“The Empty Seat Must Be Filled”

Acts 1:15-22

Pastor Jeremy Park

​

“In those days, about 120 believers were gathered together. Peter stood up among them and spoke. He said that the Scripture had to be fulfilled concerning Judas. The Holy Spirit had spoken long ago through David about Judas. Judas became a guide for those who arrested Jesus.He had been one of the Twelve. He had shared in this ministry with the apostles. But Judas used the reward of his wickedness to buy a field. There, he fell headlong. His body burst open, and all his intestines spilled out. Everyone living in Jerusalem heard about this. So they called that field Akeldama, which means “Field of Blood.” Peter then quoted the Psalms. One verse says, “May his place be deserted.” Another verse says, “May another take his place of leadership.” So Peter said that another person must be chosen. This person had to be someone who had followed Jesus from the beginning of His public ministry. He had to be someone who was with them from the time of John’s baptism until the day Jesus was taken up into heaven. And this person had to become, together with the apostles, a witness of Jesus’ resurrection."

(Acts 1:15–22)

​

​

As we know well, Jesus personally called twelve disciples and taught them for three years.

But Judas Iscariot fell away from that number.

So Peter stood up among the 120 believers who were praying together in the upper room.

He suggested that because Judas had fallen from the Twelve, they needed to choose one more person.

This is the story of Matthias being added as the twelfth apostle by the casting of lots.

​

Verse 15 says, “In those days.”

Because this story appears at the end of Acts chapter 1, right before the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost in Acts chapter 2, many people assume that this event happened the night before Pentecost.

But this phrase does not specifically mean “the night right before Pentecost.”

In Greek, the expression is closer to “in those days.”

It broadly refers to the whole period of waiting between Jesus’ ascension and Pentecost.

So the point of the passage is this:

Before the coming of the Holy Spirit, there was something that had to happen during the waiting period.

​

Still, it is very important that Luke places the story of restoring the Twelve right before Acts chapter 2.

The choosing of the twelfth apostle to replace Judas happened before the Holy Spirit came.

In other words, through Luke’s record, the Holy Spirit is telling us what the final necessary condition was before the promised Holy Spirit came upon the church at Pentecost.

​

In verse 16, the Korean phrase “the ringleader of those who arrested Jesus” is a strong interpretive translation.

In the original language, the word means “guide.”

It means that Judas was the one who guided those who came to arrest Jesus.

​

Judas knew Jesus’ movements.

He knew where Jesus prayed.

He knew when Jesus prayed.

The chief priests and the temple guards wanted to arrest Jesus.

But it was difficult to arrest Him in front of the crowds who followed Him.

So Judas opened the way for them to arrest Jesus in the safest and most secret way.

​

First, the closest people can betray us.

After Sujin read a Bible verse that she had highlighted in her Bible app, she wrote a comment: “Halle-yar!”

Then William replied, “Amen-yar!”

The verse was this:

“Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.”
— Psalm 73:25, NIV

​

Second, we must ask ourselves:

Where am I guiding people?

Am I guiding them closer to God?

Or am I guiding them closer to the world?

​

There are different stages in a person’s relationship with Jesus.

There is the Rejoice stage.

There is the Recommitment stage.

There is the Receive stage.

There is the Research stage.

And there is the Reject stage.

We need to guide people in each stage toward the next step of faith.

​

Jesus said:

“I am the vine; you are the branches.If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.Apart from me you can do nothing.”
— John 15:5, NIV

​

Third, when Judas rejected Jesus, even Jesus did not stop him by force.

In the past, Pastor Ryu from LA Onnuri Church once gave this advice to younger pastors:

“Sometimes, loving a difficult church member means patiently waiting until that person leaves on their own.”

Among the Twelve, Thomas also doubted the resurrection of Jesus.

But Thomas still stayed close to Jesus.

Judas, however, did not merely doubt Jesus.

He rejected Jesus.

Doubt and rejection are different.

Good doubt can become a step toward faith.

But rejection is when someone decides not to believe and turns away.

There is nothing the church can ultimately do for people who choose that kind of rejection.

​

So how does Peter speak about people like Judas, who reject the gospel?

Peter says:

“Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled. The Holy Spirit had spoken long ago through David concerning Judas. Judas served as a guide for those who arrested Jesus.” Act 1:16NIV

​

Peter connects Judas’ rejection to the prophecy of the Old Testament.

The Old Testament is the shadow of the New Testament.

And the New Testament is the key that opens the Old Testament.

That is why we must read the Old and New Testaments together.

Peter refers to two verses from the Psalms.

​

'and said, “Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. ' Acts 1:16, NIV

​

The first phrase, “May his place be deserted,” comes from Psalm 69:25.

This first prophecy speaks about the tragic result of Judas’ betrayal.

The second phrase, “May another take his place of leadership,” comes from Psalm 109:8.

This means that the apostolic office Judas abandoned had to be filled by another person.

​

Predestination is different from fatalism.

Fatalism says, “God already decided everything, so the responsibility for Judas’ rejection and betrayal belongs to God.”

But predestination is not fatalism.

​

Ephesians says:

“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.”

“In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ.”

— Ephesians 1:4–5, NIV

​

Biblical predestination means this:

Before the creation of the world, God chose His people.

And by His grace, He works all things together to lead them to their best and final destiny in His kingdom.

​

Jesus answered:

“The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you.”

“But to others I speak in parables, so that, ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’”

— Luke 8:10, NIV

​

When Jesus taught about the kingdom of God, He used simple parables that people in Palestinian culture could understand.

This means that even when Jesus taught in the simplest way, there were still people who could not understand.

