Scripture Introduction
The meanings of “socialism” and “communism” have changed over time as various political tyrants and undemocratic governments have used the ideas to advance their own political power and fantasies. But for the sake of today’s passage and sermon, let’s use the most simple possible meaning, that which Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels promoted in the late 1800s. Then the terms could be used more or less interchangeably to refer to a “society in which class differences had disappeared, people lived in harmony, and government was no longer needed.” (MSN Encarta Online Encyclopedia, 2007 ed., s.v. “Communism.”)
Today’s passage sounds like commUnism. It is different, however; so I have entitled the sermon, “CommOnism in the Church.” God does not show how an enlightened proletariat wrests control of business and wealth from the rich in order to fairly distribute it across society. Instead, God creates a church voluntarily disposing of their possessions, generously providing for those who lack. The Christians in Jerusalem held their goods “in common,” and no needy person lived among them. Let’s read about it in Acts 4. [Read Acts 4.32-37. Pray.]
Introduction
A pastor had a farmer friend in his congregation and they were talking over the fence one day. The pastor asked the farmer, “Abe, if you had one hundred horses, would you give me fifty?” Abe said, “Certainly.”
The pastor asked, “If you had one hundred cows, would you give me fifty?” Abe said, “Yes.”
Then the pastor asked, “If you had two pigs, would you give me one?” Abe said, “Now cut that out, pastor; you know I have two pigs!” :)
Generosity sounds good in the abstract; many Christians picture themselves giving away half their lottery winnings. Fewer, it seems, can part with one pig.
An article in Friday’s Wall Street Journal (November 23, 2007) described the backlash many churches feel when teaching on tithing (giving 10% of one’s income): “Opponents of tithing say it is a misreading of the Bible, a practice created by man, not God. They say they should be free to donate whatever amount they choose, and they are arguing with pastors, writing letters and quitting congregations in protest.” But Steve Sorensen, director of pastoral ministries at Cornerstone Church in San Antonio was quoted as saying, “‘When you tithe, God makes promises to us, that he…is not going to let anything bad or destructive come about’…. For those who don’t tithe, he says the Lord ‘is not obligated to do those things for you.’”
I am not going to preach on tithing — this text does not address the topic and for many of us such a practice would fall far short of the pattern of generous giving to God’s work and God’s people described in the New Testament. I also hope to avoid any guilt feelings. Guilt-induced offerings deny the gospel of grace and deter generous giving. Instead, my goal is to discover the causes of the astonishing generosity we see in Acts 4.
Lucian lived between 120 and 200 AD. He was a Greek satirist and opponent of anything religious (which he grouped together as superstitions). Yet when he saw the generosity of the Christian church he wrote: “It is incredible to see the fervor with which the people of that religion help each other in their wants. They spare nothing. Their first legislator [Jesus] has put it in their heads that they are brothers.”
The cause of the difference which Lucian observed among the Christians was the presence of the Holy Spirit producing power in their witness. Our God is generous; and when we devote ourselves to him and he works among us, he makes us generous like himself. Then many see the works of the Lord and they want to know the Savior. To see that, first notice….
1. God’s Grace Produces Unity In Our Church (Acts 4.32a)
We know our proclivity to divide in all matters important, especially those related to religion. Therefore, if the Bible did not include this sentence, we would not believe it true, because we would think it impossible that thousands of Christians could agree — men and women of different ages, backgrounds and personalities, people who were opponents to one another a few months earlier, for they came from a wide variety of sects and religions.
But that was now all forgotten, and they are unanimous in their love for Jesus. And because they were united to the Lord, they were joined to one another in holy love. Such was the dying command of Christ to his disciples: “Love one another,” and one of his final prayers to the Father: “That they may be one, even as we are one.”
Jealousy in the church is not a sign of great grace. Envy over another’s gifts and ministry does not create a powerful witness. Looking out for number one produces no converts. A critical spirit impresses no one, either inside the congregation or outside. Bitterness and rivalry and insisting that we are right and get our way pleases only the enemy.
Verse 31 of Acts 4 indicates they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. As a result (verse 32), they were of one heart and soul. They loved one another, and love enabled them to count others of greater worth than themselves; love caused them to overlook any number of faults.
Aesop tells of three bulls for a long time pastured together. A lion lay in ambush hoping to make them his prey, but he was afraid to attack while they kept together. So the lion whispered in the hearing of first one and then another, that the others were keeping secrets and making plans that did not include him. Eventually by this form of guileful speech, the bulls separated from one another and the lion feasted on them one by one at his own leisure. “United we stand” is not merely a slogan; it is a Biblical principle illustrated well by Aesop.
You parents know the extent of personal sacrifice you would endure to make sure your children do not suffer hunger and want. I dare say that many (maybe all of you) would sell house and car, land and property, if it were necessary to provide for your children. You love them. They are yours and you are theirs. Problems do not prevent outrageous acts of generosity, for they are your beloved family.
What did Lucian say of the Christians he met? “Their first legislator [Jesus] has put it in their heads that they are brothers.” This pagan understood well that family love united the Christians in heart and soul.
2. God’s Grace Produces Generosity In Our Giving (Acts 4.32b, 34-37)
Bible-believing churches often imagine that true faith is shown ONLY by commitment to the Scriptures. For example, many Christians speak in glowing terms of the pulpit ministry of Charles Spurgeon, while far fewer are thrilled by his work with orphanages.
