“Sharing All Things”
The Church’s Example in Giving
Acts 4:32-37
One of the things we learn from children is their natural, inborn tendency toward selfishness.
•From a baby’s perspective, “What’s mine is mine, What’s yours is mine, and whatever I want is mine.”
•And this natural selfishness continues with children.
•Around our house a toy will go unplayed with for weeks, for months, even years. It will be so neglected it is the most lonely toy in the world. But as soon as that toy is picked up by one child, for the child who owns it suddenly becomes the most coveted object in the world. A child will kill for that toy.
•I have come into their room to a massive fight; fireworks will be going off; I will peel them off each other. And they will be fighting over a rock. “This is a rock!” “There are hundreds of rocks outside. I will bring you a bag full of rocks.” And then the classic cry, “But it’s my rock.”
•We learned to exploit this selfishness when the kids were young to get them to eat their dinner. But we would say, “Don’t eat those carrots. Those are my carrots. Gimme those carrots.” It doesn’t work any more because they are too smart.
And we as adults do the same thing in more subtle ways.
•We protect our stuff. Nothing irritates me more than to find my tools scattered around the house, or to find my prize screw driver on the lawn with the sprinklers on.
•Something that is borrowed but not returned.
Even our acts of charity can in fact be motivated by self-interest.
I read a story of a lady answered the knock on her door to find a man with a sad expression.
•“I’m sorry to disturb you,” he said, “but I’m collecting money for an unfortunate family in the neighborhood. The husband is out of work, the kids are hungry, the utilities will soon be cut off, and worse, they’re going to be kicked out of their apartment if they don’t pay the rent by this afternoon.”
•"I’m so sorry, said the woman with great concern “I’ll be happy to help, But who are you?"
•"I’m the landlord," he replied. (Jon H. Allen )
How much of our giving depends on our own personal happiness and comfort?
I’m more than willing to give, just so long as it doesn’t affect my financial well being.
I’m happy to serve, just so long as it doesn’t inconvenience my schedule.
I’m available to help, just so long as it doesn’t infringe on my recreational activities.
We live in a society that is obsessed with self-fulfillment and self-centeredness.
•And Christians often share that obsession, buying into this “me first” attitude.
•Yet when we examine the book of Acts, we see in the Church a community characterized by a giving and a self-sacrificial spirit.
If you have your Bibles turn with me to Acts 4.
We are continuing our study of Acts this morning.
We have been seeing how the Church has been growing in extraordinary way. It is a thriving community, a vibrant community.
We have seen various reasons for this growth.
•Several weeks ago we saw that they had their priorities right. They focused on four key essentials (1) The apostles teaching; (2) Fellowship; (3) Breaking of Bread; and (4) Prayer. We called those four our recipe for revival.
•Last week we saw another characteristic of the Church, their extraordinary courage and boldness. Peter stood in front of the Sanhedrin and boldly proclaimed that Jesus, whom they crucified, was the Messiah.
This week we are going to see another key characteristic of the Church.
•The Church was an incredibly giving body; a generous community that shared everything that God had given them.
In Acts 4, Peter and John have just been threatened and released. They return to the Church and the Church rejoices and prays, thanking God for the privilege of suffering for Jesus.
•From external persecution Luke then turns to a picture of the inward life of the Church.
•Let’s read the passage. Acts 4:32-37
1. The Foundation for a Generous Heart: Unity in heart and mind, v. 32
I was talking about my kids earlier and the fights and conflicts that break out. Do you know when they fight the least? When they are pursuing a common goal.
•I remember we went to the beach last year, they were fighting and quarreling on the way out. We got there and began to build a sand castle. And it was a glorious, they were having a ball. Digging towers and motes, decorating with shells and seaweed. Working together on this masterpiece; battling the waves.
•I was thinking “What great kids we have!”
•We got back in the car for the drive home, and suddenly they’re at it again, fighting and quarreling.
•And I’m thinking, “Who switched children on me? Where are those delightful angels who were with me on the beach?” Who substituted these little demons with those angels?
•The difference was they forgot they had a common goal, a common pursuit.
It is not so different in the Church. We are most successful, most generous, when we focus on our common goals, the purpose that we are here.
Look at verse 32 again: All the believers were one in heart and mind.
•The expression “heart and mind” refers to the whole inner life of a human being. The mind, the will, the emotions, the passions.
•It points ultimately to all that we are; the things we live for.
•The early believers had the same ultimate purpose in life.
•Paul says is so well in Philippians 1:27, he says, “Stand firm in one mind, contending together for the faith of the Gospel.”
•We have a common goal.
We will only develop a truly generous heart when we realize we are in this together, striving together for a common goal.
Notice how this unity is expressed. The rest of the verse 32: No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.
•When a group of people have a common purpose, all the resources they have are focused on the successful completion of that task.
