Mar 23, 2014

Acts 4:32-35

Over the last few weeks we’ve been looking at an incredible story that began with the opening of Acts 3: The healing of the lame man, Peter and John’s trial before the Sanhedrin, The report they brought back to their companions, And the incredible prayer that followed.

Though we’ve been examining these events from a micro-perspective, it’s important we occasionally place them into the overarching purpose of Luke’s narrative. 

As we mentioned in our introduction, both Luke’s Gospel and the book of Acts were written to be presented as a defense brief on the behalf of the Apostle Paul. With this in mind, “Theophilus” (the man addressed at the beginning of both volumes) was the Roman official charged with compiling background on Paul’s case!

Since Rome allowed people the freedom to worship their own gods, Christianity enjoyed legal status because it had been initially viewed as a sect of Judaism. However, once Christianity jumped from Jewish communities only to then spread across the empire, this new religion would require a formal evaluation by Rome to retain legal status. 

Though Acts will end with the Apostle Paul standing trial before Nero, the case was really about determining the legitimacies of Christianity. If legal, Paul’s role in the spread of Christianity would not merit punishment. If illegal, he would be executed for his involvement.

As a defense brief Luke sets out in Acts to demonstrate to Theophilus that....

1. Christianity was not a political threat to Roman governance.

2. Christianity would not foster social unrest within the empire. 

3. Christianity was already legal since it was the fulfillment of Judaism. 

By including the events of Acts 3-4, Luke is making 3 things clear to Theophilus: 

1. The animus of the Jewish, religious establishment towards Christianity occurred way before Paul was ever involved. (The Jews were actually guilty of social unrest.)

2. The Jewish leaders accusing Paul of sedition had a track-record of being disingenuous in the way they evaluated and handled Christians. (Could their testimony be trusted?) 

3. As we’re about to see.... The church had a peaceful and redeeming effect on society.

In Acts 4:31 Luke tells us following this prayer meeting “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” and this fresh filling produced a “boldness to speak God’s Word.” As we’ll see in the remaining verses of chapter 4, in addition to this boldness to speak the Word of God, the Spirit will also foster within the church both unity and generosity.

If you want to know if the Spirit is really working in and through a church community there are actually 3 clear, tangible indicators (Evidence of a Spirit-filled church). 

1. A Spirit-filled church will speak the truth of God’s Word with boldness!

2. A Spirit-filled church will be unified by their love for Jesus and one another!

3. A Spirit-filled church will be filled with generous people!

You should also note: The Spirit’s work in your life will be seen by your boldness to speak the truth, your desire for unity with other believers, and your generosity (or lack there of). 

Acts 4:32 “Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.” 

This Spirit-Induced Unity could be seen in the fact “those who believed were of....”

“One heart.” This is actually one Greek word “kardia” which, in addition to referring to the physical organ known as the heart, was also used in the Greek language to indicate “the seat of passions, desires, and will” within a person.

“One soul” is actually two Greek words: “mia” meaning “only one,” and “psychê” meaning “the breath of life” which indicated “the source of life within an organism.”

The Greek structure of the phrase “they were of one heart and one soul” is fascinating in what it seeks to communicate. Luke is telling us that it was because each individual possessed the same “heart” or “passion” they were able to collectively have the same “psychê” or “life.” This means it’s impossible to have unity (to be of one soul) without having the same core passion (to be of one heart). 

This church was unified with one collective “soul” because they all shared the same “heart.” Their unity was based in the fact they all shared the same passion for Jesus as well as the singular desire to further His Kingdom above all else! The cross and Christ crucified should create a bond between believers that transcends any of the trivial things that might naturally separate us. As a matter of fact, all of the things that often cause “disunity” are seemingly trivial in the light of God’s grace.

Most of the problems that breed contention within the church occur when our passions and focus become anything other than Jesus and His Kingdom! If our passions are not in sync - then our lives are not in sync - making unity impossible.

The Bible speaks constantly about the importance of there being unity in the church.... 

Jesus prayed in John 17:23, “I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

In 1 Corinthians 1:10 the Apostle Paul pleaded with the church “in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, may you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.”

Again in Ephesians 4:2-6 the Apostle commands us to “be completely humble and gentle; patient, bearing with one another in love. Making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” 

In Philippians 2:1-4 Paul encourages believers to be “like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”

Question: You know why the Bible is constantly encouraging unity? 

Answer: Because people don’t naturally get along! 

As a result of sin humans naturally separate, feud, divorce, war with one another, segregate, etc.... and it’s been this way since Eden! This natural tendency is why Jesus said in John 13:35 that the world will know “that you are His disciples” by “your love for one another.” 

If “disunity” is the natural order of the world, then “unity” can only be attributed as being otherworldly! “Unity” as intrinsically unnatural to a world of sin can only be achieved through a specific work of the Holy Spirit. 

While it is true “unity” can’t exist without the “conformity of passions,” many make the tragic mistake of assuming “unity” also necessitates the “conformity of activity!” 

