City Life Starter

I. The Word: Acts 2:44-45

44 “Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.”

There was a radical movement of the Holy Spirit here in Acts. Miraculous signs and wonders were being done and the church was growing as believers were being added.

I see 3 elements at work within these two verses.

1. Social Responsibility Element:

The believers are acting in a socially responsible way with their finances, possessions, and whatever resources they had and used to meet their needs and wants. We see believers helping to remove hindrances for those in the community. This helped to further efforts in reaching those who had not heard, who were in need both physically and spiritually. By easing the burden of their neighbor, this spoke to the validity and impact of Jesus Christ being preached. The faith, hope, and love of Christ was being demonstrated through the acts and deeds of the believers, and contributed in part, to the building of the church. This was being socially responsible with their finances and possessions.

Putting this into application today, we should understand that the Kingdom of God dwells
within us. As we exude Christ’s character towards others in our deeds and actions, we bring the Kingdom near to others. How can we use our money and possessions to plant seeds in peoples’ lives with the hope that Christ’s power wins in their lives? This is the social responsibility we have for our money.

2. Christ-Centered Element:

The believer’s acts were revolving around the joy and fulfillment of Christ and His finished work on their behalf. They no longer wanted to maintain control of everything they had. We see the believers respond to the grace and knowledge of who Christ was, and understood where they could place their trust. We see a freedom for the believers that they had never experienced before.

3. Spirit-Empowered Element:

Upon hearing, then believing, the Holy Spirit moved, enabled and empowered the believers to make such a radical change. By doing so, we see the demonstration of faith by the believers, and we see the evidence of empowerment from the Holy Spirit. When it comes to our finances, as Christians, our dealings with money should reflect these three elements we see at work, though it may not necessarily be in the same manner. At the time this event referenced in the Scripture took place, the church was being established and it took some extreme radical demonstrations of faith, healing, and deliverance so that the believers would stand firm in the very face of opposition and life-threatening situations. Ask yourself these questions?

• Am I being socially responsible with my resources?
• Does my spending, saving, or attainment of resources reflect a Christ-centered inspiration or motivation?
• How have I been empowered by the Holy Spirit with my resources?

PRAYER

Lord, help me to place my complete trust in you with all that I have. Continue to reveal yourself and your nature to me so that I may respond in worship with my resources. Show me how I may sow into the lives of others, meeting needs, and contribute to the advancement of your Kingdom on earth. In Jesus’s Name, Amen!