just wanted to share my Sunday School paper with ya'll. :)
Acts 2:45: “Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.” Would you say that this sacrificial giving and sharing is unusual? Why and why not? Why is this sacrificial giving and sharing not being practiced today? Or do you think this sacrificial giving and sharing is still practiced today? Why do you think the believers would do this (sacrificial giving and sharing)? If you were present at the time, that is if you were able to travel back in time to 34AD, how would you have reacted when strangers gave sacrificially to you? Why would you behave that way?
The book of Acts explores about the history of the church, and how everything came to be. In this specific section of Acts, verses 42-47, it talks about the fellowship of believers; what the followers of Christ did for each other which resulted with “the Lord add[ing] to their number day by day to those who were being saved”. Keeping this in context, verse 45 talks about the believers giving up everything they have to anyone who needs it.
In today society: power, authority, fame, and pride are the main factors that make one “successful”, and by hearing this verse, one will think it sounds odd, different, and unusual because it says the complete opposite about what the world is about today. Although it may be unusual, there is a distinct difference between the two. For one, the “world” is not entirely Christian, thus, the ones willing to sell all their possessions for the needy are the ideal Christ-followers; people who follow their king, their Lord and their savior. Jesus Christ himself, portrayed all that is said in the passage. He gave up everything he had, his kingdom, heaven, power, and prestige to come down to give to those who need to be saved. Just like the verse, it states “anyone” as Jesus provided and gifted salvation to everyone and anyone, as long as they were willing to receive it. Ergo, as followers of Christ, the people in the passage followed their example by doing the most they could; giving up everything they had.
This practice does sound like an extreme to this world, to any individual of the twenty-first century because of how much media and society has influenced one today. It is probably still practiced today for those who show themselves as true followers of Christ, but for those who claim to be a follower, they may still have the struggle of getting to that stage of giving up anything they possess for anyone, including a random stranger. Whether or not someone travels back to that time period or stays in the present; as the one receiving the goods, they would be surprised and shocked, questioning the reason behind the one doing this. Through the confusion, the questioning, and the curiosity, one may see the love of God and have the urge to learn more about the reasons behind the action. As Christians, we must learn and follow, just as the believers did in the passage, by setting our eyes on Jesus Christ, following His actions and words, and continuing his legacy, proving our commitment and relationship to Him.
Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.
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