So They Proposed Two Men

Royal Priesthood, Holy Nation                                        Acts 1:23

So They Proposed Two Men

by Robert T. Cooper

Face it! There’s a whole lot that the Bible doesn’t tell us.

There’s a cartoon on the internet with a caption that reads something like, “Prior to the election of the replacement apostle, they went through several rounds of narrowing down the candidates using the latest high tech methodology.” The picture in the cartoon is of two men in 1^st century biblical attire playing “Scissors, Paper, Stone” (or whatever name that folk game is going by at this time).

And while I am confident the narrowing process wasn’t done by that particular game, one has to consider how many people were actually qualified to serve and how they finally narrowed it down to these two. And when in the process were they asked whether they would serve if selected? We simply don’t know.

But it is not uncommon in the Scripture for questions placed before God to be put into “one or the other” terms. It is always either “my side or their side,” “yes or no,” “this or that,” “this one or not.” So perhaps there is something for us to learn about how to put questions to the Lord after all.

I guess I am too steeped in probability theory to make most decisions by casting lots. But I can often pray in that binary sense and watch for how the Lord answers. It has even happened to me that I asked the Lord to put one of the answers in my mouth; when the time came I intended to give one answer, but was surprised to find the other answer coming out of my mouth. In every case, I have known with confidence it was the Lord who brought that about. Yes, I have found He is trustworthy in that regard.

So the next time you have a question to present to the Lord, why don’t you try asking in that binary fashion? See how He answers. And perhaps you can do so at church business time too.

What has been your experience presenting binary questions to the Lord? What questions are you facing at this time that you could present to the Lord in a binary fashion? We’d love to get your comments.

Mealtime Stories

Royal Priesthood, Holy Nation                                          Acts 1:4

Mealtime Stories

by Robert T. Cooper

Have you noticed how many of your family stories center around mealtime or around food? One of the earliest family stories about me has to do with me getting seconds on potatoes at lunch at school. Then there is the story about my dad and the raisin pie.

It’s been like that throughout history. We know about the time the Earl of Sandwich was playing cards. We know what Marie Antoinette thought about people eating cake. And a whole lot of Bible stories center around mealtime or around food as well.

Here we are in the first paragraph of Acts (well, the original manuscripts didn’t have paragraphs, but we are at the very beginning anyway) and Luke is about to quote something Jesus said in the 40 days between the Resurrection and the Ascension. He wants to help people remember which appearance during that period it was, and so he says that it was on one of the occasions when Jesus was eating with the Apostles. Like that is going to narrow it down a little! Not!

My point is this: Jesus did so much teaching at mealtimes because people learn well in that atmosphere. Think about it.

1.      People tend to be relaxed when they are eating, and so are more teachable.

2.      Because people are busy eating, they will chew and listen while you are making your points, especially if what you say is interesting to them.

3.      Because people are used to conversing at mealtimes, they will ask questions and have discussions as part of your lesson plan at a meal.

4.      You can build a structure where the lesson is the length of the meal, with a life-application assignment to get up and go do immediately following the meal.

So whether you are a parent, a teacher, a mentor, a student, a church member, a disciple, a team leader, or just an ordinary person, pay attention when you are at meals. You may be in a lesson situation. Take advantage of the opportunities to teach and to learn.

Question: What are some of your family stories that center around mealtime or around food? How can you apply this idea of sometimes making a mealtime a learning situation?