect Son of God for 00:26:40.019 --> 00:26:44.880 a measly 30 pieces of silver. The greed and the 00:26:44.880 --> 00:26:49.000 wickedness and the evil in his heart is appalling, 00:26:49.079 --> 00:26:54.759 is it not? It's present in all of ours. It's 00:26:54.759 --> 00:27:02.660 present in every single one of our hearts. The 00:27:02.660 --> 00:27:09.779 difference between Judas and Peter. Jesus came 00:27:09.779 --> 00:27:16.519 and restored Peter at the beach. Judas rejected 00:27:16.519 --> 00:27:22.279 Christ and would be judged for it. So we see 00:27:22.279 --> 00:27:26.339 the sin of Judas in verse 16. And this really, 00:27:26.440 --> 00:27:29.519 it's a sad ordeal to walk through. It's a tragedy. 00:27:30.619 --> 00:27:33.759 Because you see the opportunity of this man that 00:27:33.759 --> 00:27:37.099 was with Jesus and heard from His very lips. 00:27:37.559 --> 00:27:43.359 It's a sad ordeal. It's a tragedy to read through 00:27:43.359 --> 00:27:46.700 this and think what has come of this man who 00:27:46.700 --> 00:27:53.329 spent so much time with... The Lord Jesus. Then 00:27:53.329 --> 00:27:59.150 we see the threefold judgment of Judas. We see 00:27:59.150 --> 00:28:04.529 this really in verses 18 and 19 of chapter 1 00:28:04.529 --> 00:28:06.630 in the book of Acts. We see his physical death, 00:28:06.910 --> 00:28:10.009 which when I read it, we think and we hear that 00:28:10.009 --> 00:28:12.829 in our ears and we think, wow, that's harsh. 00:28:13.910 --> 00:28:19.900 That's heavy. That's a brutal death. The very 00:28:19.900 --> 00:28:23.619 reason that it is so harsh and so hard to hear 00:28:23.619 --> 00:28:29.720 is because it is a judgment of God. It's supposed 00:28:29.720 --> 00:28:36.200 to be harsh. It's supposed to be heavy. He was 00:28:36.200 --> 00:28:39.660 punished and he was judged for his sin against 00:28:39.660 --> 00:28:47.519 the Son of God. He didn't slide. It's supposed 00:28:47.519 --> 00:28:50.839 to be heavy. And His physical death in the scene 00:28:50.839 --> 00:28:53.460 which we see with our eyes and we feel in our 00:28:53.460 --> 00:28:56.420 hearts when we read that, that is because it's 00:28:56.420 --> 00:28:59.680 meant to be a heavy thing. When God judges a 00:28:59.680 --> 00:29:04.079 person, it's a heavy thing. It's an intense thing. 00:29:04.140 --> 00:29:06.880 It's a frightening thing. It's a sad thing when 00:29:06.880 --> 00:29:09.299 they've had the opportunity over and over and 00:29:09.299 --> 00:29:12.380 over to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus. 00:29:14.480 --> 00:29:17.740 So we see his physical death, his physical judgment. 00:29:18.519 --> 00:29:22.440 Then we see the ongoing proclamation of his judgment, 00:29:22.480 --> 00:29:27.079 which is the field. It says that it became known 00:29:27.079 --> 00:29:31.160 to all who were in Jerusalem to such an extent 00:29:31.160 --> 00:29:35.700 that the field got its own name and their own 00:29:35.700 --> 00:29:41.339 native language. Everybody was so aware of what 00:29:41.339 --> 00:29:47.049 happened to Judas. That it got its own name. 00:29:47.750 --> 00:29:52.309 So that field went on through history to proclaim 00:29:52.309 --> 00:29:56.049 the judgment of the betrayer of the Son of God. 00:29:56.869 --> 00:29:59.450 Giving a warning to all that oppose the church 00:29:59.450 --> 00:30:03.230 and giving a warning to those who might consider 00:30:03.230 --> 00:30:09.650 rejecting Christ. And we see a