One heart and soul...

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.”

The believers had prayed and God’s Spirit had filled them and given them new power. The church that depends on believers praying will know the blessing of the Holy Spirit in its ministry.

How can we tell when a local church is really filled with the Spirit of God and the Spirit of generosity ? Well just go back to to the record of the first filling of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and compared your observations

, “44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 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.”

God commands us to give and be generous – but more importantly, He shows us how and what being generous means.

God gave us everything we have: the world, our lives, and Jesus. And God shows us His unfailing generosity in the giving of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Please consider what Paul says to us in

,“ What then shall we say to these things? If God if for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”

So if God has given us His only Son, Jesus, what would He ever hold back from us! God bestows His blessings without discrimination, without being a respecter of persons, what He had done for others, He will do the same for any of us His children.

The followers of Jesus are children of God, and they should manifest the family likeness by doing good to all, even to those who deserve the opposite. When a person becomes a Christian, they become industrious, trustworthy and prosperous. Now, if that person when they get all that they can and hoards it all and does not give all they can.

I have more hope for Judas Iscariot than for that person! For they have betrayed Christ as well.

If a church is truly filled with the Spirit of God there are three characteristics that will always stand out!

First, teaches that a Spirit -filled church is a unified church. It is a church that has a God-given spiritual unity, not a man-made organizational uniformity.

The church of Jesus Christ is an organism not a organization. It is a organism because it is alive and growing. Of course we understand that a organism must be organized because to the lack of the organization of an organism will cause it to die. Yet, we must guard against the church losing its spiritual life and ministry to the institutional issues of church and allow the Holy Spirit of God to reign.

Secondly, a Spirit-filled church must be a generous church, a church that ensures that the storehouse remains full, that all of the needs of the church are met, and that all the needs of those in the body are fulfilled.The more you give, the more comes back to you, because God is the greatest giver in the universe, and He won’t let you out-give Him. Go ahead and test Him. See what happens. Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.

Thirdly, a Spirit-church is always being multiplied, because the Lord will daily add new believers to the church.

Evangelism will not just be the work of a chosen few, but the daily delight and ministry of the whole congregation. In the early church, each member sought to become an effective witness for Jesus Christ, no matter where they happen to be. This is what allowed the church to go from 120 at Pentecost to over 5,000 in such as short time.

This morning we are going to look at one aspect of the evidence of the unity of the church which was their sacrifice in giving, their sharing in all that they had with one another, and their sacred understand of Christian generosity.

They were able to do this things because all that believed were of one heart and one soul. All that believed had one heart and soul... and they had everything in common. All that believed had one heart and soul... and testify to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. All that believed had one heart and soul... and there we not a needy person among them.

The question this morning is really simple, do you believe?

Let us pray...

All who believed had one heart and soul... and they had everything in common.

, “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.”

When we look at this passage we see a compelling, convicting, and clear message that if we are believers, then we should have one heart, a heart that beats for God and the things of God. A heart that is attracted to truth and the pursuit of truth, and a heart that is generous to a fault. We should also have a soul that is unified with Christ, unified with each other and unified in our desired to give our all for the God that gave us His Son to give His life for all for us.

Giving our all means giving our all through a solid understanding and faith in the knowledge that we can never out-give God.

Charles Spurgeon once said this and I can testify that it is a true statement, “In all of my years of service to my Lord, I have discovered a truth that has never failed and has never been compromised. That truth is that it is beyond the realm of possibilities that one has the ability to out give God. Even if I give the whole of my worth to Him, He will find a way to give back to me much more than I gave.”

So we see here that the congregation of those who believed had grown so rapidly that they were no longer even numbered. He we see that the starting growth was the direct result of the action recorded in verse 31, “And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. -

The unity of the believers who were of one heart and soul through their great generosity towards one another really gave a powerful witness to what Jesus says in

, By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

Jesus also in His high-priestly prayer, Jesus prayed in

, “21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”

Here we find the basis of their having everything in common, they all had one heart and soul, they all believed, their belief gave them the desire and the freedom to shared all that they had. They were free indeed, free to the point that they no longer felt that they must hoard and look out for themselves,

, “2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,”

They were free because of the message of Christ and they now believed that He was their provision, that He was the planter of their harvest and if they shared it was fine because He had plenty and would repay any sacrifice that they made.

, “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.9 As it is written, "He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." 10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.”

We see a parable in that should give us great pause and that we should paid much attention.

“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” ().

