“My Money to God” - Acts 2: 43-45
May 1, 2005 (#5 of 7 on Covenant Discipleship)
Dr. Michael C. Yarbrough

          They were still living at Qumran throughout Jesus’ lifetime and even into the time of the establishment of the early Church.  The Essenes were vegetarian, probably celibate, and lived very simply under a strict code of rules.  They practiced communal ownership of property and an equal sharing of their possessions – each according to their needs.

          There is a strong similarity between the teachings of this community, the preaching of John the Baptist, and the teachings of Jesus.  The Essenes at Qumran were certainly familiar to Jesus and his followers.  He did not specifically tell his disciples to live communally, or to have “all things in common,” or to “sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need,” but Jesus talked a lot about money.  He told parables about the use of money in the kingdom of God.  He gave advice to a rich man that was both financial and spiritual at the same time: “Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come and follow me.” (Luke 18:18-30)

          Jesus talked about the accumulation of wealth, the love of money, and the use of money probably more than he talked about anything else.  He said that what we do with our financial resources is a strong indicator of our spiritual health.  He said that we “cannot serve both God and wealth” – we have to choose where our loyalties – our priorities – lie, for we will end up loving one of them and despising the other one. (Matthew 6:24)  Jesus said that we should seek after heavenly, or spiritual, treasures, for they are far more valuable than gold and silver.

          When Luke, the writer of Acts, wanted to portray an idealized picture of the true Christian community (Boring and Craddock, The People’s New Testament Commentary, 2004, p. 374), he described a faith community, not unlike the Essenes, that had all things in common, and fairly but generously, shared what they had “to all, as any had need.” (Acts 2:44b)

          We Disciples of Christ congregations claim to be a “People of the Book” (the Bible).  We say that it is our intent for the Bible to be a guide for how we act, individually, and as a congregation.  So what are we to make of this text that describes “the First Church” of Jerusalem as an ancient experiment in holy communism that pooled their money and possessions, and shared them with each other and with any who had need?  They didn’t go into the desert and build a community like the Essenes, but this practice certainly mirrors the Essenes’ radical religious lifestyle.

          It makes me pretty uncomfortable to think of turning over the two Yarbrough family cars, our house, our savings accounts and pensions to this Church, and to rely on all of you to take care of Suanne and me.  What about the rest of you?  Could you give it all up?  Could you simplify your life, live on less, and let Bread of Life Christian Church redistribute your wealth?  Do you trust God enough?  Do you trust the leadership of this congregation?  It’s a scary and radical idea, isn’t it?

          Everybody take a deep breath.  By chapter 5 of Acts, the face of the Church was already changing.  The idealism of chapter 2 was tarnished by the story of Ananias and Sapphira, who sold a piece of their property, but held back some of the money given to the Church.  The couple lied to Peter about the purchase price, and according to Luke, their lies led to their deaths. (Acts 5:1-11)

          Drs. Eugene Boring and Fred Craddock, in their The People’s New Testament Commentary,” state that Luke was describing this practice of communal wealth in the First Church as “Luke’s way of holding before the reader a picture of discipleship in which Jesus’ own lack of selfishness and his concern for others was actually realized.  His followers did what the rich young ruler refused to do (Luke 18:18-30).” (2004, p. 374)

          If the second chapter of Acts is more of a dream of what a Christian community should be, and less of what it is, then what is God’s challenge, through Jesus, to our financial responsibility in the kingdom we are helping to create?

          From the very beginnings of human memory, we have brought God an offering from the production of our work.  Cain brought an offering from his gardens and fields.  Abel brought the first born of his flocks. (Genesis 4:3-4)

          During Jacob’s wanderings, he spent a night at a place called Bethel.  There, he had the dream of “Jacob’s ladder” to heaven.  In the morning, Jacob claimed his father’s god as his own.  He built a stone altar at Bethel and pledged to give God one-tenth of everything he had. (Genesis 28:10-22)  From that time on, the Hebrew people reserved a one-tenth portion of their wealth as a standard offering of what was God’s due – every tenth lamb, ox, camel, or goat – one-tenth of every bushel of grain or basket of fruit – a tenth of all gold, silver, copper, and bronze – every tenth jar of olive oil, spice, or perfume.  They called this offering a “tithe.”

          I was introduced to the tithe as an offering to God when I was very young.  One day, my parents called a “family meeting.”  I have to say, a family meeting at the Yarbroughs was usually a bad thing.  It usually meant more household chores for us to do or new family rules to follow.  But that one day was different.

          My parents decided that it was time for me and my oldest brother and sister to have a weekly allowance.  They laid out a proposal to us: 10 dimes to each of us – each week.  Five dimes were for spending – any way we wanted (please remember – a Coke was only a nickel and candy was a penny!)  Four dimes were for saving in the piggy bank (yes – a pink plastic pig with a coin slot in the top).  One dime was to be put in our own offering envelope as an offering to God.  This was pretty high finance!!!

          From that day on, a tithe was simply what we did.  One-tenth of whatever we received was set-aside for God – given as a Sunday morning offering in worship.  I was lucky enough to marry Suanne who was also taught to tithe to God, so it has been pretty easy for us to continue this giving practice in our life together.  For us, an offering of one-tenth of our take-home paychecks has been the minimum of our giving to God.  No matter what our income, this practice of giving has never been painful to us.  God gets the first tenth – the tithe – of our budget, and we have learned to live more simply and very comfortably on nine-tenths of our income.  We are full of the joy of giving so that others might have a better life.

          On May 22, you are going to be invited to become a Covenant Disciple of Jesus.  We will not be asking you to give the Church all of your money and property to be held in common, but a part of the commitment is a promise to grow in your “financial stewardship, with a tithe (10%) and beyond,” as your goal.  It means that if you are not giving God a tithe, that you will stretch yourself toward a tithe in your giving.  If you are already giving a tithe, it means that you will stretch yourself in the next twelve months to grow in your financial stewardship to give more than a tithe.

          To be Jesus’ disciple is to understand that our money is a spiritual matter.  I hope that you will please him with your giving whether you become a Covenant Disciple or not.  It is a matter of your own spiritual health.

          Let us pray:

          Generous God, you give and we take great pleasure in the riches.  You give us more than enough for comfortable living.  You give to us, and expect us to use the resources wisely, and to share them generously in your name.  Help each of us to grow in our faith – including our financial stewardship.  In Jesus’ name we ask it.

Amen.