Okay, let's read the text one
more time. Acts chapter 4, verses 32 to 37. Acts 4, 32. And the multitude of them that
believed were of one heart and of one soul. Neither said any
of them that all of the things which he possessed was his own,
but they had all things common. And with great power gave the
apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great
grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them
that lacked, for as many as were possessors of lands or houses
sold them and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
and laid them down at the apostles' feet, and distribution was made
unto every man according as he had need. And Joses, who by the
apostles was surnamed, or given the last name Barnabas, which
is being interpreted the son of consolation, a Levite, and
of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the
money, and laid it at the apostles' feet." Clearly, this is a very
sweet and loving and precious passage, isn't it? I want to
begin by reading you something that a man named Robert Hawker
said about these verses. He said, what a golden age to
the church must this have been. And that's exactly what I think
about this church right now. I was just showing Tim all the
renovations in there. What a golden age this is. The book of Acts is the beginning
of the New Testament church. That's what this is. It's the
forming of the New Testament church. And we are in the beginning
of Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church. We're in the beginning. We're in the forming of God's
ministry here. And there's so much work to be
done. And it's being done. There's so much effort taking
place here. There's so much giving taking
place here. It's taken our weekends. It's
taken our afternoons. Our God has allowed us the privilege,
all of us, every one of us, of being consumed with the ministry
in Kingsport, hasn't he? And I say that giving all glory
to him. Every single thing that's done
here, We acknowledge His hand in it, don't we? We acknowledge
His goodness in laying it on our hearts, laying it on our
brethren's hearts to give to us so that we could do this in
the first place. No pat on the back for us. God
has been good to us. He's just been good to us. Mr. Hawker went on to say, Oh,
for the renewal of such Pentecostal seasons, if it were the Lord's
will and pleasure. Oh, for the renewal of that golden
age in his church. What causes a believer to do
what he does? What motivates a believer to
give what he gives? Verse 32, right here in Acts
4, verse 32 says, And the multitude of them that believed were of
one heart and of one soul. Neither said any of them that
aught of the things which he possessed was his own. Every one of them there that
believed Every one of them there that
were of one heart and one soul said, what do we have that we
have not received? Starting with salvation. Starting
with salvation. Did we work for this salvation?
We have a hope of salvation, don't we? I hope to meet God
and I hope one day to stand before Him in Christ and for Him to
not be angry with me. That's my hope. Did I work for
that salvation? Did I do good deeds to get that
salvation? Did I earn that salvation? No, I did not. I did not. There is none good but God. You know that? Not one person
is good. I don't care how nice the suit
is. None good but God. It was not our own, but it was
freely given to us. This hope that we have and this
salvation we have, it was not our own. It was freely given
to us. Righteousness. Righteousness is what's required
to enter into God's kingdom. And the righteousness that we
possess is not our own. It's not our own. It's the righteousness
of Christ. It's the goodness and the perfectness
and the holiness of Christ. And it was freely given. Redemption. Redemption is payment for my
sin, payment for the sin I have committed all my life. God cannot
just sweep sin under the rug, you know that? You know, well,
there's forgiveness with thee. I tell you what, I just forgive
it. He can't do that. He cannot do that. Payment must
be made for sin. What is the wages of sin? Death. Death, eternal death. That payment was not our own. It was not mine. It was not accomplished by us,
Christ did it. Go with me, hold your place right
here and go with me to Psalm 115. Psalm 115 verse 1 says, Not unto us, O Lord, not unto
us, but unto thy name give glory for thy mercy and for thy truth's
sake. Are we all of one heart and of
one soul on that verse? Not unto us, but unto thy name
give glory for thy mercy and for thy truth's sake. Back over
in Acts chapter 4 verse 32 says, And the multitude of them that
believed were of one heart and of one soul. Neither said any
of them that all of the things which he possessed was his own,
but they had all things common. They all had one hope. You know
we all have one hope. What's my hope? Well, my hope
is that I was baptized as a child. That's not it. My hope is I gave
my heart to Jesus. That's not it. My hope is I turned
over a new leaf. I changed my life in my 20s right
after college. That's not my hope. We have one
hope. We have one faith. We have one
Lord. That's my hope. We have one baptism,
one God, one spirit. One body. We're one body. It
says they had all things common. Verse 33 says, And with great
power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord
Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. In all of this, the
apostles had one aim. They had one purpose. As we go
through this word, have a book, a chapter, a verse, a verse,
a verse, and as we go through the whole thing, you're going
to run into every possible situation you can imagine. And in all of
this, everything they ran across, they had one purpose. That was
to preach the gospel. One purpose. To preach Jesus
Christ and Him crucified in every single thing. This whole section
is talking about giving. You know what we're going to
say about it? Christ and Him crucified. Verse 33 says, With great power
gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord
Jesus. They preached His death, His burial, His resurrection
in everything. Everything. And because they
stayed on that, verse 33 says, great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them
that lacked. None among them that lacked.
