Acts 4:32-35, Psalm 133:1-3, 1 John 1:1-10, 1 John 2:1-2, John 20:19-31.
(A) GRACE TO GIVE.
Acts 4:32-35.
The first reference to the voluntary sharing of the early church occurs soon after Pentecost, when the believers in the Jerusalem church (3,120 members plus daily additions) were said to be ‘together, and had all things in common, sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among them all, as anyone had need’ (Acts 2:44-45).
The second reference follows the addition of another 5,000 members (Acts 4:4), and another infilling of the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:31). So, we are not looking at the formation of an early monastery, far less at a commune or kibbutz in any modern sense of the word, but rather at a spontaneous response by new believers immediately following a time of revival.
1. We are told, first, that “the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul” (Acts 4:32). They were ‘brethren together’ (Psalm 133:1); ‘of one accord’ (Acts 2:46). Those who are born of the Spirit of God are all members of the same covenant family, all have but one God and Father, and one Lord (Jesus) - and are all called upon to ‘bear one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace’ (Ephesians 4:2-6).
2. Next, we are told that “neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common” (Acts 4:32) … “Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as any had need” (Acts 4:34-35).
For example, Barnabas sold his land and contributed the money from the sale to the church. He was under no compulsion to do so, but he felt it was part of his stewardship to serve Christ in this way (Acts 4:36-37). Sometimes God calls us out of our own comfort zone to serve Him!
Similarly, Ananias and Sapphira contracted to bring the whole proceeds from a sale of their goods as a gift to the church but brought trouble upon themselves when they failed to deliver the full amount. They were under no compulsion to do so: thus Peter could say to Ananias, ‘While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control?’ (Acts 5:4).
Yet it is not the sin of misappropriation or embezzlement which is emphasised here, but the sin of hypocrisy, and of lying to the Holy Ghost. It is bad enough for us to withhold from the poor, but to pretend all the while that we are actually giving to them is reprehensible. By doing so we do not lie to men, but to God.
As a result of the severity of God’s sentence against Ananias and Sapphira, the fear of God fell upon and surrounded the Christian community (Acts 5:11). More believers were added to their number (Acts 5:14). Unbelievers, on the other hand, dared not try to join the church, but were awestruck into keeping their distance (Acts 5:13)!
3. Finally, we are told that - in the time of this caring, sharing, community - “with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:33).
There are two observations here: first, the power for the apostles’ witness to the resurrection, and then the grace that was upon the whole community.
Now, one of the marks of apostleship is an encounter with the risen Lord Jesus (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:1; 1 Corinthians 15:8-9). One of the qualifications of Judas' replacement was that he should be one of those who had accompanied the disciples from the very beginning of Jesus' ministry right through to the ascension. He was also to be a witness with them to the resurrection, so it was imperative that he should have seen the risen Lord (Acts 1:21-22).
But the power for that witness was not to be found when the apostles were quivering fearfully ‘behind closed doors’ (John 20:19), but only with the appearing of the resurrected Lord Jesus, and the later empowering of the Holy Ghost - and only as He gave them utterance (Acts 2:4). Who else could have turned Peter from a disclaimer into a proclaimer; and Jesus’ followers from runaways into willing messengers?
“And great grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:33) includes all those who were members of the church at that time. Grace is not earned - at least, not by its recipients: it is spelled out in the acronym, God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense. So, the willing giving of the community was not rewarded by grace but was itself a spontaneous result of grace.
May God give us grace to do as grace-full people will do. And to His name be all the praise, and all the glory. Amen.
(B) THE DEW OF HERMON.
Psalm 133:1-3.
I like the Scottish Metrical version of this Psalm:
Psalm 133:1. “Behold, how good a thing it is,
and how becoming well,
Together such as brethren are
in unity to dwell!”
A good one to sing, perhaps, as we break bread together.
“Behold” calls us to look carefully, to look intensely. In the Greek of the New Testament, we are told that John ‘saw’ the grave clothes lying on Resurrection morning; but Peter ‘looked intently upon’ them (John 20:5-6). Or we could say, Peter ‘beheld’ them.
So, in our Psalm, what are we to look upon with such intensity? We are to look upon, to consider, “how good and pleasant a thing it is” for “brothers” (and sisters) to dwell together in unity. This applies on every level of life.
First, it applies on the level of kinship. It is more than just ‘nice’ if we can get on with our siblings. However, we are more familiar with negative examples: like Cain’s murderous, ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’ (Genesis 4:9); or the supplicant before Jesus who complained that his brother had not divided the inheritance with him (Luke 12:13).
In the Bible, Jonathan and David were only brothers-in-law, but their souls were ‘knit’ together in a mutual, covenant, love (1 Samuel 18:1; 1 Samuel 18:3).
