Main Text: Acts 4:32-37
Memory Verse: …and if you spend yourself in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness and your night will become like the noonday – Isaiah 58:10
Introduction
Helping those in need is one of the major themes of the Bible; Jesus demonstrated this in His ministry. In the Old Testament, the LORD commanded the Israelites to harvest their fields in a manner that would always leave portions of their produce for the poor and needy to pick (Lev 19:9-10). Also, Jesus through various teachings stressed the need to be generous to the poor. In addition, the early Christians exemplified these virtues in their daily lives by meeting the needs of one another through sacrificial giving and sharing (Acts 4:32-37). Can the same be said of our generation? Our discussion today will help us examine our responsibilities to the needy and how we can follow the example of Christ in fulfilling this mandate.
Questions For Discussion
- What was the relationship among the believers? Verse 32
- How do you understand the statement, ‘there were no needy persons among them’? Verses 34-35
- How did Jesus demonstrate generosity to those in need? Luke 9:11,16-17
- How can we identify and meet the physical, spiritual, social and other needs of people in our families, the church and society?
- How can we differentiate genuine needs from laziness, greed and a person’s desire to exploit the generosity and kind-heartedness of fellow believers? 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12
Conclusion
Jesus was sensitive to the needs of His listeners, disciples and the sick and ensured that their needs were met. In the same way, the relationship that existed among the believers was that of cordiality, sensitivity, and oneness. As a result, none was needy among them. Their sensitivity, fellow-feeling and the love of God drove them to go the extra mile in meeting the needs of one another. We must thus, be encouraged by the good examples of our Lord Jesus Christ and the early church to identify the various areas of need of our friends, families and strangers and endeavour to meet them. Meeting the needs of others brings fulfilment and meaning to our lives in a way that accumulation of wealth and self -seeking pursuits cannot match. However, believers must be careful not to exploit kind-hearted family members and fellow believers or use Christian generosity as basis to live idle lives. These do not glorify God.