Devotions

gospel gifts

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Jefferson Vann

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gospel gifts

Acts 8:26-40 (JDV)

Acts 8:26 But an agent from the Lord spoke to Philip: “Get up and go south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is an unpopulated road.)
Acts 8:27 So he got up and went. There was an Ethiopian man, a eunuch and high official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to worship in Jerusalem
Acts 8:28 and was sitting in his chariot on his way home, reading the prophet Isaiah aloud.
Acts 8:29 The Breath told Philip, “Go to and stick with that chariot.”
Acts 8:30 When Philip ran up to it, he heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you’re reading?”
Acts 8:31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
Acts 8:32 Now the Scripture passage he was reading was this: He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb is silent before its shearer, in this way he does not open his mouth.
Acts 8:33 In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who will describe his posterity? Because his life is lifted up from the land.
Acts 8:34 The eunuch reacted to Philip, “I beg you, who is the prophet saying this about – himself or someone else?”
Acts 8:35 Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning with that Scripture.
Acts 8:36 As they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, “Notice, there’s water. What would keep me from being baptized?”
Acts 8:37
Acts 8:38 So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.
Acts 8:39 When they came up out of the water, the Breath of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any longer but went on his way rejoicing.
Acts 8:40 Philip appeared in Azotus, and he was traveling and preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

gospel gifts

Philip was always bringing people to Jesus. What were his gifts? He had learned to pay attention to the Spirit’s prompting. He also had a good grasp on the meaning of scripture. And, he knew the gospel enough to explain it to anyone. He could start from any text of scripture and bring people to an understanding of God’s good news.

Lord, give us a clear understanding of your word, so that we can be quick to explain the gospel for those you lead us to.

____________________

What kind of spiritual gift did Philip have?

Posted in evangelism, gospel, ministry, spiritual gifts | Tagged Acts 8 | Leave a comment

rotten residue

Posted on July 29, 2020 by Jefferson Vann

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rotten residue

Acts 8:4-25 (JDV)

Acts 8:4 So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the word.
Acts 8:5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them.
Acts 8:6 The crowds were all with the same passion paying attention to what Philip said, as they listened and saw the signs he was performing.
Acts 8:7 You see, unclean breaths, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.
Acts 8:8 So there was great joy in that city.
Acts 8:9 A man named Simon had previously practiced sorcery in that city and amazed the Samaritan people, while claiming to be somebody great.
Acts 8:10 They all paid attention to him, from the least of them to the greatest, and they said, “This man is called the Great Power of God.”
Acts 8:11 They were attentive to him because he had amazed them with his sorceries for a long time.
Acts 8:12 But when they believed Philip, as he proclaimed the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.
Acts 8:13 Even Simon himself believed. And after he was baptized, he stayed busily engaged with Philip and was amazed as he observed the signs and great miracles that were being performed.
Acts 8:14 When the missionaries who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had welcomed the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.
Acts 8:15 After they went down there, they prayed for them so the Samaritans might receive the Sacred Breath because he had not yet come down on any of them.
Acts 8:16 (They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
Acts 8:17 Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Sacred Breath.
Acts 8:18 When Simon saw that the Breath was given through the laying on of the missionaries’ hands, he offered them money,
Acts 8:19 saying, “Give me this right also so that anyone I lay hands on may receive the Sacred Breath.”
Acts 8:20 But Peter told him, “May your silver be thrown into destruction with you, because you figured you could obtain the gift of God with money!
Acts 8:21 You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right before God.
Acts 8:22 Therefore seriously change your mind about this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, your heart’s intent may be forgiven.
Acts 8:23 For I see you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by wickedness.”
Acts 8:24 “Pray to the Lord for me,” Simon reacted, “so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”
Acts 8:25 So, after they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they traveled back to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

rotten residue

The story of the mission to convert the Samaritans introduces us to Simon, who is a baptized believer, but who still has a bitter residue of his old life hanging on, binding him in wickedness (see verse 23).

Simon’s particular wickedness was bitterness over other people’s giftedness and authority, and greed to be more powerful. He had been a sorcerer — considered a powerful man to be feared. That residue had to be thoroughly purged from his life, or it would lead to destruction (Peter’s nickname for hell).

Lord, purge us of every residue of our past lives of wickedness.

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off the fence

Posted on July 28, 2020 by Jefferson Vann

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off the fence

Acts 8:1-3 (JDV)

Acts 8:1 Saul agreed with taking him out. On that day a severe persecution broke out against the congregation in Jerusalem, and all except the missionaries were scattered throughout the land of Judea and Samaria.
Acts 8:2 Devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him.
Acts 8:3 Saul, however, was injuring the congregation. He would go into house after house, drag off men and women, and put them in prison.

off the fence

Stephen’s list of grievances was the last straw for the Israelites who were on the fence. After his murder, the whole people were polarized. They either sided with the congregation or — like Saul — sought to injure the congregation.

