Blessed to Be a Blessing

 These were special days.  In the weeks following Jesus' return to heaven and the Spirit's arrival in the church, God was up to His jaw dropping best.  

These first Christ followers had simple priorities, Jesus first priorities.  Devotion to four basic activities (v42).  

The teaching of the apostles.  Spending every available moment together.  Sharing meals including the celebration of the Lord's Supper.  Praying together.  

There was an emphasis on community.  Notice that there's really nothing done in verse 42 that was done alone.  

While we can certainly read, study and meditate on Scripture ("the apostles' teaching") and pray by ourselves, Luke emphasizes that the infant church did everything together.

Each of us needs to ask, "Am I in community with God's people?  Am I devoted and committed to what God is doing in and through my church?"  

It's been said many times that there are no Lone Ranger Christians.  As a matter of fact, our enemy loves to get us alone.  A wolf who finds a sheep away from the flock is easy pickin's.

Their devotion and commitment to these four activities result in what we read in verses 43-47.  When you hear God's truth together, hang out together, eat together and pray together, an amazing thing happens.  

The Holy Spirit gets a hold of your heart and turns things upside down.  You go from a "me first" to a "me third" attitude.  God occupies the pole position that is rightfully His.  

And like Jesus, you begin to see others and their needs as much more important than your own (Phil 2:1-11).  You don't ignore your needs, they are simply no longer your highest priority.  We see this practically lived out in v43-47.

Luke tells us that one of the first things that happened to those 3,120 members of the early church was that "awe came upon every soul" (v43).  

The Greek word here is fobos, which means everything from fear and terror to reverence, respect and awe.  We derive our word phobia from it.  

These four activities open our eyes to what God is doing right in front of us.  When we look for Him, we see Him.  And when we see God for who He truly is, we respond in worship.  We are in awe.

"Many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles."  These miraculous marvels were God's way of confirming His choice of these men as His apostles and representatives.  

They were His divine ID.  Don't miss the fact of who was REALLY performing these miracles.  God was doing all of them THROUGH the apostles.  

Each of us is to simply make ourselves available to be used by Him.  It's not about ability, but availability.  The only way I can accomplish anything is to allow Jesus to work through me (Jn 15:5).

Just in case we may have missed it, Dr. Luke confirms what he had already told us.  These early believers spent every available moment together (v44).  "And all who believed were together and had all things in common."  

Don't miss that little three-letter word "all."  Every Christian on the planet was together.  This would be the last time until Jesus comes back that this would happen.  But they clearly met in as a group at times.  

And all believers shared all things.  Again, this is the result of a "me third" attitude.  What we have belongs to God.  Does anyone else need it?  We need to remember that we have been blessed to be a blessing. 

The good doctor goes on to write, "And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need" (v45).  

So were these early believers actually living in some sort of first century Jesus loving commune? Many understand this to be the case.  

And others hold these verses to be prescriptive rather than descriptive.  In other words, this is God's commanded design for life in the Body of Christ.

A couple of thoughts.  The key phrase in verse 45 is probably "as any had need."  When someone had a need, these believers used their resources to meet it.  

They did whatever they needed to do.  They gave.  They sold.  They took care of needs, not wants.  Needs.  It seems to be on a case by case basis.

Some NT scholars believe this was a special situation for a special time.  These early followers of Jesus expected Him to return at any time.  

Because of that, they saw now reason to be too attached to earthly possessions.  There is certainly validity to this view.

So what do we do with these verses?  First, we should make those four activities in verse 42 a priority.  Study God's Word TOGETHER.  Hang out TOGETHER.  Eat TOGETHER.  Pray TOGETHER.  

Second, we should open our eyes to what God is doing all around us.  

Third, we should understand that the Lord has blessed each of us so that we can be a blessing to others.  If we read these verses and see their charity as simply describing a unique time, we need to take a long look in the mirror of God's Word.  

Let's be clear about one thing.  This is NOT a call to live the Poverty Gospel.  But it should convict us.  

It certainly convicts me.

©2011

Jay Jennings