spiritual judgment 00:30:09.650 --> 00:30:12.430 which we see in verse 25 where it says he turned 00:30:12.430 --> 00:30:16.579 aside and went his own way. It's a phrase meant 00:30:16.579 --> 00:30:21.980 for punishment, eternal punishment. His physical 00:30:21.980 --> 00:30:26.059 death was not the worst part of it. His physical 00:30:26.059 --> 00:30:29.160 judgment and the ongoing proclamation of his 00:30:29.160 --> 00:30:32.079 judgment wasn't the worst part of what Judas 00:30:32.079 --> 00:30:36.180 would experience. The worst part of it is his 00:30:36.180 --> 00:30:40.599 spiritual judgment in hell. For an eternity under 00:30:40.599 --> 00:30:44.220 the wrath of God, in a place where there's weeping 00:30:44.220 --> 00:30:50.259 and gnashing of teeth. Then we see the prophecy 00:30:50.259 --> 00:30:55.140 concerning Judas. And this is really important 00:30:55.140 --> 00:30:59.079 for us to grasp and to understand this part. 00:30:59.519 --> 00:31:03.240 We see this in verse 16 and 20, and I'm going 00:31:03.240 --> 00:31:08.240 to read verse 16, where Peter says, Brethren, 00:31:08.420 --> 00:31:13.059 the Scripture had to be fulfilled. which the 00:31:13.059 --> 00:31:16.480 Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning 00:31:16.480 --> 00:31:25.599 Judas. This scripture says that it had to be 00:31:25.599 --> 00:31:32.259 fulfilled. Something had to take place. Something 00:31:32.259 --> 00:31:37.200 had to come about. A determined event must occur 00:31:37.200 --> 00:31:42.259 so that the scripture would be fulfilled. Now, 00:31:42.299 --> 00:31:47.220 when we read this, we hear providence. Remember 00:31:47.220 --> 00:31:52.339 what it means? God governing, God ruling, ordering, 00:31:52.619 --> 00:31:58.519 orchestrating for his eternal purposes. So why 00:31:58.519 --> 00:32:03.539 did this scripture have to be fulfilled? Why 00:32:03.539 --> 00:32:07.019 did it have to take place? Why did Judas' betrayal, 00:32:07.539 --> 00:32:10.839 his judgment, his rejection of Christ, why did 00:32:10.839 --> 00:32:15.190 it... have to take place. This is like when Jesus 00:32:15.190 --> 00:32:18.650 went to the well and it says he had to go through 00:32:18.650 --> 00:32:23.069 Samaria. In the King James it says he must, needs, 00:32:23.190 --> 00:32:30.029 go through Samaria. He had to. Why did this scripture 00:32:30.029 --> 00:32:33.990 have to be fulfilled? What was so vital, what 00:32:33.990 --> 00:32:37.890 was so important? concerning the life and the 00:32:37.890 --> 00:32:40.529 judgment and the death and the betrayal of Judas 00:32:40.529 --> 00:32:45.930 Iscariot. It had to take place. It had to occur. 00:32:46.170 --> 00:32:49.049 This scripture had to be fulfilled and God's 00:32:49.049 --> 00:32:52.609 providential sovereign rule over this world so 00:32:52.609 --> 00:32:57.789 that the instigation of the suffering and the 00:32:57.789 --> 00:33:02.009 trials and the pain and the murder of the Son 00:33:02.009 --> 00:33:05.220 of God so that he could give up his spirit so 00:33:05.220 --> 00:33:07.740 that he could defeat death, so that he could 00:33:07.740 --> 00:33:13.460 ascend, and so that he could reign. Judas had 00:33:13.460 --> 00:33:16.640 to happen in the providence of God so that Christ 00:33:16.640 --> 00:33:23.000 could atone for sins. If Judas hadn't betrayed 00:33:23.000 --> 00:33:27.960 Christ, there would be no redemption for the 00:33:27.960 --> 00:33:32.799 people of Christ. It was essential. In