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CloseRyan Sim - May 28, 2014
Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer Practices
Yesterday, we read this: And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47 ESV) Yesterday we focused on the first two practices: Devotion to the Apostles’ Teaching and Fellowship, and the Breaking of the Bread. Today we’ll look into the other two: The Prayers Their community started this way at Jesus’ command: wait and pray for the Holy Spirit. They had a big mission, to spread his good news worldwide, and would need the Holy Spirit to make it possible. Their continued existence would require prayer, especially as they faced persecution and alienation. Their Jewish tradition of temple worship and sacrifices for individual sin was transformed into Christian prayer in the temple. All Acts says here is that they were attending the temple. It says nothing about them continuing the sacrifices, and it seems likely they would have no more sacrifices, since Jesus was descrbied in the Book of Hebrews as the ultimate sacrifice for sin. No evidence they participated in the sacrifices, but they seem to have prayed there, which was incredibly bold and dangerous. Common Life They had all things in common. That could mean a lot of things, but it goes on to say they were selling their possessions and distributing the proceeds to those in need. This is controversial, of course, because it makes us wonder if we need to do the same. First, did they do what we think we read here? Well, note that it says they were “selling” instead of “sold”. There seems to be an ongoing activity of supporting each other as needs arose, not a one time liquidation. Secondly, note that they broke bread in their homes, which means some still had a home. They didn’t all become homeless, even though Jesus was. Surely some did, but not all. Whatever the details, it’s clear they suddenly saw their possessions differently, or at least the needs of others. They became generous in a new way. Surely that endures as a principle to hold today, however it’s expressed, in vows of poverty or in opening one’s home to a friend in need. Question: To what extent does your attitude toward your possessions reflect theirs?
Related Topics: Early Church, Generosity, Holy Spirit, Pioneer, Practices, Prayer | More Messages from Ryan Sim | Download Audio
From Series: "Pioneer Story"
We read through the Book of Acts as a Pioneer Story for the church.
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Monday - A New Idea - Generosity - in ResourcesNovember 25, 2013 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Generosity in ResourcesNovember 27, 2013 |
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Friday - Reflect - Generosity in ResourcesNovember 29, 2013 |
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Monday - A New Idea - The Night That Changed The ReligiousDecember 2, 2013 |
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Tuesday - Study It - The Night That Changed The ReligiousDecember 3, 2013 |
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Wednesday - Change It - The Night That Changed The ReligiousDecember 4, 2013 |
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Thursday - Act On It - The Night That Changed The ReligiousDecember 5, 2013 |
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Friday - Reflect - The Night that Changed the ReligiousDecember 6, 2013 |
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Monday - A New Idea - The Night That Changed the PowerfulDecember 9, 2013 |
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Tuesday - Study It - The Night That Changed the PowerfulDecember 10, 2013 |
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Wednesday - Change It - The Night That Changed the PowerfulDecember 11, 2013 |
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Thursday - Act On It - The Night That Changed the PowerfulDecember 12, 2013 |
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Friday - Reflect - The Night That Changed the PowerfulDecember 13, 2013 |
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Monday - A New Idea - The Night That Changed the PoorDecember 16, 2013 |
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Tuesday - Study It - The Night That Changed the PoorDecember 17, 2013 |
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Wednesday - Change It - The Night That Changed the PoorDecember 18, 2013 |
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Thursday - Act On It - The Night That Changed the PoorDecember 19, 2013 |
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Friday - Study It - The Night That Changed the PoorDecember 20, 2013 |
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Monday - A New Idea - The Night That Changed YouDecember 23, 2013 |
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Tuesday - Study It - The Night That Changed YouDecember 24, 2013 |
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Wednesday - Change It - The Night That Changed YouDecember 25, 2013 |
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Thursday - Act On It - The Night That Changed YouDecember 26, 2013 |
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Friday - Reflect - The Night that Changed YouDecember 27, 2013 |
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Monday - A New Idea - The Night That Changed the WiseDecember 30, 2013 |
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Tuesday - Study It - The Night That Changed the WiseDecember 31, 2013 |
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Wednesday - Change It - The Night That Changed the WiseJanuary 1, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - The Night That Changed the WiseJanuary 2, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - The Night that Changed The WiseJanuary 3, 2014 |
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Monday - Best of 2013January 6, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Best of 2013January 7, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Best of 2013January 8, 2014 |
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Thursday - Best of 2013January 9, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Best of 2013January 10, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - ResetJanuary 13, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - ResetJanuary 14, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - ResetJanuary 15, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - ResetJanuary 16, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - ResetJanuary 17, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Reset: GoalsJanuary 20, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Reset: GoalsJanuary 21, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Reset: GoalsJanuary 22, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Reset: GoalsJanuary 23, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Reset: GoalsJanuary 24, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Reset TimeJanuary 27, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Reset TimeJanuary 28, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Reset TimeJanuary 29, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Reset TimeJanuary 30, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Reset TimeJanuary 31, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Reset: MoneyFebruary 3, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Reset: MoneyFebruary 4, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Reset: MoneyFebruary 5, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Reset: MoneyFebruary 6, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Reset: MoneyFebruary 7, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Reset FamilyFebruary 7, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Reset WorkFebruary 10, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Reset WorkFebruary 11, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Reset WorkFebruary 12, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Reset WorkFebruary 13, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Reset: WorkFebruary 14, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Reset Body and FoodFebruary 17, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Reset Body and FoodFebruary 18, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Reset Body and FoodFebruary 19, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Reset Body and FoodFebruary 20, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Reset Body and FoodFebruary 21, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Reset Sex and MarriageFebruary 24, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Reset Sex and MarriageFebruary 25, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Reset Sex and MarriageFebruary 26, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Sex and MarriageFebruary 27, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Reset Sex and MarriageFebruary 28, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Reset FamilyMarch 3, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Reset FamilyMarch 4, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Reset FamilyMarch 5, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Reset FamilyMarch 6, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Reset CompassionMarch 10, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Reset CompassionMarch 11, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Reset CompassionMarch 12, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Reset CompassionMarch 13, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Reset: CompassionMarch 14, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Reset NatureMarch 17, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Reset NatureMarch 18, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Reset NatureMarch 19, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Reset: NatureMarch 20, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Reset: NatureMarch 21, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Reset SocietyMarch 24, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Reset SocietyMarch 25, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Reset SocietyMarch 26, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Reset SocietyMarch 27, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Reset: SocietyMarch 28, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Reset DeathMarch 31, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Reset DeathApril 1, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Reset DeathApril 2, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Reset DeathApril 3, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Reset DeathApril 4, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - DisappointmentApril 7, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - DisappointmentApril 8, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - DisappointmentApril 9, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - DisappointmentApril 10, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - DisappointmentApril 11, 2014 |
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Monday - Death is Coming for JesusApril 14, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Death is Coming for JesusApril 15, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Death is Coming for JesusApril 16, 2014 |
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Thursday - Death is Coming for JesusApril 17, 2014 |
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Good Friday - Death for JesusApril 18, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - ResurrectionApril 25, 2014 |
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Tuesday - 2014 Status Update - Groups in CommunityApril 29, 2014 |
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Wednesday - 2014 Status Update - God in WorshipApril 30, 2014 |
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Thursday - 2014 Status Update - Generosity of ResourcesMay 1, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer StoryMay 6, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer StoryMay 7, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer StoryMay 9, 2014 |
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