Go with me into the upper room for just a moment. The scene is set after the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus into heaven. As you know, Judas was the one who betrayed Jesus and led the troops and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees to capture Jesus. Judas hung himself, apparently unable to live with the guilt of having led the guards to capture Jesus.
So back to the upper room, now the eleven disciples have gathered together for a prayer meeting to seek God for direction on who is to take the place of Judas. Enter Matthias. Not a lot is told about Matthias, but he was among approximately 120 faithful followers of Jesus, and he saw all the healings, miracles, and teachings. Now it was down to two faithful followers: Justus and Matthias. Acts 1:24 says, “And they prayed and said, ‘You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen.”
Lots were cast, and it fell upon Matthias, and he became the twelfth disciple. As we read this account, we don’t hear if the contenders had an education, were able to preach, or had some great gift to bring to the table. We know none of that stuff mattered to God. What mattered was, “Is he faithful “?
Matthias was someone who had been with them from the beginning, all the way to the ascension. Nobody knew his name. Nobody really knew anything about him. He was there through it all, good and bad. Faithful servant. That’s what mattered most, and that’s what still matters most. Are we faithful to our loving Father who never fails us and is always faithful?
In the world, if you’re looking for a job with a large corporation, the criteria are much different than the criteria for holding the position of a disciple of Jesus Christ! Wow, sounds like a powerful, prestigious position. Not so much. It involved a lot of camping with makeshift tents, walking in sandals down dirt roads for miles, as well as being hated, spit on, and then persecuted for their faith in Jesus. Not much prestige in that position, at least according to worldly standards. But Jesus counted them faithful servants, except for Judas, of course, all the way to the end.
When trials come, and we all know they do, what matters is, do we stay faithful to God or do we walk away from Him? Do we give in to sin? Sure, we may slip and fall or curl up on the couch and shut the world out for a time, but what matters is, do we return to Him? Do we repent? Do we change?
God isn’t some mean, unforgiving taskmaster, waiting for us to mess up and then walk away from us. He’s there, with a blanket and a tissue to comfort us and wipe away our tears. When we cry, I believe it breaks His heart. He didn’t create a fallen world; He created a perfectly beautiful, sinless world. Adam and Eve introduced sin when they were deceived by the evil serpent.
I think God’s faithfulness should spur us on to desire to be faithful to Him. To be faithful in prayer, Bible study, loving one another, and helping those who need it. To be faithful in our quiet time with Him, and those times where all we do is sit and listen. Being obedient to Him and following His commandments shows our faithfulness. When we belong to Jesus and follow His Word, we produce fruit –which is the character traits of Jesus and what all Christians should possess.
Hebrews 10:23 says, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope, without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.“
Our Father is faithful, and if we conduct our lives according to His Word, and follow His statutes, we will be sure to hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matt 25:21).
Prayer: Heavenly Father, the ultimate price was paid for us when You sent Your Son to die on the cross for our sins. Your Word shows us time and time again of your faithfulness. We can always count on You to get us through the tough times we face. One word: Jesus, and everything changes. My prayer today is that You find us faithful in the call You have placed on each of our lives and that we would prove faithful to You, God, our loving and faithful Father. In Jesus’ name, amen.
💜Beth Nahkala
Lean into Jesus Ministries
#bethnahkalablogs