God's 00:33:32.799 --> 00:33:37.940 providence, this came about. In God's providence, 00:33:37.960 --> 00:33:41.660 this wicked man with an evil heart, an unregenerate, 00:33:41.660 --> 00:33:47.779 unsaved heart, brought about one of the greatest 00:33:47.779 --> 00:33:53.400 goods. One of the greatest goods? The greatest 00:33:53.400 --> 00:34:00.480 good. For all mankind, for all eternity and the 00:34:00.480 --> 00:34:05.900 entirety of the universe. Christ's death and 00:34:05.900 --> 00:34:13.480 his resurrection. It had to be fulfilled. I think 00:34:13.480 --> 00:34:20.119 of Genesis 50 where Joseph and his brothers and 00:34:20.119 --> 00:34:23.389 the brothers say, This is what's happened. This 00:34:23.389 --> 00:34:26.110 is what's going on. And Joseph says, hey, am 00:34:26.110 --> 00:34:30.070 I in the place of God? He says, you meant it 00:34:30.070 --> 00:34:36.469 for evil. But then he says, God meant it for 00:34:36.469 --> 00:34:43.710 good. He does not say, and this part right here, 00:34:43.869 --> 00:34:47.550 there's a clip of John Piper burned in my mind 00:34:47.550 --> 00:34:50.590 from years ago that I saw. He was talking on 00:34:50.590 --> 00:34:54.860 this text. And he says, don't ever let any preacher 00:34:54.860 --> 00:34:59.280 tell you God allowed it for good. God was able 00:34:59.280 --> 00:35:02.079 to use it for good. And if any of you know John 00:35:02.079 --> 00:35:08.420 Piper, he's using his hands a lot. So he did 00:35:08.420 --> 00:35:15.000 not simply allow it. He did not simply bring 00:35:15.000 --> 00:35:19.519 good out of it. But the text says that God meant 00:35:19.519 --> 00:35:24.440 it. He meant the evil which the brothers intended 00:35:24.440 --> 00:35:33.280 for harm for good. Meant it for good. So in a 00:35:33.280 --> 00:35:37.480 really very real way, this is a providential 00:35:37.480 --> 00:35:40.320 dilemma of only having 11 disciples, is it not? 00:35:41.199 --> 00:35:44.239 We see this, and this is a God -ordained, God 00:35:44.239 --> 00:35:49.480 -orchestrated, God -designed open chair on the 00:35:49.480 --> 00:35:54.199 apostleship. It's God -ordained. So the second 00:35:54.199 --> 00:35:56.760 part of the text I'm going to briefly run through. 00:35:57.780 --> 00:36:02.780 We see the providential dilemma resolved. We 00:36:02.780 --> 00:36:05.880 see not only that the dilemma came about because 00:36:05.880 --> 00:36:10.420 of providence with Judas, but we also see that 00:36:10.420 --> 00:36:13.960 the resolution and the solution to it came about 00:36:13.960 --> 00:36:19.139 through providence. Through God's governing of... 00:36:19.369 --> 00:36:23.510 things and all things. Peter makes a proposal. 00:36:23.530 --> 00:36:27.130 He's a proposal of a solution. He says we need 00:36:27.130 --> 00:36:30.369 a replacement. We see that in verses 21 and 22. 00:36:30.730 --> 00:36:34.429 We have to replace him. One of us has to replace 00:36:34.429 --> 00:36:38.269 him who has been with him the whole time. He 00:36:38.269 --> 00:36:42.090 gives clear cut and strict conditions and requirements 00:36:42.090 --> 00:36:46.269 for what you, not just anybody could be an apostle. 