Acts 4:32-37 – Was the early Church communist? Is this passage descriptive or normative? As we looked at this I came to realise just how radical this teaching is – and just how applicable it is to the church in todays’ society? Do you agree? A few eggs got broken in the making of this particular sermon omelette!
Also as an audio only podcast here
Act with Acts 11 – The Beautiful Name – (ch.4:1-22) – A Prophetic Sermon from Peter for Today
Notes:
Intro
Marx’s slogan “From each according to their ability, to each according to their need” is a principle of social organization whereby work is both edifying and desirable, and where we see the needs of others as our own. Consequently, Marx saw this as a society freed from exploitation, dehumanization, and domination.
Now look at 2 Corinthians 8 “13 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14 At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, 15 as it is written: ‘The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.’ (2 Corinthians 8:13-15) – See the similarities and the differences.
John Lennon’s Imagine – which we used last week at the evening. Imagine no possessions, a brotherhood of man, no need for grief or hunger..
Platos’ Republic spoke of a utopia where everything was shared in commonMany cults do that today.
Don’t get me wrong – I am not attacking or advocating one form of politics or economic system. I am just stating that ultimately they won’t work. As Scott Morrison said in his farewell speech.
‘While a noble calling, politics can only take you so far, and government can only do so much. You can say the same thing about the market. You won’t find all the answers there either,’
He added: ‘I suspect that much of our disillusion with politics today, and our institutions, is that we have put too much faith in them. At the end of the day, the state and the market are just run by imperfect people, like all of us. While politics may be an important and necessary place for service, I would also warn against it being a surrogate for finding identity, ultimate meaning and purpose in life. There are far better options than politics.’
1) One in Heart and Mind v.32
There was unity. One soul One spirit.
The heart – in the bible not just the love bit. But the centre of our being. Our inner spirit.
Let us also say what this is not – not that we all think the same, dress the same, live in the same place, have the same tastes, or agree on everything….there is individuality as well as unity in the body of Christ.
It is essential – a church cannot survive without spiritual unity – the unity that comes from the Spirit, the Word and being centred on Christ. It is Trinitarian But unity comes as Augustine says from the unity of the Trinity
Tozer – 100 pianos are all tuned to the same fork are tuned to one another. If we are all tuned to Christ – we are tuned to one another! 1 John 1:17 – “If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another”
Ps 133 – the oil of anointing.
And an intense sense of responsibility for one another.
Note something. This was not the law compelling us to share. It was the heart. “The charity of legislation can never be the charity of the heart” – Barclay
Many were voluntarily giving over their possessions for the use of others. It wasn’t a tax. It wasn’t a religious duty – like in Islam.
And the communities needs were met.
Does not mean no private possessions. Ananais and Saphira in the next chapter were not condemned for having private property – but for lying. Mary – chapter 12 – had a house.
2) Testifying to the Resurrection v.33
Great power in testifying – mega power. this Spirit filled communication led to people believing in Jesus – but it also led to opposition. 1:* – you will be my witnesses. Social action and preaching go together. Their great power was resurrection power. To see the live of Christ in the life of believers.
Great grace in giving power- Grace here is charis. This is the real charismatic church – one which shares! And its mega grace.
Either that God worked powerfully through them all – or that the people regarded them favourably. Or both.
Their fellowship, koinonia was seen a witness to the resurrection of Jesus. What else could cause people to behave like this?
3) No Needy Person – v. 34 -35
Religion can be used to exploit people – 9 ‘ “Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, 10 and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, ‘We are safe’—safe to do all these detestable things? 11 Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 7)
However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, 5 if only you fully obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today (Deuteronomy 15:4-5)
Only about 10% of the community were middle class. There was a degree of urgency here. “34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full” (Luke 6)
Stott quotes Calvin – We must have hearts that are harder than iron if we are not moved by the reading of this narrative. In those days the believers gave abundantly of what was their own; we in our day are content not just jealousy to retain what we possess, but callously to rob others….They sold their possession in those days; in our day it is the lust to purchase that reigns supreme. At that time love made each man’s own possessions common property for those in need; in our day such is the inhumanity of many, that they begrudge to the poor a common dwelling upon earth, their common use of water, air and sky”
Did this continue? Almost certainly not – but the way it was organized and distributed was important. This later on has to be organized. Notice the brought to the feet of the apostles – probably indicates some kind of legal transaction. But this was to become too much of a burden to them.
This prosperity – where there was no poor – did not last. By 11:29 – this community is receiving help from elsewhere. “All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.” (Galatians 2:10) “Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord’s people there. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem. 27 They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.” (Romans 15)
I saw an example of some of this in Newcastle with the Soul Hub in the centre of town. Someone has given money to allow this beautiful resource to minister to the poor – hundreds volunteer.
Question of the Week – Was the Early Church Communist?
4) Some Encouragement. V. 36-37
Joseph was a Hellenistic Jew from Crete. Jews had settled there is 330BC – but were expelled in AD 117.
He was a Levite. Levites were generally wealthy and well educated. Not all were priests. John Mark was his cousin – would later write the Gospel of Mark.
Barnabas – son of encouragement. Welcomed Paul minister with him and was as evangelist. The temple leaders acted to protect their position. They were jealous. Barnabas in contrast encouraged. He didn’t just say encouragement…let me encourage you… He gives up his land to enter the kingdom. It was a simple act of giving. I don’t need this in Cyprus anymore.
Sells some land. Levites were not supposed to be landowners but that had changed by then. Was it land in Crete?
The point is that Barnabas was a leader who encouraged by example…. Not all rosy – but we will come to that next week.
Conclusion:
Back to the intro. Consequently, Marx saw this as a society freed from exploitation, dehumanization, and domination.
The Scots Church – marks of the Church – preaching of the word, administration of the sacraments, discipline and added a fourth – distribution.
We are not going to set up a commune.
What about coming and giving all your money and possessions to the elders?
No- deacons. Benevolent. Caring. We have to work it out. Think Thomas Chalmers in the 19th century in St Johns in Glasgow setting up a diaconal system that became the foundation of social work today.
Here is the principle for this church. Our resources are to be used to support one another and to advance the Kingdom of Christ. One of the great hinderances to the work of the Lord in Scotland was where churches hung on to material resources in order to enable their slow death – rather than use those resources for the advance of the kingdom.
Think of whats wrong with the property market in Australia today…..who needs many houses? When did homes become investment properties. Imagine having five homes when your brothers and sisters are homeless?
Shared the excess with those who don’t have enough. Back to Trent Dalton “”August is at the living room coffee table counting money. That grateful, wide-eyed smile of Shelly Huffman’s from the midday news bulletin that day stayed with my brother, August, sentimental mute that he is. It lit something inside him. Giving, he came to realise, might be the thing that has been missing from the lives of the brothers Bell, August and Eli.” Is giving the thing that is missing from our lives?
Care for the poor – Galatians – all they were concerned with was that they should remember the poor. Benevlolent fund for the poor. Set aside money to help with that.
Make sure each one in the community has access to everyday needs.
Here is a simple creed for us as believers as regards possessions – everything we have belongs to God (Psalm 24:1), comes from God (James 1:17) and is to be used for this glory. 34 ‘A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’ John 13
And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 5 And they exceeded our expectations: they gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. 6 So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7 But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.