Believers Enjoy the Common Life - 4:32-37

Acts 4:32-37

32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. 36 Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, 37 sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.

I don't think that it's random that Luke placed verses 32-37, the way the Church lived, right after he talked about how the church prayed, it is almost as if Luke was saying, when the church is truly Theocentric in mission and prayer, the result will be true community. Then immediately after this, Luke shows us the exact opposite of the 'Common Life' but that's for tomorrow. Why is it that Luke sees it necessary within a matter of two chapters to vividly describe what true community is? I believe it is very important to realize that Luke is setting a foundation for an environment of sentness, survival, and sanctity. (1) As for 'sentness', it seems Luke is bent on stressing this foundation before the church begins to multiply as if to say, you are best equipped to be sent in, from and into this type of community. (2) As for survival, it is as if Luke is saying, the way we handle persecution, weakness, witness, etc, is in the life of true community (3) As for sanctity, Luke is saying it is in the committment to true community that sanctity (holiness of life and character) is being produced in our lives, because it is here where selflessness is produced, idolatry is conronted, life is sustained.

Now, lets point out an attitude that was a result of being part of a Spirit-filled church that resulted in a radical action that is consistent with 2:42-47:

1. Hate for Materialism (attitude): The text tells us, "...no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common..." In a society, like ours that finds their identity on Coach Bags, 7-Jeans, and the cool factor, we don't even comprehend this. In a society like our in which our 'success' is measured by what we gain, rather than by what we give away, this first element of the first church is easily overlooked, because these same western Idols have worked their way into the church, and fall under the heading of 'blessed.' Both 2:44 and 4:33 contain two key words, 'hapanta' 'koina' = 'everything in common.' This does NOT means that they did not have their own possessions. This does not mean that this was a new 'rule' for the church, we know this based on the opening line, "no one said..." his possessions were his own. A spirit filled church realizes that God is the owner of all things, and that all things belong to God. Therefore in light of God's character it is better to eleviate poverty than to accumulate stuff, this seems to be a fruit of a Spirit-filled Church. Their attitude was as if the rest of the Body of Christ, was TRULY their body, meaning that their needy brothers and sisters had the same availability to their possessions as they did. So, the death of materialism resulted in their HATE of poverty and need amongst their people.
2. Radical Selflessness (action): The text reads, "as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need..." In both this passage and 2:45 we see again that this was not 'law-ed' on them, it was not a rule, it was a change of heart that flowed from the Holy Spirit. We must see that this was not done as a law, nor as a membership rite-of-passage, but out of an attitude created by the Holy Spirit, that resulted in selfless action, and done as needs were revealed.
3. Wisdom as Guidance: There three extremes that come from these verses: (1) This is cultural and societal, we live in a different time and place, therefore this is just a basic historic verse that gives us warm-fuzzies, and but doesn't really apply to our lives (2) This is a demand laid upon church members (3) There is no wisdom we just need to sell all our stuff and give it away without discretion. How do we know this? In 2:45 and this same passage we have the exact same Greek wording, "kathoti an tis chreian eixen" which literally means "according as anyone has need." Then we see the result of this, "There was not a needy person among them..." Meaning they did not give without wisdom. The point was to kill poverty, not help people become more careless. So, in the giving within the community of faith there was wisdom and guidance, that was facilitated by the leaders, "...laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed..."

I'll close this out with a quote from John Calvin on this specific passage:

We must have hearts that are harder than iron if we are not moved by the reading of this narrative. In those days, the believers gave abundantly of what was their own; we in our day are content not just jealously to retain what we possess, but callously to rob others...They sold their own possessions in those days; in our days it is the lust to purchase that reigns supreme. At that time love made each man's possessions common property for those in need; in our day such is the inhumanity of many, that they begrudge to the poor a common dwelling upon earth, the common use of water, air, and sky.

In today's society, it is the 'cool' thing to fight poverty, yet our own personal lust for 'stuff' still wins, it still oppressess, it still takes priority - the hope for the spiritually, emotionally, and financially poor is not our own ability, but in our church living in the Spirit which leads to a vision of God's kingdom here on earth. In fact, Jesus actually teaches that the gospel of the Kingdom is GOOD NEWS for the poor. This statement would be a lie if the if the gospel offered salvation without justice - this IS what a community controlled by the spirit does!

This passage ends with an example of an individually, but for the sake of time, you can read that yourself, and we will look at the effect of a community ruled by self over the spirit tomorrow!