Give it up. adapted from the sermon of Lyndon Beasy August 24, Acts 4: DISCUSSION What do you think is significant about this?

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1 Acts 4:32-35 Give it up adapted from the sermon of Lyndon Beasy August 24, 2014 Last week in Acts 4:23-31 we looked at one of the most powerful prayers recorded in God s Word when the early church prayed Lord, enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your Holy Servant Jesus. After they prayed the place where they were meeting was shaken. And all were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of God boldly. This prayer really shook things up literally! It shook the ground under them and it shook the believers up to powerfully go out and change the world for Jesus. It was now no longer just about the miraculous works of God through Peter & John. But now all the believers were engaged & released through the presence of God and power of His Spirit to be witnesses for the risen Lord Jesus. So what happened next? What did the believers do first of all? Did they go out with their new Spiritual power and the courage, having the almighty God on their side, and claim their rights & enforce their position in the world as children of the Sovereign Lord? Well, surprisingly the very next thing we are told, is that after experiencing the results of their ground shaking prayer, instead of acting superior, they actually became amazingly selfless. Acts 4:32-35 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. It s interesting to note that right in the middle of this passage describing the new selflessness of the believers it says, With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and much grace was upon them all. (v.33) What do you think is significant about this? 1

2 This new heart of selfless giving was what paved the way for the Apostle s powerful ministry & message of the risen Lord to progress. And in response God poured out His divine favour upon the church. Through selflessness everyone won! This is a challenging example & important reminder to us That our impact as a church, the difference we are going to make in our world is not going to be dependent just on what we DO for Jesus sake but WHO we are & HOW we represent His selfless heart for others and one another. Jesus said in John 13 love one another as I have loved you. By this the world will know that you are my disciples. How does Jesus say the world will recognize Him and us as His witnesses? By our worship & work? Ministry & methods? It s first & foremost our selfless love for others and one another as Christ has loved us. Everything else is supposed to be a carrier of this command. Jesus didn t just say that loving one another was the key but as I have loved you. What do you think this means? How has Jesus loved us? How is His love different to normal love?? The love Jesus has shown and wants us to show others is really transforming & demanding. Specifically from this passage in Acts, It demands from us 2 things: 1. Emotionally let go of possessions. V.32 - No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had John Michael Talbot is the General Minister of the Hermitage, a community of believers committed to living a simple life, by relinquishing all but the most necessary possessions. Talbot says, "Taking a vow of poverty is not a cure for materialism. Many people come to this community and go from being selfish with thousands of dollars to being selfish with a coffee mug." Is having possessions wrong? What do you think it means to let go emotionally of our possessions? The core problem is not in what we have, it's in our attachment to what we have. It s not wrong to have possessions, wealth, toys and stuff! But when we are emotionally attached them, it is wrong - when they drives us, when our identity is in them and our lives lack meaning & motivation without them. Because then we miss the whole point of our salvation, identity and destiny in Jesus. Having our identity & destiny in our possessions and the things of this world prevents us from letting go when God calls us to let go. It will block us from developing a selfless heart of giving like that of our Jesus and the early church. Our lives will never make the difference we are saved and called to have if we don't first learn to emotionally let go of things so we are ready and able to give whenever & however God calls us. The early church had tremendous impact on their world in spite of the fact that they were small, they had no money, few possessions, no position and the government was against them. Considering all they had going against them and all that we have going for us, there is no limit to what we can accomplish if we will follow their example in living by the philosophy of Acts 20:35 - "It is more blessed to give than receive." 2

