All InSample

For most of my life as a believer, I struggled with the description of the early Church given by Luke in the book of Acts.  As I read about it, I find myself jealous of those believers. And I wonder why we don’t see more of those early Church descriptors in our present day. Through my wondering, Hebrews 13:8 really spoke to me. 

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 

That means that we should experience the same all in and supernatural generosity today that the early church experienced in Acts 2:44-45. 

In order to understand this type of generosity, we must understand its origin. Without a doubt its origin was found in the overwhelming generosity of God. Let Paul’s words in Romans 5:6-9, pour over your mind and soul. 

"For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him."

Lavish love! Scandalous grace! Entrance into the holy of holies! Freedom! They could now approach God as their Father. They possessed the indwelling Holy Spirit. They were radically changed from the inside out and would never be the same. Their lives no longer belonged to themselves. They belonged to Jesus, their Savior and Messiah. 

Their new lives no longer resembled their old lives. They now shared a common life with God and all the other believers. Amazing! And let’s get real – this is kind of mind-boggling to us today. The most generous believers I know are people who have never gotten over what God has done for them through Jesus Christ. The most generous times in my life are when I am very conscious of the “overwhelming, reckless love of God.” 

Through the years, I have seen the Church live with all in generosity at times. I have seen people sell houses, properties, cars, jewelry, stocks, video game systems, bikes, skateboards, and other treasured possessions in order to be generous to others. I have seen people give in truly sacrificial ways. In fact, the greatest times of awe and wonder that I have witnessed in the Church have been during extended times of generosity. 

All in generosity has nothing to do with how much money we have in our bank accounts. It has everything to do with how we are experiencing the lavish love of God. When we are living overwhelmed by His love for us, we will recognize that everything we have comes from Him. Our hearts and hands will remain open and available to God for everything He desires to accomplish in and through us. We will live by faith as conduits instead of reservoirs—we will live all in!