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The Axe Of The Apostles
“A
by Jeff Frazier
nd in those days Peter stood up in the
recorded about Matthias were his selection and being
midst of the disciples, and said…Men
numbered with the Eleven.
and brethren, this scripture must needs
have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the
In Acts chapter 9, we read of the man whom God had chosen instead to be the next apostle: Saul of
mouth of David spake before concerning Judas,
Tarsus. Certainly, the one
which was guide to them that took Jesus. For he
who had papers to execute
was numbered with us, and had obtained part
Christians would never
of this ministry…For it is written in the book of
have been considered by
Psalms, ‘Let his habitation be desolate, and let no
Peter or the other men
man dwell therein: and his bishopric let another
as a viable candidate.
take’…And they gave forth their lots; and the lot
Had it been up to them, he
fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles” (Acts 1:15-26.)
likely would have been “given the axe” by the apostles and suffered the fate of Justus: just another
After Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus and
runner-up for the office. Nevertheless, he accepted
committed suicide, Peter and the other apostles
the call, and God exalted him to a place of historical
agreed to hold an election to replace him within
prominence within the early church. Most of our New
their group. However, the Lord had instructed
Testament was written by Saul, who later became
them to tarry in Jerusalem and wait for the
known as Paul.
Holy Spirit to come before doing anything
Sometimes the people we esteem the least and/
else: “And, being assembled together with
or dislike the most are those whom God may choose
them, commanded them that they should
to do great things in the Church. Instead, we would
not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the
rather “give them the axe.” We must never be dismissive
promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye
of others who fail to meet our own criteria. Often, we
have heard of me. For John truly baptized
not only miss God’s best for our lives, but we involve
with water; but ye shall be baptized with
others by selecting them for jobs for which they were
the Holy Ghost not many days hence”
never called to do. Matthias is definitely not a person the
(Acts 1:4-5). It is likely His disciples
average churchgoer probably remembers from Scripture.
assumed only their travel plans were
How much greater of an impact his life might have made
being delayed, so they decided to
had they waited for the guidance of the Holy Spirit! How
conduct other business while they
much greater could ours be if we choose to wait on God?
waited. The person whom they chose as a replacement for Judas Moreover, the only details
50 // July 2020
About The Author
is mentioned only here in Acts.
Jeff Frazier is a native resident of Cleveland who has been proclaiming the Gospel for 20 years, ordained in 2010. He and his family attend Philadelphia Missionary Baptist Church, where Brother Jeff teaches the adult Sunday school class. He and his wife also minister once a month at Signature Healthcare (since 2007).
