SERMON: "SHARING BY AN EASTER PEOPLE" SCRIPTURE: ACTS 4:32-37 DATE: APRIL 12, 2015

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1 1 SERMON: "SHARING BY AN EASTER PEOPLE" SCRIPTURE: ACTS 4:32-37 DATE: APRIL 12, 2015 Acts 4:32-37 (NIV) 32 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. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. 36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means son of encouragement ), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles feet. There was a famous actor who was at a cocktail party talking only about himself. He talked about the plays he had been in, his recent divorce, his philosophy of life. Finally he stopped prattling on about himself long enough to say to the group clustered around him, "Oh, but I've talked enough about myself. Let's talk about you for a while. What did you think about my last play?" A number of years ago the wife of the man who wrote a best seller entitled "Looking Out For Number One" divorced him. She ended up receiving thousands and thousands of dollars in alimony. When asked about what happened, she is reported to have said, "I read the book!"

2 2 Self-centredness---looking out for number one. The self-centredness of that actor and the author's wife is, sadly, a part of our world---a part of human nature. And yet now, in the recent glow of remembering the Easter event, we are reminded of qualities like sacrifice and selflessness, love and care for others. As we look at our Scripture lesson this morning, from quite a different book, we read about the power of an Easter people looking out for one another. Acts 4:32-37 is about a Church on a roll. It's about a Church gathering steam. Jesus had risen from the dead and entered heaven. His followers knew He was alive. The promised Holy Spirit had arrived and strengthened the backbone of the apostles so that they were fearless in their preaching of the Gospel---the Good News of the Lord. Just prior to our lesson, Peter and John had successfully stood up to the authorities who had demanded that they cease from their ministry. Rather than be cowed by the pressure, they walked away more eager than ever to obey God's will for their lives---to proclaim the truth about Jesus Christ and what that meant for the world. The power of the Holy Spirit was having a tremendous impact on the lives of the people. Our lesson speaks of the grace manifesting itself in the Church through unity and sharing. The sharing that was offered wasn't a superficial offering but it was deep, sacrificial giving. The Easter event reminded the people of Christ's sacrifice and love. They knew firsthand what Christ had done for them---what He

3 3 had offered on their behalf. They knew the power of the Holy Spirit to transform lives and transcend old attitudes. They were brought together as a people focused on Easter. God used what had happened to make a difference in their lives and their community. Easter's power and Easter's impact molded them into an Easter people---a people who cared for one another and shared whatever was necessary to meet the needs of each and every one of them. We gather this morning, 2000 years after the Easter event and one week after our celebration of it. We are no less an Easter people than those who looked Jesus and Peter and John in the eye. The Holy Spirit has connected us to the Lord with the same power, grace and direction. We continue to seek to reflect the unity and sharing within the Church that was so special at the beginning. To do that we need to maintain a focus that is different from the actor and the authors' wife. We need to maintain a focus that seeks to meet the needs of others---that seeks to care and support---that seeks to reflect the sacrifice of Easter concretely to those around us---that seeks to give to one another freely out of love and compassion. It's an awesome task and responsibility because it's so easy to grow lazy and give in to self-centredness. It's so easy to list priorities according to what we want rather than what God wants of us. It's so easy to grow tired and desensitized to the needs that are within our community and, specifically this morning because of the context of the Scripture lesson, I'm talking about care for others within the Church-- -not outside in the world around us.

4 4 And yet where there is a faith community and where there is the power of the Holy Spirit---there, there will be compassion and concern and action to make a difference in whatever needs express themselves. We are an Easter people---called to unity and sharing. It's a foundational pillar supporting what we are all about. Unfortunately and fortunately we are given rallying points around which we are challenged to respond with action. I say unfortunately because, when there is a need, there is also struggle and difficulty. I say fortunately because, when there is a need, we are given the privilege of making our faith real and relevant. There are so many needs that we can become aware of within the congregation and within the Church at large. There are lots of opportunities. Every year I know that the Ladies Guild sends Tim Cards to college and university students associated with the congregation. As well, every year our shut-ins receive a tin of cookies. These may seem to be small acts of sharing but they mean much. They mean that people are cared about and not forgotten. It's still early, and all the needs haven't yet been identified, but Ann Hopkins will need our help in many, many ways. Ann's great heart and wonderful friendship has impacted the lives of many here and in our community. Now we have the opportunity to offer Ann our heartfelt help and friendship as she rebuilds her life after her recent tragedy. Sharing within the Church also includes the wider Church so many people offer donations to Sleeping Children Around the World and

5 5 adopt oversees children through World Vision and other like Christian agencies as well as donate to our own Presbyterian Sharing and Presbyterian World Service and Development needs. These organizations provide us opportunities and challenges to give as Easter people. All of this points to our understanding of Christian Stewardship. What we own is not ultimately ours. What we have, we have been given by God. We are called to use our possessions according to God's will. We can certainly enjoy what we have but we need to keep from becoming attached to "things." When we become overly possessive about material goods it's very easy to slip into a mode of selfcentredness and selfishness. God has provided for us abundantly. God's provisions are meant to be shared. Sharing isn't only an opportunity to care, it also brings about a wonderful taste of heaven on earth. Rather than the actor and the author's wife, we are called to be like two brothers in an old Jewish legend. The legend tells how the location was determined where the Temple would be built. Two brothers lived on adjoining farms. One was married, the other a bachelor. Their farms were of equal size and at harvest time seemed to be equally fruitful. The wheat had been cut and was standing in sheaves in the fields. The married brother was at home, thinking of his unmarried brother. "He is a lonely person," he mused, "he has not experienced the joy of a wife and children. I think that I will take some of my sheaves and put them in his field tonight. It will give him joy to see such a big harvest on his farm."

6 6 It so happened that, at that very moment, the bachelor brother was at home reflecting on his married brother. "My brother has many mouths to feed," he said to himself. "I do not require nearly as much as he does. I'll take some of my sheaves and put them in his field tonight." The night was dark as each of the brothers began to carry out his plan in secret. But as they made their way toward each other's farm they met face to face in the open field. The legend says that, at the spot where they met, the Temple was built, for on that spot heaven was nearest to earth. Heaven on earth---something that an Easter people knows all about and creates as we share with one another. (1366) The Rev. Dennis Cook, St. Timothy s Presbyterian Church, Ajax, ON, Canada