An Acts 2 Church - Caring

An Acts 2 Church - Caring Jesus declared that all men would recognize us as His followers when we live in love toward one another. The Acts 2 church demonstrated that love in their actions. Today, an Acts 2 church is a caring church. To care means to have a love that acts and gives to meet the needs of others, especially of brothers and sisters in His church. Listen to Acts 2:44-45: "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need." These early believers lived as a true body of Christ. They came together and knew each other and the needs each one had. They shared everything within the church body. This was not communism where everyone is forced to share. This was caring that willingly and freely shared resources out of love. They were practicing the teachings of Jesus. They persisted in this sharing. In chapter 4 we read, "No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. ... There were no needy persons among them." Those with surplus property even sold it to help others in need. We need to find ways to practice such love in our economy. However, such a caring community will have problems. Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, had some extra property which they sold. They wanted the attention and praise others were receiving but did not want to give all the money. So, they pretended to give everything while keeping a good bit. Peter confronted Ananias. He told him that he had been free to keep some or all of the money for it was his but that it was wrong to lie about it to gain praise. Ananias and then Sapphira dropped dead. Equality of care for those in need also proved difficult as we read in Acts 6. The Greek speaking Jews felt that their widows were being neglected. The church had to add a new level of organization to maintain fairness and keep peace. Paul had to deal with a problem in Thessalonica where some people took advantage of the church's generosity. Can you imagine that? These were not working to support themselves though they could. The abuse of others can discourage our generosity. Paul had to encourage the hard-working Christians, saying, "And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right," but he also told them not to feed those not willing to work. We must exercise wisdom in our giving. There are many needs, too many choices. We must balance caring for our family with giving to others. Priorities should be first, family; second, other Christians (again our family); and then, other people as we are able. We must also seek to meet real needs and not to enable selfishness. There is a Biblical principle of giving: We reap what we sow. Poverty was a persistent problem in the Jerusalem church. The land was over-populated and had poor soil. Repeated civil disturbances disrupted the economy. Religious pilgrims were more a burden than a financial blessing. Persecution added difficulties for the Christians. Then all was made worse by a major famine in 46 AD. Selling property was probably not the main cause of the poverty of the Jerusalem church, but living on assets was not a long-term solution. The Gentile churches learned to care by sharing. The first recorded assistance was famine relief from Antioch in Acts 11. Paul committed himself to remembering the poor of the Jerusalem church and taught the Gentile churches to give. He organized a plan to aid them described in 1 Corinthians. Using the giving of Macedonian churches as an example, he later challenges the Corinthian church to excel in the grace of giving. The Jerusalem church was reaping what they had sown by their generosity. Let us learn to care with wisdom. In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul teaches that no one is to take advantage of others. The goal is a just provision of the true needs of God's people. We are to care mutually for one another. It is not to always be a one-way flow. So, let us sow willingly. In the next chapter, Paul writes, "Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously." This applies to tithing to the church and supporting missions as well as to sharing with those in need. God wants each Christian to give willingly, not reluctantly but motivated by love, not under compulsion, pressured by others, but cheerfully because God has put His love in your heart to care. God blesses those who give so that they will be able to continue to give. Our willing and generous sharing brings glory and thanks to God! Let us continue to care and give. Paul warns the Galatians to "not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." We can easily grow weary. There are always many needs, new needs, more needs. And our own needs continue and sometimes increase. We can grow weary as we wait for a harvest. You will reap what you sow but not when you sow. This principle has been established by God. Paul had just told the Galatians, "A man reaps what he sows." However, the harvest will come at a time set by God. We must continue to sow to please the Spirit and not become weary in doing good. God gives us opportunities. Let us do good to all people. When resources are limited, priority goes to the family. Let us give wisely, to those in genuine need and to those in greatest need, so that the honor goes to God. May God give each of us His grace of giving, just as He so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Jesus would not perish but have everlasting life.