Friday, August 30
Read Ellen G. White, “Dorcas - Her Ministry and Its Influence”, pp. 66, 67, in Welfare Ministry; “A Liberal Church”, pp. 335-345, in The Acts of the Apostles; “This Is Pure Religion”, pp. 35-41, in Welfare Ministry.
“The Saviour has given His precious life in order to establish a church capable of caring for sorrowful, tempted souls. A company of believers may be poor, uneducated, and unknown; yet in Christ they may do a work in the home, the neighborhood, the church, and even in ‘the regions beyond,’ whose results shall be as far-reaching as eternity.” Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 640.
“Unselfish liberality threw the early church into a transport of joy; for the believers knew that their efforts were helping to send the gospel message to those in darkness. Their benevolence testified that they had not received the grace of God in vain. What could produce such liberality but the sanctification of the Spirit? In the eyes of believers and unbelievers it was a miracle of grace.” Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 344.
Discussion Questions:
How can your church community become more like the one described in the first few chapters of the book of Acts? What might be some practical steps your church leadership could take to encourage the church in this direction?
The Seventh-day Adventist Church worldwide uses some of the principles discussed in this week’s study to dictate how tithes and offerings are shared between different parts of the world. What are the benefits of this kind of system of worldwide resource sharing?
Are instructions for living, like those summarized in Romans 12, for example, realistic, practical ways to live—do they work in the “real world”? - or do they feel more like idealized pictures for stained-glass window “saints”?
James 5:1-5 uses strong language that echoes the kind of harsh warnings given by the Old Testament prophets. Why is such strong expression appropriate and necessary?
Summary: Spurred by Jesus’ commission and the power of the Holy Spirit, the disciples and the early believers set out to share the message and mission of Jesus as widely as possible. Drawing from the teachings of Jesus and the Hebrew Scriptures, the early church was a new kind of community, sharing what they had with those in need, both within and beyond their community. By their example and their teaching recorded in their letters to these churches, the first Christian leaders urged the believers to lives of faithfulness and service, particularly to those in need.