Second, it applies on the level of community. As the bombs fell on London in the early 1940s, many were the acts of sheer human kindness between people in the same plight as one another. Similarly, in the times of distress caused by natural disasters elsewhere in the world. And in a pandemic.
Third, it is good and pleasant when nations and peoples can learn to get along with one another. But how can they, outside of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ? While any of us tolerate evil, none of us will ever get on!
And of course, fourthly, Christian people. Those who are born again are called upon to ‘bear one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace’ (Ephesians 4:2-3). After all, we have but one God and Father, and one Lord (Jesus), and are all members of the same covenant family (Ephesians 4:5-6).
Our unity is found in our very diversity. We do not lose our individuality but live to serve one another. Like the voluntary sharing of the early church (Acts 2:45).
Now, how lovely is this?
Psalm 133:2. “Like precious ointment on the head,
that down the beard did flow,
Even Aaron’s beard, and to the skirts,
did of his garments go.”
The reference is evidently to the anointing of Aaron as high priest. It sounds messy, but it is the aroma of unity. We have a much greater high priest, and our unity in Him is a matter of fact, not of boring uniformity.
Think of Mary anointing Jesus’ feet with costly oil, and how the fragrance filled the whole house (John 12:3). Jesus associated this act with His burial (John 12:7). And without His death and resurrection, there are no grounds for unity.
Then we have another illustration:
Psalm 133:3. “As Hermon’s dew, the dew that doth
on Sion’s hill descend:
For there the blessing God commands,
life that shall never end.”
From Mount Zion, Mount Hermon is far to the north, on the border with Lebanon. So how does the dew of Hermon water Zion? Well, it is not meteorologically impossible, and has been known - although it is rare - for dew from Hermon to bring refreshment to Mount Zion during the arid summer.
But what a picture of unity! The melting snows of Lebanon watering Zion, even as Zion has sent the Gospel out to the wider world (including Lebanon). Or Paul’s churches elsewhere feeding the needy poor in Jerusalem (Romans 15:26).
Christians here, and Christians there, all one in Christ Jesus!
‘We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren’ (1 John 3:14).
And we should ‘pray for the peace of Jerusalem’, from whence our blessings came (Psalm 122:6).
(C) ADVOCACY AND FELLOWSHIP.
1 John 1:1-10, 1 John 2:1-2.
The opening of the First Epistle of John is not unlike the famous Prologue of his Gospel (John 1:1-14). It too takes us back to “the beginning”, and introduces us to “the Word” - and it soon becomes clear that the Word is none other than Jesus the Messiah. John here adds his apostolic fingerprint: “we” have seen with our eyes, looked upon, and our hands have handled this “Word of life” (1 John 1:1). This no doubt takes us back to the Upper Room, after the resurrection. Jesus is risen, not as a mere phantom, but as a flesh and bones man (Luke 24:39).
“That which” is from the beginning refers not only to Jesus the Word, but also to the manifestation of the Word: the gospel in its entirety (1 John 1:2). Some people had evidently removed themselves from the fellowship of the church because they no longer believed the truths which they had once seemed to receive (1 John 2:19).
We are called into fellowship with the Father and the Son (1 John 1:3). Jesus prayed that His people would be “kept” in the type of unity which reflects the Oneness of the Godhead (John 17:11; John 17:20-21). Jesus says that He has given us His glory (John 17:22). The “Spirit of glory” (1 Peter 4:14) is the same Spirit who makes possible our efforts to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3). There is a community of the Father and the Son within the Godhead (John 17:23). We are drawn by the Spirit into that Oneness.
I had always thought that this epistle was a covering letter for the Gospel. It certainly serves that purpose. On reflection I have come to concede that perhaps it addresses problems which emerged after the Gospel had been received (1 John 1:4). The Apostle is concerned that his congregants should have ‘fullness of joy’ (cf. Psalm 16:11). Happiness depends upon happenings, but joy abides through both good times and bad times.
John again emphasizes the integrity of the message of the gospel. The light of which he speaks is uncreated, original light, found in God Himself (1 John 1:5). John elsewhere refers to Jesus as the true Light, which lights every man that comes into the world (John 1:9). Jesus claims to be “the Light of the world” (John 8:12). To substantiate this, He healed a man born blind whose testimony is echoed by all who have been saved from the blindness of ignorance and ungodliness: “One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see” (John 9:25).
Now John addresses the specific problem which has caused the schism within – or out from – the congregation (1 John 1:6). If God is light, and we are walking in darkness, then we cannot honestly claim to have fellowship with Him. This does not mean that we won’t have questions, but if we talk the talk without walking the walk how can we possibly claim to be His?
When we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we are enabled to have fellowship with one another (1 John 1:7). Fellowship on the horizontal plane is only possible when we first have fellowship with Him. We also learn what it means to have our sins washed by the blood of Jesus Christ.
