A Roll of the Dice

May 17^th, 2015        “A Roll of the Dice”       Rev. Heather Jepsen

Acts 1:15-17, 21-26

          You know, I’ve always wondered if the disciples were Presbyterians and I think today’s scripture passage proves that they were!  Today we have jumped back in time from last week’s reading and find ourselves at the very beginning of the book of Acts.  While this may seem like a strange passage for a Sunday morning scripture reading, the lectionary committee probably chose it because it happens between two main events.  Today’s reading occurs between the ascension of Christ, which happened last Thursday in the church calendar year (you probably missed it!), and the moment of Pentecost, which we will celebrate next week (wear red).

          The story goes like this.  After his death and resurrection, Jesus was with the disciples for 40 days.  Throughout that time he was with them in Jerusalem, teaching them about the kingdom of God.  When the 40 days were up, the risen Jesus was bodily lifted up into the heavens, which the church has come to call the ascension.  But, before he left, Jesus told the disciples they had to stay in Jerusalem because something else really cool was going to happen soon. 

          So Jesus is gone and the disciples are told to wait, and what do they decide to do?  Why, they form a committee and nominate an elder for Session!  See, Presbyterians!  The eleven remaining disciples and the community of followers, which the author of Acts tells us number around 120 people, are all sitting around waiting for something cool to happen.  And since they have the time, they decide to get down to some committee business. 

With the death of Judas, the group of Apostles number 11 and that just doesn’t seem right.  So, they decide to place someone in that 12^th spot, so they will be back to lucky number 12, like the 12 tribes of Israel, in time for whatever cool party Jesus has planned for later.  Peter, the default leader, first lays out the qualifications for office.  The person nominated has to have been with the movement from the very beginning; they are looking for someone who witnessed Jesus’ baptism in the river Jordan all the way up to his death and resurrection.  The group gathers together to discern who among them is worthy of nomination and two names are presented; Joseph Barsabbas (who his friends call Justus for short) and a fellow named Matthias.

          The two men come forward for nomination and then the committee prays over the two men saying “Lord, you know all hearts.  Show us which of these men you have chosen to take Judas’ place as apostle.”  It’s a beautiful moment of Presbyterian decency and good order.  Right up to the end, when the roll the dice.  Yep, that’s what they do.  The group casts lots, and Matthias wins, and he is the new apostle.

            I love this reading because it is so real and so irreverent at the same time, and that totally sums of my experience of church.  So much of what we do at church is found in this reading (and it’s so Presbyterian).  First of all, a lot of church is waiting around for something to happen.  In our faith lives, and in the life of the body of faith, we have these really cool inspirational moments.  Like when the sermon is totally awesome and we are all feeling it together, or like at communion last week when we were all smiling and thinking about moms and friendship and the joy of gathering at the table, or like those times when we baptize babies.  We have awesome “up” moments.

          And then have lots of regular days.  Days where the sermon is just OK, where attendance is low, the hymns are a little off, and we’re just not feeling it.  Or how about the week days?  Church isn’t only about Sundays, there’s someone sitting around here most days of the week.  Like the disciples, we know another awesome high is coming, and so we keep hanging around diligently until it happens.  We keep looking for the Holy Spirit to come, like Jesus promised, and to change our world. 

Like the disciples, while we wait, we get busy doing the business of church.  We form committees, and we choose leaders, and we get things done.  It looks awfully silly from the outside, but all those committees and to-do lists really are good church work.  The little things we do are necessary to keep this ship afloat.  But not only that, they are a mark of faithfulness.  Not only are we waiting between one great spiritual high and the next, we are waiting in the big in-between; from the ascension of the Lord, to Jesus’ promised return.  Like the disciples, while we wait, we are faithful in our work for the church.

It’s also totally Presbyterian how the disciples pick these people.  Justus and Matthias aren’t plucked from the crowd by Peter, who is trying to load the session with his supporters.  Instead, the two are selected from among the community.  The community together discerns who among their ranks is the most qualified and possess the best gifts and talents for the ministry and they are the ones selected.

In our modern day and age, we do the same thing.  When folks start talking about having a sense that God is calling them to ordained leadership in the church, to be a pastor like me, we always look for that call to be echoed in the community.  A call to ministry has two parts, it’s in the heart of the individual and it’s in the voice of the community.  Same too, when we elect elders to Session.  I don’t pick who I want, rather a committee nominates folks for the church as a whole to vote on.

Once nominations are made, the disciples pray.  It’s so great.  The disciples are looking for God’s guidance to choose between these two men.  Then they cast lots, which is a lot like rolling the dice.  It was a really ancient practice and you can find examples of it throughout the Old Testament.  Small stones, or pieces of wood, would be thrown down on the ground and then the results were believed to be a direct message from God. 

Of course, we don’t cast lots anymore.  I think we like to tell ourselves that we are too advanced to believe that God can speak to us through the rolling of dice.  The truth probably is that it’s just not that competitive to get a seat on Session.  Seriously though, a lot of life feels like rolling the dice.  You know when we have a big decision to make we think and we pray and then we choose.  And sometimes, I think all of us wonder what would have happened if we chose something else, what would life be like if we went another way?

We honored our high school graduates last week and that’s a big time of life decisions.  Where you go to college and what you are going to study are huge choices; and they will affect the rest of your life.  I am sure all of us here remember those days, and many of you are like me.  I didn’t end up doing what I thought I was going to do.  So how do we make those choices; about where to go to school, what to be when we grow up, who to marry, what job to get, where to live?     

Well, you could always roll the dice or flip a coin, but before you do that, I recommended, taking a cue from the Bible and approaching the problem with community discernment and prayer.  Talk about those decisions with your community. God speaks to us through the voices of other people; God speaks to us in community.  Listen for what people are telling you about those decisions.  And pray about it.  Listen for God to speak to you.  As the disciples prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart.”  Ask God to know your heart, and to guide you in decisions. 

And then, “Just do it!”  Take the leap, roll the dice, jump in.  Whatever path you choose is the path God ordained for you.  I believe that.  I would have to, to be in this crazy job.  We can ask all the “what ifs” in the world, but if we approach the world in discernment and prayer, we are doing the right thing.  We are on the right path.  That doesn’t mean it’s easy, but it does mean we are following where God leads us.

So what happened to those two guys?  Who knows!  Matthias goes on to be ordained as one of the 12 Apostles and is never heard from again.   Seriously, like many of the apostles he is not mentioned again in the scriptures.  I am confident he went on to live a life of faithful dedication and service to the church, he lived out his term on Session, and it didn’t make him famous.  Just like it won’t make us famous, but of course that isn’t the point.  The point is serving our Lord.  And Justus, what ever happened to him?  I’m gonna guess he’s the head of Trustees!

          Today, wherever you are in your life; just starting out on the path to adult hood, struggling through life with small children, contemplating retirement, or just settling down to enjoy the fruits of your labor, know that God is with you and that God has ordained your journey.  The presence of God with us is one of the most wonderful blessings of our creator.  We can know that presence in community, in prayer, and maybe even in a roll of the dice.  Thanks be to God!  Amen.