If you know truly who Jesus is, you have to get off the fence. He is either your Lord or your enemy.

Lord, we are jumping off the fence.

American are really good at it, but there’s a problem (video).

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always resisting

Posted on July 27, 2020 by Jefferson Vann

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always resisting

Acts 7:1-60 (JDV)

Acts 7:1 “Are these things true?” the high priest asked.
Acts 7:2 “Brothers and fathers,” he replied, “listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he resided in Haran,
Acts 7:3 and said to him: Leave your country and relatives, and come to the land that I will show you.
Acts 7:4 “Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and resided in Haran. From there, after his father died, God had him move to this land in which you are now living.
Acts 7:5 He didn’t give him an inheritance in it – not even a foot’s pace – but he promised to give it to him as a possession, and to his posterity after him, even though he was childless.
Acts 7:6 God spoke about it this way: His posterity would be strangers in a foreign land, and they would enslave and abuse them for four hundred years.
Acts 7:7 I will judge the nation that they will slave for, God said. After this, they will come out and worship me in this place.
Acts 7:8 And he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. He fathered Isaac and circumcised him in this way on the eighth day. Isaac fathered Jacob, and Jacob fathered the twelve patriarchs.
Acts 7:9 “The patriarchs became envious of Joseph and sold him into Egypt, but God was with him
Acts 7:10 and rescued him out of all his troubles. He gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and over his whole household.
Acts 7:11 Now a famine and great trouble came over all of Egypt and Canaan, and our ancestors could find no food.
Acts 7:12 When Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there the first time.
Acts 7:13 The second time, Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to Pharaoh.
Acts 7:14 Joseph invited his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five throats in all,
Acts 7:15 and Jacob went down to Egypt. He and our ancestors died there,
Acts 7:16 were carried back to Shechem, and were placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
Acts 7:17 “As the time was approaching to fulfill the promise that God had made to Abraham, the people flourished and increased in Egypt
Acts 7:18 until a different king got up who did not know Joseph ruled over Egypt.
Acts 7:19 He dealt deceitfully with our race and corrupted our ancestors by making them put their infants outside so that they wouldn’t survive.
Acts 7:20 At this particular time Moses was born, and he was handsome in God’s sight. He was nurtured in his father’s home for three months.
Acts 7:21 When he was put outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him away and raised him as her own son.
Acts 7:22 So Moses was disciplined in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was competent in his speech and actions.
Acts 7:23 “When he had reached forty years of time, he decided to visit his own brothers, the sons of Israel.
Acts 7:24 When he saw one of them being mistreated, he came to his rescue and avenged the oppressed man by striking down the Egyptian.
Acts 7:25 He assumed his people would understand that God was giving them rescue through him, but they did not understand.
Acts 7:26 The next day he showed up while they were fighting and tried to reconcile them peacefully, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why are you mistreating each other? ‘
Acts 7:27 “But the one who was mistreating his neighbor pushed Moses aside, saying: Who appointed you a ruler and a judge over us?
Acts 7:28 Do you want to take me out, the same way you took out the Egyptian yesterday?
Acts 7:29 “When he heard this, Moses escaped and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.
Acts 7:30 After forty years had passed, an agent appeared to him in the unpopulated region of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning bush.
Acts 7:31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight. As he was approaching to look at it, the voice of the Lord came:
Acts 7:32 I am the God of your ancestors – the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob. Moses began to tremble and did not dare to look.
Acts 7:33 “The Lord said to him: Take off the sandals from your feet, because the place where you are standing is sacred land.
Acts 7:34 I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt; I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. And now, come, I will send you to Egypt.
Acts 7:35 “This Moses, whom they rejected when they said, Who appointed you a ruler and a judge? – this one God sent as a ruler and a deliverer through the agent who appeared to him in the bush.
Acts 7:36 This man led them out and performed marvels and signs in the land of Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the unpopulated region for forty years.
Acts 7:37 “This is the Moses who said to the Israelites: God will get up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.
Acts 7:38 He is the one who was in the congregation in the unpopulated region, with the agent who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors. He received living oracles to give to us.
Acts 7:39 Our ancestors were unwilling to obey him. Instead, they pushed him aside, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.
Acts 7:40 They told Aaron: Make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what’s happened to him.
Acts 7:41 They even made a calf in those days, offered sacrifice to the idol, and were celebrating what their hands had made.
Acts 7:42 God turned away and gave them up to worship the stars of the sky, as it is written in the book of the prophets: House of Israel, did you bring me offerings and sacrifices for forty years in the unpopulated region?
Acts 7:43 You picked up the tent of Moloch and the star of your god Rephan, the images that you made to worship. So I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.
Acts 7:44 “Our ancestors had the tabernacle of the testimony in the unpopulated region, just as he who spoke to Moses commanded him to make it according to the pattern he had seen.
Acts 7:45 Our ancestors in turn received it and with Joshua brought it in when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before them, until the days of David.
Acts 7:46 He found favor in God’s sight and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.
Acts 7:47 It was Solomon, instead, who built him a house,
Acts 7:48 but the Highest One does not reside in handmade places, like the prophet says:
Acts 7:49 The sky is my throne, and the land my footstool. What sort of house will you build for me? says the Lord, or what will be my resting place?
Acts 7:50 Did not my hand make all these things?
Acts 7:51 “You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Sacred Breath. As your ancestors did, you do also.
Acts 7:52 Which of the prophets did your ancestors not chase? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become.
Acts 7:53 You received the law under the direction of agents and yet have not kept it.”
Acts 7:54 When they heard these things, they were enraged and gnashed their teeth at him.
Acts 7:55 Stephen, full of the Sacred Breath, gazed into the sky. He saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
Acts 7:56 He said, “Notice, I observe the sky opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
Acts 7:57 They yelled at the top of their voices, covered their ears, and with the same passion rushed against him.
Acts 7:58 They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. And the testifiers laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
Acts 7:59 While they were stoning Stephen, he called out: “Lord Jesus, receive my breath!”
Acts 7:60 He knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this failure against them!” And after saying this, he went to sleep.

