and lay them at the apostles’ feet for distribution to anyone as he had need.and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and distribution was made to each, according as anyone had need.And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.and laid them at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto each, according as any one had need.
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 then we come down to this last little text. It says, all the believers, verse 32, were in one heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own. Okay, so now we know God is involved. But they shared everything they had. 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 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. …
… but everything they owned was held in common. With great power, the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, 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. …