3 What if God called you today to let go of what you have and selflessly give it away? If we re honest, a lot of our giving is from our spare that doesn t really hurt THAT much! But what if God asked you to sell your house and give it someone else or use your equity to serve His church s needs or follow His call on your life? What if God asked you to simplify your life - get rid of some valuable toys & possessions to serve God and selflessly bless others and His church s needs? What if God asked you to let go of your nest egg for your future security? What if God wanted you to reduce the size of your back account and live without reserves? What are the things & thoughts that would prevent us from being able willing & able to do so? From the start, the church has been committed to the principle of selfless giving. Why? Because the whole foundation of our faith & salvation is that God gave His all for us in Jesus (John 3:16) and that although He was rich, He became poor for us so that you through his poverty we might become rich (2 Cor 8:9). And we are called in return to follow in faith the example of Jesus. When we emotionally let go of our possessions it will mean we can then genuinely.. 2. Invest in people rather than possessions All the believers were one in heart and mind For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of sales, and lay them at the apostle's feet; and they would distributed to each, as they had need. (v32,34) The early church made such a difference because they didn't just let go emotionally of their possessions but they intentionally invested in changing people s lives. It doesn't mean that we can't own things, have things or collect things - but it does mean that our first priority is changing lives, not accumulating possessions. What do you think it really means to invest in people rather than possessions? Consider Colleagues at your work Family members Friends Peers at School or College Neighbors in need Your brothers & sisters in the church who are doing life tough Practical needs of your church house that exists to facilitate the blessings and building up of people 3

4 The early church made such an impact on their world because they selflessly let go of their possessions and invested into God s Work to build people! But then amazingly, the believers didn't just do whatever they wanted with their resources but laid them at the apostles feet to decide and distribute according to the needs. They were so selfless, thankful, giving and trusting in God, that they didn't keep any control over the use of their personal funds but let it go and gave it unconditionally to their leaders to manage how they discerned best for God s work. How much faith and freedom of heart would that take?? For YOU to sell your house, land or car, clean out your bank account and give the proceeds to the church leaders and say, there you go, it s not mine, it s the Lord s - do what God leads you to do! Most people would probably say it s unwise, not only to let go of your resources but to then give full unconditional control of it to others! But that s what they did here! And the results were: Unity of heart and mind No needy people among them The apostles continued with great power to testify of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Much grace was upon them all. Wouldn't that be something if it also described us!! But the hard truth is, it came at great individual & personal sacrifice for all the believers. It wasn t just about occasional or random acts of kindness. It took them serving God & others full time and their own lives & interests part time. And Honestly - It s easy to talk about it, agree with it and even desire it it s another thing to be live & apply it! It would take nothing less than a radical new trust in God s promises & care for our lives so that we could be set free from fear & worry to freely give. That s why Jesus said this in Luke 12:22-34: Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 4

5 What is it that sets us free from fear about our life needs? What sets us free to live by faith in God s provision and faithfully serve His Kingdom and not our own security and satisfaction? It s that God has been pleased to give us the kingdom! The Kingdom of God is everything of God s everything that belongs to Him everything that comes under His rule and reign everything seen and unseen of any real value in this life and eternity to come and if we believe & belong to Jesus, the King of this Kingdom it s all ours!!! Why does having the Kingdom change our perspective and purpose for our lives? Some more Scriptures that speak of all that we have been given and promised by God Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3) And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace. (Eph 2:6) If God be for us who can be against us. He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all how will He not also graciously give us all things. (Rom 8:31-32) The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. (Rom 8:16-17) We do not lose heart. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. (2 Cor 4) Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:1-3) No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him (1 Cor 2:9). God s Word makes it clear that 1. We are spiritually rich as sons & daughters of the Sovereign Lord who s very presence lives within us 2. We are eternally rich with all the treasures, resources, wealth, position and power of God s eternal Kingdom. We are not only destined to be servants of the Kingdom but Co Heirs with King Jesus as Kids of the Kingdom, we will equally share for all eternity in all things with Jesus. 3. And in the meantime, we also have the promises of God to take care of us as his children even more so than the rest of his creation. He promises when we seek His Kingdom first instead of the pursuits of this world, He will provide us with all we need & more to live with fruitfulness and fulfillment. Conclusion / Response / Prayer Acts 4:32-35 is not giving us financial advice It s giving us some faith application! It s not telling us to sell all our possessions and give away all our money. It s inspiring us to refresh our hearts for God and renew our minds about the purpose of our lives and promises of our salvation. Is your faith really in the Lord and His promises or is it in the world and what it promises you? Is your heart today tied to your valuable earthly possessions or to Jesus as your priceless eternal treasure? 5

6 Today do you need to: Place Jesus back in His rightful place on the throne of your life? Surrender back everything again to Him? Commit to Him again everything I have is yours God, do with it what you will and I will trust in you and live for you alone. 6