00:36:47.630 --> 00:36:52.389 He gives strict requirements as to who you were 00:36:52.389 --> 00:36:55.110 and the experience you had to have. There were 00:36:55.110 --> 00:36:59.349 qualifications. Meaning you must have been with 00:36:59.349 --> 00:37:05.409 Jesus the whole time. You had to have witnessed 00:37:05.409 --> 00:37:09.250 the resurrection and the ascension. And they 00:37:09.250 --> 00:37:12.610 must be men. Those are three qualifications that 00:37:12.610 --> 00:37:17.880 they present in this text. What was the primary 00:37:17.880 --> 00:37:22.380 task of the apostle to be? The primary task of 00:37:22.380 --> 00:37:26.119 the apostle was to be a witness to the resurrection 00:37:26.119 --> 00:37:29.800 of Jesus Christ. So they were to be preachers 00:37:29.800 --> 00:37:33.619 of the gospel. They were to be proclaimers of 00:37:33.619 --> 00:37:35.840 the word of God, to take the mission and take 00:37:35.840 --> 00:37:40.239 the gospel forward to all nations. And then they 00:37:40.239 --> 00:37:44.679 give two candidates, Joseph and Matthias. Some 00:37:44.679 --> 00:37:49.800 may choose to pronounce it Matthias. So two candidates, 00:37:50.000 --> 00:37:53.659 Joseph and Matthias, two qualified men, two men 00:37:53.659 --> 00:37:59.960 who had been with Jesus, two men who had seen 00:37:59.960 --> 00:38:03.219 the resurrection and the ascension. They were 00:38:03.219 --> 00:38:08.940 qualified. And then we see, and this is the big 00:38:08.940 --> 00:38:13.280 part in this last part of the text. The providential 00:38:13.280 --> 00:38:18.480 appointment and choice of Matthias. This is amazing 00:38:18.480 --> 00:38:21.519 when you look at this text. Let's read verses 00:38:21.519 --> 00:38:26.880 24 and 25. And they prayed and said, You, Lord, 00:38:27.019 --> 00:38:32.860 who know the hearts of all men, show which one 00:38:32.860 --> 00:38:37.960 of these you have chosen. When we read verse 00:38:37.960 --> 00:38:42.719 24 right there, do you notice? They haven't made 00:38:42.719 --> 00:38:47.340 a choice yet. Show us which one of these you 00:38:47.340 --> 00:38:51.079 have chosen. That word, that's eklektos. Which 00:38:51.079 --> 00:38:53.320 one of these you have elected? Which one of these 00:38:53.320 --> 00:39:00.059 you have chosen to be your apostle already? To 00:39:00.059 --> 00:39:05.860 occupy the ministry and apostleship. So God makes 00:39:05.860 --> 00:39:11.059 the decision. Just as Jesus chose the apostles, 00:39:11.670 --> 00:39:14.989 during his ministry and his life on earth, God 00:39:14.989 --> 00:39:19.110 chooses Matthias to resolve the providential 00:39:19.110 --> 00:39:23.670 dilemma. It was God's choice to replace him. 00:39:23.750 --> 00:39:27.849 It was God's choice in who he would replace him 00:39:27.849 --> 00:39:32.869 with. So we see that there's a providential dilemma. 00:39:32.909 --> 00:39:37.829 God resolves the providential dilemma. So how 00:39:37.829 --> 00:39:41.489 does all of this apply to our lives? In this 00:39:41.489 --> 00:39:46.190 area in 2018. I mean, that was the origins. That's 00:39:46.190 --> 00:39:50.170 the history. That's just before Pentecost 2 ,000 00:39:50.170 --> 00:39:52.409 years ago when the church is getting ready to 00:39:52.409 --> 00:39:55.110 explode. How does this apply to my life and to 00:39:55.110 --> 00:39:59.050 your life? How does this impact my thinking? 00:39:59.110 --> 00:40:06.010 How does this impact your thinking? The providence 00:40:06.010 --> 00:40:08.949 of God is one of the most practical doctrines. 