All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. Acts4:32-33
The Early Jerusalem Church was a powerhouse! In one day it grew from a small group that could fit in the Upper Room to over 3000. Luke tells us that the church grew daily, enjoyed the favour of the people and that God did mighty miracles through the disciples.
What was the secret to their power, unity and generosity? What was it about the gospel message that transformed people's lives in such a miraculous way and how deep was the level of change?
As Luke describes the early church, one cannot help but be impressed at the depth of the change. As he describes it here, the members of the church are transformed at two significant levels: Unity and Freedom from Materialism.
We are divided over all sorts of things: race, culture, class, habits, style and personality. When people can overcome their differences it is an amazing thing! The early believers were "one in heart and mind."
To shake off the fetters of materialism is not easy. When the early Christians were able to hold their possessions loosely, it made a huge impression. They were willing to share and see the bigger picture.
What was it about the early church that helped it be so significant in unity and generosity?
Luke ascribes it to the fact that the apostles testified to the resurrection. (He does it here and in 4:2 and 17:18 and 24:21) It is the power and grace of the Risen Christ and the triumph of His life over death that transformed the early church.
The more we celebrate that He is RISEN the more we will experience His power. The more we forget, ignore or deny the wonder of the Risen Christ the more we will be depleted by materialism and petty divisions.
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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
