David Bahn – Reflections

Acts 1:12-15

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. ¹³ And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. ¹⁴ All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said,…

[The remaining verses of this event may be found below.]

One of the most memorable conferences I have attended was led by Lyle Schaller. In that workshop Schaller hammered home a simple concept that resonated within me and affirmed my tendency toward moving forward and calling for others to follow: “Leaders lead,” he would say – again and again. “Leaders speak first. Leaders frame the question.” To that I would add, Christian leaders lead out of prayer.

Peter is often cast in a bad light by those who read of his more famous failures. Jesus tells Peter to “get behind him,” and calls him “Satan”(!) when Peter suggests that Jesus didn’t need to die to fulfill his destiny. Peter denies Jesus three times on the night of Jesus’ trial. Later Paul would oppose Peter to his face for his duplicity in dealing with the new Gentile converts because of his fear of the circumcision party. Peter boldly goes where angels fear to tread. But this brash, broken, yet brave man sometimes goes too far.

On this occasion, however, Peter is well connected with his fellow disciples and with God. The 120 were together in prayer, and out of that time in prayer Peter discerns the Spirit’s leading and urges a course of action. These followers of Jesus were “with one accord devoting themselves to prayer.” I can think of no better foundation for missional leadership that that which is founded on unity and prayer.

That, of course, supposes that prayer is more than a listing of our needs and desires before God – though it is certainly that in part. Prayer is a conversation with God, steeped in the Word of God, listening to the Holy Spirit’s promptings, testing our conclusions by the word of God, seeking to advance his kingdom in the world. Notice how Peter grounds his leadership in the word of God after their “with one accord” prayer time.

To spend time in prayer before a major decision or undertaking may seem only proper to some. But too often we can get the cart before the horse, asking God to bless our decisions, rather than asking God to discern his will in our decision-making. As a friend and brother in Christ likes to say, “We need to follow the path that God is blessing, rather than asking God to bless the path we’ve chosen to walk.”

Are you a leader? If so, pray, and then follow as God leads you to lead.

Acts 1:12-26

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. ¹³ And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. ¹⁴ All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

¹⁵ In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, ¹⁶ “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. ¹⁷ For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share inthis ministry.” ¹⁸ (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. ¹⁹ And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) ²⁰ “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,

and

²¹ So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, ²² beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” ²³ And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also calledJustus, and Matthias. ²⁴ And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen²⁵ to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” ²⁶ And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.