Hold it Loosely Pt.2

Welcome to Verse by Verse. Thank you so much for joining us as we take a look at the book of Acts. We take things nice and slowly as we look and see what God is doing in the big picture of expanding the gospel from Jerusalem to Judea and to Samaria and to the ends of the earth. My name is David Humphrey, and I'm the pastoral care and missions pastor here at United City Church in Humboldt, Texas. We're excited to be your church family while you're incarcerated, but we're gonna be even more excited when you get out and you can come and be a part of our church in person. We love you very much. Please grab your Bible and a journal, perhaps a pen, and be ready to take some notes and let's learn together through the book of Acts. So glad that you are here. So glad that those of you that are watching us online a little bit later, you're probably not here with us tonight, but you're gonna be watching us later. There's a whole room full of people that just wanna say hello. Hello. Yeah, they're all out there. You can't see them, but I promise they're out there. And they love you and are praying for you

wherever you're watching. We are back in Acts chapter four. We spent a little time starting in verse 23 last week, but I want us to fill in a few gaps that we didn't go all the way through with it. We have been reminding each other every week that there's four really great ways to read the Bible, and one of them is slowly reading it imaginatively. In other words, thinking behind the story and what was really going on. Read it prayerfully. And what's the last one, gang? Obediently. Obediently. Guys, that's the thing that gets us every time. If we just get a ton more Bible knowledge, that's gonna be good, but that's not the point. Guys, we don't need to just be smarter Christians. We need to be more obedient Christians. And so we want to be careful, as the Bible says, knowledge puffs up. Right, so we don't wanna get puffed up. Oh, we're so smart. We go through Acts so slowly, and we know more about Acts than anybody. No, are we learning from the book of Acts how to live as believers? That's why we're studying the book of Acts. So we're in chapter four. We're gonna start in verse 23,

and I wanna read all the way down to verse 36, just to sort of get the full context of where we are on this. Of course, we had Peter and John, who'd spoken up boldly and went to prison and all those things, and just spent a night there. I guess we should say jail. So they were incarcerated for a night, and then they let him out, and Peter just gets super bold. And so let's take a look now, starting in verse 23. It says, when they were released, that's Peter and John, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, Sovereign Lord, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, why did the Gentiles rage and the people's plot in vain? The kings of the earth said themselves, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his anointed. For truly, in this city, we're gathered together against your holy servant, Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look upon their threats

and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant, Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul. And no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power, the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Great grace was upon them all, and there was not a needy person among them. For as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas, which means son of encouragement, a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. Of course, there's a lot there. We had already talked quite a bit through 23 through 27, but it's important just to kind of catch up

with what's going on there, and I want us to take a look in Psalm 2 a little bit more. But of course, what the religious, when he says in verse 23, when they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. Well, what was that? What had they said to them? Anybody remember? Yeah, it's not what you're doing. Don't speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. And it says when they shared that, verse 24, they just got excited. They just lifted up their voices and started praising God. Oh, that's awesome. The authority said don't speak or teach in the name of Jesus. Well, praise the Lord. Let's just keep going. That basically was their response to it. I mean, they just addressed God's sovereign Lord, creator. You're the one that inspired David to look at, to share this from Psalm number two. And so I want us to look just a little bit all the way over at Psalm two. So I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would, to Psalm chapter two. This is a very interesting chapter. It's only 12 verses, but I wanted us to see what it was that the Holy Spirit inspired him to say here and what they were thinking back on so they can understand it. So Psalm chapter two, starting in verse one, says, why do the nations rage and the people's plot in vain? The kings of the earth sent themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed saying, let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their courts from us.

He who sits in the heavens laughs. The Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath and terrify them in his fury, saying, as for me, I've set my king on Zion, my holy hill. I will tell of the decree. The Lord said to me, you are my son. Today I have begotten you. Ask of me and I will make the nations your heritage and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Now therefore, O kings, be wise, be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, rejoice with trembling, kiss the sun, lest he be angry and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. So I wanted to kind of pull it back a little bit and see how this passage is so interrelated with this message that Peter and John are sharing. I mean, they're just so excited that they've been told to be quiet and that the people of the world have come against them. Oh, the leaders of the world are coming against us. And that's why he brings up Psalm 2 to say, oh, well, this is normal. It would be abnormal for the people of the world to just embrace everything about Jesus' people. Okay? So look what he says. He says in verse 1, why do the nations rage and they plot in what? In vain. They're rejoicing that the spiritual leaders are just plotting in vain. They're like, you can plot against us if you want to, but that's not going to work. Like it's just, it's just, what does the Lord do? He says, the Lord in heaven does what? He just laughs.

