Sandwiched between the promise of the Holy Spirit, in chapter 1, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, in chapter 2, is this somewhat strange passage before us. It's the account of when the apostles dealt with the elephant in the room, - the Judas issue. And when first reading this you might be tempted to think, "Why did Luke, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, include this episode?" You have the promise of the Spirit from Jesus in chapter 1, and the fulfillment of that promise in chapter 2, why concern us with the process they went through to replace Judas? Why even bring this up? There are 3 incredible lessons we can learn from this passage.

• 1. Waiting & Praying (v.12-14)
• 2. Following Scripture (v.15-20)
• 3. Trusting God's Sovereignty (v.21-26)

Luke (the author of Acts) wants us to see that Jesus is building His church. And by the power of the Holy Spirit which will come not many days from now, He intends for the church to do what Peter has been doing here: studying the word of God, meditating on it, and coming in the presence of His people and saying ‘Whatever it is the Bible says, that we will do, no matter how insignificant it may seem to be.’

Discussion Questions

1. Why is the resurrection of Jesus central to the Christian faith? What difference would it make if it were proven false?
2. Why do we need to pray for things that God has promised? Aren’t they “a done deal”?
3. How can a knowledge of God’s Word help us face disappointments and trials in life?
4. How does the Holy Spirit help us to know God’s will? Is an “inner peace” a valid test? Is it wrong to cast lots (flip a coin)? Support your answer with Scripture.