Acts 1

Our Life Group was discussing whether it was necessary for the disciples to replace Judas, completing the twelve again.

The commentator explains at least part of the question very well. "Jesus chose twelve to establish the continuity with the old covenant and at the same time to announce the arrival of the new." So twelve was an important number.

But that does not really answer of whether they still needed 12 after Jesus had gone back up to heaven. But it was an important symbol when Jesus was on earth.

The commentator also mentions the expression "continually in prayer". The discples, beginning the new church, we continually in prayer. He asks do our churches know anything about being continually in prayer. I do not think ours does. Some might perhaps. I confess I don't.

But I know that at the beginnings of the renewal at Redeemer Episcopal there was continuous prayer. They met every morning before work, getting up a couple hours earlier than they would need to normally. The Azusa revival at the turn of the 1900's also had continuous prayer. Revival brings continuous prayer and visa versa.