CALLED TO The Book of Acts

Life and Death Together Pastor Jared Gustafson 10/18/2015

Life and Death Together “The whole witness of Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, is bent toward God’s intention to form a people… who will be a light to the whole world, a blessing to all the other peoples of the earth. Sometimes our emphasis on the individual has blinded us to this social and theological reality: God is in the business of creating a people, building a community and calling each of us into a new community that is defined by new loyalties and a new story.”

Acts 4:32-5:11 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them.

Acts 4:32-5:11 For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.

Acts 4:32-5:11 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?

Acts 4:32-5:11 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

Acts 4:32-5:11 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.” Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”

Acts 4:32-5:11 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.

Life and Death Together All the believers were one in heart and mind.

Life and Death Together All the believers were one in heart and mind.  Unity

Life and Death Together John 17:20-23 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” - Jesus

Life and Death Together “Christian unity is never merely a verbal sentiment or heartfelt ideal; it is a social practice that meets real needs wherever they are found.” - Robert Wall

Life and Death Together All the believers were one in heart and mind.  Unity  Likely over 10,000 believers (4:4 - about 5,000 men)

Life and Death Together All the believers were one in heart and mind.  Unity  Likely over 10,000 believers (4:4 - about 5,000 men)  What would that look like at First Baptist Church? How do we get there?

Life and Death Together All the believers were one in heart and mind.  Unity  Likely over 10,000 believers (4:4 - about 5,000 men)  What would that look like at First Baptist Church? How do we get there?  Holy Spirit, Mission, Prayer, Love, Fellowship, Generosity, Worship, Forgiveness, Etc.

Life and Death Together No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.  Radical Generosity

Life and Death Together “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” - Jesus

Life and Death Together “More than any other activity, the community’s care of its poorest members lends support to its bold claim that God resides in its common life through the filling of the Holy Spirit.” – Wall

Life and Death Together No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.  Radical Generosity  Sharing in goods and in spirit

Life and Death Together And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.  What produced this kind of community and generosity?

Life and Death Together And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.  What produced this kind of community and generosity? GOD’S GRACE!

Life and Death Together “In order for people to let go of anything – but especially money and possessions and the security they represent – they must have taken hold of, or have been taken hold of by, something else... Generosity is made possible because God has been generous to them. Something else, namely the Spirit, is filling their lives and hearts, thus allowing hands to freely share the goods and possessions that we so often imagine will fill and secure our lives.”

Life and Death Together And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.  Where does your sense of security come from?

Life and Death Together And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.  Where does your sense of security come from?  Where does our sense of security come from?

Life and Death Together  Is there evidence of God’s grace powerfully at work in us through our individual and corporate generosity?

Life and Death Together  Is there evidence of God’s grace powerfully at work in us through our individual and corporate generosity?  Discipleship that does not radically affect the way we handle our money and possessions is no discipleship at all

Life and Death Together “The paradoxical insight of the gospel about money is that we will never have enough, no matter how much we have; the only way to ‘have enough’ is to give it away. That is, the only way to gain some sort of freedom from the voices that chant relentlessly in our ears and pluck the strings of our anxiety is to be obedient to Christ’s call to give and to share. There is freedom in this obedience. It is the testimony of

Life and Death Together saints today, and throughout the ages, that ‘it is in giving that we receive.’ This is a spiritual practice, a part of the way of life that is core for those who affirm God’s victory over death’s power in Jesus Christ. Nowhere is death’s power more evident in society than in the relentless push to have more, to get more, and to hold more.” – Anthony Robinson

Acts 4:36-5:11 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.

Acts 4:36-5:11 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?

Acts 4:36-5:11 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

Acts 4:36-5:11 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.” Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”

Acts 4:36-5:11 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.

Life and Death Together  Ananias and Sapphira were already dead

Life and Death Together  Ananias and Sapphira were already dead  They broke covenant with God and the community

Life and Death Together  Ananias and Sapphira were already dead  They broke covenant with God and the community  Our God is a consuming fire