SURRENDER Giving is a joyful surrender to a greater person and a greater agenda. It dethrones me and exalts him Randy Alcorn No reserves. No retreats. No regrets. William Borden 107
PERSONAL STUDY If a brother or a sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled, without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (James 2:15-17) Theme Verse A generous community is a life-giving and powerful testimony to faith in the Gospel. Overview This week, we will study two passages that are linked in their philosophy about what it means to live out your faith: James 2:14-26 and Acts 4:32-37. One is an exhortation for churches to live generously, and the other is an historical picture of what it looks like when everyone in a community is All-In. One is prescriptive, the other is descriptive. But the heart of each passage is the same real faith in Christ comes with outward manifestations of generosity. Acts 4:32-37 is one of three passages at the beginning of the book that highlight the importance of generosity among believers. Acts 2:42-47 is a familiar text that describes the first Christians as filled with awe, generous, devoted to the Gospel, and attractive to those outside the community. Acts 4:32-37, this week s text, is a similar refrain, highlighting generosity, grace, and unity among the first believers. The very next story in Acts 5 is the negative contrast to these two passages. Ananias and Sapphira pretend to be laying everything they own at the apostles feet, but they lie and withhold part of their earnings from a sale they had dedicated solely to God. Their punishment is severe, which indicates that God wanted to stringently protect the openness and generosity of the early Church. James is no less severe in his language about faith in Christ in 2:14-26 of his letter. If your beliefs are not leading you to reach out to your brothers, then it is not faith in Christ. In fact, it is dead faith and no better than the belief of demons. Such a person is not saved... period. Faith in Christ leads to a reflex that responds to the needs of others. James chooses two remarkable stories from the Old Testament to illustrate his point. Abraham was willing to sacrifice his own son, his firstborn and the promised heir, at God s request. Abraham realized that Isaac was a miracle from God, and to withhold him from God, no matter how dear he was to Abraham, would not have been just toward God. His belief in God s providence moved him to act. Rahab put her life on the line for the spies in Jericho. She believed God was going to win the imminent battle, and acted in that faith to help Israel. Both stories point to Christ s work on the cross. God was willing to sacrifice HIS only Son, and Jesus put his life on the line to spare others. 108
Neither Abraham, nor Rahab, would have actually had any faith to speak of, if all they did was stay home and sing praise songs. Their belief caused them to go out and demonstrate their willingness to sacrifice for God and others. Likewise, it is not enough to hope that poverty will end and the world will become peaceful. If we believe God has saved others through His own sacrifice, and that He will one day restore the world, we too will sacrificially work to bring restoration to others physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Christians lead lives of sacrifice, not because they love poverty, nor because they don t love things on earth. They lead lives of sacrifice because they know He is worth giving up everything for and because they believe in His greater mission! The link between these two passages is deeper than just the topical level described above. We find out later in Acts (15:13), that James himself was a part of the Jerusalem church, the church in Acts 2 and 4 that was so concerned with everyone s needs. In fact, a few short years later (at the latest), we know that James was leading this church (cf. Galatians 2:10). In his epistle, James gives the blueprint for the type of faith that led to Acts 4. It s a faith that, when practiced in community, meets the needs of everyone around, tears down class distinctions, brings supernatural unity, and shows the world what it means to have faith in Christ. What would happen in RDU if 7,000 people strived tirelessly for this type of community? Self-Reflection Respond to the questions below as honestly as you can. Circle one, 1 being Strongly Disagree & 5 being Strongly Agree. I consider any other Christian to be my brother or sister: 1 2 3 4 5 When I receive unexpected income, I consider giving some of it away: 1 2 3 4 5 I consider giving to others to be a worshipful experience: 1 2 3 4 5 I actively seek needs to meet in my community: 1 2 3 4 5 I currently spend part of every month serving others: 1 2 3 4 5 I am aware of how my church is serving the community and get involved in the work frequently: 1 2 3 4 5 i. When was the last time you were involved in a service project? How did you feel about spending time with those less fortunate than you? 109
ii. Have you ever traveled to a developing nation? How did that experience affect you? What was the local church like in that environment? (If your answer to the initial question was no, then find someone who has and ask them the follow-up questions here.) Work through these questions before you get to small group and come ready to interact with the Scriptures and questions below. Homework 1. Read Acts 4:32-37. Other parts of Acts say that people were added to their number daily. What do you think made this community so attractive to outsiders? 2. What is the most unified community you ve ever witnessed, studied, or been a part of? What made that group so unified? 3. Read James 2:14-26. Describe in your own words the relationship between faith and works. 4. What is the connection between meeting someone s physical needs and having faith in God? 110
5. What do the Old Testament stories (Abraham and Rahab) add to your understanding of James s point in 2:14-26? 6. How can people in RDU begin to live in a way that reflexively responds to the needs of others (like in verses 15-16)? How can your small group help you do that? Weekly Challenge What will you do in response to this study? Come to small group ready to brainstorm ideas, and then follow up with each other the next time you see each other. Find suggestions at www.summitallin.com My Challenge this week will be: Prayer We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, Colossians 1:3-6 Meditate on how the Gospel has grown and how it bears fruit all over the world. Give praise to God, who is the only explanation for such a miracle! May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:11-14 111
Thank God that He has saved you from being an agent for darkness. Thank God for the generosity on your behalf that has gained you an amazing inheritance from Him. Pray for God to fill you for the work that He has given you to do for His glory! As the primary discipler of your children, don t forget to pass along the Biblical truths you have discovered during this series. For additional ways to engage your kids in the Gospel this week visit www.summitallin.com Family Devotional GROUP STUDY Review your responses to the self-reflection questions in your personal study. What from your reflection stands out to you? Reflect In this video, J.D. will talk about Surrender. Pastor J.D. will explain why faith in Jesus requires an All-In type of commitment. Video Setup WATCH VIDEO #5 Use the space below to jot down anything that impacts you while watching this video. Video Notes 112
Video Response What two points from this teaching do you think will have the strongest impact on your life? Discuss Turn to your homework questions from this week s personal study. Walk through the questions and discuss your responses with the group. Share with one another what you are considering for your challenge this week. Pray Follow the prayer guide in your personal study section to pray together over what God is teaching you. Use this time to pray for one another s needs, as well. 113