All Things In Common
Notes
Transcript
Everything has a Purpose
But Sometimes, Over Time, We can Forget What Those Purposes are
“Coin Pocket” - Original Purpose was for Pocketwatches
“Glovebox” - Original Purpose was for Driving Gloves
The drawer at the Bottom of an Oven - Original Purpose = Warming Drawer
Just like We can Forget the Purpose of Everyday Objects
If We aren’t Careful, We can Do the Same Thing with the Teachings of the Bible
Something that We have the Opportunity Do Every Sunday is Give Money to the Work of the Church
We Call this Contribution
The New Testament Speaks a Lot about Contribution
I Grew Up with the Idea that the Contribution was Solely for Funding Evangelistic Work (Locally and Foreign)
Occasionally it Could be Used for the Random Stranger that Made Their Way to the Church Building Asking for Food, Gas, or Hotel Room
But When We Look at the 1st Century Church, We See the Original Purpose of the Contribution being Something Entirely Different
Purpose of Contribution
Purpose of Contribution
And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common;
and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.
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. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 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 and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
To have All Things in Common (koinos) Meant that They Shared What They had
They Shared by Giving Money to Their Leaders at the Time (Apostles)
Then the Apostles would Distribute the Money to the Christians Who were in Need
These are the First Times We See the Idea of Sharing (Contributing) Happening Amongst the Christians
This was Taking Place Specifically Amongst Those Who Believed (Christians)
And it was for Any Christians Who were in Need
This Wasn’t an Evangelistic Effort or Money that was Given to Help Outsiders
It was Money Shared by Christians for Christians
but now, I am going to Jerusalem serving the saints.
For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.
The Churches in Macedonia and Achaia Wanted to Help Those Who were in Need Among the Christians in Jerusalem
Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia,
that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.
For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord,
begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints,
and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.
Again, We See Paul Talking about Macedonia’s Contribution to the Christians in Jerusalem in Need of Support
Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
One of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius.
And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea.
And this they did, sending it in charge of Barnabas and Saul to the elders.
Knowing that Some Christians were about to Fall on Hard Times in Jerusalem, the Christians in Antioch Wanted to Send Relief to Them
It was to be Taken to the Elders, Who would then Distribute to the Christians in Need
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also.
On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.
The Collection of Money was “for the saints”
For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God.
Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all,
This Contribution was Going to Fully Supply the Needs of the Christians
The Original Purpose of the Contribution was to Help Needy Christians
The Original Purpose of the Contribution was to Help Needy Christians
That’s Not to Say that the Contribution Can’t be Used for Paying Preachers for Local/Foreign Evangelistic Work
Those are also Discussed in the New Testament on a Lesser Scale
But They Aren’t the Focus of What We are Looking at Today
Jesus Intended for His People to Take Care of Each Other
Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake,
but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.
In Christ, We are to Receive More than We Ever could have Left Behind
You Leave House, Family, or Land, You will Receive Much More of All of Those Things in the Family of God
That Happens Through God’s Family Providing for the Needs of Each Other
But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
When We Become Christians, We Gain a New Household
The Household of God, His Church
If We Don’t Provide for Our Family in Christ, We are Worse than Unbelievers
All Things in Common
All Things in Common
We are Supposed to have All Things in Common (Share and Provide for One Another)
The Contribution was Designed to be Our Method of Providing for Those in Need
But Rarely is it Ever Utilized for that Purpose
I’m Hoping this Lesson will Help Change that
What Does it Look like When a Church has All Things in Common?
No One Goes Without Food or Other Everyday Necessities
No One is Without a Place to Live or a Bed to Sleep in
No One Struggles to Pay Bills Month to Month
Bills for Vehicle and Home Repairs are No Longer a Worry
All Needs are Taken Care of
All Burdens are Shared Amongst the Family
This Sounds like a Perfect Utopia
That’s the Idea!
That’s Heaven
The Way We Live and Treat Each Other is Supposed to be a Picture of Heaven
When Outsiders See a Loving Family like that, it’s No Wonder People were Converting to Christianity in the Thousands in the 1st Century
So, Why Doesn’t the Church Look like that Today?
There are a Few Barriers that Keep Us from having All Things in Common
Inhibitors to Having All Things in Common
Inhibitors to Having All Things in Common
Pride
Christians Today Don’t Have All Things in Common Due in Large Part to Pride
We Don’t like to Ask for Help
It Shows Others that, at the Moment, We aren’t Able to Take Care of Our Own Problems
It can Feel Humiliating and Degrading
Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before stumbling.
It’s Better to Admit that You are at Rock Bottom so Others can Help You Up than to Pretend that You are on the Mountain Where No Help can be Found
Let’s Not Let Pride Keep Us from Being Blessed by God’s Family
And Don’t Let Pride Keep God’s Family from Experiencing the Blessing of Sharing
It is Our Duty and Purpose to Share and Have All Things in Common
Pride Only Inhibits What Jesus Wants for Us
Individualism
This Might be Our Biggest Inhibitor to Having All Things in Common Today
In America, Independence is Everything
Our Forefathers Fought for it, We Declare it, We Celebrate it
We Like to Live Independent Lives
Standing Out from the Crowd is What We Desire Here (Individuality)
But the Church was Established in and is Meant to Operate as a Collectivist Society
Where Individualism Focuses on the Rights and Goals of the Individual, Collectivism Focuses on the Goals and Best Interests of the Group
Individualism is:
“You Worry about Yourself and Your Problems and I’ll Worry about Myself and My Problems”
Collectivism is:
“Your Problems are My Problems and My Problems are Your Problems”
Individualism is:
“My Main Priority is Taking Care of Myself”
Collectivism is:
“My Main Priority is Taking Care of My Family/Group”
Our Individualistic Brains Tells Us to Tighten Up Our Boot Straps and Fix Our Own Problems
Don’t Place Your Burdens on Anyone Else
You Got Yourself into this Mess, Now Get Yourself Out
That Sounds Heroic, Courageous, and Noble
But that is Not What Jesus Wanted for His People
Jesus Wants His People Helping Each Other Through Our Problems
What I’m Not Trying to Say:
What I’m Not Trying to Say:
The Contribution Wasn’t Established in the Church to Help Free-Loaders
2 Thessalonians 3:10 - “if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.”
1 Timothy 5 Even Tells Us What Widows are to be Helped and Which Ones Aren’t to be Helped
The Contribution wasn’t Established by Jesus to Provide for the Lazy, Idle, or Those Unwilling to Help Themselves
It was Established for Those Who are Willing to Work and Do What They can, but are in Need of Some Assistance
What I Am Trying to Say:
What I Am Trying to Say:
If You are Going Through a Tough Time, Ask for Help
Don’t Let Pride or Indivualistic Thinking Hold You Back from Experiencing the Blessings that Jesus Designed for the Church
Let Us Share Your Burdens and Use the Contribution for its Original Purpose, to Help Christians in Need of Some Help
We have All Things in Common When:
Christians Contribute and Share What They Have
Christians Ask for Help When in Need
Jesus has Established Something Amazing for the Church, and I Really Believe We are Letting So Many Blessings Pass All of Us by When We Don’t Allow the Contribution to be Used for its Original Purpose
Jesus Gave His Life so that We Could Experience These Blessings in the Church
Let’s Not Squander What Our King Died for