Because God created us all unique it’s simply a reality that the way we each demonstrate our passion for Christ will inevitably manifest in different ways from one other. This is why the greater question of “unity” is whether or not the heart or passion behind our varying activities is one in the same.

Tragically, church leaders often blur the lines between “unity” and “uniformity.” “Uniformity” narrowly believes the same passion for Jesus should only manifest itself through the same activity. Whereas real Biblical “unity,” while still maintaining the necessity of the same passion, allows for a diversity of activity. 

Church leaders should always remember that just because a person’s passion for Jesus manifests itself in a different way doesn’t mean that person is “sowing the seeds of disunity.” We should never forget real “unity” allows for a “diversity of action” not the “uniformity of activity.” 

Here’s the trap for many churches.... 

1. Over time the vision (or passion) for the church narrows. Though it’s not always a cognitive decision, instead of the vision simply being about Jesus and His Kingdom, the vision narrows to specific issues the pastor or elders are passionate about! (Politics, Home-Schooling, Social Reform, Moral Stances, etc.

2. Since the vision for the church has narrowed, it becomes only natural that the mission (or the activities of the church) also narrow. Because vision drives activity, everything the church does now focuses on fulfilling this singular vision. 

3. At this point each individual within the church is forced to either rally behind the narrow vision and mission of a few or be accused of fostering disunity.

Though these churches might claim to have “unity among the brethren,” in actuality this ministry model only produces a “uniformity of the brethren” to the people setting the vision and establishing the mission! 

Sadly, these leaders end up falsely accusing good people of being rebellious when in reality these people simply wanted the freedom to allow their passion for Jesus to manifest in a way consistent with who God made them to be!

When it’s all said and done because these churches inappropriately set the bar for unity on things other than Jesus and His Kingdom they end up being judgmental, legalistic, dominated by bullies, and lack any form of ministry diversity. 

In contrast, this church was genuinely unified because their common passion (loving Jesus and reaching the world) was broad enough to allow for a diversity in how this common passion might manifest through each person individually.

In Ephesians 4:11-13 we’re told “Jesus Himself gave some (diversity of activity) to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for (common passion behind the diverse action) the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God....”

At Calvary316 we believe the core passion (vision) of the church should be a love for Jesus and a desire to further His Kingdom.... with the core activity (mission) being to encourage and equip individual Christians to fulfill their ministry (the unique expression of their passion for Jesus).... by teaching them “The Whole Bible” so that will grow into “A Whole Christian” who can in turn reach “The Whole World.”

Acts 4:33-35, “And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.”

The Spirit was clearly active in this church and this could be seen through (1) their boldness to speak God’s Word, (2) their unity, and now (3) their generosity. 

Luke first mentions this “commonism” that was manifested through their unity at the end of Acts 2, but now that the church has more than doubled in size he wants to reiterate that generosity was still the general atmosphere of the early church.

In these verses Luke provides a little more information into how this worked....

1. People were freely selling their possessions (specifically “lands or houses”).

Note: Commonism can be defined as “what is mine is yours” meaning this generosity was not mandated, demanded, or coerced by the Apostles, rather it was a selfless, spontaneous act manifested by the Holy Spirit.

2. They brought and entrusted the “proceeds” to the Apostles.

“Proceeds” is the Greek word “timê” which means “the value by which the price is fixed.” The idea was that the entire sale price was given, not simply the profit. Luke tells us they “laid these proceeds at the apostles’ feet” which presents an interesting idea. These generous individuals were giving to God of their financial resources - by giving directly to the apostles - so that there would be enough resources for them to then effectively care for the needs of the church.

Before we unpack this.... I want to acknowledge that whenever a pastor stumbles upon the topic of giving most people cringe thinking the “shake down” is inevitable. Take a breath. Our sermon isn’t about to transition into being a fundraiser. 

Sadly, when it comes to giving, many pastor’s make one of two mistakes.

There are some pastors who over-emphasize giving, and the tragic result is that in doing so they misrepresent God. Sadly, the shake down techniques used by these pastor’s seek to guilt people into giving by presenting a God destitute and on the verge of bankruptcy.

Let me be abundantly clear.... God doesn’t need your money - His church will thrive without it - And it’s wrong when a pastor intentionally guilts a person into giving! If you can’t give with a joyful heart, then don’t give at all!

But, there are other pastors who de-emphasize giving, and the tragic result  is that in doing so they are also misrepresenting God. Note: Pastors take this approach often as a reaction to the first set of abuses; and yet, while understandable, reactionary theology never arrives at the truth of Scripture because it simply swings the pendulum to the other extreme.

Since the Bible presents giving as being a deeply spiritual issue (which is why Jesus spoke about this topic more than anyone else), a pastor has a moral responsibility to speak the truth of God’s Word in boldness - not fear! 

You see in much the same way a pastor would be derelict in his duties if he avoided speaking about sexual immorality simply because the subject matter made people feel uncomfortable, a pastor cannot skirt the issue of giving just because it might also cause uneasiness. Though a pastor makes a grave mistake when he over-emphasizes giving, he’s in equal error when he downplays the importance of giving!

