We are Sent
Passage:
“Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” (Acts 4:32-37)
What this last text in Acts that we are going to be in – here is that the sent church doesn’t just know a list of facts about Jesus – The SENT church embodies Jesus.
This passage reveals important characteristics of the culture of hte sent church – it reveals that
- The sent church is about Camaraderie not Chemistry
- The sent church has a Commitment to One Another
- The sent church is Emboldened by the Gospel
Camaraderie not Chemistry:
“Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul,
The first thing that this text mentions is that this church – who was growing day by day – they were of one heart and soul –
- Biblical Community is not a place where people are the same, it is a place where people have the same goal.
Commitment to One Another:
and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common…here was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.”
- The second part of sent culture – is that the believers here took it upon themselves to make sure that nobody in the body was in need.
Emboldened by the Gospel:
And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.
- The last cultural identifier in this text – is that even in the face of increasing opposition the believers stood together and proclaimed the truth.
- you may partake of the cup.