One message will feed every soul in God's kingdom. One message. Every soul. Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
What dissenters? We just prayed for this community.
I pray for this community dearly. What do sinners who have never
heard the gospel ever? Know nothing about God, know
nothing about salvation. What do sinners who've never
heard the gospel need to hear? Jesus Christ and him crucified.
That's what they need to hear. They need to hear about the one
who has lovingly taken away their sin. That's what they need to
hear. He suffered on the cross bearing their sins on Him. And
if they ever get a hold of the their sins part, He died bearing
their sins on Him. The Lord Jesus Christ, He didn't
just die for sin, did He? He didn't just die for sin. Well,
Jesus died on the cross for sin. Well, He died on the cross for
my sin. Everything I've done in this
life, and we're not going to tell any of it. Everything I've
done in this life, all the wrong that I have done in this life,
all the sin that I've felt in this heart, all of the sin that I've thought
in this mind, this mind, All the sin that I am right now
as I stand here with a Bible open. All the sin that I am right
now. We started with a song. We started
this tonight with a song, and the third line says, My sin,
O the bliss of this glorious thought. My sin, not some of
it, not in part, but the whole, was nailed to the cross And I
bear it no more. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. O my soul. That's Jesus Christ
and Him crucified. He went to that cross feeling
the guilt and the shame for the sins that I have committed. Feeling the guilt and the shame
for the sins I have committed. I'm going to pull a Tim James. He went to the cross feeling
the guilt and the shame for the sins that I have committed. God killed his own son for the
sins that were committed in the year 2014. You know that? He killed him for the very actual
sins I have committed. That's what a sinner who's never
heard the gospel needs to hear. Jesus Christ and Him crucified. What a glorious gospel that is.
What about a sinner who God has opened his eyes? And he's just started to see
the truth for the first time. There came a point when we could
say, I think I'm starting to see the truth. What does that sinner, he or
she, what does he need to hear? Something different? Jesus Christ
and Him crucified. What about a sinner who's been
under the sound of the gospel for a while? Well, we've been
coming for a while now and we're ready to move on. No. Jesus Christ
and Him crucified. What about a sinner who's nearing
the end of his journey? He's been under the hearing of
the gospel for the majority of his life. He's known and loved
the sincere milk of the word. He's known and loved the meat
of the word. What does he need to hear? What
does he need to leave this earth hearing? Jesus Christ and Him
crucified. Verse 33 says, And with great
power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord
Jesus. And great grace was upon them all, neither was there any
among them that lacked." They were spiritually satisfied. Spiritually satisfied. You know
until a person is spiritually satisfied, he is not satisfied. You know that? I mean really. Everything on planet earth, the
only reason we go after it is so it'll satisfy us. I'm not
satisfied, so I think I'll go after that. Well, you know what?
