Acts 4:32-6:7.  The church of Jesus Christ is not simply a social movement. The kingdom of God has a king in heaven, and he has given us a body of instruction recorded in the Gospels. Believers are obligated to obey those instructions. The power of the Holy Spirit accompanied by the love we show in obedience to Jesus’ commands is irresistible. When those within the church community disobey the faith, it brings dishonor not only upon the church, but also Christ himself. Judgment (like that which happened with Ananias and Sapphira) will follow such disobedience. Sometimes, obeying means changing things. The seven were appointed to their new position because the community recognized a need, and the church had to change the way it did things in order to be obedient to the faith.

LORD, give us humility and commitment to learn the faith, and courage to obey it.