Sharing

Introduction

A. From their earliest days we teach children to share. Watch a preschooler with a toy and that child will have a death grip. Another child takes a toy from a preschooler and you have a fight on your hands even if the toy isn’t being played with. The parent who intervenes is often met with tears and resistance as the child is being taught to share. What does it take to teach a child to share? Or more specifically what does it take to teach a child to share for a lifetime? How do we develop a sharing heart and a generous spirit? The natural inclination of our hearts is to hold on to what we have. The natural inclination is to be cautious. When is enough enough? It always seems a bit more is needed to make us feel secure. But then the nature of sharing is to open our hearts and hands because we trust God to supply what is needed. It is a different focus. We find our security in God’s supply rather than in our accumulation. Difficult to think and to do.

B. Today we are going to take a look at two brief texts in the early part of Acts and notice the sharing and generous hearts of these early followers of Jesus. Like them we can learn to be generous because we trust God to supply what is needed and because we have compassionate hearts to supply what is needed.

Fellowship

A. There is a word that we use with some frequency and this word is found in our texts. It is the word “fellowship.” The word carries the idea of sharing. We use the word often to describe sharing a meal together and that is a fine usage of the word, but fellowship goes well beyond eating together. Notice in 2:44 the word “common” is used. This word is a form of the word “fellowship.” In other words, “all the believers were together and shared everything.” Where did this view come from?

B. Notice that they devoted themselves to four things. Devoted suggests giving one’s time and energy. It means a commitment. It means to persevere in such a way that nothing gets in the way of the devoted thing. The apostles’ teaching was a common part of the early experience of these followers. The apostles were eyewitnesses and they taught about this Jesus who had been resurrected from the dead. To be devoted meant that the people gathered to hear the teaching about Jesus. They not only heard but they changed their lives to reflect what they had heard. Do you think they heard about the serving nature of Jesus? Do you think they heard about his generous sharing with others?

C. They devoted themselves to fellowship. They were devoted to sharing. The eating is mentioned next so this is not eating together. They persevered in sharing with each other. So much so that they developed a “what is mine is yours mentality.” This fellowship included more than giving of money but a giving of self to others. There fellowship implies intimacy and connection. But the intimacy and connection comes from the heart of the person who shares not from proximity.

D. Notice 4:32. Being of one heart and mind doesn’t mean that they all knew one another. Too many. But they were on the same page in the way they thought. So much were these new followers of Jesus connected that as soon as a need was discovered it was covered. People who had property sold it and brought the money for use to deal with the needs of others. We will see this same attitude in Paul’s writings as he collects funds for the famine victims in Jerusalem. The point — these early followers were willing to share so that others could be supplied with what was needed.

E. A couple of things to notice.

1. First, the sharing was for the purpose of needs. This would have fallen under the more specific things of food and clothing. Remember many of these are folks who are remaining in Jerusalem for an extended period of time. Having traveled to Jerusalem for Passover and Pentecost, they would have remained to enjoy this new found purpose and direction. They would have remained to celebrate Jesus. The day is coming shortly when they will be forced to go back home.

2. Second, this was not a redistribution of wealth. This was not being done to make sure everyone had the same amount. It was being done to assist those with needs. But this does not distract from the reality. The texts are focused on a spirit of sharing not a political statement.

So What?

A. So how do we develop this spirit of sharing? This has nothing to do with getting folks to put more in the collection plate. This has to do with developing a spirit willing to share so that we trust God to supply what is needed rather than holding on to our wealth as a means to find security. Contextually, Acts is the second volume of Luke’s writing. His gospel account is volume one. Volume 2 starts with a reminder that this is the second volume. It is a continuation. Why is this significant? We want fellowship to be the third Sunday of each month. Gather for a meal. Laugh, eat, talk and leave. Nothing wrong with that but this is not the fellowship that Luke speaks of. To have all things in common means that this comes from an attitude of people to share. What’s mine is yours mentality.

B. The significance of the second volume is that having read volume one we are expected to pay attention. Luke has emphasized in volume one sharing with those who are in need. Only in Luke do we have the following stories:

1. The Good Samaritan in Luke 10.

2. The parable of the rich fool who built bigger and better barns (12:16)

3. The story of God's banquet that people didn't come to (Luke 14:16)

4. The story of the dishonest manager (Luke 16:1)

5. The story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19).

6. Barnabas in Acts 4 as an example of one who understands.

C. Luke stresses the importance of not letting our possessions control us but develop a sharing heart. What we find in these two texts in Acts is a picture of people who are devoted to sharing. It is a spirit of sharing that comes from recognizing the nature of God. How do I know that? Look at 2:43. Everyone was filled with awe or fear. Awe of what or whom? Surely it is implied God. This word “awe” can mean dread or terror depending on the context. For instance in 5:11 after the death of Ananias and Sapphira, this same word is used to describe the response of the believers.

D. In Acts 2 the word is properly understood awe. It is out of this awe that people share. Our view of God is too passive and tame. When these early disciples thought about God they were struck with fear and awe. They were amazed at his power. They had no desire to trust things; they trusted him. Our God is too small. Our God is too sedate. Our God is a Santa Claus grandfather who dotes on his grandchildren with ice cream cones and trinkets. Such a view doesn’t inspire a sharing spirit nor an open hand. Instead we take on a spirit of play and fun and think that life is about our feeling good. Where is the awe of God?

E. Look at 4:33. There is the centrality of the message yet again. It is the resurrection. This produces awe. God raised Jesus from the dead. This message creates awe. We will continue with this thought next week. Where is your awe for the God who raised Jesus from the grave? Are you developing a spirit of sharing?

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