Spurgeon had always devoted large sums of money to the almshouses. But his biographer writes: “At one Monday evening prayer meeting, which in his day were phenomenal, he said, ‘We are a large church, and should be doing more for the Lord in this great city. I want us to ask Him to send us some new work; and if we need money to carry it on, let us pray that the means may also be sent.’ Soon afterward Mrs. Hillyard, a clergyman’s widow,…determined to devote her money to the service of God…. She saw an article in The Sword and Trowel advocating the establishment of schools where ‘all that we believe and hold dear shall be taught to the children of our poorer adherents.’ Upon reading this she wrote to Mr. Spurgeon, telling him of her desire to establish an orphanage,…where boys would be trained in simple Gospel principles. Mr. Spurgeon and Mr. William Higgs made an appointment, and when they called at her modest home they feared that there had been some mistake. So they began the interview by saying that they had called about the £200 she had mentioned in her letter.
“Did I write £200?” exclaimed the lady. “I meant £20,000.”
“Oh yes,” said Mr. Spurgeon, “you did put down £20,000, but I thought perhaps there was a naught (zero) or two too many.”
Just as with the ministry of the Tabernacle in London, so with the work of the church in Acts. “Luke…is concerned to show that the fullness of the Spirit is manifest in deed as well as word, service as well as witness, love for the family [of believers] as well as testimony to the world” (Stott, The Spirit, The Church and the World, 106). Elevating the word without acts of extravagant mercy is frankly unbiblical. But note well both characteristics of these believers.
• First, sense their radical attitude. This is not communism, for no one took from them what was theirs. It was “common-ism,” so deep was the love that they felt every possession available to help their brothers and sisters in the Lord.
• Second, see their sacrificial action. They refused to speak of a love not visible through generosity. Faith without works is dead; love without generosity is hatred.
John Calvin: “Surely we ought to observe the same order, first loving one another with a sincere heart, and thereafter our love showing itself in its application to others. For even external beneficence, if it comes not from the heart, is of no value in the sight of God. We boast in vain of proper affections, unless the evidence of them is seen in outward performance…. And now, we must have hearts that are harder than iron if we are not moved by this narrative. In those days the believers gave abundantly of what was their own; we in our day are content jealously to retain what we possess…. They set forth their own possessions with simplicity and faithfulness; we devise a thousand cunning devices whereby we may acquire everything for ourselves by hook or by crook. They laid down at the apostles’ feet; we do not fear, with sacrilegious boldness, to convert to our own use what was offered to God. They sold their own possessions in those days; in our day it is the lust to purchase that reigns supreme. At that time love made each man’s own possessions common property for those in need; in our day such in the inhumanity of many, that they begrudge to the poor a common dwelling on earth, the common use of water, air and sky. These things then are written for our shame and reproach.”
No one in Acts 4 was required to practice common-ism. But some did. Of course this is not a command; but if none of us sees in it a challenge, what does that say about our hearts?
God’s grace produces unity in our church, generosity in our giving, and third…
3. God’s Grace Produces Greatness In Our Witness (Acts 4.33)
John Calvin observes that the New Testament Christians “were well liked because they were generous.”
Bible teachers disagree over whether the “great grace [that] was upon them all” refers to God’s grace or the people’s favor. The word “God” is not in this verse, and the Greek word for grace can refer either to a blessing from God or the acceptance of people.
Whichever meaning is intended, both are clearly true. God’s favor was on them — they witnessed with power, they preached with boldness, they prayed with visible demonstrations of the presence of the Spirit, and they cared passionately for their fellow believers. And, as a result, they enjoyed the favor of many, and “more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of men and women” (Acts 5.14).
Here then are the types of questions we must ask:
• Does the New Testament church love one another in a way that makes our fellowship appear cool and unfeeling?
• Does selling our possessions and giving the money to the work of mercy make us nervous or defensive?
• Does the example of believers who care as much about mercy as they do theology reveal that we are one-dimensional in our approach to God?
• Does their power in prayer and passion for giving cause us to question whether the Spirit is moving among us?
• Does the thought of an outlandish gift to the church make us feel close to God or foolish to the world?
• Have we allowed ourselves to be content with a level of giving that neither requires great faith nor challenges our commitment to Christ?
• Have we ever, with Barnabas, strategized as to how to give an extraordinary gift to God’s work?
• Hebrews 10.34 notes that the Christians joyfully accepted the plundering of their property. Are we joyfully accepting of the preaching on generosity?
4. Conclusion
George Mueller once asked a godly and generous businessman in London for a donation for a charitable project. Little was expected because the businessman had recently sustained a heavy loss from the wreck of some of his ships. To the amazement of those involved with the charity, he gave about ten times as much as expected.
When asked how he was able to give so much in light of his business difficulties the businessman replied, “It is quite true, I have sustained heavy loss by these vessels being wrecked, but that is the very reason why I give you so much; for I must make better use than ever of my stewardship lest it should be entirely taken from me.”
Charles Spurgeon, the great English preacher, was once invited by a wealthy man to come to preach in a certain country church, to help the membership raise funds to pay off a debt. The man told Spurgeon he was free to use his country house, his town house, or his seaside home. Spurgeon wrote back and said, “Sell one of the places and pay the debt yourself.”
You think about that. Amen.