The idea of “to whom much is given, much will be required” is that we are held responsible for what we have. If we are blessed with talents, wealth, knowledge, time, and the like, it is expected that we use these well to glorify God and benefit others, yes, so, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

In context, Jesus had just told a parable about being ready for His return. His disciple Peter asked if the parable was for just them or for everyone. Jesus replied with another parable in which He defines the “faithful and wise manager” as one who gives out food and other allowances “at the proper time.” When the master returns and finds the faithful servant managing his resources well, he “puts him in charge of all his possessions” If we are faith in a little we will also be faithful in much. Listen, we have been entrusted with certain things, and faithfulness requires that we manage those things wisely and unselfishly, Jesus continued the parable with a contrast:

“Suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows” (). The unfaithful servant that mismanages the master’s resources does it to satiate their own greed, and Jesus warns that judgment is certain for that servant.

The Lord then summarizes the point of the parable with these words: “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more” (verse 48, ESV). It is easy to assume that only wealthy people have been “given much,” but, in truth, we have all been given much (). We have been granted the abundant grace of God (; ; ; ), the Word of God, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit (; ; ).

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” ().

We should also not assume that the less we know about God and His gifts, the less we’ll have to do. As evident in Jesus’ parable, we are held responsible to know our master’s will. God has plainly shown us what He requires. God gives us resources such as finances and time, talents such as culinary skills or musical ability, and spiritual gifts such as encouragement or teaching. We must use them to God’s glory!

We should ask God for wisdom on how to use those resources and commit ourselves to expending them according to His will so that He may be glorified. In regards to spiritual gifts, Paul said,

“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully” (). This is simply responsible stewardship.We have been given much, and God desires us to use what He has given to further His Kingdom and proclaim His glory. It’s what we were created to do. “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. . . . For the Son of Man . . . will reward each person according to what they have done’” (, ). We are living sacrifices (), giving the things God has given us in service to others, and in that we actually find life. God, the giver of all good things (), gives us everything we need to fulfill His will. “Freely you have received; freely give” (). In Acts we see this principle being godly applied in the fact that “all who believed had one heart and soul... and they had all things in common.

All who believed had one heart and soul... and testified to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

,“And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.”

The great power of the apostles came from the filling of the Holy Spirit upon them at Pentecost. It was in His power that they were giving witness to the very resurrection of Jesus Christ!

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the central proof of God’s acceptance of the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins, the wrath of God being satisfied, and the redemption of our souls. This truth is the very thing the Sanhedrin had forbidden Peter and John to continue to preach about but they refused to honor their request, refused to give in to their threats. Instead Peter shared this with the Sanhedrin,

“Whether it is right in the sight of God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard” ().

The resurrection of Jesus Christ was and is a indispensable element of our faith as Christians.

The resurrection of Jesus is important for several reasons. First, the resurrection witnesses to the great and immense power of God Himself. To believe in the resurrection is to believe in God. If God exists, and if He created the universe and has power over it, then He has power to raise the dead. If He does not have such power, God is not worthy of our faith and worship. Only God who created life can resurrect it after death, only He can reverse the hideousness that is death itself, and only He can remove the sting and gain the victory over the grave.

, “54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." 55 "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?"

In resurrecting Jesus from the grave, God reminds us of His absolute sovereignty over life and death.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is also important because it validates who Jesus claimed to be, namely, the Son of God and Messiah.

According to Jesus, His resurrection was the “sign from heaven” that authenticated His ministry,

, “1 And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.2 He answered them, "When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.'3 And in the morning, 'It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.4 An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah." So he left them and departed.”

The resurrection of Jesus Christ, attested to by hundreds of eyewitnesses,

, “3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.”

8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.”

This passage provides irrefutable proof that Jesus is the Savior of the world. Another reason the resurrection of Jesus Christ is important is that it proves His sinless character and divine nature. The Scriptures said God’s “Holy One” would never see corruption, and Jesus never saw corruption, even after He died. It was on the basis of the resurrection of Christ that Paul preached,

“Through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin” . The resurrection of Jesus Christ is not only the supreme validation of His deity; it also validates the Old Testament prophecies that foretold of Jesus’ suffering and resurrection,

, “And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath day he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, saying “ This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you is the Christ.” Christ’s resurrection also authenticated His own claims that He would be raised on the third day.

If Jesus Christ is not resurrected, then we have no hope that we will be, either. In fact, apart from Christ’s resurrection, we have no Savior, no salvation, and no hope of eternal life. As Paul said, our faith would be “useless,” the gospel would be altogether powerless, and our sins would remain unforgiven ().

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life” (), and in that statement claimed to be the source of both.

There is no resurrection apart from Christ, no eternal life. Jesus does more than give life; He is life, and that’s why death has no power over Him. Jesus confers His life on those who trust in Him, so that we can share His triumph over death ().

We who believe in Jesus Christ will personally experience resurrection because, having the life Jesus gives, we have overcome death. It is impossible for death to win (). Jesus is “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (). In other words, Jesus led the way in life after death.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is important as a testimony to the resurrection of human beings, which is a basic tenet of the Christian faith. Unlike other religions, Christianity possesses a Founder who transcends death and promises that His followers will do the same. Every other religion was founded by men or prophets whose end was the grave. As Christians, we know that God became man, died for our sins, and was resurrected the third day. The grave could not hold Him. He lives, and He sits today at the right hand of the Father in heaven ().The Word of God guarantees the believer’s resurrection at the coming of Jesus Christ for His church at the rapture. glorified bodies.