There was a time I used to do a lot of backpacking. This was in the 1980s... B.C. That means “Before Children”
•I was a college intern at our church in Escondido we would often take backpacking trips up to the Sierras, or to the local mountains.
•A girl in our group wanted to go. She had some serious physical problems especially leg problems; insistent; I said I wanted consent from your doctor. He said she couldn’t do any damage, though there would be pain; reluctantly I let her go.
•After a few miles her legs began to hurt until she was in real pain; she started to fall behind.
•And I began thinking, “This is going to ruin the trip.” I can see us having to carrying her out. She’s going to hold everyone back.
•At one point I noticed others in the group began to take her equipment off and carry it themselves.
•At one point I stopped and here she comes, chugging away. She has no gear, but she has this incredible look of determination, and there’s a gal beside her just rooting her on. “You’re doing great, lookin’ good; let’s make it to that next bend then we’ll take a break.”
•Then another guy rounds the bend and he’s carrying her backpack in one arm, it’s half empty. Then a gal come along and she’s got her food; then another with her sleeping bag, and more of her gear.
•And suddenly it dawned on me, Of course we’re going to make it. This group is not going to leave her behind.
This is what Paul meant by striving together for a common goal.
•It is amazing what we can do together as a Church, if we refuse to leave anyone behind.
It is all a matter of perspective.
If I ask you, What does it mean to win in life? There are really only two ultimate answers.
•One is for me to succeed
•The other is for Christ and his Kingdom to succeed.
•Let me ask you a question: What are you in it for? Are you trying to win? Or to glorify God?
•If we had said, “This is my stuff, I’m carrying it, you have to carry yours, I might reach my goal, but the purpose of the trip would have been defeated.
The early Church knew that they could win only if they did it together. With everyone doing their part to make others succeed.
T- Of course a lot depend on our motivation. Why are we playing the game? Let’s look at the motivation of the early Church.
2. The Motivation for a Generous Heart: The grace of God freely given to us in Jesus, v. 33
33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.
•“Much grace was upon them.” What does that mean?
•The grace is the gift of God given to them through Jesus. So this is a recognition of what Christ had accomplished for them. Of how much he sacrificed for us.
I read an extraordinary story of self sacrifice.
In Ernest Gordon’s true account of life in a World War II Japanese prison camp, Through the Valley of the Kwai. It is about a man who through giving it all away literally transformed a whole camp of soldiers.
The man’s name was Angus McGillivray. Angus was a Scottish prisoner in one of the camps filled with Americans, Australians, and Britons who had helped build the infamous Bridge over the River Kwai.
The camp had become an ugly situation. A dog-eat-dog mentality had set in. Allies would literally steal from each other and cheat each other; men would sleep on their packs and yet have them stolen from under their heads. Survival was everything. The law of the jungle prevailed...until the news of Angus McGillivray’s death spread throughout the camp. Rumors spread in the wake of his death.
No one could believe big Angus had succumbed. He was strong, one of those whom they had expected to be the last to die. Actually, it wasn’t the fact of his death that shocked the men, but the reason he died. Finally they pieced together the true story.
The Argylls (Scottish soldiers) took their buddy system very seriously. Their buddy was called their "mucker," and they believed that is was literally up to each of them to make sure their "mucker" survived. Angus’s buddy, though, was dying, and everyone had given up on him, everyone, of course, but Angus. He had made up his mind that his friend would not die. Someone had stolen his mucker’s blanket. So Angus gave him his own, telling his mucker that he had "just come across an extra one." Likewise, every mealtime, Angus would get his rations and take them to his friend, stand over him and force him to eat them, again stating that he was able to get "extra food." Angus was going to do anything and everything to see that his buddy got what he needed to recover.
But as Angus’s mucker began to recover, Angus collapsed, slumped over, and died. The doctors discovered that he had died of starvation complicated by exhaustion. He had been giving of his own food and shelter. He had given everything he had -- even his very life. The ramifications of his acts of love and unselfishness had a startling impact on the compound.
As word circulated of the reason for Angus McGillivray’s death, the feel of the camp began to change. Suddenly, men began to focus on their mates, their friends, and humanity of living beyond survival, of giving oneself away. They began to pool their talents -- one was a violin maker, another an orchestra leader, another a cabinet maker, another a professor. Soon the camp had an orchestra full of homemade instruments and a church called the "Church Without Walls" that was so powerful, so compelling, that even the Japanese guards attended. The men began a university, a hospital, and a library system.
The place was transformed; because one man gave all he had for his friend.
From Tim Hansel, Holy Sweat, 1987, Word Books Publisher, Page 146-147
Jesus said, "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:12).
Paul says it this way, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” 2Cor. 8:9
Have you ever become poor for someone else?