He's like, oh, that's cute. Yeah. Why don't you just try that? Like, I am the sovereign Lord. I'm the creator of the ends of the earth. So it's just laughable to God that the leaders of the earth, verses 2 and 3, just get together. Let's, let's shut God's calls down. Let's, let's stop it. Guys, nothing can stop God. You know, our church could shut down tomorrow. It's not going to slow God down in his movement in the world. Guys, nothing will slow what God is doing because it's not us, it's God that's working. That's why they address him as sovereign Lord. Look down to verses 5 and 6, it says God's going to speak to them in fury and in wrath. And then what is, how are they going to feel about it? Verses 5 and 6. They're going to be terrified. Guys, that's not a thought that we often have, being terrified by God. What would be terrifying for God to say to an unbeliever? Yeah, depart from me. I never knew you. Never knew you. Guys, there'll be people. I mean, the Bible declares it, right? I think it's in Matthew that, that claimed the name, but he says, I never knew you. Get away. Guys, if when God says depart from me, that means the end. Like game over. You are apart from me for eternity. So guys, it is a Hebrews 10 31.

It's a really interesting verse of scripture. Will someone look up Hebrews 10 31 and just read it nice and loud, wherever you are. This verse is not one that you're going to get on a lot of encouraging, you know, like bookmarks or things like that. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God How many of us have done a whole lot of study on the wrath of God? That's not a sermon series. We're looking for we're like hey pastor Chris. Let's go a few weeks on the wrath of God Because that's part of God's character He is a God of grace He is a God who is love but he has a just wrath and We need to have a holy fear of God then y'all I used to have we still have this friend But I remember her saying this years ago That how do we know where the where the patience of God ends and the wrath of God begins Right of course we know that we Who have Jesus Christ? Romans chapter 8 verse 1 there's no condemnation For those of us who are in Christ Jesus, so we don't need to fear the wrath of God at all Dave I mean they could quote most of the Old Testament and not realize what you just said that God is not to be toyed with No, we don't trifle with God people like this is the God of the universe that we're talking about and so when Peter and John are kind of laughing at the Gods of this world as it were right as the religious leaders of this world coming against them. They're also alluding to What this is saying here? God is going to terrify people in his wrath and and and so we look now verses 7 and 8 are verses 7 and 8 Will make you think Back in Psalm 2 look at it. I Will tell of the decree

The Lord said to me you are my son today. I have begotten you okay Who is talking to who? If he's if he's saying the Lord said to me you are my son Who's speaking here? Yeah, this is the father and the son having a conversation Jesus is saying here. Do you see this the son is saying in Psalm chapter 2? The Lord said to me you are my son Today I have begotten you now. That's not a begotten as in like he wasn't and then he was Okay, so that's not what that means he is Jesus is fully God He is eternally existing as God's true essence if Jesus is not created But he says you are my son whom I have today. I've begotten you and then what does the father? Say to the son next ask of me, and I will do what? And The ends of the earth your possession what is what is God saying he is saying my son I Want you to ask me for people from every nation tribe and tongue To be part of my family See the son asking the father things I think this is a beautiful picture in Psalm 2 you don't think about the father and the son talking to each other in the Old Testament But here they are and and so of course as you can see from the rest of those verses there we're going to get back to act in just a second, but Part of what it is that I'm going to make the nation's your heritage and the earth your possession is He says you're going to break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's doesn't so this is not Just those who will be saved It is also that that they are that those who are not saved will fall under the judgment and experience that Serve the Lord with fear rejoice with trembling and verse 12. I love this kiss the son lest he be angry and You perish in the way for his wrath is quickly kindled blessed are all who take refuge in him

