Acts 1:12-26

"Have you ever felt betray by someone whom you considered a friend?  Has there ever been a person in your life you spent years eating, laughing and walking through life with, and that person let you down? 

The Acts text today speaks to that issue for me.  I have read this many times before, but, today I was struck by how Judas's betrayal of Jesus must have affected the disciples.  The chosen twelve had been together for a number of years. The men lost two of their best friends the same day. The grieving for the two losses was totally different; Jesus' death must have devastated the men closest to Him; while Judas' death may have caused conflicting emotions because of the reason he died.  

"Judas was one of us and had his assigned place in this ministry."As you know, he took the evil bribe money and bought a small farm. There he came to a bad end, rupturing his belly and spilling his guts. Everybody in Jerusalem knows this by now; they call the place Murder Meadow." (Acts 1:17-19)

The Disciples, because of the prayer life they had, discerned they must move forward. They knew there was much to do to let the world know about Jesus, their true friend. Jesus was the friend worthy of their grief.

Read Acts 1:12-26 here.