Community-Koinonia Church

-In our small groups and friend circles we are not afraid to reveal our struggles to one another. We look for help knowing our brother or sister will not judge us but love us and try to help us overcome. That’s what followers of Jesus do.

-When we take time to visit the nursing homes and hospitals to encourage and pray for our brothers and sisters we are being followers of Jesus. We are to be His presence for those in need and ill.

-When we have meals and “get togethers” just to be with and love one another we are being followers of Jesus.

- And Yes when we come together at the Lord’s Table we are practicing the ultimate koinonia, fellowship there is. As Jesus’ followers we come to the table to be at one with Him and each other.

The biblical example of a follower who encouraged others is found just after our second text today in Acts 4.36-37: [Screen 6]

36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.

As followers we are to strive to be as encouraging and generous as possible. Help those in need and lift up those who are struggling. We need churches full of Barnabases.

The next bit of scripture does give us a warning. We must always do what we do for God’s glory and not our own.

[Screen 7] There was a couple that belonged to this early church and they had seen what Barnabas had done and they discussed it together. This is how I imagine it might have gone.

Ananias spoke first and said , “Sapphira, I’ve been looking at what Barnabas did and I believe that was pretty cool how everybody praised him so much.”

Sapphira said, “Yep that Barnabas is always getting spoke well of for something or another. Wouldn’t it be nice if people saw us that way?”

Ananais said, “Yea, why don’t we sell that old piece of property outside of town. Its not worth but a couple thousand dollars.”

But when they sold it, it brought way more than they expected because some developers had bid it way up.

Ananias and Sapphira were ecstatic. Sapphira started dreaming of a new beach house on the water and Ananias dreamed of that new camel he had been wanting.

They both looked at each other and finally Sapphira said, “We could keep the extra we got and give the original amount to the church.”

“I don’t know, we did pledge to give that piece of property to the church,” Ananias said.

“But with that extra money above what we had thought at the time we gave it would get us a new house and your new camel”, said Sapphira

They both looked at each other and said together, ”OK”

Their plan seemed flawless. No one would know any better.

But here is what happened when they went to take the money to Peter.

Reading from Acts 5.1-11.

1 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.

3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”