always resisting

Stephen’s sermon was more like an attorney’s list of grievances in a lawsuit. It points out many of the historical incidents in the life of the Israelites where they resisted what the Sacred Breath wanted to do for them.

The stories of Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David and the prophets illustrated this. The list is summarized in verse 51.

The list makes the case that when God determines to do something, it is often the very people who claim to be his who resist the change, and rebel against his chosen agents.

Lord, make us a people who learn what you are doing, and become proponents of the change, rather than opponents.

In today’s video, I share Bruce Harris’ comments about how Stephen laid the ground work for his presentation of the gospel.

Posted in change, cooperation, discernment, resistance | Tagged Acts 7 | Leave a comment

half truths

Posted on July 26, 2020 by Jefferson Vann

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half truths

Acts 6:8-15 (JDV)

Acts 6:8 Now Stephen, full of favor and power, was performing great marvels and signs among the people.
Acts 6:9 Opposition arose, however, from some members of the Synagogue of the Liberated, composed of both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, and they got up to argue with Stephen.
Acts 6:10 But they did not have the strength to stand up against his wisdom and the Breath by whom he was speaking.
Acts 6:11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.”
Acts 6:12 They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; so they came, seized him, and took him to the Sanhedrin.
Acts 6:13 They also presented false testifiers who said, “This man never stops speaking against this sacred place and the law.
Acts 6:14 You see, we heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will tear this place down and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”
Acts 6:15 And all who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him and saw that his face was like the face of an agent.

half truths

Luke describes Stephen as a man whose ministry is empowered with supernatural strength. He performs miracles and speaks and presents himself as empowered by the same Spirit as Moses, the apostles, or even Christ. But that power for ministry also attracts opposition. Stephen’s opponents cannot succeed against his words, so they invent some half-truths and attribute them to Stephen, to discredit him.

Did Stephen speak against the temple? No, but he is a disciple of Christ, and Jesus had predicted that the temple would be destroyed soon.

Did Stephen blaspheme Moses, the law and God? No, but he did preach that Jesus is the Messiah, and that salvation is only through him.

When Stephen demonstrated his empowerment, Satan provided opponents who sought to discredit him and his ministry.

Lord, give us the courage to serve you, in spite of the opposition that service will produce.

