Tuesday, April 21
What is happening with the world? Our society is like a balloon that is slowly losing its air. Capitalists panic as they watch the stock market plummet and the government pumping trillions of “free money” into a crippled economy. Socialists thump their pulpits insisting that an equal distribution of wealth will solve all problems, and that a change in leadership will bring about a magic solution to what ails humanity.
Does God have an opinion on this? Does he have a plan for bringing peace and order to the world?
Today we continue to read about the formation of the early Church. It was a new creation energized and guided by the Holy Spirit. What did it look like? (Acts 4:32-27).
“The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common. With great power the Apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all.”
In a country torn by division it is hard to imagine a group being of “one heart and one mind.” And in an “individual rights” society, it is hard to imagine that no one claimed possessions as his own and that everything was held in common. This sure sounds like socialism, doesn’t it? What makes this so much different from any other form of governing structure is that its leaders, the Apostles—those who were personally connected with Jesus Christ—focused on one mission, to proclaim Jesus as risen from the dead.
“There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the Apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need.”
This is even more amazing! The “haves” freely gave up their properties so that the “have nots” could be taken care of. And they did not just throw the money into some kind of government “slush fund” but put them “at the feet of the Apostles.” They recognized in these leaders the Lordship of Jesus, and trusted in their decisions because they believed they were led by the hand of God. This was not a “leader-less” organization or a loose form of democracy. Material needs were taken care of so that a deeper level of need—union with God in love—could be attended to.
All of this came about, not because the Apostles were such gifted leaders—we know from Gospel stories that they were the least likely people to run a Church—but because this whole operation flowed from a rebirth in the Holy Spirit.
Jesus tried to explain to the learned Nicodemus how the Kingdom of God would come about (John 3:7-15).
“You must be born from above…so it is with everyone who is born of the (Holy) Spirit.”
One entered into the Kingdom of God not by signing up to be part of this new organization, but by undergoing a radical new birth. Being born again of water and the Holy Spirit and surrendering to the Lordship of Jesus is what “qualified” people to be part of this early Christian community.
In the midst of the confusion of our age, we turn again to God’s vision for the Church and the world. We rejoice in our own baptism and renew our commitment to Jesus, so we can be part of the new creation that God is bringing about on our worn-out planet.
“The Lord is king, in splendor robed…” (Ps 93:1)
