June 22, 2008
"God Directed Lots"
Proverbs 16:33; Acts 1: 15- 26
Sometimes I say stupid things. One of my numerous dumb statements came some years ago when I was speaking with someone who was reluctant to leave his name up for consideration as elder. I tried to persuade him by saying, "Why don't you just see what happens; you only have a one in four chance of getting it." People of God, nothing is farther from the truth! God's Word is clear. There is no such thing as chance. That is point of our text for this morning.
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
The lot is cast. There is much in the Bible about casting the lot. Does everyone know what that means? The lot was a set of stones which people would randomly throw to help them with certain decisions- like the dice we use today. When playing some games, we shake dice and the way they land determines the number of spaces we can move on the playing board. In fact, some modern English Bibles use the word dice here instead of lot. What is a lap? We think of the lap as being the top of someone's legs when they sit down. But that's not what it means here. The lap in Bible times was a deep fold- kind of like a pocket, in the middle to top part of a garment- maybe like a deep shirt pocket. Back in those days instead shaking dice in their hand or in a cup, they would shake these stones in that deep pocket and throw them on the ground.
But they wouldn't use them so much for games; they used lots to help them make decisions. God's people would use them to help them know what God's will was. In fact, the priest had a special set of stones known as the Urim and Thummin which he kept in that special just for that purpose. The use of lots was common in the Middle East at that time. Many cultures believed that the way the stones fell was determined by spirits or idol gods or by chance or fate and they based important decisions on them.
In fact, in the story of Esther Haman, that evil man who wanted to kill all the Jews, cast lots in order to determine on which day he should hatch his murderous plot. In Esther 3: 7, we read,
Esther 3:7 (NIV)In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, they cast the pur (that is, the lot) in the presence of Haman to select a day and month. And the lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar.
Haman thought that this was his lucky day and his idol gods would bless his plan on that day. So, after duping the king into letting him do what he wanted with the Jewish people, he sent out a decree sealed with kings ring containing the "order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews-young and old, women and little children-on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods."
But we know the rest of the story, don't we? We know that God turned his plans against him. He raised up Queen Esther to expose him to the king and the Jews were spared. In fact, they destroyed many their enemies on that very day. And ever since they celebrated the thirteenth day of the twelfth month as a day that God saved them and gave them victory.
God controls the lot. God controls what happens. That is the point of the Proverb we read. The Heidelberg Catechism, one of the creeds of our church, puts it this way,
leaf and blade, rain and drought, fruitful and lean years, food and drink, health and sickness, prosperity and poverty‑‑ all things, in fact, come to us not by chance but from his fatherly hand.
There is nothing left to luck or chance. All things come to us from God's fatherly hand. That is tremendous comfort as we live our lives in this world. There is no such thing as chance.
Yet, comforting as this truth is, it does present difficulties, doesn't it? If God is responsible for controlling all things that happen, then why does he allow the suffering that exists in our world? Why does he allow tragedies like the terrible floods we've been having or tornados or war or poverty or injustice? Why does he allow terrorism?
Of course, part of the answer is that God does not take away our responsibility to make choices and decisions. We make choices that matter and God allows them to matter.
In Ezekiel 24: 14, God says these words to his people,
"'I the LORD have spoken. The time has come for me to act. I will not hold back; I will not have pity, nor will I relent. You will be judged according to your conduct and your actions, declares the Sovereign LORD.'"
If I say something cruel or do something that is hateful or spiteful that hurts someone else, God is not responsible for that. If I drive drunk and kill someone God is not responsible for that. If I destroy my body with drugs, God is not responsible for that. He holds me responsible ultimately responsible for what I do.
Even though God is in control, we make decisions that really matter and God holds us accountable for them.
R. B. Kuiper, a leader in the Christian Reformed Church many years ago put it this way, God's sovereignty (that is his control over all things) and our responsibility "are like two ropes going through two holes the ceiling and over a pulley above. If I wish to support myself by them, I must cling to both. If I cling only to one and not the other, I go down."
Even though we will never understand the solution to this mystery, the clear message of the Bible is that God's purpose will be accomplished. That is why God sent his Son Jesus to this earth. By his death and resurrection he has destroyed the power of sin and evil. He reigns in heaven today, gathering his people and preparing the world for the day when everything will be complete. On that day he will return and finish what started. And on that day he will completely destroy all that evil. In the end the world will be as God intended it to be. 1 Corinthians 15: 22- 25
For as in Adam all die (We must never forget that the world is the way it is because of human sin and that death and the other terrible things that happen have resulted from Adam and our disobedience to God.), so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
Because of the awful things that happen in our world, some people choose not believe this. Some believe that in the end all things happen by luck or chance. And, sadly, I think, more people in our own society believe this. Maybe that accounts for the widespread increase in gambling and state lotteries. Life itself, for many is a roulette wheel. So why not gamble. But, where is the hope or comfort in such a belief? Where is the meaning to your life or to anything that happens?
