Acts 4: 32-37

A question: How do you feel about your possessions?

I am very encouraged to hear that some participants in our forthcoming Family Camp gave over and above their camp fees so that others are able to make their way to the camp. Praise the Lord!

A story is told about a Christian lady who walked into a Building Society branch in the United Kingdom where people go to pay their mortgage. She pulled out her savings book containing several thousands of pounds and handed it to the counter. “I’ve decided I don’t need this,” she said to the astonished clerk. “Please use it to help some families who are struggling to pay their mortgage.” Let’s pause here for a moment; what struck you about this story? I believe that many of us would be most impressed with her immense generosity. To me, it is her astonishing freedom from the need to control what happened to her money.

Today’s passage demonstrates that when Christians are filled with the Holy Spirit (see Acts 4:31) several things happen. Issues of dispute, disunity and differences in opinion fade away because the community was spiritually united (v32). Tongues that were tied when it comes to testifying the good news of Jesus Christ become loosened (v33). No one claimed their possessions were their own so they were able to give and share, eliminating poverty among them (v32). Property, houses, material possessions and money no longer had a stranglehold on the owners (v34). A question: How do you feel about your possessions?
These early Christians adopt the attitude that everything they have comes from God; they were only sharing what belongs to God. Powerful experiences in today’s passage came as the Holy Spirit worked in and through the believers’ lives to generate a deep sense of togetherness and dependence on God. Note this biblical principle, too: The community was not filled with the Holy Spirit because they did these things; they did these things because they were filled with the Holy Spirit.
I am very encouraged to hear that some participants in our forthcoming Family Camp gave over and above their camp fees so that others are able to make their way to the camp. Praise the Lord!