It would be untrue to say that we are suddenly sinless (1 John 1:8), but at least the habit of sin is no longer the ruling principle in our lives.
There is still, however, the need for the confession of specific sins, to God Himself, in the name of Jesus (1 John 1:9). Then we find God to be faithful (true to His promises); and both righteous and making righteous through the blood of Jesus (cf. Romans 3:26).
If we imagine for one moment that we have not sinned, then we make God out to be the liar, instead of ourselves, and His word is not in us (1 John 1:10).
John is writing so that we might “sin not” (1 John 2:1), in the full knowledge that we will, from time to time, fall into sin. In that eventuality, we still have an Advocate with the Father, ever interceding on our behalf at the right hand of God (cf. Romans 8:34). Jesus’ advocacy does not involve the calling forward of ‘extenuating circumstances’ to make excuse for our guilt, but the constant appeal of His own blood and righteousness.
Jesus Christ the righteous is the only true covering for our sins, absorbing the wrath of God that we so much deserve (1 John 2:2). Without the shedding of His blood, there is no remission (cf. Hebrews 9:22). Just in case we should claim some kind of exclusive right to that privilege, whether by ethnicity or by denomination, John reminds us that Jesus is the propitiation not for our sins only, but for the whole world.
(D) THE RISEN LORD.
John 20:19-31.
The first half of this chapter concerned the empty tomb, and its impact upon three individuals. This second half concerns two appearances of the risen Lord to the gathered church, and includes John’s version of the great commission. It also contains the profession of faith of one of the more sceptical disciples.
It was the evening of the first day of the week: the day of the resurrection; the first day of the new creation. The disciples met together behind closed doors “for fear” (John 20:19). Fear stifles faith: this is why the Lord and His messengers so often say, ‘Fear not.’
Suddenly, and inexplicably, Jesus stood in their midst! That Jesus was able to do this is informative of the nature of the resurrection body. Walls and locked doors are no barrier, but His was still a flesh and bone body (John 20:20), with the wounds still open (John 20:27).
We can hardly imagine how startled the disciples were! Jesus’ first words to them were both familiar and reassuring: “Peace be with you” (John 20:19). Having proclaimed the Peace, Jesus displayed the marks of the Cross (John 20:20).
Imagine the delight that the disciples now felt, that their crucified Lord had most surely risen from the dead! Think of their joy, also, at His presence! Jesus repeated His greeting, and commissioned His disciples as Apostles (John 20:21).
Then Jesus breathed on them and said, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22). Just as the LORD had breathed the life-giving spirit into Adam, so our Lord was symbolically infusing His Apostles with His own resurrection power, thereby anticipating the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the whole church at Pentecost. (This text gives us grounds to believe - along with the creeds of the church - that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Son, as well as from the Father.)
The remission or retaining of sins (John 20:23) is declarative, and belongs to the task of preaching the gospel. Just as the high priest declared who was clean and who was unclean in cases of leprosy, so the Apostles were empowered to pronounce who would be forgiven (Acts 10:43), and who would not be forgiven (John 3:18). This is in keeping with prophetic language (Jeremiah 1:10). (Modern-day preachers share this authority only inasmuch as they faithfully proclaim what is taught in the Word of God.)
The absence of Thomas from the Easter gathering of the disciples (John 20:24) does not necessarily exclude him from the conferring of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostolic band. Perhaps his position was similar to that of the two absentee elders who ‘prophesied in the camp’ in Moses’ day (Numbers 11:27-30). However, his absence did expose him to his own gloomy predisposition (John 11:16; John 14:5).
We hear of no word of censure from the disciples, but they kept on telling him, “We have seen the Lord” (John 20:25). Thomas, for his part, would not believe it, except on his own terms. All week long Thomas was kept in limbo, struggling with his doubts.
“Eight days” (John 20:26) brings us back round to the first day of the week again. The embryo church was gathered once more, this time with Thomas also in attendance. Again the doors were shut; again the Lord “stood in the midst”; and again He pronounced the Peace.
It is part of the amazing condescension of our Lord that He also had no word of censure for Thomas, but was willing to meet the requirements of his earlier demands. Jesus’ gentle but firm reproof was, “be not an unbeliever, but a believer” (John 20:27). History is unfair to Thomas when he is continually branded ‘doubting’ - especially when we consider the depth and sincerity of his eventual declaration of faith: “my Lord and my God” (John 20:28).
Jesus’ final word in this passage reaches down through the ages to ourselves, and to the end of time. Thomas had at last believed, having seen the wounds: but “blessed are those who have not seen, and yet still believe” (John 20:29). There are other things, John admits, not written in this book (John 20:30): but these are written that we too might believe, and receive life through the name of Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God (John 20:31).