Why does God allow half-truths to be spread about us? (video)

Posted in enemies, persecution, truth | Tagged Acts 6 | Leave a comment

adding new leaders

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Jefferson Vann

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adding new leaders

Acts 6:1-7 (JDV)

Acts 6:1 However, in those days, when the disciples were increasing, there arose a complaint by the Hellenistic Jews against the Hebraic Jews that their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.
Acts 6:2 The Twelve called for the whole company of the disciples and said, “It would not be acceptable for us to leave preaching the word of God to assist with tables.
Acts 6:3 Brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men testified about, full of the Breath and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty.
Acts 6:4 But we ourselves will stay busily engaged in prayer and assisting people with the word.”
Acts 6:5 This word pleased the whole company. So they selected Stephen, a man full of faith and the Sacred Breath, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a convert from Antioch.
Acts 6:6 They had them stand before the missionaries, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
Acts 6:7 So the word of God spread, the number of disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith.

adding new leaders

As the congregation in Jerusalem grew, it became necessary to add more leaders. The complaint from the Hellenistic Jews was merely the catalyst for this change. If these leaders had not been added, the primary purposes of the Twelve (proclaiming the gospel; teaching the kingdom, and prayer) would have been slowed down by their administrative responsibilities. So, the congregation wisely chose to add these leaders.

Notice that the names of these men indicate that they were part of the group that had voiced the complaint: they were Hellenistic Jews. These men were respected in the community already, and would be well accepted as leaders.

Lord, give us the wisdom to recognize when a change in leadership is needed, and to choose new leaders wisely.

complaints don’t have to kill! (video)

Posted in change, discernment, leadership | Tagged Acts 6 | Leave a comment

purpose for the rescue

Posted on July 24, 2020 by Jefferson Vann

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purpose for the rescue

Acts 5:17-42 (JDV)

Acts 5:17 Then the high priest got up. He and all who were with him, who belonged to the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy.
Acts 5:18 So they forced hands on the missionaries and put them in the jail publicly.
Acts 5:19 But an agent from the Lord opened the doors of the jail during the night, brought them out, and said,
Acts 5:20 “Go and stand in the temple, and tell the people all about this life.”
Acts 5:21 Hearing this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. When the high priest and those who were with him arrived, they convened the Sanhedrin — the full council of the Israelites — and sent orders to the jail to have them brought.
Acts 5:22 But when the servants got there, they did not find them in the jail, so they returned and reported,
Acts 5:23 “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing in front of the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside.”
Acts 5:24 As the captain of the temple police and the chief priests heard these things, they were baffled about them, wondering what would come of this.
Acts 5:25 Someone came and reported to them, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple and teaching the people.”
Acts 5:26 Then the commander went with the servants and brought them in without force, because they were afraid the people might stone them.
Acts 5:27 After they brought them in, they had them stand before the Sanhedrin, and the high priest asked,
Acts 5:28 “Didn’t we strictly direct you not to teach in this name? Notice, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”
Acts 5:29 Peter and the missionaries reacted, “We must obey God rather than people.
Acts 5:30 The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, on whom you had laid violent hands by hanging him on a tree.
Acts 5:31 God exalted this man to his right hand as ruler and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of failures.
Acts 5:32 We are testifiers of these things, and so is the Sacred Breath whom God has given to those who obey him.”
Acts 5:33 When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to take them out.
Acts 5:34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was respected by all the people, got up in the Sanhedrin and ordered the men to be taken outside for a little while.
Acts 5:35 He said to them, “Men of Israel, be careful about what you’re about to do to these men.
Acts 5:36 Some time ago Theudas got up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about four hundred men rallied to him. He was taken out, and all his persuaded ones were dispersed and came to nothing.
Acts 5:37 After this man, Judas the Galilean got up in the days of the census and attracted a following. He also was destroyed, and all his persuaded ones were scattered.
Acts 5:38 And now, I am saying to you, stay away from these men and leave them alone. If this plan or this work is that of humans, it will be torn down;
Acts 5:39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to tear them down. You may even be found fighting against God.” They were persuaded by him.
Acts 5:40 After they called for the missionaries and had them flogged, they directed them not to speak in the name of Jesus and let them go.
Acts 5:41 Then they went out from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be treated shamefully on behalf of the Name.
Acts 5:42 Every day in the temple, and in various homes, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.

purpose for the rescue

The God who rescued the believers in Jerusalem from their sins proves himself capable of rescuing them from their enemies. He sometimes uses divine agents (angels) as he did when he broke the missionaries out of jail. Sometimes he intervenes through human agents, as he did through the wise counsel of Gamaliel. In each case, the purpose for the rescue was to continue the believers’ witness to the life available in Christ. The results of the rescue were joyful worship, and constant evangelism.

Lord, we will keep proclaiming your gospel, and trust you to keep rescuing us from anything that might prevent us from reaching the nations with the good news.