That didn't turn out to be what I thought it was going to be,
so now it's time to go after this. They were spiritually satisfied
and they were physically satisfied. But when a sinner is spiritually
satisfied, he doesn't care too much about the physical things. Look at what they all did. Verse
34 says, Neither was there any among them that lacked, for as
many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them. They didn't
all have land and houses, but as many as had them, they sold
them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
and laid them down at the apostles' feet, and distribution was made
unto every man according as he had need. And Joses, who by the
apostles was surnamed Barnabas, which is being interpreted the
son of consolation, a Levite and of the country of Cyprus,
having land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the
apostles' feet. They gave and they gave and they
gave. Did you know that that was commanded
of none of them? Not a one of them. They did not
have to do that. Look over at chapter 5, Acts
chapter 5 verse 4. This is talking about everything
they sold. Whilst it remained, was it not thine own? And after
it was sold, was it not in thine own power? It was yours. It was yours when you had the
land, it was yours when you had the house, and when you sold
it and you got the money for it, it was still yours. This was not a law. It was not a requirement. So
why did they do that? Why did they do that? What was
the motivation of all that giving? Well, go with me over to 2 Corinthians
chapter 9. 2 Corinthians chapter 9 verse 1
says, Paul writes, For as touching the ministering to the saints,
it is superfluous, and that word means superior, it means preeminent,
which means first. It is first for me to write to
you. Verse 7 says, Every man according
as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly." You know, well, man, I was really,
really wanting to get that new suit, but, you know, I gave to
the church and I'm not going to be able to get it this week.
Not grudgingly or of necessity. Well, I have to. For God loveth a cheerful giver.
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you always,
having all sufficiency in all things, may abound toward every
good work." What that means is if God lays it on your heart
to give, he'll supply you with something to give. He said, Give, and it shall be
given unto you, didn't He? Verse 9 says, As it is written,
He hath dispersed abroad, He hath given to the poor, His righteousness
remaineth forever. Now He that ministereth seed
to the sower, and that is Christ. Okay? Christ, you know, He told
that parable about preaching the gospel. He said, A sower
went forth to sow seed. And he that ministereth seed
to the sower, both minister bread for your food, and multiply your
seed some, and increase the fruits of your righteousness, being
enriched in everything to all bountifulness, which causeth
through us thanksgiving to God. That's the answer right there.
That's what it is. It all boils down to this. Here's
the key to the whole message. Look at verse 15. Thanks be unto
God for his unspeakable gift. Why do believers do what they
do? Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. Look at all that He's given me
in the death of His precious Son. Did He give me 10%? I tell you what, heaven's a big
place and there's a lot in it. I'll give you 10%. He gave it all. He gave it all. He gave His glory. My glory I
give unto them. He gave His glory. And her glory,
right? He gave His name. We're going
to have a wedding Saturday. And we're going to talk about
somebody taking somebody else's name. Well, Jeremiah 33 says,
Her name shall be called the Lord our righteousness. That's
what my name is going to be. Isn't that amazing? He gave his
name. He gave his sonship. He gave his inheritance. Now, if I get an inheritance
from all the money that Omar's got sucked away. I don't know if I can be that
generous. I hope I could be. But I know
this poor flesh. He gave his inheritance. He gave
his body. We're not talking about a fictional
character either. We're talking about a real man.
He gave his body. He gave his blood. He gave his
life. He gave his heart. He gave His
love. Has He not freely given us all
things? The money that I hold, that's
the Lord's money. You know that? The love that's in my heart,
that's the Lord's love. He put it there. If He didn't
put it there, I wouldn't love anybody. My health, My mind, what do I
have that I have not freely received? And I'm going to give to the
Lord. Well, I tell you what, I think I'm going to give to
the Lord. He's been so good to me, I'm going to give something
to him. It's all his. It's all his. What motivates
a child of God to give? He knows it was all given to
me. It all belongs to Him already. And He said He would give me
more. He said He'd give me more. He said, Give, and it shall be
given unto you. And I could try to explain that
away because religion has ruined it, but I'm just not going to.