guys that Reminds me of the scripture that talks about that he is a stone on which if he falls on us it will crush us Or we can build our life on him and we are secure forever Right Jesus. There are both of these sides and I wanted us to see that I point all of that out because it's important to remember all That that says they're all who take refuge in him are blessed when we kiss this We love the Son. We welcome the Son into our lives. So now what I want us to do, back to Acts chapter 4, so flip back over to your Bibles if you made that switch. And I want us to take a look at what sort of was the result of all of this. You've got 27 through 31, and I'm not going to parse that out. We talked about that last week. But if you want to sum up verses 27 through 31, their response is this. God, we know you are in control of everything. We can see it's your mighty hand that's directing all that happened to us. Everything that happened to Jesus from his death to his resurrection. And they're saying, make us bolder. Keep doing miracles through us. Use us, Lord. Acts chapter 4, 27 through 31, that's a pretty good summary right there. God, we knew you were in control. Just make us bolder. Make us bolder to serve you. And we'll spend the rest of our time tonight looking at 32 through 37, because there's some really interesting things that we can see here. In verse 32 and following are really talking about how the believers lived in what the Greek word is, koinonia. And some of you have heard that. We've got a live group here called Koinonia. And most people don't know how to pronounce it, and they're like, I don't know what that even means. Anybody know? It's community.

Acts chapter 2, remember when we were back several weeks ago, a couple months ago in Acts chapter 2, it talked about the believers having everything in common and all those sort of things. That was koinonia. We were actually a part of, years ago when that class got founded, we helped name it all those years ago, Koinonia. And that's why, because we're like, we want a group that's living and loving one another in community the way that they were in the book of Acts. So verses 32 and following here are going to share some ways in which the people of God were living in koinonia, in community with one another. So verse 32 tells us that they were unified. You see that? That all who believed, the full number which was thousands at this point, were of one heart and soul. Remember Pastor Chris preached on unity this past week from John chapter 17. What did he say about unity that we could even see ties in with this? What is unity for the Christian? Why is it important? Yeah, we're going in the same direction. Yeah, we're not striving against one another, we're one. And guys, unity is our witness. When the world looks at us, this group of people, and they're like, why are y'all all friends? Right? The more diverse is our unity, the more that puzzles the world. They're like, wait, you don't believe, I mean you believe of course in Jesus together, but maybe you've got different political views. Maybe you've got this thought or that thought, but remember what Pastor Chris said? Let us be known as a people who are unified in Jesus. That's why we named this church United City Church.

It wasn't just catchy or cool. No, it was we want to be unified around Jesus. And so that's basically what they're saying here. The full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul. And then it says that they were no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. Do you think that's, here's a good English term for you, hyperbole. Hyperbole means we're exaggerating to make a point. Or do you think that means what it says? I don't think it means what it says. Jesus did use hyperbole, by the way. When Jesus said, if your eye causes you to sin, what are you supposed to do? Pluck it out. I mean, guys, every one of us would be blind sitting here. Because our eyes have caused us to sin probably pretty recently. And so Jesus was using that to make a point, but I don't think that's what was happening here. Because they were living so unified that everything they had, they just held just like this. Just open handed. And guys, that's the Jesus way. The Jesus way is not about, oh, I got me and mine. No, the Jesus way is our. We share, we love, we care for one another. And so it's powerful the way that they were living. Living and caring for one another and we're going to see this play out through the rest of the book of Acts wait wait Till chapter 5 some of you guys have read ahead Because it doesn't go well for those who aren't actually living in that way are actually lying about it They're acting like they're living that way and they're actually not and so it says that they were holding their Possessions so loosely and the reason was to take care of each other Okay, it's kind of like you know what my lawnmower is your lawnmower You know there's a lot of cultures in the world that don't live as

