Developing A Generous Spirit

DEVELOPING A GENEROUS SPIRIT: SHARING!

ACTS 4:32-5:14

SEPTEMBER 28, 2003

INTRODUCTION: The Twenty and The One:

There was this $50 dollar bill and a $1 dollar bill on the conveyor belt at the downtown Federal Reserve Building. As they were lying there side by side the $1 dollar bill said

to the $50 dollar bill, "Hey mannnn, where have you been. I haven’t seen you in a long time ?" The $50 dollar bill replied, "Man I have been having a ball! I been traveling to distant countries, going to the finest restaurants, to the biggest and best casinos, numerous

boutiques, the mall uptown, the mall downtown, the mall across town and even a mall that I just newly built. "In fact, just this week I’ve been to Europe, a professional NBA game, Rodeo Drive, the all-day retreat spa, the top-notch hair salon and the new casino! I have done it all!" After describing his great travels, the $50 dollar bill asked the $1 dollar bill, "What about you? Where have you been?" The $1 dollar replied, "Well, I’ve been to the Baptist church, the Methodist church, the Presbyterian church, the Episcopalian church, the Church of God in Christ, the Catholic church, the church of the Latter Day Saints, the A.M.E. church, the Disciple of Christ church, the..." "WAIT A MINUTE! WAIT A MINUTE!!" shouted the $50 dollar bill to the $1 dollarbill.======== "What’s a church?"

STORY OF MAN COMPLIANING AND SON SAYING GREAT SHOW FOR A $1!

An old time evangelist passed the hat for an offering, and when it came back it was embarrassingly empty. He shook the hat to make clear it was empty, and then lifted his eyes to heaven and said, "I thank thee Lord that I got my hat back from this congregation." Contributed by: SermonCentral PRO

TRANSITION THOUGHT: Today I want to talk to us about building God¡¦s Kingdom. I want to ask a question we all know the answer to: Do you want to see God¡¦s Kingdom grow here at CHWC? I know you say you do, but let us just think about this for a minute. What are WE doing to make this happen? The district sends us great information each month about building the Kingdom of our God. Just this week they sent an article that showed the difference between a small church mindset and a large church mindset. Let me share a little of this information with you:

„« A LARGE CHURCH HAS MULTIPLE GROUPS/ CONGREGATIONS

„« A LARGE CHURCH MUST HAVE STAFF: ONE PASTOR CAN ONLY MINISTER TO ABOUT 100 PEOPLE

„« A LARGE CHURCH IS ALWAYS STARTING NEW GROUPS/CLASSES/ CELLS/UNITS

„« A LARGE CHURCH EMPOWERS ITS¡¦ PEOPLE TO CARE FOR EACH OTHER

„« A LARGE CHURCH MOBLILIZES THE LAITY/LETS THE CONGREGATION DO MINISTRY

„« A LARGE CHURCH BUILDS TO ACCOMIDATE A LARGER CROWD

„« A LARGE CHURCH IS NOT FOCUSED ON SIMPLE MAINTENANCE BUT ON MINISTRY

Our text for today speaks of building the Kingdom of our God. Let¡¦s look together and see what Luke the writer of ACTS is trying to teach us.

THESIS SENTENCE: A KINGDOM BUILDING MINDSET IS SHARING!

SO, WHAT DOES SHARING LOOK LIKE?

I. SHARING IS THE RESPONSE OF A WILLING HEART (4:32-37)

A. A willing heart is at one in heart and mind with all believers (v. 32)

1. ¡§No one claimed¡K¡¨ There was a spirit of humility.

2. No one needed to claim any possessions as his or her own? What on earth does that mean?

3. There was such a since of trust and love among all those that had excepted Christ, that each treated the other and deeply loved family and the ¡§Me Cassia, Su cassia¡¨ became reality.

4. This must be, within certain bounds, the relationship between parent and child. The child enjoys all the possessions of the parent without the parent with holding any good thing. It must be like the relationship of a husband and wife, though one may work or, both work, either way, all possessions are shared in common!

5. There was no sense of selfishness, only SELFLESSNESS!

B. A willing heart shares the Gospel with power (v. 33)!

1. What enabled the Apostles to ¡§Testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus¡¨ with great power?

2. When the Church acts like the church, when the body of Christ functions like it really is the ¡§BODY OF CHRIST,¡¨ when we live out before others, what we say we believe, OTHERS WILL GET IT!!

3. If those around you see a difference in you, A GOD Thing in you, do you suppose they will want it TOO?

C. A willing heart is filled with GRACE (v. 33)!

1. The Apostles ¡§Testified,¡¨ but ALL where filled with Grace!

2. What was the quantity of Grace the people experienced? MUCH!