Memory Verse:
“All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.” – Acts 2:44-45 (NIV)
The Weight of Our Blessings: When Sharing Becomes a Burden
We often marvel at the accounts of the early church in the book of Acts. We read about their fervent prayer, their miraculous signs and wonders, and their bold proclamation of the Gospel. But perhaps one of the most striking, and for us, most challenging, aspects of their life together is found in passages like Acts 2:44-45 and Acts 4:32. They shared everything. Not because they were forced, not under duress, but because their love for one another transcended personal ownership.
“All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.” (Acts 4:32)
This wasn’t communism, enforced by a governing power. This was community, driven by a Spirit-filled love that made individual possessions seem secondary to the collective well-being of the family of God. They understood that their “blessings” were not just for their personal comfort, but for the flourishing of the body of Christ.
Today, in our modern world, particularly in places like Cape Town, Johannesburg, and across the globe, the word “sharing” has taken on a much lighter meaning, if it’s considered at all. When our blessings lead to hoarding instead of generous sharing, we are fundamentally missing the essence of Christ’s character, and the very foundation of His early church.
The Self-Centred Gospel: Blessings as a Barrier
In many modern church settings, the emphasis has subtly shifted from radical discipleship to personal prosperity and comfort. We talk about “claiming your blessings,” “receiving your breakthrough,” and “living your best life.” While God certainly desires to bless us, this often translates into a self-focused Christianity where generosity is either an afterthought or a means to receive more.
Scenario 1: The Accumulator with a Gilded Cage. Consider Mr. and Mrs. Van der Merwe, devout members of a large, affluent church in Constantia. They have a beautiful home, multiple luxury cars, and extensive investments. They faithfully tithe 10% of their income, feeling they have done their part. Meanwhile, within their very church, there’s a young family, recently arrived from a rural area, struggling to make rent and put food on the table for their children. Mr. and Mrs. Van der Merwe are aware of “needs in the community” but wouldn’t dream of opening their spare wing or offering one of their vehicles for extended use, let alone selling assets to meet a critical need. “We worked hard for this,” they reason.
The Rebuke: Their “blessings” have become a barrier, not a bridge. Their prosperity has led to accumulation and comfort, rather than a deeper commitment to radical generosity. The early church didn’t hoard; they shared. Their love for Christ and each other compelled them to redistribute resources within the body, ensuring “there were no needy persons among them” (Acts 4:34). We’ve allowed personal ownership to trump communal responsibility.
Scenario 2: The “Just Enough For Me” Christian. Then there’s Brenda, a single professional in Pretoria. She’s a kind person, attends church regularly, and offers to pray for people. But if a friend asks for financial help to cover an unexpected medical bill, or a fellow believer needs a ride that’s slightly out of her way, Brenda quickly pulls back. “I’m just scraping by myself,” she’ll say, despite having comfortable savings and disposable income for entertainment. The idea of truly sacrificing her own comfort or perceived needs for someone else feels like an unacceptable burden.
The Rebuke: This mindset turns the Gospel into a “just enough for me” philosophy. It’s a subtle selfishness that limits God’s ability to flow through us. We confuse contentment with hoarding. Jesus taught us to “give, and it will be given to you” (Luke 6:38), not just financially, but in every area of life. When sharing feels like a “burden,” it reveals a heart that is not fully yielded to Christ’s call to love as He loved.
The Hard Truth: It’s Difficult to Preach Sharing
Why is it so hard to preach about this radical, Acts 2 kind of sharing today? Because as believers, many of us simply don’t want the burden. We want the blessings, but we don’t want the responsibility that comes with being a steward of God’s resources for His kingdom.
Preaching about truly sharing possessions, opening our homes, sacrificing our comforts for others, often meets with discomfort, resistance, or polite agreement followed by no action. Pastors worry about decreasing offerings or losing members if they challenge this deeply ingrained selfishness. The allure of personal comfort and the security of ownership have become more powerful idols than the command to love our neighbour as ourselves.
Scenario 3: The “Boundaried” Community Leader. Pastor Themba, a passionate young leader in a township church, felt led to challenge his congregation to pool resources to buy a small bus for elderly members who couldn’t attend services. He preached Acts 2 passionately. After the sermon, a few people expressed interest, but the majority, even those with ample resources, stayed silent. Later, one deacon quietly told him, “Pastor, people have worked hard for what they have. We can’t ask them to sacrifice like that. It’s too much of a burden.”
The Rebuke: This reveals how deeply our modern comfort has inoculated us against radical discipleship. We’ve become so accustomed to individualism and protecting our possessions that the very idea of communal sacrifice, which was normal for the early church, now feels revolutionary or even inappropriate. This isn’t just about money; it’s about a spiritual posture that prioritizes comfort over Christ’s call.
When the Word Becomes Selfish:
The paradox is that the very Word of God, which calls us to selflessness, can be twisted to justify our selfishness. We can quote scriptures about “blessings” or “God supplying all our needs” without acknowledging the reciprocal call to be channels of those blessings to others. We become consumers of God’s grace, rather than conduits.
Scenario 4: The Prayer for “My House” Only. During a prayer meeting, a fervent young man prays for God to bless his upcoming business venture, to prosper his investments, and to ensure his family always has enough. His prayers are entirely focused on his own well-being and material gain. He never prays for the struggling street vendors outside the church, for the families affected by recent job losses, or for the church’s outreach to the poor.
The Rebuke: Our prayers often reveal the true idols of our hearts. When our prayers are exclusively focused on self-enrichment, they reflect a selfish gospel that misses the expansive heart of God for the poor and the marginalized. True prayer aligns with God’s kingdom agenda, which always includes caring for the “least of these” (Matthew 25:40).
A Call to Radical Generosity: Reclaiming Christ’s Character
The early church shared everything they had not because they were communists, but because their love for one another transcended personal ownership. Their “blessings” were seen as communal resources, to be used to ensure “there was no needy person among them” (Acts 4:34). This is the very essence of Christ’s character, who “though he was rich, yet for your sake became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).
Believers, it’s time to repent of our comfortable selfishness and embrace the radical generosity that defines true discipleship.
Re-evaluate Your Definition of “Blessing”: A blessing isn’t just for your consumption; it’s a resource entrusted to you for the building of God’s kingdom and the care of His people.
Cultivate a Spirit of Detachment from Possessions: Recognize that everything you have belongs to God. You are a steward, not an owner. This mindset frees you to share without feeling a sense of loss. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).
Seek Out Needs Within the Body: Don’t wait to be asked. Actively look for ways to meet practical needs within your church community. Is someone struggling with transport? Offer a lift. Is a family facing eviction? Consider offering temporary housing or helping with rent.
Practice Sacrificial Sharing: Start small. Give away something you genuinely value, not just your excess. Look for opportunities to share your time, skills, resources, and even your space. This is where love becomes tangible and inconvenient.
Pray for a Generous Heart: Ask God to give you a heart like His – a heart that is not just willing, but eager to give, even when it costs. Ask Him to break the spirit of hoarding and self-preservation within you.
Let us reclaim the radical, Christ-like generosity that marked the early church. Let our love for one another truly transcend personal ownership. When our blessings lead to generous sharing, we are not losing a burden; we are gaining the profound joy of embodying Christ’s character, and demonstrating His love to a world desperately in need of it.