You can find the video here: https://www.facebook.com/RichlandNaz/videos/671864023616201/
What would it look like, if we lived more generously as a community? What could that encompass? Could living more generously go beyond finances and tap into other resources we have?
I think of my woodworking friends. I have always thought it would be cool if I could build things. But, I struggle with that. I remember being in 8th grade woodshop. And I had a great teacher who realized something. I can cut out, plane, sand, basically make perfect parts. But when it comes to putting those parts together – well my projects looked like Picasso had put them together. He even went as far as to have me make his parts for him when he demonstrated the project for the class. His projects always looked great – mine – well, not so much.
Let’s look at that Scripture again from yesterday, there’s something here I would like us to look at.
Acts 2:42-47 (NIV) They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Often times when we look at generosity and we focus on finances. But – I believe that finances are simply a part of our resources. There are times where our time or talents, our God-given gifts and graces and other things, thoughts, and ideas can be a resource to give generously. Think about it this way, do you have a skill or talent that you could share with others? Do you have time that could be spent focusing on the well-being of others? Who is it that God has created you to be or you have learned to be (like a skill) that can be shared?
In one church, we had a lady who was elderly. She was in her mid-late eighties. Most of her life she had been really active in her church. But she was physically more limited as she got older. But she wanted to help – and she could pray. She even told me, that she couldn’t kneel any more because she couldn’t get up. But she would sit at her kitchen table, next to her phone, and if I needed prayer she would answer my call to prayer.
In other churches I’ve been part of we have had men in the church who could do maintenance on cars. And they taught the younger people how to do what they had learned to do. Still to this day I like doing my own oil change on my vehicles - not to mention any repairs or other maintenance that I can save a few bucks on doing it myself. But that came to me because someone lived generously with their time and talent or skill.
So why does the Church need to live more generously – what’s our why? Why would it matter if we were to live more generously as a community – it’s one word – Love.
Love is the motivator for this gospel-centered community. On this passage, N. T. Wright comments: “They had a word for this way of ordering their life, a word which we have often taken to refer to feelings inside you but which, for them, was primarily about what you do with your possessions when you’re part of this big, extended family.” (N. T. Wright, Acts for Everyone: Part 1, 46–47).
It is only the love of Christ that will compel us to live differently from the mainstream of cultural distraction. This is what Paul talks about in
Galatians 2:20 (NIV) I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
By believing on Christ, as a sacrifice for sin and knowing that He loved us, and willingly gave Himself for us, our salvation is based on Christ’s love for us. How can we turn His love for us, that love for us, into love for others?