Title Acts 04:32-37 Christian Community
Contents
Christian community (Acts 4:32-37)
Two extreme forms of politics exist today.
In today's reality, we are witnessing a tragic form of politics in which numerous human rights have to be violated because of totalitarianism and the value of individual life is wiped out in front of government authorities.
Not only that, but under the principle of free economy, many people own a lot of economy by force and by their own efforts, but this has become extreme. is growing strong in our society.
God is teaching us a new way of living today in this unfortunate reality.
In Acts 2 and 4, the model of the community of saints is presented.
What did the community look like in Acts 2? (verses 42-47)
They met every day.
were taught by the apostles.
We dated every day.
Not only did we have fellowship with God, but we also had fellowship with our neighbors.
Master and servant, man and woman, rich and noble, the relationship of communication has all crumbled and there is no one high or low, no lowly, no precious, all things are in common with each other, and there is no one who claims that even a little of one’s belongings are theirs. , an ideal community where all coexist and all are equal.
Due to the work of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, all the desires for possession are destroyed and a new concept of possession is emerging, which is to share oneself for the needs of others.
The community that appears in Acts 2 can be expressed as the conclusion of the Pentecost event.
However, the community introduced in today's text can be considered the conclusion of being filled with the Holy Spirit.
What are the characteristics of the Christian community in Acts 4?
1. There is unity. (32a)
The first half of verse 32 says, “They who believed were of one mind and of one mind.”
When there are many people, they have different ideas and different personalities.
The word unification is a very good word, but if it is wrong, there is a hidden danger that will inevitably expose the idea of totalitarianism that destroys individual thoughts and individuality for the sake of uniformity.
But how could the early church be of one heart and one will?
How could they all be united in one thought, voluntarily, not through power or political form?
It describes the characteristics of the church that those who have received the same call in God will drink one Spirit, have one hope, have one Lord and live as one faith, one baptism, and one God.
When we have the same calling and the same gospel, there can be one mind and one heart among us.
How is unity possible in the church?
It is possible when people's hearts are filled with the gospel and filled with the Holy Spirit.
It is possible when Christ becomes the head of the church.
It is possible when Christ becomes King and Master in your personal life.
What is the reason that the church today is constantly divided and contentious, and various factions are formed within the church?
Because Christ is not the head of the church.
Because it follows my opinion, my argument.
Because Christ has no control over his life.
When such people come together to form a community, there will inevitably be factions and divisions.
When the work of the Holy Spirit fills people in the holy gospel, and when the gospel is ripe, when Christ becomes the head in the individual and serves Christ as the head, obeying Christ and forming a community of people who live with one heart and one mind, there will be true unity. There is.
Jesus emphasizes “unity” in John 17 (20-23).
Jesus said he is one with God.
We too must become one with God.
And you and I must become one.
2. The substance is in sharing.(32b)
In the second half of verse 32, we find that the value of possession has changed.
“All things were in common with one another, and no one claimed that even a little of their possessions were mine,” he says.
Income varies according to each person's ability.
This is unavoidable.
Also, according to the abundance of possessions, there is a hierarchy between the haves and the have-nots, which leads to various social problems.
This problem of possessiveness cannot be solved by social and political systems or laws.
Possession is the strongest of human instincts.
In Matthew 19:16-24, we can see the story of a rich young man who came to the Lord to obtain eternal life.
If you want to be whole, sell everything you have and give it to the poor, and don't dwell on possessions and make following me the most important value in your life. It is the story of a rich, foolish young man who abandoned him.
In Luke 12:13-21, we can find the story of a foolish rich man who is worried about building a warehouse because his produce is increasing, while neglecting the matter of the soul.
In Luke 14:33, Jesus said, “In the same way, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”
Luke 16:33 says, “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and riches.”
According to Luke, in the image of the early church, the gospel, the living gospel, transcends material possessions, breaks possessions, and breaks the idea that it can be seized or robbed, and the true gospel that uses material materials for the needs of neighbors, toward a new community, blooms. Because he saw blood, he confidently told us the message, “A man cannot serve both wealth and God. You must appoint at least one master to follow me.”
At the time of the Early Church, there were many strangers in Jerusalem who had returned from abroad for a while to keep the Passover and Pentecost.
There were also many poor people among the natives.
The Jews used the word 'Kupah' to help these people, and 'Thamhui' to help foreigners.
There was a good tradition of helping the poor in Israel early on.
Also in the text, the saints who are filled with the Holy Spirit put their possessions at the feet of the apostles and donate their possessions to the poor brothers and neighbors who are suffering from lack of food to use their material.
What is Holy Spirit-filled faith?
It is at least to realize that material things are not our highest goal in life.
Materials are essential and precious to us, but there is something more important than that.
Serving God and loving our neighbors (Matthew 22:37-39)
Let's become believers who do our best to share the material God has given us (Acts 20:35, Hebrews 13:16)
3. It is in sharing the gospel.(33)
The people of the early church not only had one mind and one will, but also had a new value for money. Furthermore, we find ourselves sharing the gospel with each other (verse 33).
The apostles witnessed to their neighbors the gospel of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.
Everyone in the community could receive grace, the life of God, through their message and through their testimonies and witnesses.
Matter exists for those who need it.
The gospel exists for those whose souls are still bound in sin.
Dear saints!
What should I do to spread the gospel?
(1) You must eat the word of God. (Ezekiel 3:1)
(2) You must go to the person who is evangelistic. (John 1:42)
After Andrew met Jesus, he went to see Peter.
(3) We must preach the gospel. (Romans 1:3-4)
The apostles preached the cross and resurrection.
Angels preached the Savior and Christ (Luke 2:10-11).
Paul testified of Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God (Acts 28:23,31).
The living gospel, the living material always finds the soul in need
Reach out to people in need and meet their needs
It is the mission and duty that God has entrusted to us to build up their lives and build the kingdom of God within them (2 Timothy 4:5).
There are two extremes in the church today.
Some people are good at sharing material things, but others are not able to share the gospel at all.
On the other hand, there are people who testify a lot, teach others, and share the gospel a lot, but are stingy when it comes to sharing material things.
Both have to grow up.
The mature gospel does not give one thing, but the whole.
Jesus did not just come to this earth to teach us a lesson.
He didn't just go and hear the message of the kingdom of heaven.
Not only did he teach, he gave his life, he gave his life.
This is the gospel.
We must not only share the gospel with our neighbors, but also share the material we valued as our own life.
I have to become mature people who can share my personality and even my thoughts.
Luke confirms once again the image of the community of saints by presenting a wonderful model of one person in verses 36-37 of the text.
His name is Barnabas.
Barnabas gave up all the wealth he had when the gospel was filled in him, for those who needed them more.
Barnabas did not only serve his neighbors with material things.
We find that we are serving lives by building up our souls with the gospel, serving the church with the powerful word, and serving lives.
Barnabas was a layman, a pastor, and a missionary who devoted himself to preaching the gospel.
Like Barnabas, let us live a life of sharing material things and the gospel.