9-28-2017

Good Morning All,

            Acts 4:34; “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”

     There are many powerful verses or phrases in the Bible that can and should cause us to wonder and to be in awe of.  When Jesus said, “It is finished.” Or when the angel said, “He is not here; for he has risen!”  These are a couple of those verses.  “It is finished.”  The job is done, the debt is paid in full; the last payment on the mortgage is made.  “He is not here; for he has risen!” Forever, our life is changed.  We are entirely different creatures now.  With our debt fully paid and with Christ raised from the dead and reigning forever; our life is changed or is it?

    Our verse for today is one of the powerful verses. “There was not a needy person among them,” can we say that?  Can we look at our church family and our neighborhood and say, “there is not a needy person among them?”  I know our response, “I do the best I can.” I know we do.  I know that to many of you this is going to sound like a plea (demand?) for money for the church but it really isn’t.  This verse, although easily twisted into a plea for more money, is more than that.  It moves much deeper into what our life as a Christian should be.  It is about compassion.

    For many of us, giving to the church is a matter of duty or of guilty conscience or of selfish desire.  We give to get others off our back and to make it easier to sleep at night.  Some of the church’s largest donors were mafia kings and drug lords trying to appease their guilt and buy their redemption; neither worked.  This verse is not about money; it is about compassion.  The members of the church body looked around, saw needs and met them.  In our verse, apparently the needs were physical, food, clothing, shelter and the like; so many sold some things to provide the funds.  It doesn’t say they sold everything; it says they met the needs of the people among them.  Do we meet the needs of the people among us?

   I read the story a few days ago about the third grade boy who answered the question “What I want my teacher to know...” with the answer “that I don’t have anyone to play with.”  That is a needy person and money won’t really solve anything.  What this little boy needs is someone’s time.  Maybe this would be the best compassion to show.  You may be the parent or grandparent who ends up being talked into coaching the local t-ball or soccer club.  As hectic as that is, be sure to watch for the young ones who need your attention because it may be lacking at home.  Look around your church and your neighborhood; is there someone who always eats alone, sits alone and goes home to an empty house?  They may prefer that or they may be as lonely as it looks.  For us as Christians, the challenge of “there was not a needy person among them” is great.  Ask the Lord for guidance and courage to meet this need.  God be with you as you do.

Father, you give us all we need to support this body and life.  Give me the courage and the wisdom to aid my brothers and sisters and all those around me in need to come to their aid and comfort.  Bring us closer as a community that we may share your love and mercy with all.  In the precious name of Jesus, our risen Savior and King we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret