In Acts 2:47 Jerusalem Church is described as “having favor with all the people”. What special traits of this church aided to be favored among the people? The preceding verse tells this:
Acts 2:45 “They sold their
possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need.” Anytime
this verse is spoken anywhere either we want to nod our heads showing our
amazement and go back or would immediately want to argue that their context and
situations were different unlike us today. I want to pull here the important
trait of the Jerusalem church (Early church) they got from the people to give
back not to keep to themselves. Somebody said like this “Not giving to
get, it’s giving to get to give more” Unbelievers saw the generosity
of these believers, they saw how they loved one another and many came to the
faith. Verse 47 says “And the Lord added
to their number day by day those who are being saved”.
Paul talks about the generosity of the Macedonian
church in 2 Corinthians 8:1: “We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of
God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia.” How was God’s grace
demonstrated? Through their giving to needy Christians. In verse 6, Paul calls
the Macedonians’ giving to help the hungry in Jerusalem as an “act of grace.”.
There’s no doubt that the Macedonian churches were in the midst of difficult
financial times. Paul references their “severe trial” and “extreme poverty,”
making it clear that this is a group of people that has almost nothing to
spare. And yet, they gave generously, “even beyond their ability.”
“The world can benefit from seeing the church's generosity as
an attractive witness to the grace of Christ”. Randy Alcorn author of many books including “Heaven
and the treasure principle”
Now the need is varied, do we intentionally work our
strategy to address the many needs of the people in the church and outside or
we have only strategy to collect for the expansion of our ministry. Let us bear
this in mind, when the congregation notices that the church has a vision and
strategy built to help the poor, then definitely the congregation’s heart is moved
to volunteer for the cause.
People give, not from their richness but from their
extreme poverty status. 2 Cor 8:4 says “they begged us
earnestly for the privilege of sharing in the ministry to the saints” Helping
the needy has always set Christians apart, showing the world that we operate on
a radically different value system. In the sermon where Christ says we are not
to give in order to be seen by men. He commands us to “let your light
shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to
your Father who is in heaven” (Mathew 5:16). Does your church model
the early Jerusalem Church or Macedonian Church?