•I’ve become poor by my own mistakes. Like when as a kid I blew my whole allowance on candy. Or when I’ve bought something stupid that I couldn’t afford, but though would make me happy.
•But I’ve never become poor for someone else.
•I’ve sometimes shown generosity to others. Twice, we have given cars to poor students. But in both cases, God had already given us a much better car for ourselves.
•But I have never become poor for someone else. I have never really sacrificed so that someone else could live. Angus McGillivray did that. Jesus Christ did that.
The early church was a thriving, growing, vibrant community because they had learned the secret of self-sacrifice.
Look at verse 34 There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
The Church revealed their generous heart not with words, but with concrete actions.
3. The Evidence of a Generous Heart: Concrete actions of self-sacrifice, vv. 34-37
1 John 3:18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
James says it this way: 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?
Saying, “Be warmed and filled does no good unless it’s followed by actions.
There’s a Peanuts cartoon, where Snoopy is sitting out in the snow, and Linus and Charlie Brown are sitting at the window looking out. Linus says, “Boy Snoopy really looks cold.” Charlie Brown says, “He sure does. Maybe we better go out there.” So they walk out there and each on pats Snoopy on the head and says, “Be warmed and filled.” Final scene Snoopy is still sitting out there freezing.
All those words, no concrete actions.
What are you willing to sacrifice to enable others to succeed?
The death of Angus McGillivray was an illustration of huge act of sacrifice, but it’s often the small acts that are hardest.
•The day to day giving of ourselves in sacrifice for others.
For me its being willing to sacrifice time and energy for my kids; or for my wife.
•For my kids, its turning off the ballgame or the news, to read a story to them.
•Its kicking the soccer ball around even when I’m tired from a hard day.
•For my wife its making sure the family room is clean before going to bed so she doesn’t have to get up to a messy house (she hates that).
•It cleaning the bathroom to take a little bit of the load off her.
•She’d rather have a clean bathroom than a box of candy or flowers any day (probably rather have both) I romance my wife by pulling on the rubber gloves and toilet brush.
What does self sacrifice mean in the context of College Avenue?
•Maybe giving some time to the neighborhood care center.
•Maybe taking a job as parking lot crew.
•AWANA, or other club; maybe teaching a Sunday School class; helping out in the nursery, or at least asking if they need help.
Whatever it is, it means exercising your spiritual gift in this body. Doing your share to advance God’s kingdom in this place.
We sometimes avoid service because it doesn’t carry the kind of reward or praise that we want.
But that’s what a sacrifice is; that’s what God did for us.
Aren’t you glad God didn’t wait to receive praise before he sacrificed of us.
Paul says it so well in Rom. 5:6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us...10 For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
Christ didn’t die for us so that we would turn around and praise him. He died for us just because he loved us.
Often our sacrifices come with little or no thanks.
•My kids had a playmate over a few months ago. And they decided they were going to play Kings and queens. So Daniel say, “I’m the King; Emily is the Queen; Jamie’s the Princess, little Lukie’s a baby king...” and then he look over at him mom, whose doing some dishes and he says, “and mom’s the servant.”
•Mom’s the slave. Ever feel that way? That you invest so much time and energy. You get to the end of the day and you are exhausted.
The early church was willing to get exhausted; to give up their time; to give up their resources, because they knew that it would produce a rich harvest.
The commentator Paul Harvey tells the story of Ray Blankenship.
One summer morning as Ray Blankenship was preparing his breakfast, he gazed out the window, and saw a small girl being swept along in the rain-flooded drainage ditch beside his Andover, Ohio, home.
Blankenship knew that farther downstream, the ditch disappeared with a roar underneath a road and then emptied into the main culvert. Ray dashed out the door and raced along the ditch, trying to get ahead of the foundering child.
Then he hurled himself into the deep, churning water. Blankenship surfaced and was able to grab the child’s arm. They tumbled end over end. Within about three feet of the yawning culvert, Ray’s free hand felt something--possibly a rock-- protruding from one bank. He clung desperately, but the tremendous force of the water tried to tear him and the child away.
"If I can just hang on until help comes," he thought. He did better than that. By the time fire-department rescuers arrived, Blankenship had pulled the girl to safety.
Both were treated for shock. On April 12, 1989, Ray Blankenship was awarded the Coast Guard’s Silver Lifesaving Medal. The award is fitting, for this selfless person was at even greater risk to himself than most people knew.
You see, Ray Blankenship can’t swim. (Paul Harvey, Los Angeles Times Syndicate)
What did it take to jump into that raging water, knowing you couldn’t swim.
He was willing to risk it all.
How much are you willing to risk? How much are you willing to give up for others? How much will you sacrifice.
The early Church was willing to give up its property; to sell its possessions, to meet the needs of others.
But then they were just following the example of their Master, who gave up all.
Let me read 2 Corinthians 8:9 again, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”
