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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. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God\u2019s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 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 and put it at the apostles\u2019 feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. (Acts 4:32-35)

We alluded yesterday to the church of Acts and the way they loved one another practically and generously. Not only in words, but in very concrete and quite literally costly deeds. Today we zoom in on that story.

Now, there are a number of counter-cultural strands that run through this story.

Just listen:

A community that was one in heart and mind?
No one claimed their possessions as their own?
They shared everything?
There were no needy persons among them?

How did it happen?

Well, Luke, the writer of Acts places the emphasis for this loving generosity quite directly on the work of God among them. The power was in "God's grace" at work and in the testimony about "the resurrection of the Lord Jesus."

God's self-emptying act of love in giving everything so that life might overflow in resurrection for not just Jesus, but through Jesus for all: this was God's grace\u2014God's "gift." And God's grace-gift worked powerfully in the hearts and minds of this new community to transform, in the power of the Spirit, their understanding of just about everything.

Everything they had\u2014their life, their possessions, their talents, and now their identity and hope too\u2014was a gift of God. A grace of God. Nothing was of their deserving. Nothing was of their accomplishment. Nothing was for them alone. It all came long before as a grace of God. A grace of God which now worked powerfully in them to transform them into the self-giving, generous likeness of Jesus, their resurrected Lord.

No one among them was in need, because God's grace was sufficient and was powerfully overflowing one to another as it transformed each in the way of Christ. The kingdom was coming on Earth as it is in Heaven in this Christian community.

Yesterday, you were invited to wonder about the question "how you would know if someone from your church was in need?" The question was asked with a eye to showing the practical love of generosity with them.

Today, the question is: how has God's grace already empowered you with gifts that can transform you to live generously? Even in COVID-19, they're there.

See His gifts, count them one by one, and let God's grace transform you today.

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