Individually as our culture does we're a super individualistic society We're like we just get in Oh close that garage. We're in for the night like we're just we're just doing our thing And it's just us But most places in the world are really not like that Everybody knows each other on their street people share with one another they talk to one of them I'm sure some of you have got neighbors that you don't ever talk to I've got some neighbors I haven't said hardly any words to that. They don't want to talk to me, and it's just like it's just kind of odd How individualistic we are but they live a completely different way that it was a very countercultural way it was Oh, let's let's just think about how we can help each other how we can love one another and so guys We should take a lesson from the early church in our sharing and in holding things that we have Lizzy well somebody's gonna mess it up. Whatever it is. I'm gonna let them are you know well I would let them are my chainsaw, but I just know how they treat their tools You know we we need to be more generous and more open-handed with everything we have Okay, you know we talked about generosity because generosity is the Jesus way And this is just another way that they were showing generosity right it wasn't only Bringing the offerings to the church. It was what I've got is yours what you've got is mine I'll never forget when we were in seminary and then y'all know we're probably the poorest we would have ever been in our lives We just we're just poor you know your seminaries do aren't making much money Danielle was working mostly I did a little odd jobs here and there we just didn't have a lot of extra It was okay, but we really a lot of our our our friends all around us We were all kind of in the same boat nobody was rich going to seminary And they're not gonna be rich after they're done with seminary either, okay, and so everybody just shared a lot more You know what I mean like we went through a period where we didn't have a car How can you live without a car well you can't guess what there was no such thing as uber back then We would just somebody would give me a ride You know we were just kind of in between for a period and so we just found the generosity and what happens To a group of people that share with each other like that What happens to them Yeah, they they feel close they feel like oh, we're like a family Well, that's what family is right family shares with each other and helps each other, and that's what the

Jesus created a family Not just a bunch of people that see each other once a week You know and walk in and say hello now We're to be family with each other so so that was one of the things that that two things that really characterized them they were unified and They held their possessions loosely and took care of each other look at verse 33 Verse 33 says with great power the Apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all When Jesus said he was sending the Holy Spirit. What did he say that you're gonna receive you're gonna receive what? power When the Holy Spirit comes on you and so these guys I mean the way they were living the way they were testifying the way they were sharing It was like with great power because the Holy Spirit was upon them, and then they were experiencing great grace Because there is a grace of God That falls on our lives when we are walking in obedience guys There's just I'm telling you God God's abundant with his grace, and he loves to pour it out But guys when we're like pastor Chris said when we're aligned With him I'm just gonna take it. There's really there's greater grace and when you're aligned You know when if God's over here, and you're like over here doing your own thing guys Then you're missing out on some of the grace of God That's that blessing when you're lined up, and these guys were lined up, and and they weren't doing it perfectly of course They're not and then of course verse 34 again says There were not a needy person among them Look at how far this thing went not only were they're not holding their possessed you thinking Oh, they're probably talking about you know like you know they'd let him borrow a cup of sugar You know some flour or something Look at this whoever owned houses or lands Sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the Apostles feet

And it was distributed to each as any had need I'm not I don't think this means that nobody owned their own property I think this probably means that extra, you know what I mean, that they had maybe that maybe they had a piece of land over here or over there, you know, well, we're thinking about, you know, in the future, we're going to do this. And I'm not saying that it's wrong to do that. Because sometimes our resources are so tied up in more for me and more for me and I need some more and I need another house over here and another house over here, because what if I want to do this or that? Because it's not wrong to have things. Guys, the Jesus way is is a very loose holding of everything that we have. And these guys were basically what I perceive here is they saw that there were people among them who were in need. They're like, wait, well, I've got resources, but they're tied up in this house over here or this land over here. And so so we need to we need to sell that so that I can just bring it to the apostles. And why do you think they bring it to the apostles feet to get it out? Maybe the apostles had a better, better picture of of who needed it the most. Right. Yeah. See, the apostles were men that they trusted. They're like, OK, we can trust these guys. So we're just going to give it all to them and let them distribute. Guys, can you imagine like this in practice? You know that we could do this in 2026. I'll never forget when I was in college, I went to a church one time. Closest thing I ever experienced to this. I went to a church one time and I don't even remember how it all played out. I shouldn't know the details to tell the story, but I'm going to tell you what I can remember. There was a need in the church. And the pastor stood at the front of the room that wasn't a room a whole lot bigger than this. Maybe it was 100, 150 people, so a little bit larger. And that pastor said, does anybody. Is anybody able tonight to help meet that need? I mean, just stood right in front of all of us. Of course, I was a poor college student, didn't have anything to help. Somebody at the back of the room took a gold watch off their arm.

