https://www.bible.com/events/49522098
Church of the Nazarene – East Rockingham Campus
Generosity Part 3
God’s generous church
Today we are continuing our teaching series “Generosity”.
We are exploring our generous God’s will for his people. Thisteachignseries is not just about givingofourmoney.It’sabout a lifestyle of generosity, where wegive ofourselves in all areas of our lives.
Today we are going to understand that Generosity is a key ingredient in making a church what God desires and designed it to be.
Acts 4:32
All thebelievers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessionswastheir own, but they shared everything they had.
Here in Acts chapter4we are reading about the earliest days of the Church. This cameimmediatelyafter the coming of the holy spirit at Pentecost.
Andsowhat we see here are new believers responding to the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. There was no building, no denominations, no board meetings, not even a 4-week teaching series on how to be the church. They were simply living out of what God had done in them.
On of the first ingredients we see is that “All believers were one in heart and mind.”
This was a diverse group of people- some Roman, some Jewish, some city dwellers, some from the rural country sides. All different nations, races, they were all together- all people were together in one heart and mind.
As followers of Jesus, we have more in common in Christ Jesus thana whole worldof difference.
“No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.”
They had their own homes, and their own things, but theydidn’tlive like it was off limits to everyone else. They saw themselves as a part of something greater, and they lived open-handed towards other people in the church, andintothe community.
One definition of generosity is “open handed living”,not grasping tightly to what is yours, but living with an open hand towards your neighbor.
Acts 4:33
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
Another key ingredient was the preaching and teaching about Jesus. If we lose this focus, if we get off center of preaching the saving and transforming power of Jesus Christ, the message of the gospel, the light of hope for ourdark world.
If weloosethat, we become something less than what we are called to be.
Believers in one heart and one mind, living open handed towards each other, proclaiming the name of Jesus- God’s grace is going to be at work.
The proof of God’s abundant grace was atwork,was that generosity had taken care of everyone’s needs.
Acts 4:34-35
that there were no needypersonsamong them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from thesalesand put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
People were so moved by the Spirit of God and the immediate need around them, that they made big sacrifices to see the move of God continue. There is no sign of manipulation, no pleading from thechurch,nobody twisted their arm to give.
People were simply responding to the work of God within them, to meet needs around them.That’sgenerosity.
This is the church. Made up of believers in the saving, life giving person of Jesus Christ. United in heart and mind, focused on the call of God in our lives. Generous in giving to meet the needs of the people all around. People completely surrendered God and his abundant grace at work all around them.
Will that be true of us?