The One Not Chosen - Sunday May 20, 2012
It is therefore necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us-beginning with the baptism of John, until the day that He was taken up from us-one of these should become a witness with us of His resurrection. Acts 1:21-22
A year ago I lost my job. I was out because of budget cuts. When the yearly budget was on the table, other workers were chosen. I was not. A building remodel was chosen. I was not. Of course, I trusted that the budget guys saw the bigger picture. Who was I to know which cuts should be made? But do you know how it feels to be the one not chosen? Sad.
Then I thought of Matthias and Joseph Barsabbas. They were always with Jesus from the very first day until the last. They watched Jesus choose twelve others as apostles. They saw others chosen to go with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, and they witnessed a "chosen one" betray the beloved teacher. But Matthias and Barsabbas never quit following and even saw Jesus ascend into heaven.
Matthias and Barsabbas stayed with the others as they prayed in the upper room. Just as they had always clung to Jesus, they now stuck with their brothers in Christ. Matthias was probably surprised when God chose him to be a witness of the resurrection with the other eleven! Yet he had already demonstrated that he wasn't living for being chosen. And think about Barsabbas. He still wasn't chosen.
Being chosen or not chosen was not the issue. Adoring Jesus was the issue, and still is! So today, if you are the one not chosen by other people, remember these two. Jesus was glad that they just hung out with Him!
Submitted by:
Rita Bergen
Lee's Summit Community Church
Lee's Summit, Missouri
One-Year Reading Plan:
1 Samuel 26:1-28:25
John 11:1-54
Psalms 117:1-2
Proverbs 15:22-23
[Read
Online]
© 2024 Great Commission Association of Churches, Inc All rights
reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system, without permission
in writing from the publisher.
Online Bible Services provided by
The Bible Gateway (TM) a service of
Gospel
Communications Network.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCB-ES: Unless otherwise identified, Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible B) The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are from the Holy, Bible, New International Version, copyright B) 1973, 1978, 1984 by InternaB-tional Bible Society; (NKJV) are from New King James Version B) 1982 by Thomas Nelson; (NLT) are from the New Living Translation, B) 1996, Tyndale House Publishers; (ESV) are from English Standard VersionB., B) 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers; (TM) are from The Message B) 1993 by NavPress Publishers.