00:40:09.530 --> 00:40:13.730 that there is. The providence of God can be a 00:40:13.730 --> 00:40:17.329 doctrine which is comforting, and it should be 00:40:17.329 --> 00:40:22.269 greatly comforting, and a doctrine which is very 00:40:22.269 --> 00:40:28.250 difficult and hard, but it impacts our view and 00:40:28.250 --> 00:40:32.670 our perspective of who God is greatly and who 00:40:32.670 --> 00:40:41.349 we are in respect to who God is. And a few points 00:40:41.349 --> 00:40:45.489 of application. First is this. Providence is 00:40:45.489 --> 00:40:51.949 not a doctrine of convenience. Meaning, you take 00:40:51.949 --> 00:40:56.070 this and leave that. I'll take this as God's 00:40:56.070 --> 00:40:59.010 providence and reject that as God's providence. 00:41:00.909 --> 00:41:06.809 It's not convenient for us and for our lives, 00:41:06.949 --> 00:41:11.960 honestly. And our wanting to make God like us 00:41:11.960 --> 00:41:15.639 in that, it's not convenient for our wanting 00:41:15.639 --> 00:41:20.000 to make God like us in that. We want God to be 00:41:20.000 --> 00:41:24.199 like us and to give us only good things and only 00:41:24.199 --> 00:41:27.880 pleasurable and enjoyable and easy things in 00:41:27.880 --> 00:41:33.320 this life. Providence is not a convenient doctrine. 00:41:33.840 --> 00:41:36.099 Think about this text. There's the providence 00:41:36.099 --> 00:41:39.380 regarding Judas. And then there's the providence 00:41:39.380 --> 00:41:43.820 regarding Matthias. Very different providences, 00:41:43.860 --> 00:41:49.000 right? The providence of Judas is a hard and 00:41:49.000 --> 00:41:54.360 a heavy and a difficult providence. The providence 00:41:54.360 --> 00:41:58.320 regarding Matthias is an uplifting and encouraging 00:41:58.320 --> 00:42:01.679 providence where we see God taking care of his 00:42:01.679 --> 00:42:04.920 church and providing for them and supporting 00:42:04.920 --> 00:42:15.860 the church. We must not only accept the good, 00:42:15.860 --> 00:42:20.079 easy, enjoyable, pleasurable things in this life 00:42:20.079 --> 00:42:24.559 as good providences from God and reject the hard 00:42:24.559 --> 00:42:28.239 and the difficult things in this life as not 00:42:28.239 --> 00:42:34.539 from God. Providence isn't convenient because 00:42:34.539 --> 00:42:38.260 if we believe that God is sovereign and that 00:42:38.260 --> 00:42:42.530 He is ruling, We must accept it all from God. 00:42:43.570 --> 00:42:47.789 We somehow think that when the fall occurred 00:42:47.789 --> 00:42:53.110 in Genesis chapter 3, we somehow think that God 00:42:53.110 --> 00:42:58.550 got locked out of working and orchestrating in 00:42:58.550 --> 00:43:01.329 the world and that mankind kind of in the spiral 00:43:01.329 --> 00:43:07.869 took over and got left to himself. But we must 00:43:07.869 --> 00:43:11.710 never forget that this is God's world. This is 00:43:11.710 --> 00:43:15.969 God's creation. He is the maker. He is the creator. 00:43:16.210 --> 00:43:18.969 He does as He pleases. And He has always been 00:43:18.969 --> 00:43:23.590 working in and through and by His creation to 00:43:23.590 --> 00:43:26.250 bring Him glory and to bring His people good. 00:43:26.829 --> 00:43:33.039 From the start, 2 ,000 years ago and today. He 00:43:33.039 --> 00:43:36.059 has not changed. He is still working in the same 00:43:36.059 --> 00:43:42.099 way. We must accept it all and learn to rest 00:43:42.099 --> 00:43:49.559 in the character of God. Second, the providence 00:43:49.559 --> 00:43:52.840 of God, and this is a hard one, the providence 00:43:52.840 --> 00:43:59.239 of God works in and through and by depraved men. 00:44:00.969 --> 00:44:06.510 We see that with