Devoted to Fellowship: Generous Sharing Cause and Effect

“And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,”

Acts 2:46 (ESV)

HOW CAN I DEVELOP A “JERUSALEM-LIKE DEVOTION” TO GENEROSITY?”

1. By sharing their ATTITUDE. An attitude of SELFLESSNESS.

“The whole congregation of believers was united as one—one heart, one mind! They didn’t even claim ownership of their own possessions. No one said, “That’s mine; you can’t have it.” They shared everything...”

Acts 4:32 (MSG)

“The very spring of our actions is the love of Christ. We look at it like this: if one died for all men then, in a sense, they all died, and his purpose in dying for them is that their lives should now be no longer lived for themselves but for him who died and rose again for them.”

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (Phillips)

“Don’t let selfishness and prideful agendas take over. Embrace true humility, and lift your heads to extend love to others. Get beyond yourselves and protecting your own interests; be sincere, and secure your neighbors’ interests first. In other words, adopt the mind-set of Jesus the Anointed. Live with His attitude in your hearts. Remember: Though He was in the form of God, He chose not to cling to equality with God; But He poured Himself out…”

Philippians 2:3-7 (Voice)

Giving grows out of the heart—otherwise, you’ve reluctantly grumbled “yes” because you felt you had to or because you couldn’t say “no,” but this isn’t the way God wants it. For we know that “God loves a cheerful giver.”

2 Corinthians 9:7 (Voice)

2. By sharing their ACTIONS. Acts that DISPLAY selflessness.

“And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need.” 

Acts 2:44-45 (NLT)

“And so it turned out that not a person among them was needy. Those who owned fields or houses sold them and brought the price of the sale to the apostles and made an offering of it. The apostles then distributed it according to each person’s need.” 

Acts 4:34-35 (MSG)

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence:” 

1 John 3:16, 18-19 (NIV)

3. By sharing their IMPACT. Note the four areas of impact.

“They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.”

Acts 2:45-47 (NLT)

* The impact of a UNITED CONGREGATION.

* The impact of CHANGED LIVES.

* The impact of COMMUNITY FAVOR.

* The impact of SAVED SOULS.

NOTE: Both GENEROSITY and SELFISHNESS have impact.

Where ·jealousy [or envy] and ·selfishness [selfish ambition] are, there will be ·confusion [chaos; disorder] and every ·kind of evil [evil thing/practice]. 

James 3:16 (EXB)