Acts 4:32-37

Acts 4:32-37

And of the fullness of the ones who believed, heart and soul were one.  And not one was saying something of the things that exist to him to be his own but he was saying all things in common to them.  And by great power the apostles were giving the testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.  For there was not some poor in them.  For as much as owners of places or of houses were existing, while selling they were bringing the value of the things being sold under and they were putting near the feet of the apostles.  And it was distributed hand to hand to each as someone was having a need.  And Joseph – the one who was being called Barnabas from the apostles, which is being translated as son of exhortation, a Levite, Kuprios by lineage – while a field exists to him after selling he brought the sum of money and put to the feet of the apostles.

Thoughts for Today:

First Thought:

The Bible tells us that the followers of Christ were of “one heart and souls.”  This doesn’t mean that they were identical carbon copies of each other, but rather that they pursued the same goal: reaching the mission field for Jesus Christ.  They may not have done everything the same way, but they had the same major goal.  Because they were unified, the Spirit moved among them.  This passage has much to say about true Christian community (and thus by default it has much to say in criticism to the Christianity that we have today).

When you look at the church you attend, do you find unity in purpose?  How might that affect the congregation’s ability to do mission?  What about if you look at Christianity in the town or city in which you live – is there unity in purpose?  Again, how might that affect Christ’s Church’s ability to reach the world for Him?

Second Thought:

Here we also have a description for what it takes to be a spiritual leader.  The ones who were sent are focusing on proclaiming Jesus Christ to the people around them.  That’s spiritual leadership.  If we want to be considered a spiritual leader in Christ’s church, that’s part of the qualifications.

Do you talk with other people about Jesus Christ?  When you talk with them, do you talk academically about Jesus (IE what the Bible teaches) or do you talk about your personal experiences with Jesus Christ?  If you do both, which do you do more often?

Third Thought:

The disciples took care of the needy in their midst.  It seems so simple, but on another hand it is quite difficult.  Jesus tells us that we will always have to poor with us.  (See Mark 14:7)  Christ also tells us that it is important to care for them (See Matthew 25:31-46).

Why can it be difficult to care for the poor?  In what ways can it be satisfying to care for the poor?  Can we ever use caring for the poor in a self-righteous way?

Passage for Tomorrow: Acts 5:1-2