​

Jesus also called it “the secrets of the kingdom of God.”

A secret is not given to everyone.

When Jesus said, “though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand,” He was not simply talking about people who look at their phones during the sermon or refuse to pray when everyone else prays.

He was speaking of something deeper.

He was speaking about election.

In God’s predestining purpose, there are those who are chosen and those who are not chosen.

​

Predestination does not violate human free will.

Proverbs says:

“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”

— Proverbs 16:9, NIV

Jesus also said:

“The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!”

— Luke 22:22, NIV

​

Judas did not die because God forced a destiny upon him.

In the end, it was his own choice.

Judas’ betrayal could not stop the mission of Jesus’ cross.

Instead, God used even that evil betrayal to accomplish His appointed work of salvation.

​

There is a very important message here.

God’s will is fixed for the purpose of leading those whom He has appointed into His eternal kingdom.

Therefore, we must be used for the kingdom of God.

We must not become instruments used by evil.

​

Romans says:

“Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness.”

“Rather, offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life.”

— Romans 6:13, NIV

​

Judas clearly rejected and betrayed Jesus and then left.

But there is something even more frightening!

Jesus warned that there may be people like Judas even among those who attend church.

​

Verse 17 says:

“He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.”

Judas was not someone who did not know Jesus.

He was one of the Twelve.

Judas ate with Jesus.

He slept near Jesus.

He heard Jesus’ teaching.

He saw the miracles.

But even after three years with Jesus, he did not truly see, and he did not truly hear.

​

In the same way, a person may be baptized.

A person may serve in church.

A person’s parents may be elders.

A person may even experience miracles such as demons being cast out.

And yet that person may still live without realizing that he or she does not truly have a relationship with Jesus.

We must remember this:

Rejection like Judas’ rejection does not happen in one moment.

That is why Jesus said that at the final judgment, He will say:

“I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”

— Matthew 7:23, NIV

​

Therefore, even though Judas was with Jesus for three years, he was not truly in relationship with Jesus.

He was still far away, outside of true relationship.

He saw miracles, but it was as if he had not seen them.

He heard Jesus’ teaching, but it was as if he had not heard it.

​

Some people have been Christians for a long time.

Some have completed discipleship training.

But they still do not really know God.

They may have a lot of information about God.

But very few people truly know the heart of God.

Why is that?

Let us look at Judas.

​

First, Judas saw Jesus merely as a political hero.

Second, Judas was a practical and calculating person.

He was the one who held the money bag.

In simple terms, he was in charge of the shared finances of the disciples.

He clearly understood value and market price.

​

When Mary broke the expensive perfume and poured it on Jesus, Judas called it a waste.

But what he really cared about was not the hunger of the poor.

What he cared about was the possibility of money he had lost.

Mary broke the perfume and gave love to Jesus.

But Judas sold Jesus for thirty pieces of silver and chose his own profit.

​

People who have a Judas-like religious faith think of their devotion to God and the church as their own investment.

If things go their way, it is a good church.

If things do not go their way, it is a bad church.

That is why churches often fight over money.

Of course, the church must be transparent about how finances are used.

And the church has a responsibility to communicate clearly.

​

The world gives value to what can be seen.

The habits shaped by that world sometimes appear even inside the church.

Sometimes we evaluate ministry by visible results, efficiency, and practical benefit.

But look at the result of that kind of life.

​

Acts 1:17–19 says that Judas was one of their number and shared in their ministry.

But with the reward he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field.

There he fell headlong.

His body burst open.

And all his intestines spilled out.

Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this.

So they called that field Akeldama.

Akeldama means “Field of Blood.”

​

Look at the evaluation of Judas’ life.

He invested in the kingdom of God with the principles of the world.

And what was the legacy he left behind?

Akeldama.

The Field of Blood.

A deserted land where no one could live.

A lifeless field was all that remained at the end of his life.

​

But what is the kingdom of God that Jesus speaks about?

Jesus said:

“What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it?”

“It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth.”

“Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants.”

— Mark 4:30–32, NIV

​

The principle of success in the kingdom of God is like a very small mustard seed.

When it is planted in the ground, it cannot be seen.

This hidden season is necessary.

The gospel works in ways that are not immediately visible.

But one day, the mustard seed planted by God will grow into a tree that the world can see.

​

To whom does God entrust the stewardship of His kingdom?

Not to people who have only a religious faith like Judas.

Not to people who think of God as an investment for their own success.

God entrusts His kingdom to people who have relational faith.

​

These people have an awareness of grace.

Judas threw the thirty pieces of silver back to the priests and took his own life.

In the end, he chose the last bit of righteousness he thought he still had.

He tried to pay the price for his sin by himself.

But Judas’ action was not repentance.

It was regret.

Judas could still have repented and returned.

But to the end, he could not lay down his own righteousness.

​

Now think about Peter.

Peter was also a betrayer of Jesus, not so different from Judas.

But Peter did not try to solve everything by himself.

He was simply a failed man who felt sorry before Jesus and returned to fishing.

But the risen Jesus came to Peter.

That is grace.

Peter could only jump out of the boat again toward the Jesus who came back to him.

That is grace-awareness.

Jesus entrusted His mission to this kind of Peter.

​

Romans says:

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.”

“They have been called according to his purpose.”

— Romans 8:28, NIV

​

People who live with grace-awareness like Peter do not merely seek God’s hand.

They seek God’s face.

They confess by faith that everything they have comes from God.

And when God’s kingdom comes, they do not ask, “Why should I give?”

They prepare.

They wait for the right time.

They save and set aside what they have so they can gladly give when God calls.

This is the economic life of Christians.

​