There were no needy ones among them, because those who owned lands or houses would sell their property, bring the proceeds from the sales,For neither was there among them any who lacked, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,For neither was there among them any that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
3 sermons cite this verse
What I want us to do is next week we're going to look at Acts 2, 42-47 as well as Acts 4, verse 32-37 and see the picture of community. But I want us to see what's sandwiched in the middle. It's a story of Peter and John and a guy who's crippled from birth in Acts 3, verse 1. And we'll start reading there. And I want us to see the significance of this story played out even in our community of faith here at the church at Brook Hills. Verse 1 says, One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer at three in the afternoon. Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. And then Peter said, look at us. …
… and God's grace was so powerfully at work in them all 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 and put it at the apostles' feet and it was distributed to anyone who had need. Well, then they call out this guy, Joseph. Luke is writing this and he's giving us the eyewitness account of what's going on here and he wants to highlight this guy named Joseph. And he says, Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas, which means son of encouragement, sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet. That guy made it into the scripture. Joseph made it right into the word of God. We got guys preaching and then put in jail and then threatened, and of course, Peter and John are gonna make it into the scripture. But the last person mentioned in this whole section is Barnabas, and he's mentioned because he's got an extra piece of land. …
… and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas, which means son of encouragement. He sold a field that belonged to him and then brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. One of the problems with the book of Acts is that it insists on giving us these little snapshots, these little vignettes of what life was like in the earliest Christian community. And frankly, they can be rather discouraging. They're not discouraging because they're gloomy or bad news. Quite to the contrary, they're discouraging because they're so darn perfect. They're so blue sky, so blissful, so idyllic. …