The early church was totally devoted to the gospel and totally devoted to one another. What a radical picture!


Look at Acts 4:32 – 37

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles feet.


The early church was totally devoted to the gospel and totally devoted to one another. This passage gives us a picture of Christians who are united in their love for the Lord and their love for one another. The power of God was evident in the way that they shared the gospel and their belongings. Not a person among them was needy.

I’m sure that not every person had what he or she wanted but every person was without need. Their spiritual needs were provided for in the gospel and their physical needs were provided for through the church family around them.

So radical was their commitment to the gospel and to one another’s needs that they actually sold their excess belongings and gave their wealth to the church to serve anyone who had needs among them.

What a radical picture! Totally devoted to the gospel and totally devoted to one another.