No needy persons

The first church “had no needy persons among them.” The church had over 5,000 people in it by this time and not one in need. It’s staggering when you think about it. Not one falling through the cracks in a group that big. It was only possible, because “no one claimed any of his possessions as his own”. “From time to time” people were selling their property to make sure everyone in the body had their needs met.

There are dozens (if not hundreds) of churches in this country with 5,000 people. But how many 5,000 who are “one in heart and mind”. How many have 5,000 people so committed to one another that they would look at the wealth and say “not my wealth… the Kingdom’s wealth.” The church I belong to is good church with only between 70 and 100 people, and I don’t think we could claim to be at this level.

This is probably why they were such a force to be reckoned with. The Kingdom of God was real to them. They were committed to one another. The world understood the love of God by seeing how they loved one another.

Here is a challenge: Go through your most valuable possessions (home, bank account, car, collections…). Remind yourself item by item, that you have “surrendered all” to Jesus. So, my mini-van becomes the King’s mini-van. My home is Christ’s home. Etc... Are they being used in that way?