Acts 1:15-26, The Number is 12

The text in question during this talk deals with the work, consequences and death of Judas, the man who betrayed Jesus. The Apostle Peter reveals to the other disciples that the Psalmist had prophesied that a man would betray the Messiah. The Psalmist was correct, but he also prophesied that another man needs to take the betrayer's place.

And that is what the disciples do in this section of text. They are preparing for the mission that is about to befall them, but they need to find another apostle because they were only 11 men. Their number was incomplete. How they go about the "choosing and appointing" is interesting. But it also raises the question of how we should go about in determining how to make decisions in life.

Two things stand out particularly in this story. (1) God is the "knower of hearts". Nobody else. He knows our hearts and the hearts of others, and we have no business in determining the content of other people's hearts. (2) Scripture is totally trustworthy. We can doubt many things, we can question many things. But Scripture is a sold rock of truth we can rely on.