Called to More Service

Called to More

When I say, “I love you, church”

Sometimes I’m thinking about all y’all

Sometimes I’m thinking about individual people

I don’t normally give shout outs to specific people

But this morning I’m going to

Hundreds of others just like these

they are carrying on the tradition that we find in the book of Acts

The Context

After Jesus ascended to heaven to sit on the throne SAVIOR and LORD

On Pentecost, Jesus poured out the Holy Spirit on Pentecost

the first church was formed

and lived in a radically new way

last Sunday we talked about Acts 2, but this week I learned something new about this passage…

Acts 2:46–47 ESV

46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

“with” all the people

Greek preposition is “pros”

Can mean “toward”

“favor TOWARD all the people”

EITHER WAY, the community THOUGHT well of them

because of the way they lived

because of their RADICAL generosity

McDermott Road

are we showing favor toward our community?

do we have favor with our community?

Thrive

FriendSpeak

Embrace Grace

Hearts and Hands

I think we are being called to MORE

serve more people

serve people in more ways

How about YOU personally?

are you showing favor toward the community?

do you have favor with the community because of your Christian service?

Acts 3 - Peter and John healed a lame man at the temple

Acts 4 - The authorities arrested them

They threaten them to stop talking about Jesus

But they don’t want to punish them

Because all of the people were rejoicing over what God had done for the lame man

When released, they pray for boldness

FEARLESS and FAITHFUL

here’s how Luke talked about them

Acts 4:32 ESV

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.

In one sense

it was “his own”

he was the steward of it

but it wasn’t his own exclusively and privately

The Spirit transformed their sense of, “MINE” into a sense of, “OURS”

Acts 4:33 ESV

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.

Christian TESTIMONY and GENEROSITY go hand-in-hand

Sometimes we think these are separate ministries

Physical and spiritual

Benevolence and evangelism

In reality, it’s ALL just being and making disciples

Acts 4:34–35 ESV

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.

Most of us probably didn’t know that this phrase is from Deuteronomy 15:4

IF Israel obeyed God when they came into the Promised Land

There should be no poor among them

Deuteronomy 15:4–5 ESV

4 But there will be no poor among you; for the Lord will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess— 5 if only you will strictly obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all this commandment that I command you today.

Every 7 years

let your servants go free

forgive debts

and when they did encounter a poor neighbor

Deuteronomy 15:11 ESV

11 For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

If you listen to me, there shouldn’t be any poor

But when you do encounter someone in need, “OPEN WIDE YOUR HAND.”

The early church’s generosity

Was a SIGN that the year of JUBILEE had arrived

…the exile had ended

…a remnant was entering the Promised Land

…the kingdom of God was being revealed

this wasn’t just for a temporary season

“You shall not turn away from him that is in want, but you shall share all things with your brother, and shall not say that they are your own; for if you are partakers in that which is immortal, how much more in things which are mortal?” - Didache (Early 2nd Century)

We share…

the Spirit

the Father

the Son

the Spirit

Acts 4:36–37 ESV

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.

In the first-century world

people with land and money

used their wealth to become patrons

choose people to give money to

in order to obligate those people to themselves

and earn HONOR for themselves

Instead, Barnabas did a UNIQUELY CHRISTIAN thing

surrendered the money to the apostles for distribution

relinquished control

FOLLOWING Jesus - Not to BE SERVED, but to SERVE

Son of encouragement

“paraklēsis”

come alongside

he didn’t stand above as a benefactor, but came alongside as a brother

for Christians TODAY

service and generosity

is NOT to be used as a way of making ourselves look good

humility

surrender

trust

it’s really easy to want to give

with strings attached

I will give if…

In a self-serving world, the Spirit is calling us to more selfless service.

Individually, that may mean

finding new ways to give and serve

examining our motives when we do give

who are we really serving?

ourselves?

others?

the Lord?

Collectively, that may mean

we create new ways to serve

we expand the service / giving opportunities we offer

Invitation

selfless and sacrificial service is what we are committing to when we are baptized

maybe we need to examine our motives and recommit our lives

JUST take the next step towards more service

maybe we can show YOU selfless and sacrificial service this morning