All Things Common

The early Church found an understanding of Christ and His commandment and commission that made Truth applicable and they started a revolution.

“Jesus said, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart...soul...and mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments.’” Matt. 22:36-40

“Jesus said, ‘Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matt. 28:19-20


I’ve watched people for years, some here, and some in other churches that live frustrated dispassionate lives. Why? They have access to the same Holy Ghost, the same Bible, the same everything as anybody else.

The theory of Christianity is not enough. Knowing about Christ and having a knowledge about the principles is not enough to satisfy the desire to know God and see a life of purpose.

The other reason that many people are cold or even deny Christ is that they have brought everything that they are and offered themselves but have been neglected or rejected because we haven’t really understood how to be the Church.

Remember Peter? Read the previous blog here.

It was the same Peter on Pentecost, he wasn’t a cowardly braggart, he was a man that had offered his all at a time and place where there was no applicable avenue. He denied Christ to the point of swearing because at that moment it didn’t matter to know Christ. He was lost not because of his motive or intent, but because he was caught in between two testaments. I would have probably done the same thing. Maybe you would have, too.

You might not know it, but Peter died years later, crucified upside down, refusing to deny the Christ who had saved him.

Well, if Christianity is all about a building and us getting together two or three times a week, we’ll have a whole lot of fireside denials because the application is too narrow. That, however, is not what Christianity is about.

The book of Acts group didn’t see the Church as a weekly religious obligation. They didn’t have stained glass facilities and all of the great things we have now, but they had the heart of Christ. Here’s how the early church that turned the world upside down applied the words of Jesus:

And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
Acts 2:44 (KJV)

(Did you know that Acts 2 had 44 verses?)

And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
Acts 4:32 (KJV)

We spend a lot of time and effort looking for the next greatest tool to make the church better, to come up with better concepts and all of these things are important, but all along the answer is right here, amongst us. In fact it is us. It’s not high and lofty, it’s gritty and dirty. It may very well put grease up to your elbows and saw dust in your pockets.

If we’ll look at these two scriptures in the light of really making an application of them, we’ll begin to see the Church become the beautiful creation God intends (not intended) it to be.

“You should be like one big happy family, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds.”
1 Peter 3:8 (Living Bible)

“Don’t reprimand a senior member of the church, appeal to him as a father. Treat the young men as brothers, and the older women as mothers. Treat the younger women as sisters...”
1 Tim. 5:1-2 (Phillips)

When we see Christianity as the family of God instead of a religious function or entity we’ll see the heart of Christ like the first century church. There are so many frustrated Christians because we have created such a narrow avenue in what we consider to be “ministry.”

We’re not among strangers or even friends. These people all around you are the Body of Christ, the family of God and if we really believed that the Bible is true, there wouldn’t be anyone in this building with a need that can be met by another member of the family of God.

Well, what if someone abuses my generosity or tries to take advantage of me? That may happen, so you’ll have to know when to say no. If we are going to be fulfilled in Christ, though, we have to take the risk.

So, here’s the altar call:

Is there anybody here that has a leaky faucet and can’t afford to fix it?
Is there a plumber in the house?

Is there anyone that has a car that needs to be repaired and don’t have the means to fix it?
Is there a mechanic in the house?

Is there anybody here that doesn't have enough food?
Is there a family with an empty space at the table?

Is there anyone that doesn’t have warm clothes for the winter?
Does anybody have an extra coat?


Does anybody desperately need their home repaired?
Is there a carpenter in the house?

If we’ll do this, we won’t just have church, we’ll be the church.

-Armando

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!