Sunday, July 18, 2021
Acts 4:32-37
“ ’Insane’ Generosity ”
Service Overview: It’s one thing to talk about loving others; it’s quite another to tangibly do something about it. The early church put their money where their mouth was, and is a beautiful model of how we should be with the resources and possessions God has given us to steward.
Memory Verse for the Week: “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV)
Background Information:
- Literally thousands of Jews had come to accept Jesus as the Messiah and their Lord. As they experienced the new life Jesus gave them, and the teaching and fellowship within the church, their old priorities were turned upside down. Many new Christians found they now cared more for people than possessions. (Phillip A. Bence, Acts, Kindle Edition)
- The Greek here does not mean that everyone sold his or her property at once. Rather, “from time to time” this was done as the Lord brought needs to their attention. (Stanley M. Horton, Acts, Kindle Locations 2625-2627)
- Were not Levites prohibited from owning property? (Num. 18:20, 24) The answer may be that whereas the Levites were not to hold land in Israel, they could own land elsewhere. Apparently Barnabas, being from the island of Cyprus, owned land there. It is also possible that his wife owned land in Israel and that they together sold it. Most probably the restriction in Numbers 18:20, 24 was no longer observed, as seen in the case of Jeremiah (cf. Jer. 1:1; 32:6-15). (John F. Walvoord, Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, 364)
- Theologically, the early believers considered themselves the righteous remnant within Israel. So Deuteronomy 15:4 was undoubtedly in their mind: “There should be no poor among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you.” (Richard N. Longenecker, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, John and Acts, 310)
- v.32 The heart, kardia, is used by Luke in the Hebrew sense of reason, emotions, and will. It stood for a person’s entire mental and emotional activity. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 112)
- v.36 Luke uses the generosity of Barnabas as “Exhibit A” to illustrate the type of extraordinary social concern that was “from time to time” (v.34) expressed by believers at Jerusalem. Joseph was the Hebrew name used at home, in the synagogue, and among Jews generally. To this the apostles added the cognomen or descriptive nickname Barnabas, which means in Hebrew “Son of Encouragement,” in order to distinguish him from others of the same name (cf. 1:23). His family came from Cyprus, and he may have had ancestral property there. John Mark was his cousin (cf. ho anepsios, “cousin,” of Col 4:10), and the home of Mark’s mother was in Jerusalem (cf. 12:12) (Richard N. Longenecker, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, John and Acts, 312)
- Two things are to be noted about them, (i) They had an intense sense of responsibility for each other, (ii) This awoke in them a real desire to share all they had. We must note one thing above all— this sharing was not the result of legislation; it was utterly spontaneous. It is not when the law compels us to share but when the heart moves us to share that society is really Christian. (William Barclay, The Acts of the Apostles, 43)
The question to be answered is…
What motivated these early Christ-followers to be so “insanely” generous?
Answer…
A radical transformation by the generosity of God in Christ Jesus; resulting in a seismic shift regarding their grip on… everything.
The word of the day is… Generous
What’s crucial to understand about generosity and the nature of the early church from this account?
- How the mission trumped their grip on possessions.
(vv. 32 | Matthew 16:26; Luke 12:33-34; Acts 20:35; 1 John 2:15-17; 1 John 3:17)
When the Holy Spirit is at work, giving is a blessing and not a burden. We must keep in mind that this “Christian communism” was very unlike the political Communism of our day. What the believers did was purely voluntary (Acts 5:4) and was motivated by love. (Warren Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, 336)
When you realize what God has done for you, your nature is changed. These early Christians realized God had been generous with them, and so they shared what they had. (James Montgomery Boice, Acts, 80)
- How their unity served to bolster their testimony.
(vv. 32, 33 | Proverbs 11:24-25; John 17:23; Acts 2:44-45; 1 Corinthians 1:10; 1 Peter 3:8)
Jesus had told his disciples, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:35 NLT). As the outside world saw the believers’ generosity with one another, their care for the needy, and their powerful witness, they were drawn to the Lord Jesus. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 70)
The courage the disciples displayed beyond the fellowship was dependent on the quality of life they experienced in that fellowship. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 110)
- How God’s grace in them resulted in a culture of care among them.
(vv. 33-34 | Deut. 15:7-8; Proverbs 19:17; 21:13; Acts 20:35; James 1:27; 1 John 3:16)
It’s one thing to talk of loving others; it’s quite another to sell one’s valuable possessions and give the proceeds to those less fortunate. Yet that kind of generosity was common in the early church. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 69)
Conclusion… How can we move to become a great church in and for Jesus and our community in light of these things?
