Tangible Love
Opening Prayer
Holy Spirit of God, You work in unexpected ways and in unusual places. Forgive me for trying to domesticate You.
Read Acts 4:32–37
32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
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Reflect
“It was a gracious Church living under the shadow of the Cross. Each person knew they had been saved by grace, healed by grace, and nurtured in grace. Grace became the life-blood of the body” (Lloyd John Ogilvie). It is a wonderful thing when you find a church like that!
Jesus’ presence was very much in evidence among this growing community. His awareness of others and their needs was a feature of their life together. Their sharing held no expectation of return. God’s grace to them was reflected in their tangible love and generosity towards one another so that there was no material need among them. Oh, if only the church today felt such a bond with our poor and needy brothers and sisters across national barriers!
Luke cites a leading example of these important values. A Levite named Joseph lived so graciously among them that the apostles nicknamed him Barnabas, “son of encouragement” (36,37). His family had possibly migrated to Cyprus many years previously and were part of the sizeable Jewish community there. Retaining property in Jerusalem, they would have occasionally returned for major festivals. At that time, landowners gained wealth from rents paid by tenant
farmers (as demonstrated in Jesus’ parable recorded in Luke 20:9–16), so by selling his field Barnabas was sacrificing significant income. That culture praised and publicly honored a servant-benefactor, but by privately giving the proceeds of the sale to the apostles for distribution, Barnabas was relinquishing any resulting increase in social standing. His was true self-sacrificial love. With love like that, exhibited within the community, it is no wonder that the proclamation of the resurrection by the apostles had great power!
The church is called to live and practice love. We fail to sacrifice ourselves or our possessions for others because we fail to know them or their needs. We thank God for his blessing yet we forget to feed the hungry, provide safe drinking water for the thirsty, shelter the foreigner and homeless, clothe the needy, care for the sick and visit prisoners (Matt. 25:35–40). In our neglect, we ignore the Lord himself.
Apply
What is God calling you to sacrifice for him? Do something tangible to meet the needs of those he loves today.
Closing prayer
Lord, may my church be a place where we stand with each other, sharing Christ’s love in the fellowship and out into the world.
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