And took it up to the pastor and said, take this and sell it. I want to help meet that need. That's what this is talking about, guys. This is not just a nice Bible story. They were really doing this. That is community. That is love for one another. That is putting someone else's needs as way above my own. I can't wait to see what the return on that investment is. Yes. In the church of Jesus Christ in the very beginning. Yes. Think about that. 2,000 years of that just trickling down. Absolutely. To where we are today. That's right. It's going to be fun to see. It is going to be fun to see. And guys, these are examples for us to follow. Okay? These are examples. Hold what you have loosely. God, it's all for the glory of God. Because you know what? One day God might tell you, you've got an extra car, and there's a family over there that needs it. Give it to them. Danielle and I have, over the years, been a recipient of a gift like that. And I'll tell you what, the person who gave it was more blessed

than the people who received it. That's what the Bible says. It was more blessed to give than it is to receive. It was hard to believe that anybody would be happier about having that car than we were. But we were in need, and somebody saw a need, and they said, we've got extra. Guys, that's the Jesus way. That's what we're teaching here. So I want us to see that, and I want us to kind of cover it over and go, oh, well, that's just, you know, for those people back then. No, it's for the people today. And there's joy in the house when there's a lot of giving. So not a needy person among them, and you probably know this, but even one way that's kind of similar to this in our church in 2026 is, you know, we as a church have a benevolence fund. That's a part of our budget where we as a church, when you give your tithes and offerings, and some people even give because they want it to go specifically to that fund. But when you give to the tithes and offerings, there's a portion of that that goes to a fund, and when there are people among us that we find out about a need, we make sure that that's legitimate and it's real, and then we make it a high priority to those who are of this house. Sometimes we help people that we don't know well, but mostly we help the people who are a part of this house, right, who have said this is my family, and we try to help our family. And those are quiet little things, little conversations that most church members don't know about. But those things happen because we're trying to live this out.

I can also really see here the idea that, you know, we talk, of course, in our church a lot about tithes and offerings, and tithe is that 10%, and then the offering is anything over that. But just like they were selling and then giving, when you give to this church, you're giving to this church. Doing a very similar thing because you're trusting the leaders of this church to use this wisely for the glory of God. Right, that's, you know, nobody here's getting rich. That's not what it is to be a pastor or to be a spiritual leader. It is we're entrusted with these finances and we try to be wise and careful in how so. Give sacrificially, trust our spiritual leaders to use it wisely for the glory of God. That's exactly what they were doing here. So we're getting towards the end here of this little section. I'm not gonna go past verse 37 tonight because I want us to have a little stop there. But I want us to look because verse 36 and 37 kind of feel like a bridge, couple of bridge verses. The reason why they are bridge verses is because some really interesting and important things happen here. It says Joseph, who was also called by the apostles, Barnabas, which means son of encouragement, a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him,

brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet. Okay. We can see that it's carrying on in the same thing. Now we're not just talking about people in general. Now we're gonna tell the story of one specific person. And he's named first as the name Joseph, but everybody else knew him as Barnabas. Now you probably, if you've been around the Bible much, you've heard of Barnabas. He's gonna be a key player in a good part of the rest of the story. Okay. So Barnabas was the son of encouragement. Isn't that a good name? Don't you wanna be known like that? Oh man, she's the most encouraging person I know. Oh, he's always got a word of encouragement. So you wanna be a Barnabas. So it says here that Barnabas was doing those same things. There's a little bit more about him. He was a Levite. You might remember what a Levite, what does that mean, a Levite? From the tribe of Levi. From the tribe of Levi, that's right, yes. Which was the priestly line. Okay, just go back and read your Old Testament. You'll find it right there. One of the 12 sons, right, is Levi, and then there's the Levitical priesthood,