As Christians we may not understand why God's allows this or that to happen. But we trust him. (That's what faith is all about.) We trust him, even as we struggle to understand the terrible things that hurt us. We know that God is stronger, that Jesus has destroyed Satan's power, and that he now rules in heaven. We know that he sent his Holy Spirit to help us and that in the end he will be victorious and there will be no more sin or death or pain.
Now, all of this bring us to the story we read in Acts for this morning about the other disciples choosing Matthias to replace Judas as one of the twelve apostles. Clearly, God was in control here. In verse 16 Peter says that what happened to Judas happened in order to fulfill the words of scripture. In verse 20, Peter indicated that the reason they must replace Judas was that scripture might be fulfilled. Then, after they chose two candidates for the position- Joseph and Matthias, they prayed asking the Lord to show them which of these men was his choice to replace Judas. And the lot fell on Matthias. God's will was done.
The lot fell of Matthias. Certainly, there are other ways of determining what God's will is than by casting lots. We believe that God Spirit guides the process used in our church and that the men we installed this morning were chosen by God. Other churches use different methods to choose church leadership. No matter what method we use, we trust the Lord to guide the outcome. Judas, the apostle they were replacing wasn't chosen by vote or lot. Our Lord chose him directly. He said to him follow me. He was chosen to be an apostle by the word of Jesus.
As we think about Jesus choosing Judas, it's important to consider why Jesus chose the 12 apostles. They had a special role to play. Paul explains what that was in Ephesians 2: 19- 20, when he says,
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
Jesus chose the apostles to be firsthand witnesses of his ministry, death, and resurrection. They and their witness serve as the foundation of the church. Just as the 12 sons of Jacob served as the foundation of God's Old Testament people Israel, so the 12 apostles were chosen to serve as the foundation of his New Testament Israel.
As these disciples traveled to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth proclaiming what they had seen and heard and about Jesus' resurrection, people came to believe in Jesus and to become part of God's people, the church. God would build his church, adding members from every nation, language, and people. They still serve as the foundation today. Their eyewitness accounts are the basis for the New Testament. God the Holy Spirit guided them to write down what they heard and saw, so that we might read it and believe.
Jesus himself chose Judas for this high privilege of being part of the foundation of his church. But remember, not only does God carry-out his will, we make choices that really matter. What did Judas do with the trust that God had placed in him? He threw it away for 30 pieces of silver. Yet, even in that despicable act he carried out God's will. He was an instrument in Jesus' suffering and death for our sins. Nonetheless God held him responsible for what he did. And we read of the tragic results of his decision in our scripture for this morning.
And so Peter quotes Psalm 69: 25,"May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it," God had given him his place. Because of his lack of faith and his greed, Judas had abandoned that place. Hence, no one could be called through his witness and the church could not be built on him. And, in the end, he missed the resurrection and plunged himself into a violent death.
And he left a hole in the foundation of the church that needed to be filled. And so Peter quotes Psalm 109: 8, "'May another take his place of leadership.'
Peter quoted these Psalms, because he believed that God is in control and always provides for his people. He would not allow the gap in the foundation of his church to be left empty. He would provide a new apostle to take Judas' place. So, here at the beginning of Acts, God is preparing to build his church by repairing its foundation. Soon he will send his Spirit. And he will build his church. For that is his will. And he will always accomplish that will. And the lot fell on Matthias.
Beloved of the Lord, God is continuing to build his church. And he has chosen to make you a part of it. You are here because of his will. Just as the prophets and apostle have their place in the foundation of his church, so he has given you your place in its structure.
1 Corinthians 12:28 (NIV) And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.
You, with all the talents and gifts that he has given; you, with all the experiences that he has allowed to have; you with special place in this world; he has chosen you!
Having said all this, I realize that you might be struggling with God's purpose for you. Often times it's not easy to know what he wants us to do. We may have a hard time knowing where the Spirit is leading. I told you of my rather difficult road to ministry. I always thought God wanted me to serve him in the dry desert of New Mexico, but somehow he brought me to soggy Wisconsin. You should know that even more recently my coming here involved struggle. My church that had called me in Iowa wanted me to stay; you called me to come here. I struggled to know what God wanted me to do. Sometimes we might need to try different avenues of service to find out where God wants us. We might try teaching a Sunday School class and find that we have no gift in that area; or we might singing and we find ourselves being stared at by the other members of the praise band. But, the fact that we may need to struggle to discover God's place for us is no excuse for doing nothing.
The question we must ask is, "Am I faithful?" We know that things don't just happen by chance or luck. And we know that neither the devil nor any evil spirit thwart the plans of almighty God. In the end God's purpose will be accomplished. In the end, everything will submit to his rule and he will be all in all. As part of his plan to build his church, his lot has fallen on us. But, the question is: Do we accept the important position he has given us in his household of faith?
The big question we must face is, "Can he build he build on us or must he replace us?" Jesus said, "I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." That is God's will. But, God's will is also found in what the Spirit inspired Paul to write,
1 Corinthians 3:11 - 15 (NIV) 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 2If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. Today God's Word comes to all of us saying, "How faithful of a builder are you?" On that day when we see him face to face, may each of us hear his word, "Well done good and faithful servant." AMEN!