How To Heal The Painful Wounds Inflicted By A Friend (Acts - Part 2) Series

How to heal the painful

hurts inflicted by a friend

Acts Series: ¡§Completely Irreligious, yet Radically Christian¡¨ Part 2

Pastor Jeff Christopherson

January 19, 2003

Acts 1:12-26

HOW TO SURVIVE BEING BETRAYED:

I. Be aware of the potential internal damage:

1. Being betrayed will Wound me.

¡§Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus¡Xhe was one of our number and shared in this ministry.¡¨ 1:16-17

2. Being betrayed usually Embarrasses me.

¡§With the reward he got 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 in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.¡¨ 1:18-19

3. Being betrayed might Harden me.

¡§¡¥For,¡¦ said Peter, ¡¥it is written in the book of Psalms, ¡§¡¥May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it¡K¡¦¡¨ 1:20

II. Take steps to avoid being sidelined by betrayal:

1. Don¡¦t take it personally.

(Jesus¡¦ knowledge of Judas) ¡§¡Khe was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.¡¨ John 12:6

2. Believe that God knew that this day was coming.

¡§Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas¡K¡¨ 1:16

¡§The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.¡¨ For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.¡¨ John 6:63-64

3. Don¡¦t become a victim: forgive and move ahead.

¡§¡¥May another take his place of leadership.¡¦ Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from John¡¦s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.¡¨ 1:20-22

III. Make Good Decisions in the aftermath of betrayal.

HOW DO I MAKE GOOD DECISIONS?

1. Be connected in a spiritual community.

¡§When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.¡¨ 1:13-14

¡¥together¡¦ ¡V lit. ¡§one common passion¡¨

2. Recall what God has already said.

¡§In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) and said, ¡¥Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago¡K¡¦¡¨ 1:15-16

3. Listen to the council of godly friends.

¡§So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias.¡¨ 1:23

¡§His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known¡K¡¨ Ephesians 3:10

4. Pray with passion (expecting God to answer).

¡§Then they prayed, ¡¥Lord, you know everyone¡¦s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.¡¦ Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.¡¨ 1:24-26

Scripture passages from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Home Church Discussion Guide: healing hurts

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1. What does the word, ¡¥betrayal¡¦ mean? What are some possible ways we might experience betrayal? Why does betrayal hurt so deeply? 2. Read Acts 1:12-26. Who appears to be the chief spokesman for the church? In light of Peter¡¦s personal betrayal of Jesus, how might the others feel about his leadership? How would the events of John 21:15-19 influence those feelings? What can we learn so far about betrayal? 3. From this passage in Acts, how had Judas¡¦ actions affected the church? What principle can we learn from this? 4. What do you find instructive about the way this early church dealt with the: a) the betrayal of Judas? b) the vacancy left by Judas? 5. What principles from this early church would you like to see worked into the D.N.A. of your Home Church?

㦠2003, Jeff Christopherson, The Sanctuary