Brother Henry used to say, If you start stressing 10% to believers,
you will stifle God's children. Because they give more. Why? Thanks and love. Thanks and love. The love of
God has been shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost. That's
why. Every sinner who sees the love of God in the person of
Jesus Christ, every sinner who sees the love of God in the work
of Jesus Christ will want to show his love in return to his
Lord. Every single one. How can a sinner
do that? How can a sinner do that? How
can I show him my love and my thanks? Really, how can I truly
do that? Turn with me over to Matthew
25. Matthew 25. Verse 31 says, when the son of
man shall come in his glory and all the holy angels with him,
then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory and before him shall
be gathered all nations and he shall separate them one from
another as a shepherd divided his sheep from the goats. And
he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on
his left. Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand,
Come, ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation of the world. Did he give that to
them because they gave? No. They gave because it was
prepared from the foundation of the world. Verse 35, he said,
For I was an hungred, and you gave me meat. I was thirsty,
and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you took
me in, naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited
me. I was in prison and you came
unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him saying, Lord, when
saw we thee and hungered and fed thee, or thirsty and gave
thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger and
took thee in, or naked and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick
or in prison and came unto thee? And the king shall answer and
say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as you have done
it unto one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it
unto me. How can we show our thanks to
him? He said, Show it to my children. Show it to each other. But I
don't have much money. Well, he didn't write the word
money one time right there, did he? Although we do give the Lord's
money, but we give our love, we give our support, we give
our prayers for each other, we give our time. He just said,
and we just quoted, give and it shall be given unto you. I
want to show you that over in Romans 12. Go with me over to
Romans 12. I'll try to be quick. Romans 12 verse 3 says, For I say through the grace given
unto me to every man that is among you, not to think of himself
more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly,
according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
For as we have many members in one body, and all members have
not the same office, So we, being many, are one body in Christ,
and every one members one of another, having then gifts differing
according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy,
if some are gifted to preach, then let them preach according
to the proportion of faith, or ministry, If somebody has talents and they
know how to do certain things and they're given to handling
stuff, let us wait on our ministering, he said. Or he that teacheth
on teaching. Or he that exhorteth on exhortation. I know some people, there's somebody
in my mind in a different state that I believe is so given to
exhorting other believers. That person is just an encouragement
to be next to. And if the Lord has given you
that gift, give it liberally. Exhort, exhort, exhort. He that
exhorteth on exhortation. Verse 8. He that giveth, let
him do it with simplicity. And that means liberally. He
that ruleth with diligence. He that showeth mercy with cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimulation. Let it be without division. Let it be without arguing. Let love be without
dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil. Cleave
to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to
another with brotherly love in honor preferring one another. Give, and it shall be given to
you. Love your brethren from the depths of your soul, and true love will be poured
back to you, pressed down, shaken together. Love for Christ's sake,
and you will be loved for Christ's sake. No matter how vile, no
matter how wicked, no matter how evil our flesh is, And it
is. No matter how selfish, no matter
how arrogant, no matter how prideful, do you know why we love each
other? For Christ's sake. It's for Christ's sake. Do you
know why we forgive each other? Because God, for Christ's sake,
hath forgiven us. That's the reason. Now I'm going
to close This is it. I'm closing with Philippians
2. Go with me over to Philippians chapter 2. Philippians 2 verse 1 says, If there be therefore any consolation
in Christ, If any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the
spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my joy that you be
like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of
one mind. Let nothing be done through strife
or vain glory, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem other
better than themselves. Look not every man on his own
things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this
mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in
the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God,
but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of
a servant and was made in the likeness of men, And being found
in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto
death, even the death of the cross. That's the reason believers
give. It's the reason. Their giving
is not a requirement. Their giving is from the heart.
It's from the heart. It's not in order to be saved.
Believers do not give in order to be saved. They give because
they have been saved. That's why. Love and thanks.
Love and thanks. All right. Let's stand together.