Every February 24 we remember St. Matthias. This week and next we'll answer the question,
Who Was Matthias and What Can We Learn from Him?
The man who replaced Judas. What's fun to watch in Acts 1 is that following the ascension of Jesus the apostles start doing things "on their own." Peter preaches his first sermon - a warm-up for his Pentecost sermon in Acts 2. He talks about the need to replace Judas who took his own life shortly after his betrayal. Two candidates are put forward, and the lot falls on Matthias.
The man who made twelve. The death of Judas left eleven apostles. There seems to be a special significance behind having twelve. It has to do with the fact that in the Old Testament Israel had twelve tribes. The new Israel, the church, likewise has twelve apostles. Matthias made it twelve again.
The man who did not appoint himself. We can learn "a lot" from this. When they prayed, "Lord, show which one of these two You have chosen" (Acts 1:24), they were addressing none other than the Lord Jesus. And so Jesus chose Matthias, just as He chose the other eleven. So not one of the apostles appointed himself. To this day a pastor does not appoint himself but is called by God through the congregation. We can all hear and apply these words of Jesus: "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit" (John 15:16).
Next week, five more!