is a biblical concept that you'll see that goes from beginning to end. It's a whole other study that we could look at. It's really, really interesting. But he was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, and it says now that he sold a field that belonged to him, and he brought the money and laid it at the apostle's feet. Well, honestly, that's all we know about him here. We don't know what they did with it. He doesn't tell the full story here. It's just showing, hey, this is somebody that's gonna be important later, and he was doing that too, okay? So I would say perhaps, and we'll see, when he pulls into the story, maybe when they were choosing him as somebody that was gonna go out, because spoiler alert, he's gonna be a church planter. That's what he's gonna go out and do. Remember the stories of Paul and Barnabas. They went out together. They were a team. And so he was going out and doing that, and I have a feeling they probably looked to see, well, is he a generous person? Is he also living with open hands with the things that he has? Like I said, just like pastors, church planters don't go in that to make a lot of money. They go in that to live sacrificially

because they believe that this little corner of the earth needs another church, and this corner, and this corner, and this corner. I love it. I was in a session today with a friend of mine. His name is Seth Kunze, and if he was in the room, you would know it. I'm just gonna tell you, Seth, he is a trip. I don't even know how to describe him except he's got a huge personality. He's got a real raspy voice like this. He's from Wisconsin, and this guy has called by God as a church planter, and he's a Lutheran, and so he has planted a little church. Some of you might know that in Porter, it's called The Dwelling, and you might have even seen the sign if you're going up 59 that way or come back this way. It's called The Dwelling. Well, I'm just gonna tell you, the spirit of the Lord is in that place, at The Dwelling over there, and Seth Kunze is so much fun. Well, the reason why I'm bringing him up is because he was just sharing today when God brought him to Houston, he thought God brought him here to plant a church, and then he quickly realized, no, God actually brought me here

to be a part of planting hundreds of churches, and so God didn't just bring him to plant a church but to plant a church that plants churches that plants churches that plants churches, because that's honestly the biblical model is churches planting churches planting churches planting churches. How many of you guys got excited about the church that we're helping with on Sunday? Yeah, Grace Bridge. Isn't that fascinating? I love how God has brought that story together, and I thought the video really told the story well. Guys, Jonathan and Sir are doing a fantastic job. They're actually going to, they will launch on February the 1st. I'm going to be out there for their first launch service on that Sunday morning at 10 a.m. Just to celebrate with them. Our church is sending already 20 people. There may be more that go out from us to help plant. Why am I bringing all of that up? It's related to that's who we're going to start seeing in this book of Acts. You're going to get introduced to church planter after church planter after church planter. And so why are we excited about church planting in our church in 2026? It's because it's on the heart of God. Guys, if there's 2.7 people showing up every, I mean, if there's one person showing up every almost three seconds, we don't have near enough churches for those people guys. That's like over, I think, I think the number was 4,000 a week, something like that. Our city is exploding and there's not near enough churches to reach all of these people in all the little corners where they are.

And so that's why we as a church are all about helping be a part of planting those churches. So we're, you're going to hear more about a gross bridge in the, in the weeks and months to come. And, and it's just going to be very, very exciting things. So I do want us to end just a few minutes early tonight because I want us to have plenty of time to get over there for the, for the worship night, if you're going to stay for that. But I wonder if anybody else has a, has a comment or a thought that came to you as we were going through these verses tonight, somebody else have something they want to share tonight? Yes, Dave. I have a question. Oh, good. So when they passed lots to replace Judas, one of those names sounds like Barnum. It's spelled a little differently. It was Bart, was it Bars? I can't remember. Was it Barsabas? Barsabas. Yeah. I don't think that's him. It's a good question, but I don't think it's the same guy. Yeah. Cause you had Matthias, right? Was or Matthias or however you say it. I don't know. I keep saying Barsabas. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know.

I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I thought it was a guy. Maybe it was a guy. I can't remember what his last name was. It's a good question. I'm not saying Matthias because we've got a friend who's Portuguese and they've got a son and that's his name and they pronounce it Matthias. But I think, I think the English pronunciation probably Matthias. Yeah. But yeah. So I don't think that's the same guy, but a good question. Good question. Anybody else got a question or a comment over our study tonight? Michael? I'm wondering when you study all this imaginatively. Yes. It looks like Peter was doing all the talking, the preaching. Yes, it does. Yes. But it came out tonight that Peter and John shared their testimony. So John was sharing his testimony. Yeah. John was involved, but you're definitely right and that's very perceptive. You're watching what's happening is Peter is a lot more talkative or he's at least recorded a lot more than John is. Yeah. But you remember this is the same, Peter, James and John, right? Those were the three.

