Responsibility and faith
by Pastor Joshua Pfeiffer
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And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles (Acts 1:26).
A man I know came out of a renewal movement many years ago, and he didn’t belong to any particular congregation. When he was encouraged to commit to a local church community, he wasn’t sure where to go. He narrowed it down to two Lutheran congregations near where he lived. Finally, he decided by praying and then carrying out a version of what’s described in our verse as ‘casting lots’. He’s been faithfully attending the congregation on which the lot fell for these past 30 years or so.
It’s important to notice he didn’t cast lots between hundreds of faith communities listed in the phone book. Rather, he took his Christian responsibility seriously and so narrowed it down to congregations within reasonable distance to him where he was confident that he’d be nourished in his faith. However, he then combined this human responsibility with an act of faith in God.
Similarly, as the 11 remaining apostles sought to replace Judas, they didn’t cast lots between the hundreds or thousands of people who had come into contact with Jesus. Instead, they had rather strict criteria for narrowing them down. We read, ‘So one of the men who have accompanied us throughout the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us – one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection’ (verse 21). Having responsibly done the work of identifying suitable candidates, they then cast lots between the final two as an act of faith – commending the final decision to God.
As far as I can tell, we do not have a clear biblical instruction for making life decisions by casting lots. This is more descriptive than prescriptive, as are similar examples in the Old Testament. Yet, we are instructed to be responsible with what we’re given (for example, Matthew 25:14–30) and to have faith (for example, Matthew 6:25–34). This scene in Acts 1 is an example where human responsibility and faith in God comes together in an interesting way. I’d encourage you to consider how they fit together in your life.
Heavenly Father, life often seems full of dilemmas and decisions I need to make. I know I need to be responsible and discern the best way forward, but I also want to trust wholeheartedly in you. Please help me, by your Spirit, to do both. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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