Judas, don't we? Fallen men. 00:44:08.530 --> 00:44:14.469 Fallen mankind in Adam. If God refused to work 00:44:14.469 --> 00:44:19.070 providentially in and through and by wicked men 00:44:19.070 --> 00:44:22.630 in Adam with evil hearts, then he would not touch 00:44:22.630 --> 00:44:26.010 this world because we're all wicked. Because 00:44:26.010 --> 00:44:31.809 we're all in Adam. So he works in and through 00:44:31.809 --> 00:44:39.989 fallen, sinful man. This does not, and it is 00:44:39.989 --> 00:44:45.110 not, opposed or against to man's volition and 00:44:45.110 --> 00:44:49.889 man's will. It's not. We see in this text in 00:44:49.889 --> 00:44:54.710 verse 25 that Judas turned aside volitionally 00:44:54.710 --> 00:45:02.500 and willfully. To go to His own place. It is 00:45:02.500 --> 00:45:07.179 not against or opposed. We forget that we live 00:45:07.179 --> 00:45:09.679 in a world of means and that God has created 00:45:09.679 --> 00:45:14.019 a world of means. And that He works in and through 00:45:14.019 --> 00:45:17.400 us and by us and around us and in events and 00:45:17.400 --> 00:45:20.579 circumstances orchestrating and arranging for 00:45:20.579 --> 00:45:23.800 His glory and our good to bring about His end. 00:45:24.940 --> 00:45:29.440 And we are the means, folks. And he is welcome 00:45:29.440 --> 00:45:32.300 to work within the bounds of those means, or 00:45:32.300 --> 00:45:36.579 God is more than welcome to work any way he pleases 00:45:36.579 --> 00:45:40.199 in this world because he owns it. And it's his. 00:45:41.460 --> 00:45:46.460 So he can work in whatever way he wishes to work. 00:45:48.219 --> 00:45:54.139 We think, I think so many times, I struggle with, 00:45:54.860 --> 00:46:00.380 Man's freedom and God's freedom. You know, I 00:46:00.380 --> 00:46:05.659 think in my mind, in my small pea brain, you 00:46:05.659 --> 00:46:09.880 know, in my small pea brain, I think, you know, 00:46:09.920 --> 00:46:15.800 I have a lot of freedom. I do what I want. I'm 00:46:15.800 --> 00:46:19.119 free to make my own choices and to live how I 00:46:19.119 --> 00:46:24.099 wish. to determine my life and to plan my life. 00:46:24.239 --> 00:46:27.400 And I think in my smallness and my arrogance 00:46:27.400 --> 00:46:31.639 and in my pride that that somehow limits God's 00:46:31.639 --> 00:46:37.719 freedom. That that restricts and restrains the 00:46:37.719 --> 00:46:41.559 bounds of the maker and creator of this world. 00:46:42.119 --> 00:46:48.099 Folks, my freedom does not restrict God's freedom. 00:46:49.540 --> 00:46:53.460 God's freedom, as the great and holy and mighty 00:46:53.460 --> 00:46:57.500 and perfect and glorious and sovereign ruler 00:46:57.500 --> 00:47:03.320 of this world, he is free to do as he pleases. 00:47:04.340 --> 00:47:12.679 He is free to do what he wants. He is free. And 00:47:12.679 --> 00:47:16.880 if anything, his freedom restricts my freedom 00:47:16.880 --> 00:47:21.869 as the creature. That's what the Bible presents. 00:47:22.429 --> 00:47:25.909 That's what providence teaches. Can you change 00:47:25.909 --> 00:47:31.889 providence? Can you change providence? No, because 00:47:31.889 --> 00:47:36.289 you can't change God. Providence is God's power 00:47:36.289 --> 00:47:46.590 at work. It is God working. We cannot. Also, 00:47:46.809 --> 00:47:50.719 providence does not remove. The condemnation 00:47:50.719 --> 00:47:55.239 and judgment of wicked men and fallen man. Because 00:47:55.239 --> 00:47:58.320 it does not take away their will or their volition. 