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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.
More From "Pioneer Story"
Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer StoryMay 5, 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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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer StoryMay 8, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer StoryMay 9, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer SpiritMay 12, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer SpiritMay 13, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer SpiritMay 14, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer SpiritMay 15, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer SpiritMay 16, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer PeopleMay 19, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer PeopleMay 20, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer PeopleMay 21, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer PeopleMay 22, 2014 |
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Friday - Act On It - Pioneer PeopleMay 23, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer PracticesMay 26, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer PracticesMay 27, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer PracticesMay 28, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer PracticesMay 29, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer PracticesMay 30, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer PreachingJune 2, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer PreachingJune 3, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer PreachingJune 4, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer PreachingJune 5, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer PreachingJune 6, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer PushbackJune 9, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer PushbackJune 10, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer PushbackJune 11, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer PushbackJune 12, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer PushbackJune 13, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer ProofJune 16, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer ProofJune 17, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer ProofJune 18, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer ProofJune 19, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer ProofJune 20, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer PrioritiesJune 23, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer PrioritiesJune 24, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer PrioritiesJune 25, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer PrioritiesJune 26, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer PrioritiesJune 27, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer PainJune 30, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer PainJuly 1, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer PainJuly 2, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer PainJuly 3, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer PainJuly 4, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer PlayersJuly 7, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer PlayersJuly 8, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer PlayersJuly 9, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer PlayersJuly 10, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer PlayersJuly 11, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer ProgressJuly 14, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer ProgressJuly 15, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer ProgressJuly 16, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer ProgressJuly 17, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer ProgressJuly 18, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer ProdigyJuly 21, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer ProdigyJuly 22, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer ProdigyJuly 23, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer ProdigyJuly 24, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer ProdigyJuly 25, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer PorkJuly 28, 2014 |
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Tuesday- Study It - Pioneer PorkJuly 29, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer PorkJuly 30, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer PorkJuly 31, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer PorkAugust 1, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneers And PagansAugust 4, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneers And PagansAugust 5, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneers And PagansAugust 6, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneers And PagansAugust 7, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneers and PagansAugust 8, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneers And PrerequisitesAugust 11, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneers And PrerequisitesAugust 12, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneers And PrerequisitesAugust 13, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneers And PrerequisitesAugust 14, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneers and PrerequisitesAugust 15, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneers and PoliticsAugust 18, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneers and PoliticsAugust 19, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneers and PoliticsAugust 20, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneers and PoliticsAugust 21, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneers and PoliticsAugust 22, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneers and PhilosophersAugust 25, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneers and PhilosophersAugust 26, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneers and PhilosophersAugust 27, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneers and PhilosophersAugust 28, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneers and PhilosophersAugust 29, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneers and ProfitSeptember 1, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneers and ProfitSeptember 2, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneers and ProfitSeptember 3, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneers and ProfitSeptember 4, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneers and ProfitSeptember 5, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneers and PowerSeptember 8, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneers and PowerSeptember 9, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneers and PowerSeptember 10, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneers and PowerSeptember 11, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneers and PowerSeptember 12, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer PotentialSeptember 15, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer PotentialSeptember 16, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer PotentialSeptember 17, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer PotentialSeptember 18, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer PotentialSeptember 19, 2014 |
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