Today's Reading: Acts 1:15-26
Daily Lectionary: Genesis 8:13 – 9:17; Mark 4:1-20
“And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell upon Matthias and He was counted with the Eleven apostles.” (Acts 1:26)
Happy Lent! In the name of Jesus. Amen. Matthias? God’s not happy with elevens. He does twelves. Twelve tribes of Israel and twelve apostles. Twelve is the number of His people, His church. Eleven is one short. Twelve makes for a happy Lent!
Judas was one of the Lord’s twelve. He did miracles in the Lord’s name, he preached, he taught, and he forgave. God did these things through him.. But Judas wanted His own way other than the Lord’s way. He thought He knew better. So he betrayed Jesus for the price of a slave, for thirty pieces of silver. He led the guards right to Jesus praying in the Garden on Maundy Thursday.
Unfortunately, alone and separated from Jesus‘ love and forgiveness, there was only death for Judas.
You can fall away from the faith of Jesus. Judas did. God doesn’t force anyone to believe, to receive from Him. If you want to go your own way, like Judas went his own way, you can do it.
And if Judas, who knew Jesus, listened to Him, and followed Him around, could fall away from Jesus, what hope do we have? Inside of you there is no hope, no salvation, and no life. There is no spark of goodness that is pointed at God. Inside of you there is only Judas’ death and hell.
What you need is a Twelve. God digs twelves, remember? He does His twelves in His church where He gives His Word, His Baptism, His Absolution, and His forgiveness. Through His gifts, through His means, God gives to you the Holy Spirit, who fills your ears and life with Jesus’ love and mercy.
God didn’t stop forgiving and saving just because Judas went His own way. He does twelves, not elevens. So, He called Matthias to take Judas’ spot in His ministry and counted him as one of the Apostles.
Who is Matthias? Is he like the twelfth-ranked apostle or something? You’ve got to get through all the other Eleven and then you get the super sub?
Matthias was His man. That’s about all we know about him. Matthias was the one the Lord chose for the delivery of His Word to the ends of the earth—even to you and me.
Twelves. Twelves make a happy Lent for God. In His church, His twelve, He richly and daily gives you eternal life. Life that isn’t in you, but in Christ who lived, died, and rose for you.
A blessed and Happy St. Matthias Day to you and a happy Lent, too! In the name of Jesus. Amen.