Fried chicken and TV is not the purpose for our rescue! (video)

Posted in evangelism, missions | Tagged Acts 5 | Leave a comment

the dedicated dozen

Posted on July 23, 2020 by Jefferson Vann

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the dedicated dozen

Acts 5:12-16 (JDV)

Acts 5:12 Many signs and marvels were being done among the people through the hands of the missionaries. They were all with the same passion in Solomon’s Colonnade.
Acts 5:13 No one else had the audacity to stick with them, but the people spoke well of them.
Acts 5:14 Believers were added to the Lord in increasing numbers – multitudes of both men and women.
Acts 5:15 As a result, they would carry the sick out into the streets and lay them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on some of them.
Acts 5:16 In addition, a multitude came together from the towns surrounding Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those who were tormented by unclean breaths, and they were all healed.

the dedicated dozen

Scholars are not in agreement on the referent of the phrase “They were all with the same passion” in verse 12. Does it refer to all of the believers, or all of the missionaries (the twelve apostles)?

My guess is that Luke was referring to the twelve missionaries who met daily and preached at Solomon’s Colonnade. Luke explains that this group did not grow because people were afraid to join them, but that everyone respected them.

This dedicated dozen formed a core ministry group. They would preach once a day at the temple area, and go about from place to place throughout the city.

At least some among this core ministry group had gifts of healing. Peter is mentioned here as an example. The purpose of the healing ministry was to draw people’s attention to the preaching ministry, so that new believers were always being added to the Lord.

Lord, thank you for those who minister and lead in our congregations. May they always have the same passion, and use all their gifts to build up your church.

two characteristics of New Testament leadership (video)

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death of a good couple

Posted on July 22, 2020 by Jefferson Vann

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death of a good couple

Acts 5:1-11 (JDV)

Acts 5:1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property.
Acts 5:2 However, he put aside for himself part of the proceeds with his wife’s knowledge, and brought a portion of it and laid it at the missionaries’ feet.
Acts 5:3 “Ananias,” Peter asked, “why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Sacred Breath and put aside for yourself from the proceeds of the land?
Acts 5:4 Didn’t it stay yours while it stayed with you? And after it was sold, wasn’t it under your jurisdiction? Why is it that you planned this thing in your heart? You have not lied to people but to God.”
Acts 5:5 When he heard these words, Ananias fell and stopped breathing, and a great fear came on all who heard.
Acts 5:6 The young men got up, wrapped his body, carried him out, and buried him.
Acts 5:7 About three hours later, his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
Acts 5:8 “Tell me,” Peter reacted to her, “did you sell the land for this price?” “Yes,” she said, “for that price.”
Acts 5:9 Then Peter said to her, “Why did you agree to test the Breath of the Lord? Notice, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”
Acts 5:10 Instantly she fell at his feet and stopped breathing. When the young men came in, they found her dead, carried her out, and buried her beside her husband.
Acts 5:11 Then great fear came on the whole congregation and on all who heard these things.

death of a good couple

Ananias and Sapphira had many admirable qualities , and gave every impression of being a good couple.

They were not in conflict with each other, but acted in unity.
They were committed church members.
They were even generous.

But this “good couple” died that day because God does not want to endorse hypocrisy and pretense. He is looking for genuine believers who are committed to reaching their community with the gospel, not just appearing to do so.

Lord, fill our congregations with honestly good couples and good individuals who are more interested in integrity than appearance.

What was wrong with this good couple?

Posted in commitment, discipleship, hypocrisy, integrity | Tagged Acts 5 | Leave a comment

community, not communism

Posted on July 21, 2020 by Jefferson Vann

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community, not communism

Acts 4:32-37 (JDV)

Acts 4:32 Now the entire group of those who believed were of one heart and throat, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but instead they held everything in common.
Acts 4:33 With great power the missionaries were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was on all of them.
Acts 4:34 You see, there was not a needy person among them because all those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds of what was sold,
Acts 4:35 and laid them at the missionaries’ feet. This was then distributed to each person as any had need.
Acts 4:36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus by birth, the one the missionaries called Barnabas (which is translated Son of Encouragement),
Acts 4:37 sold a field he owned, brought the money, and laid it at the missionaries’ feet.

community, not communism

The special relationship that the believers had in Jerusalem was indeed a commitment to each other, but it was not an instance of communism. Here’s why:

They made their choices not based on a political dogma, but based on their mission to spread the gospel.
They were able to do what they did because they owned private land which they had the power to sell.
Their goal was not to establish a distribution system, but to meet needs within their own congregation.
They entrusted their resources not to the state, but to the missionaries.

Lord, give us a passion for sharing your gospel that makes us want to share our resources with the needy among us.

What did that deacon say?

Posted in church, giving, poverty | Tagged Acts 4 | Leave a comment