Acts 4:32-35 (NRSV)
Read Acts 4:32-35 on biblegateway.com
Verse 32Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. Verse 33With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. Verse 34There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. Verse 35They laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
Devotion
One thing we do not know from this verse is how long the early Christians continued this practice of sharing all things. Honestly, was it ten years? Five? One? When I first read this passage years ago, I wanted every church to change their membership policies to include a commitment to the church as deep as this. Naive? Overly-zealous? Why, yes. I've been accused of that before.
Here is the thing; this story is not prescriptive of church life, but it is a description of what a group of believers decided to do out of devotion to God. You can't "law" Acts 4:32-35. You just can't. This verse is powerful because the early believers did what they did out of unity, love and inspiration by the Holy Spirit.
This story shows the power of the Holy Spirit to create out of normal sinners a beautiful thing. It is meant to make us ask, "What could our community do if it listened to the Holy Spirit? What has it done already?"
Prayer
Dear God: Open our hearts to hear your Holy Spirit. Inspire us to give where you would have us give and change what you would have us change. Give us the courage to follow you. Amen.