Uncommonly Common
Notes
Transcript
INTRO
INTRO
I’m Bruce
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CSM
Series in Acts, where we follow a group of people who turned the world upside down.
We learn how we can too.
To turn the world upside down, we must value the most what the world values the least.
College Applications
It’s estimated that nearly 20 million people apply to college each year.
What makes me stand out from the other 20 million people out there?
Work
What makes my resume stand out from the other people applying for this job?
What makes my work stand out from my coworkers? How can I show them that I deserve the raise?
Everything around us shapes us into some form of competition.
From an early age, we’re taught to...
“stand out”
“you do you”
“be yourself”
“build your brand”
“be unique”
“be the main character”
We are taught to do whatever it takes to make ourselves seen, to prove ourselves, to get out ahead of the rest of the pack.
But what we see in Acts 4 is something different.
We see a group of people that knows they’re not the main character.
Rather than accentuating the ways that they were uncommon with the people around them, the early church in Acts flips that thinking upside down, and focuses on the things they have in common with one another.
The irony is that by focusing on their commonalities, they actually set themselves apart from the rest of the world. In learning to fit in, they naturally stand out.
What I want you to understand tonight:
If you want to stand out in the world in the best possible way, it’s all about focusing on what you have in common with your fellow believers and not on your individual differences that make you unique.
And that even in your own life, you are not the main character.
So open your Bibles with me to Acts 4
let’s learn some cool things about God.
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.
Two primary things that they shared:
Common ground and common grace.
Common Ground
Common Ground
Shared belief… shared testimony… shared belongings
same belief in the resurrection
same belief in the resurrection
Those who believed were of one heart and soul… with a shared testimony of the resurrection
When we talk about the Gospel today, we typically say something along the lines of, “Jesus lived the life I couldn’t live and died the death I deserved to die on my behalf, so now I can have eternal life with Him.”
but no mention of the resurrection.
These people didn’t just believe that Jesus lived. Lots of people knew about Jesus; He was a real person who really lived and really caused a stir in that region of the world.
These people didn’t just believe that Jesus died. Lots of people knew that Jesus was killed. Humiliatingly on a cross.
These people believed in what was . formerly . perceived . as . impossible.
That a man could predict his own death; that a man could predict his own resurrection; and that he could follow through on it.
It was this shared belief in the resurrection of Christ that set believers apart from everyone else who heard of Jesus, knew of Jesus, maybe even witnessed His death.
This is the most important thing for two people to share with one another, is the belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
You have more in common with your Christian brother and sister who lives across the world, has a different skin color, and speaks a language you don’t understand.
You have more in common with them than:
friend
roommate
family member … who does not believe in the resurrection.
The early Church’s belief in the resurrection gave them hope for their own resurrection, and that caused them to live differently than everyone else.
invite others into this hope Jesus was an insider… outsider… to make outsiders insiders
The common ground that the church stands on begins with a shared belief in the resurrection.
and they don’t just keep their belief to themselves, it leads to a
shared testimony in the resurrection
shared testimony in the resurrection
33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,...
We’re quick to share our favorite bands or restaurants, but slow to share our hope in the resurrection.
The strength of the church was not its organizational prowess, nor was it the eloquence of the Apostles...
The strength of the church was that what they talked about was the Gospel.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
The Gospel IS THE POWER OF GOD for salvation...
The Apostles understood that, and the rest of the believers, who surely shared their testimonies of the resurrection with friends, family, and neighbors, also did everything they could to facilitate the Apostles’ sharing of their testimony of the resurrection of the Lord.
sharing of possessions
sharing of possessions
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.
Other translations say, “They shared everything they had.”
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.
*ADDRESS THE QUESTION*
Nobody needs to go sell everything they have right now and donate the money to charity.
These believers were living under the belief that Jesus was coming back immediately; they were wrong.
But despite that, their lives were powerful.
We know the gospel today because of their faithfulness.
Their willingness to sell everything that they had was a testimony in and of itself.
It was uncommon in the world, but it was common among them.
Radical generosity made it so that there was nobody who had need.
Their understanding that their belongings were not their own led to their willingness to give to anyone who had need.
4 “However, there will be no poor among you, since the Lord will surely bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess,
fulfilled in Acts… The inheritance is God’s grace.
They were attempting to live out Deuteronomy 15:4, ushering in a more ideal society
This was all voluntary. There’s no historical evidence that they were forced to sell their things when they became Christian.
Shared belief… shared testimony… shared belongings
All of this was driven by a Common Grace
Common Grace
Common Grace
Exchange the things of the world for the grace of God.
They didn’t need to have their own things, because the grace of God was enough.
Their lack of division was a result of being united in Christ… fully devoted to the things of Christ.
Each person was prepared to regard their property as for the use of the community as a whole.
This is a fulfillment of the Great Commandments (love God and love your neighbor as yourself)
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.
Barnabas was a Levite, and should not have owned land.
20 Then the Lord said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land nor own any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the sons of Israel.
9 Therefore, Levi does not have a portion or inheritance with his brothers; the Lord is his inheritance, just as the Lord your God spoke to him.)
That a Levite owned land was an indication of two things:
Either there was a relaxation of the law, which then allowed for Levites to own land.
Or...
Barnabas was outright disobedient and owned land despite his knowledge of the law.
Yet in his selling of his land, he does two things.
it’s an act of repentance, going back to the direction he ought to have been heading to begin with.
he exchanges his earthly possession for his divine inheritance.
“The Lord is his inheritance.”
You too can forsake the things of this world and embrace your divine inheritance.
That doesn’t mean you sell your car and donate all the money to the church;
but it does mean that you learn to divorce yourself from the idea that your car is YOURS.
It’s God’s car, and you’re taking care of it to advance His purposes and will.
It’s not your apartment, it’s God’s.
It’s not your family, it’s God’s.
It’s not your job, it’s God’s.
It’s not your money, it’s God’s.
And as you give over to God what is already His, He gives over to you, what He already gave.
Jesus Christ.
Lived. Died. Rose again.
You might have new life.
You might reap the inheritance that He has sown on your behalf.