There are 2 important points to consider concerning giving: 

1. Being generous with your financial resources is not optional.

As illustrated by this passage, generosity is evidence of a Spirit-filled Christian! It’s been said, “Generosity is the most natural outward expression of an inner attitude of compassion and loving-kindness.” 

Oswald Chambers made this fascinating observation, “God never estimates what we give from impulse. We are given credit for what we determine in our hearts to give; for the giving that is governed by a fixed determination. The Spirit of God revolutionizes our philanthropic instincts. Much of our philanthropy is simply the impulse to save ourselves an uncomfortable feeling. The Spirit of God alters all that. As saints our attitude towards giving is that we give for Jesus Christ’s sake, and from no other motive.”

Note: The Holy Spirit does more than prompt an occasional act of generosity; rather the Spirit changes the inner constitution of an individual by instilling within them a deep desire to be generous.

In 1 Timothy 6:17-19 Paul told Timothy to “command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come....”

It should also be pointed out that Scripture speaks of giving as being a matter of obedience to God, stewardship of God’s resources, faith in God’s providential care, as well as giving being an act of worship to God! 

In Proverbs 3:9 we’re told to “honor God with our possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase.” Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 9:7 that “God loves a cheerful giver.” 

Have you ever wondered, “What can I really do to express how deeply thankful I am for all God’s done for me?” The answer.... Be generous!

2. Supporting the church you attend financially is encouraged. 

Not only does this idea seem consistent with this precedent established here in Acts 4, but there are several passages that reinforce the importance of financially supporting the local church you’ve chosen to call home.

Douglas LeBlanc made this observation in an article published in “Christianity Today” titled, “Is It Stealing From God to Split Your Tithe Between the Church and Other Charities.” He said, “How I donate money expresses power. If I carve my tithe into slices of my own liking, I tighten my grip on power, and mammon tightens its grip on me. I am better aware of the ever-deepening joy found in God's generosity when I surrender control of the first 10% to the community that welcomes me, a wretched sinner, week after week....”

Though there are no problems supporting charitable organizations, I would encourage you to do this after you’ve first supported the church you attend.

Quick recap of the text: (1). People were freely selling their possessions. (2). They brought and entrusted the “proceeds” to the Apostles. (3). It was the job of the Apostles to then “distribute” the financial resources appropriately. 

This passage is clear that as part of the management of these funds it became the responsibility of the church leadership to allocate the financial resources for the specific purpose of addressing the needs of the church community. 

Understand: If your skepticism as to how the church leadership manages and allocates your financial offering is actually prohibiting you from giving, may I suggest you find a church that has leadership you can trust (which often demands transparency and accountability from the leadership).

In regards to accountability.... I want you to know Calvary316 has two elders involved in the Sunday collections as well as the Monday deposit. Not to mention each month a financial review team reviews the books. Aside from this, we also have two financial meetings a year open to all for the express purpose of giving an account to the people giving the funds.

In regards to transparency.... I want to take a moment to explain how the leadership of Calvary316 allocates the resources you’ve given to God for the purpose of caring for the needs of the church. 

In order to insure we appropriately allocate our resources, we have designated 5 foundational needs for Calvary316 and ordered them according to priority. 

1st Need: A place to meet on Sunday. We believe that providing a place for the church to worship, study God’s Word, and practically minister to the needs of the people is our most basic, essential expense. This is why the first checks written each month serve to pay the bills that allow us to have and maintain this facility. 

2nd Need: A full time pastor. We believe that paying a pastor a fair salary so that he has the time to minister to the practical needs of the congregation, run the organization of the church, as well as effectively prepare for the teaching of God’s Word is a worthwhile and necessary expenditure.

3rd Need: Financial Benevolence. As modeled by this church in Acts, it is a core responsibility of the local church to take care of the practical needs of those that are less fortunate within the church community. 

4th Need: Support for missions. After caring for these needs our desire is to allocate the surplus to supporting community partnerships, domestic outreaches, international organizations, as well as church planting endeavors.

5th Need: Savings for the future. Saving is an important way to plan for future growth as well as a prudent way to sustain an emergency; and yet, we also believe saving for the future should never limit our current ministry effectiveness.

Their generosity manifested in that (1). People were freely selling their possessions. (2). Bringing the “proceeds” to the Apostles. (3). Allowing the Apostles to then “distribute” the financial resources appropriately. (4). The result was that “great grace was upon them all, nor was there anyone among them who lacked.”

This atmosphere of generosity produced two incredible results: (1). Not only did God prove faithful to provide for all their needs (both of those who gave and those who received), but we’re told there was (2) “great grace upon them all.” “Great Grace” can be translated “megas charis” or “mega grace....” In response to their generosity, God poured out “upon them all” more than enough grace (undeserved merit, favor, blessing).

As St. Francis of Assisi said, “For it is in giving that we receive.”

The Spirit was clearly active in this church and this could be seen through their (1) boldness to speak God’s Word, (2) their unity, and (3) their generosity! May the same be said of you and Calvary316!