Those were that inner circle of Jesus. Okay. So Peter has just, remember he was down on the bottom and now he's just roaring from the rooftops. He's full of that power, Jamie. That's right. He's full of that power and he's not afraid to use it. Yeah. One other thing. Uh huh. The church is the only organization that I know of that you can belong to and not pay your dues. Okay. I had a preacher back where I came from and he made a very profound statement. Okay. He said, when everything else is right, your time will be right. Okay. And I agree with that. Yeah. You know, tithing is, of course it's the starting point, you know, it's like the training wheels for giving. It's a gift from God to us to show us this is the path of blessing. If you want blessed, you want to bless life. Blessed life is not a hoarding life. A blessed life is a generous life because again, you're more blessed to give than you were to receive it. Okay. So, you know, it's good. We do honest work. We, you know, we, we earn money and we receive money in a, in a valid way, but guys giving

and like giving extravagantly is the most wonderful thing. I don't know if you've ever done that before. I hope you have. And if you don't, if you haven't, I hope that you will because they gave us an example tonight of giving extravagantly. Guys. Sometimes I just, I just challenge you. I'm just going to tell you right now. I challenge you sometime between now and next week. Give extravagantly somewhere. If you think, oh, well, I don't really know, I don't really make a whole lot. Just, just give anyway. See what God does. God's like, test me in this. See if I won't pour out just manna from heaven. I'm telling you, I wish I had a list of all the times that I could, that we have tested God in that. And he is all. ways. Pour it out more. It's like, you heard people say it, right? It's biblical, but it's not in the Bible. You can't out-give God. It's like, oh, you're going to give to God. He's like, oh yeah. And I just keep pouring it out and pouring it out. And it's just so much fun. So I just want to encourage you, take that from the book of Acts tonight and live it out sometime in this next week. And don't be afraid to do so. It's fun giving anonymously. That's a super fun way to give. But you know what? It's not wrong not to give anonymously. Just to pour out love on somebody and let them know, I love you. I see you. I see you've got a need right there. Just loving one another, guys. That's the Jesus way. I want us to pray tonight, and then we're going to be dismissed just about five minutes early. Abba Father, you're just so good to us, God. And whoever has given more than you know, you are the God who loved the world so much that you gave your one and only son, that whoever would believe in him would not perish but have eternal life. I think about

a friend who used to say all the time, used to serve here, used to say, you're never more like God than when you give. Because God, you are a giver. And so God, I pray this week that you would help us to not just be hearers of the word, but be doers of the word. God, if there's something that we need to sell to give to you, you just show us. God, if there's something we need to hold a little bit more loosely and share with others, you show us what it is, because God, it's just blessings waiting for us, God, and blessings for the receiver as well. Lord, thank you for this group of people who are hungry for your word. I pray, God, that we would just grow more in our hunger and more in our obedience to your word. And I pray now as we gather with the people of God, just to sing your praises and to praise you for who you are, God, that you would just change our hearts, transform our lives. We love you, Lord. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Thanks again for joining us verse by verse through the book of Acts. I hope that you have learned a lot. More importantly, I hope that you'll apply these things to your life this week. Share it with a friend. Great thing for you to just have some discussion with the other people around you, share the things that God is doing in your life. Again, remember the Bible is a book about God, far more than it is a book about us. So let's learn about him. Let's grow to love him more and more. Here at United City, this is not the only thing that we have on the Pando app. We would love for you to follow some of our other content, watch some of our worship services, along with music and the messages, as well as podcasts. We've got a lot of great content and we would love for you to follow that. Also, if you would like to be in touch with us here at United City, the best way to do that is by writing us a letter. You can address that to Prison Ministry at United City Church, 19901 Townsend Boulevard, Humble, Texas, 77338. We'll read that, we'll pray for you, and somebody will write you back. God bless you, and we'll see you in the word. United City Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints