What does it take to be the kind of church Peter spoke to in Acts 4? Our pastor’s message has been in Acts for a while now. I find this text to be very inspiring in the times we are living. We looked at Acts 4 beginning with verse 32.
32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. 34 There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
Acts 4:32-35
Can you imagine what our churches could accomplish if they consisted of believers of one heart and mind? ALL of them? No political agendas, no personal goals to reach. The focus on loving one another and showing all they came in contact with of the resurrection of Jesus. Treating others the way Jesus would treat them.
That’s a church I could see people wanting to be a part of. And it grew quickly! Instead of the government handing out charity and gaining control over everything we can and can’t do, the church takes care of those in need. That’s the way it was meant to be.
We are stewards of the gifts God has given us while we’re here on earth, not owners. Shouldn’t we be interested in how Jesus would deal with situations we find ourselves in? Maybe that’s the question we need to ask.
Our churches need to be shaken!
Where Communism says ”what is yours is mine; I’ll take it; Koinonia (the Gospel) says, ”what is mine is yours, I’ll share it.” That’s what happened with the church Acts 4 describes. It may be a radical perspective, but it’s how God designed it to be.
So, what do we do with this? It’s not about tithing. It about doing what each of us can do to show others the love of God. When they see what His love looks like, how can they turn that away?
So be the person God is calling you to be. Live a life that reflects God’s love and share that love with others.
In Faith,
Pam
Where God Leads 