00:47:58.380 --> 00:48:00.619 It's not against or opposed to their volition. 00:48:01.840 --> 00:48:05.420 As we see in the providence with Judas, Judas 00:48:05.420 --> 00:48:12.980 was justifiably judged and punished for his sin. 00:48:13.579 --> 00:48:18.460 He brought it upon himself. So providence doesn't 00:48:18.460 --> 00:48:21.820 do away, with accountability, man's responsibility, 00:48:22.079 --> 00:48:27.159 or man's condemnation and judgment. Providence 00:48:27.159 --> 00:48:35.760 works in line with those. Third, we see that 00:48:35.760 --> 00:48:40.320 providence works in the life of God's elect and 00:48:40.320 --> 00:48:44.900 the life of the church in a special and a unique 00:48:44.900 --> 00:48:52.889 way. individually in the life of the elect. I 00:48:52.889 --> 00:48:56.030 mean, we see that with Matthias, don't we? We 00:48:56.030 --> 00:48:58.949 see God choosing Matthias for the apostleship. 00:48:58.949 --> 00:49:01.769 He was an individual to fill that role and that 00:49:01.769 --> 00:49:05.429 function. But we also see that he was working 00:49:05.429 --> 00:49:09.130 for the church as a whole because why did the 00:49:09.130 --> 00:49:15.369 11 need to become 12? Why? Because what is the 00:49:15.369 --> 00:49:21.659 foundation of the church? The apostles. And there 00:49:21.659 --> 00:49:25.519 needed to be 12. You know what is one of the 00:49:25.519 --> 00:49:29.179 most comforting realities? And it really is. 00:49:29.300 --> 00:49:33.460 In my life, I think the most comforting reality 00:49:33.460 --> 00:49:36.679 in my life is that I know the character of our 00:49:36.679 --> 00:49:41.400 great God. And I am okay with His providences 00:49:41.400 --> 00:49:46.920 in my life because I know His character. And 00:49:46.920 --> 00:49:52.559 so, For God's elect, for God's children, we must 00:49:52.559 --> 00:49:59.659 never try to take God out of the difficulties 00:49:59.659 --> 00:50:03.199 and the hardships in our lives. Because if God 00:50:03.199 --> 00:50:06.260 can't send the difficulties and the hardships 00:50:06.260 --> 00:50:08.940 and sovereignly rule and guide and direct them, 00:50:09.000 --> 00:50:11.420 then how in the world can He bring good out of 00:50:11.420 --> 00:50:15.760 them? And how can we have hope? We must keep 00:50:15.760 --> 00:50:21.889 Him in. And He does work in the life of His elect. 00:50:22.170 --> 00:50:27.230 And this gives us great hope. This gives us great 00:50:27.230 --> 00:50:33.010 hope and comfort knowing what Christ has done 00:50:33.010 --> 00:50:38.889 for His people and knowing that God is providential 00:50:38.889 --> 00:50:44.070 and powerful and governing. It gives us great 00:50:44.070 --> 00:50:48.909 hope. This is straight up. Romans chapter 8. 00:50:50.849 --> 00:50:53.469 We know that God works together for the good 00:50:53.469 --> 00:50:55.949 of those who he has called and those who love 00:50:55.949 --> 00:51:01.789 him. And that's in context. That is God working 00:51:01.789 --> 00:51:07.530 on behalf providentially for his elect. A little 00:51:07.530 --> 00:51:10.210 later in that text, after he gives the golden 00:51:10.210 --> 00:51:12.190 chain of redemption a little later, he says, 00:51:12.309 --> 00:51:16.789 if God is for us, who can be against us? If he, 00:51:17.360 --> 00:51:20.300 who did not spare His own Son but freely gave 00:51:20.300 --> 00:51:25.000 us all things, who can bring a charge against 00:51:25.000 --> 00:51:29.619 God's elect? Who can bring a charge against God's 00:51:29.619 --> 00:51:35.000 elect? God works in the life of His elect. This 00:51:35.000 --> 00:51:40.119 brings us great pleasure and great comfort because 00:51:40.119 --> 00:51:44.280 we know that God doesn't promise us a life without 00:51:44.280 --> 00:51:47.619 pain, does He? He doesn't promise us a life without 00:51:47.619 --> 00:51:52.079 pain. He does not promise us a life without hurt 00:51:52.079 --> 00:51:59.159 and difficulty. He does not. But God does promise 00:51:59.159 --> 00:52:05.539 us that there will always be a purpose in the 00:52:05.539 --> 00:52:10.699 pain. There will be a purpose in the hurt. There 00:52:10.699 --> 00:52:13.840 will be a purpose and a plan. and the difficulties 00:52:13.840 --> 00:52:18.260 and trials of this life. There is no wall that 00:52:18.260 --> 00:52:22.079 God cannot turn into a bridge. There is no stumbling 00:52:22.079 --> 00:52:25.440 block that Christ cannot make a stepping stone. 00:52:25.679 --> 00:52:29.360 There is no trial that God cannot turn into your 00:52:29.360 --> 00:52:33.239 purifier and your sanctifier. There is no hurt 00:52:33.239 --> 00:52:36.440 that he cannot turn into a help for you. There 00:52:36.440 --> 00:52:39.320 is no evil which he cannot bring good out of. 00:52:39.380 --> 00:52:42.659 There is no calamity which he cannot Cause for 00:52:42.659 --> 00:52:48.619 your edification. We worship and we serve a big 00:52:48.619 --> 00:52:54.719 and a mighty God. We worship a powerful God who 00:52:54.719 --> 00:52:57.659 loves His elect children and providentially works 00:52:57.659 --> 00:53:00.300 in their lives in a unique and a special way. 00:53:02.420 --> 00:53:05.780 Working all things together for the good of those 00:53:05.780 --> 00:53:12.210 who He has called and those who He loves. So 00:53:12.210 --> 00:53:16.170 we can have confidence and assurance just as 00:53:16.170 --> 00:53:18.989 the early church could have confidence and assurance 00:53:18.989 --> 00:53:25.690 that God is working according to his divine, 00:53:25.909 --> 00:53:34.110 powerful, sovereign, providential plan. Especially 00:53:34.110 --> 00:53:43.280 if you're a part A vital part of the church. 00:53:44.900 --> 00:53:48.320 Because God works and supplies the needs of His 00:53:48.320 --> 00:53:54.619 church. So as a whole, God providentially works 00:53:54.619 --> 00:53:59.480 in the life of the church because He brings the 00:53:59.480 --> 00:54:04.300 number up to 12. He brings the number up to 12. 00:54:04.800 --> 00:54:08.320 And He provides the foundation for the church 00:54:08.320 --> 00:54:13.840 to go forth. and to proclaim the gospel, a true 00:54:13.840 --> 00:54:16.820 and a faithful remnant going into the world, 00:54:16.920 --> 00:54:21.380 just as there were 12 patriarchs and 12 tribes, 00:54:21.500 --> 00:54:25.760 there are now 12 apostles which would go into 00:54:25.760 --> 00:54:29.980 the world and proclaim the good news of the gospel 00:54:29.980 --> 00:54:37.139 to all tribes of all men, calling forth God's 00:54:37.139 --> 00:54:41.840 elect by the preaching of the gospel. God is 00:54:41.840 --> 00:54:46.139 providential. I encourage you to wrestle with 00:54:46.139 --> 00:54:49.179 that doctrine in your life. Think about it. Consider 00:54:49.179 --> 00:54:53.059 how will that change your perspective of who 00:54:53.059 --> 00:54:56.059 you are and who God is.