Daily Devotion with Pastor Tong Liu: Today's Passage

Acts 1:21-26

Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection." ... Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

This verse specifically mentions how the early church selected an apostle to take the place of Judas. They wanted to choose someone who was with them the whole time as well as one who was a witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. The office of an apostle is very important. I used to think that apostles do not exist anymore. When I was being tested prior to my ordination, my examiner asked me whether I think apostles exist today. At that time, I insisted that there were no longer apostles today, and the examiner asked me why. I referred to Acts 1:21, which states that by the criteria listed in this verse, there are none in this generation who neither were physically with the disciples nor have witnessed the resurrection of Christ. As such, I did not believe that any apostles would exist today. At that time, my examiner seemed satisfied with my answer.

When I reexamine this Scripture today, however, I realize that these criteria were not established by God, but were established by the church according to their own desires. Although Matthias was selected as an apostle, the rest of the book of Acts does not mention Matthias at all. Instead, God chose Paul and Barnabas to be His apostles. Paul and Barnabas had never been with Jesus or the apostles. However, they were chosen by God. All of a sudden, it became clear to me that I had thought that apostles do not exist today because I was looking at it based on criteria established by man. Today when we reexamine the criteria for apostleship looking at God's definition and God's will, we see that there are still apostles in this generation. Ephesians 4:11-13 talks about the fivefold ministry - "It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.". In other words, as long as the church has not yet attained the whole measure of the fullness of Christ, we will need people with the apostolic gift and the work of the apostles today. Similarly, we will need the prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers as well, to work together, to build up the body of Christ for the glory of God.

Pray with Pastor Tong

Dear Lord, we thank you! Lord, please help us learn how to reinstate the offices of the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. Grant us wisdom so that we may know how to work together in order that the body of Christ may attain the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. We thank you and we pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!