Family Home Evening for Acts 1-5

 Read or Summarize Acts 1:21-26

21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,

25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.

26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Lesson

When Jesus was on the earth, He established 12 Apostles to testify of Him and to do His Father’s work. After Jesus’s death and Judas’s betrayal and death, they needed 2 more men to be called to be apostles and continue the work of the Lord. The living apostles prayed and Matthias and Joseph were called.

Apostle was the title Jesus gave to the Twelve whom He chose and ordained to be His closest followers and supporters. Apostles are chosen to be special witnesses of Jesus Christ. Just as Jesus Christ called and sent His Apostles forth to represent Him, today’s Apostles are given the role to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world. 

Just like in Jesus’s days, we have 12 apostles today. Just as in ancient days, apostles are chosen through inspiration by the President of the Church, sustained by the general membership of the Church, and ordained by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles by the laying on of hands.

Jesus Christ calls Apostles to represent Him in our day just as He did in the Bible. They leave behind their regular work lives and devote their life to full-time Church service. They oversee the growth of the global Church, and they travel the world to share God’s love with His children and invite all to come unto Christ, learn, and follow Him.

Discuss

How can you gain a witness that today’s apostles and prophets are called by God? Why is having this witness important?

Watch

Click the picture below to see how we did this lesson.