Book of Acts Sermon Starters Week 8

Background

Today's passage serves two purposes. First, it introduces the contrast between the generosity of Barnabus and the stinginess of Ananias in chapter 5. (We will examine Ananias' story in Week 9, Acts 5:1-11.)

Second, this passage portrays believers in Christian community caring for one another's needs. Luke says the believers held "all things in common," a phrase taken from Greek philosophy indicating friendship. These new Christians befriended one another to the extent that some sold possessions to care for the needy among them.

The Rule Not the Exception

The example of extravagant generosity in today's text is not an isolated incident. Luke sprinkles similar accounts throughout Acts. The first example occurs in Acts 2:42-47 following Peter's first sermon, to which more than 3,000 people responded. (Other examples occur in Acts 4:32-35; 6:1-7; 9:36-41; 11:27-30; 20:34-35; 24:17.)

Taken in concert, the accounts recorded in Acts 2 and 4 provide helpful insights into how these new Christians functioned in community.

Four Distinctive Characteristics

These newly formed, first-century Christian communities had four distinctive characteristics: They devoted themselves to the apostles' teachings, did exploits for Jesus, served one another and shared their goods, and broke bread regularly. These characteristics led this group into friendly partnership. This compelling, Christian witness attracted others to the faith.

Care for the Needy

Bible commentator, Paul Mumo Kisau (Africa Bible Commentary [Acts]), explains why some of the people became needy. First, some people had traveled great distances from the known world to Jerusalem for Passover and planned to return after the Feast of Pentecost. They would have spent their saved money to buy food to eat and animals for sacrifice at the temple. Their sudden Pentecost conversion delayed their return and left many in need.

Also, these new converts may have pooled resources to journey to Jerusalem, and they may have eaten and lodged together. Sharing was probably a common practice among them.

The Key to Extravagant Generosity

Still, the key to the widespread generosity expressed in the larger group is this: "Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul" (Acts 4:32). This unity of heart and soul enabled the extraordinary sharing by those who owned possessions. They did not claim what they owned was their private property.

What's Our Reality?

To a twenty-first-century, Western-culture audience, the sharing of one's private possessions with others may seem idealistic, even outrageous. Western culture teaches people to value private property as the incentive of hard work, industriousness, and national wealth.

Luke's ideals are based in Jubilee (Luke 25:10) and the "favorable year of the Lord" (Isaiah 61:2a and Luke 4:19). His gospel accounts of Jesus' ministry among the poor reflect his understanding of how the gospel should be expressed. For Luke, the redistribution of money from sold property reflects the social character of God's kingdom in which all share in God's good gifts equally. This is Luke's understanding of God's kingdom. What is ours?

Notes

These new believers were unified in heart and soul. They allowed their possessions to be used to benefit their needy. One commentator called them "a community of goods" (Acts 4:32).

The apostles continued to witness with great power, an action they prayed for in Acts 4:23-31. See Week 7.

The group took care of the needy among them -- an act of voluntary generosity expressed through the sale of possessions (Acts 4:34).

The people respected the spiritual authority of the apostles, for they had witnessed the apostles heal the lame man (Acts 3:6-8) and stand boldly for Christ before the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:1-22). They saw God's powerful answer to the apostle's prayer for boldness (Acts 4:31). Also see Acts 4:35.

The apostles gave Joseph the nickname Barnabus, "son of encouragement." Name changes typically occurred with vocational changes and indicated God's favor. Though Barnabus was from Cyprus, he may have owned property near Jerusalem (Acts 4:36).

Barnabus was a Levite. Under Old Testament law, Levites were not to own land. They were the priestly class dedicated to tending Israel's spiritual well-being (Deuteronomy 12:12; Joshua 14:3-4). However, Levites commonly did own land in Jesus' day. Some, such as the Sadducean priests, were even rich (Acts 4:37).

Putting the Sermon Together

Today's passage provides ample opportunity to explore one of two concepts: biblical stewardship or Christian community.

Mine, Ours, or God's?
A possible starting point may be assessment of people's beliefs about the extent to which God may lay Divine claim on one's personal possessions. If we believe that God supplies and entrusts us with resources, should we think of personal possessions as ours or God's? Examine how first-century believers viewed personal possessions in light of their understanding of the gospel. Admittedly, this is a touchy topic, but preachers should not shy away from it. Consider your audience, pray, and move forward with care, finesse, and integrity to the text.

We're in This Together
The four characteristics to which the first-century believers devoted themselves provide a helpful framework for sermon construction. Explore probing questions with your congregation, such as the following:

What does it mean for us to live in community as Christians today?
What does it mean for members of a local congregation to be in a friendship partnership?
How willing are clergy to teach (and congregants to learn about and participate in) the kingdom or reign of God?
What daring feats for Christ might your Christian community do?
Does the congregation take care of its needy well?
How large a role do food, fellowship, and Holy Communion play in encouraging the congregation to grow in friendship?

Aim to raise awareness, provoke thought, and generate introspection. Provide opportunities to give generously to some needy person or cause. Offer a range of response options from low to high levels of commitment.

Questions to Wrestle With

What demands of Christians does biblical stewardship make?
Do the demands of biblical stewardship conflict with our personal beliefs of private ownership?
To what extent may God lay claim on our personal possessions? How do we recognize when God is making such claims? (Must we hear the voice of God first? Should people, particularly people we know through Christian fellowship, rightly expect their local church to assist them when they are in need?)
From the text, how did the first-century believers regard their possessions in light of their understanding of the gospel?
The believers in Acts formed community and devoted themselves to four activities. What were those activities? What activities serve as the glue that holds your local church together in community?
How might you raise the congregation's awareness of opportunities to assist the needy? Are they ways to provide multiple levels of response from low to high commitment to get more people involved with helping others?

Suggested Resources

Online

Be a Barnabus

Blessing of Giving

It's Not MY Money

Continue to Change the World series

Church: Plain and Simple (Part 5: Continue to Change the World Series)

Print

Afire with God by Betsy Schwarzentraub

The Stewardship Companion by David Mosser

Change the World by Michael Slaughter

Africa Bible Commentary ed. Tokunboh Adeyemo