A. By making Jesus and the building of his kingdom the focus of our lives.
(Mat. 6:21; 7:21; Luke 12:33; 2 Corinthians 9:10; Philippians 2:3-8; 1 Timothy 6:17-19)
Abundance isn’t God’s provision for me to live in luxury. It’s His provision for me to help others live. God entrusts me with His money not to build my kingdom on earth, but to build His kingdom in heaven. (Randy Alcorn, Managing God’s Money, 133)
As children of God we have a single goal—treasure in heaven; a single vision—God’s purposes; and a single Master—God, not money. (John MacArthur, Anxious for Nothing, 20)
There are four things that were part of the loyalty of the members of the Body to one another. They were of one heart, one soul, one blessing, all rooted in one great conviction. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 112)
B. By devoting ourselves to the well-being of others who share in Jesus’ mission.
(Prov. 21:13; 22:9; 28:27; Matthew 10:42; Galatians 6:2; Hebrews 13:16; 1 John 3:16-18)
Luke tells us about an essential ingredient of a great church: an unlimited commitment to Christ and each other which is expressed in unrestrained loyalty. Not only to the Lord, but one another! (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 111)
For Luke as well as for the early Christians, being filled with the Holy Spirit not only concerned proclaiming the Word of God but also sharing possessions with the needy because of believers’ oneness in Christ (Richard N. Longenecker, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, John and Acts, 309)
C. By challenging our generosity towards God to reflect his generosity towards us.
(Proverbs 11:25; Malachi 3:10; Matthew 6:19-21; Luke 6:38; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, 11)
What makes you faithful or generous is not just a redoubled effort to follow moral rules. Rather, all change comes from deepening your understanding of the salvation of Christ and living out of the changes that understanding creates in your heart. (Timothy Keller, The Prodigal God, 133)
God is pleased when our giving is a response of indescribable gratitude for the good and perfect gifts we have received from Him. Everything we have comes from His hand, so how could we possibly be anything but cheerful givers? (R.C. Sproul, Acts, 86)
Gospel Application…
God so loved the world that he gave. In light of this, we too are to give.
(Luke 6:38; John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 9:7; 1 Timothy 6:17-19; Hebrews 13:16)
Wherever the invisible reality of body life occurs, there will always be visible results. Human needs will be met. Human hurts will be healed. Human relationships will grow deep and strong. Most important of all, the power of God will be manifested for all to see. (Ray C. Stedman, God’s Unfinished Book: Acts, 75)
Christians, whose faith in its essence holds to the ascendency of the spiritual over the material values, must prove this faith in everyday life by holding rather loosely to material things. So-called love that does not involve one’s money is a mere sentiment and does not really involve the person himself. (Arnold E. Airhart, Beacon Bible Expositions: Acts, 60)
Spiritual Challenge Questions…
Reflect on these questions in your time with the Lord this week, or discuss with a Christian family member or Life Group.
- What are some “crazy” or lavish ways you’ve witnessed generosity in the past?
- Have you ever been on the receiving end of some kind of lavishly generous act?
- How might a Christian’s testimony and their level of generosity serve to strengthen their witness to others?
- Does your generosity reflect the generosity you’ve received from God in Jesus? If so, how so? If not, how might you move in that direction?
Quotes to note…
Differences of opinion are inevitable among human personalities and can actually be helpful if handled well. But spiritual unity is essential—loyalty, commitment, and love for God and his Word. Without spiritual unity, the church could not survive. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 69)
This was a world apart from what we know as Communism. It was completely voluntary. It was based on love, not law. It upheld, rather than denied, the right to private property. It was an astonishing display of love in action, of selfless concern for the needs of others. (Arnold E. Airhart, Beacon Bible Expositions: Acts, 60)
It was this kind of power Jesus had in mind when he said, “All men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another” (John 13:35). In view of such a combination of social concern and proclamation of the Word, it is no wonder that Luke goes on to say, “And much grace was upon them all” (cf. Luke 2:40). (Richard N. Longenecker, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, John and Acts, 311)
The church is an organism that is held together by life, and that life comes through the Holy Spirit. Of course, the church must be organized, for if an organism is not organized, it will die. However, when the organization starts to hinder spiritual life and ministry, then the church becomes just another religious institution that exists to keep itself going. (Warren Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, 336)
To be of one mind is to have the mind of Christ in common—not our ideas about Him, or even our carefully polished theology, but our heart and soul. That means our inner selves—our thinking, willing, feeling. We can be supportive of each other only if we know what’s going on inside each other. And the handle of the door to our lives is on the inside. We must want to be known. One of the finest gifts we can give the churches of which we are a part is our openness to talk about what we are thinking and feeling. It’s then that our intellectual difficulties in growing in the faith can be given the insight and experience of others who have struggled with the same doubts. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 113)
Christians are people who have come to know God, and God is gracious. Christians know that God did not have to do anything for us. He could have turned his back on us and simply let us go to hell. He would have been just in doing so. But God sent Jesus Christ, his greatest gift, to die for us so that we might be saved. Nobody who has come to know that God has been so gracious can ever be exactly like he or she was before. (James Montgomery Boice, Acts, 80)
The spectre of communism is troubling every nation, and it will become more and more formidable, unless the Church learns that the only way to lay it is to live by the precepts of Jesus and to repeat in new forms the spirit of the primitive Church. (Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts, 109)
The Spirit-filled community exhibited a remarkable unanimity which expressed itself even in the attitude to private property. Whereas the institution of a communal purse was explicitly regulated in writing at Qumran, the action taken by these early disciples of Jesus was intended to be voluntary. (F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, 123)