Why is the resurrection of Jesus Christ important? It proves who Jesus is. It demonstrates that God accepted Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf. It shows that God has the power to raise us from the dead. It guarantees that the bodies of those who believe in Christ will not remain dead but will be resurrected unto eternal life.

All who believe had one heart and soul... and testified the resurrection of Jesus Christ and we should has well.

All who believe had one heart and soul... and there was not a needy person among them.

, “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.”

The caring, compassionate, Christians of this early church practice what they preached and what they were taught. They placed their godly motives above their great materials possessions, they placed their consciences above their coveting, and they placed their concern for others above their concern for themselves and because of this there was not a needy person among them.

This attitude of gratitude was characteristic of everyone, this was total inclusive in the church, because the Spirit of God was upon them.

They all understood that everything they had belonged to God, they understood that they were just stewards, just recipients of God’s grace. They understood that they could trust God to replenished what ever they gave because they understood that you cannot beat God giving.

Do you believe this statement, deep within your own hearts?

Henry Drummond once said,

“The most obvious lesson in Christ’s teaching is that there is no happiness in having or getting anything, but only in giving.”

This early church understood that it was obligated to use the divine resources given to them by God to do God’s work on the earth.

A very practical test of any Christian’s love and faith in Jesus Christ is how much they are willing to sacrifice financially.

, “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet, closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?”

, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

There was not a needy person among them the text teaches us, thousands of new converts came to Christ on the Day of Pentecost and following. When they remained in Jerusalem under the apostles’ teaching rather then return home; because this was their new home.

They had given up the homes, given up their jobs, and given up some close friendship back in their own hometown. Now you see the church of Jesus Christ at its best, they took the new members into their homes, they met all their needs and showed the depth of their love for these believers, and they gave the outside community a great witness to the love of Christ. Luke goes further as he tells us this, look at

34b-35, “as many as were owners of lands and 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.”

Now you do understand that selling houses and lands was far more sacrificial than sharing part of one’s income, giving away the title to a home was greater than tithing.

It meant liquidating assets that could be irreplaceable, thus reducing one’s personal security and long term financial health. But because they trusted God for their provision, because they had now found Christ who was worth move than everything they own, they were willing to make the exchange.

, Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

These believers had found the pearl of great value and it was Jesus Christ.

John MacArthur said,

“God made all of His creation to give. He made the sun, the moon, the stars, the clouds, the earth, the plants to give. He also designed His supreme creation, man, to give. But fallen man is the most reluctant giver in all of God’s creation.”

The proceeds placed at the feet of the apostles’ were distributed to each, as any had need. This work was done by the apostles in God’s authority this was a continuous method of meeting the needs of the body. These were sacrificial gifts where those who were land owners and had more than one home sold them to provide for others. I believe that this passage also illustrates the pattern of giving to the church. The church is to be funded by the tithe, which is not equal giving, but is equal sacrifice.

It is equal sacrifice because we are commanded by God not to give what we do not have but what we clearly have and our giving is tailor-made for our circumstances. Your ten-percent and my ten-percent could be vastly difference but God honors them both the same. This passage also affirms that it is the responsibility of the leadership of the church to distribute the funds as needed. Many self-serving people want to specify how their money is used, But it is God that has delegated this to His ordained leaders which will have to answer to Him. Giving is to be selfless as selfless as Jesus describes in

, But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

As we come to a close of this passage Luke gives us an example of sacrifice giving from among the many who were donating property. Look at

, “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.”

Joseph, also known as Barnabas, the son of encouragement, who will later become a prominent figure in the book of Acts. Now shows his unyielding devotion to Jesus Christ by making the generous donation.

Always remember this,

The measure of a life, after all, is not its duration, but its donation. Barnabas was known as a generous giver and his noble act here apparently filled Ananias and Sapphira with so much envy that they attempted to impress the church with lying about their giving and ended being killed by the Holy Spirit for lying. Barnabas is mentioned twenty-five times in the Book of Acts and another five time in the epistles.

It is Barnabas that encouraged Paul in his service to the Lord, it as Barnabas who give his cousin John Mark that he needed after his first failure in ministry. Barnabas was a Spirit-filled man who saw needs and rushed to fill them. Everyone that God calls will not be a Paul, or a Peter, or even John, but praise God that He would see fit to placed a Barnabas in your life who He has given the ministry of encouragement.

He who lays up treasures on earth spends his life backing away from his treasures. To him, death is loss. He who lays up treasures in heaven looks forward to eternity; he’s moving daily toward his treasures. To him, death is gain.