SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/6/2017
9:20 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
Sharing Practically
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Acts 4:32b,
34-35
Message of the
verses: “and not one of them claimed
that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property
to them…34 For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners
of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales 35 and
lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as any
had need.”
Luke tells us how this sharing was going on in verses 34b-35a
“for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the
proceeds of the sales 35 and lay them at the apostles’ feet.” I can remember while visiting Moody Bible
Institute’s Founders Week that a Pastor was preaching on needs and how God meet
those needs. I really don’t remember
what the specific need was but the prayer that went out for the need came from Psalm
50:10 “"For every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand
hills.” People prayed that the Lord
would give them some of those cattle that He owned and it came to be that a
wealthy farmer sold some cattle and gave the proceeds to meet the needs that
were prayed for. Selling houses and land
and I suppose a lot of cattle will generate more money that sharing a part of
one’s income, so this was no small thing that was being done here in this
section from Acts, and to say the least it was very generous.
Now we know that the subject of communism or communal
living comes up in this section so I will quote John MacArthur as he writes
about this subject: “Some have seen in
this passage a primitive form of communism or communal living. As noted in the discussion of Acts 2:44-46 in
chapter 7, [of his commentary], however, that is not true. As in 2:45, the imperfect tense of the verbs
indicates continuous action. They did
not at any point pool all their possessions.
Also, it is clear from Acts 12:12 that individual believers still owned
houses. Further, Peter’s words to
Annanias in 5:4 show that such selling of property was strictly voluntary. If it were compulsory there would have been
nothing commendatory about his actions.
Finally, Acts does not record that any other church followed this pattern
of selling property. “
Now we want to look at how these proceeds would be
distributed that comes at the end of verse 35 “and they would be distributed to
each as any had need.” I believe at
first this distribution was done by the apostles, but later on we will see in
chapter six that once the deacons were set up they would be the ones who would
do things like this as the apostles wanted time for teaching, preaching, and
praying. John MacArthur writes “The
imperfect verb denotes the continuous nature of the distribution. The continuous way of life for those with
property periodically to sell it as needed on behalf of others.”
Now at the end of this section John MacArthur gives some
sound biblical advice on the distribution of funds in a local church. “This passage illustrates an important
pattern concerning giving in the local church.
The donations are to be placed in the control of the spiritual teachers,
who are then responsible before God for their use. Too often, people want to give only if they
can specify how the money is to be used.
That kind of self-serving giving fails to understand the delegated
spiritual authority of God-ordained leaders and may often merely seek the
applause of men. Giving is to be so
selfless that Jesus said in Matthew 6:3-4, ‘3
"But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what
your right hand is doing, 4 so that your
giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will
reward you.’”
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: When I was a
young boy my father gave the example of giving 10% of his income to the
church. It was something that I have
never forgotten and practice to this day.
I am also open to be led by the Spirit to give above and beyond this amount,
but tithing is probably the least that should be done.
My Steps of Faith for Today: To trust the Lord to led me in the way I
should go in giving.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “Syria” (Luke 2:2).
Today’s Bible
question: “Who lost his strength after
his hair was cut?”
Answer in our next SD.
10/6/2017 9:52 AM
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