Acts 2:41-42 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added to them about three thousand souls.… Note — I. THE EFFECT PRODUCED UPON BEHOLDERS WITHOUT. "And fear came upon every soul." One explanation of this may be found in the clause which follows. Proofs daily witnessed of the Divine presence could not fail to strike fear into the hearts of those who looked on without obeying. But there is more than that. The effect upon the wicked Herod of the character of the Baptist was fear, little as was the ground for it in an earthly sense. So it was here. Christians do not always know their own power. What fears do young Christians often experience in the prospect of opposition or ridicule! Let them go forward in the path of duty, and they will find that "Greater is He that is in them than he that is in the world." So far from having anything to fear, you have all of you the power of striking a wholesome and perhaps a saving fear into the enemies of Christ by a bright and consistent example. That is a testimony which men cannot gainsay. All else they may laugh at your persuasions, warnings, arguments; but your example will make its way into their consciences. That is the one weapon which a woman, which a child may wield, and which no coat of mail is close enough to evade or strong enough to parry. II. THEIR UNION AND BENEFICENCE (vers. 44-45). In the first ardour of their new conviction they obeyed literally the direction to "lay up for themselves no treasures on earth"; to "sell that they had, and give alms"; to "forsake all and follow Christ." They could not bear to have while another wanted. Nothing but a real community of goods could satisfy their Christian instincts. It was an example for all times. 1. Not, however, in form. There is no inspired rule, applicable to all cases, for this. We find St. Paul, e.g., recommending a liberal contribution, according to the circumstances of each man, to the relief of the poor saints at Jerusalem; and in another, advising that on the first day of each week every one should "lay by him in store" for this purpose "as God had prospered him." This could not have been done if in the Church of Corinth there had been a community of possessions. How different was this example from anything which the world has since witnessed! It has been the dream of theorists to see all distinction of ranks levelled, and a whole congregation, or nation, living in brotherly concord upon the common property of all. But every such scheme has been based upon assumptions hasty in themselves and mischievous in their consequences. In Christian bodies the attempt to establish a system of communion has led more often to the exclusion than to the consideration of the poor. Among political speculators the principle of communism has been too often absolutely anti-Christian; and a hatred of subordination has been the secret spring of much professed zeal for the rights of man, and of much declamation upon the interests of society. The example before us was of a widely different kind from either of these. It was the spontaneous, natural, and temporary effect of a fresh faith, a lively hope, and a genuine charity. In its form it was not and it could not be permanent. While it continued it was a wonderful testimony to the strength of the new religion in the hearts of those who believed. "See how these Christians love," might well be the comment of those who looked on upon a scene so unlike the world of common life. Judge ye what there is, in heaven or in earth, which would have made any one of us go and do likewise. 2. And though the form of that entire self-sacrifice may vary — and we believe that our Master designed that it should vary with the varying circumstances of the world and of His Church — let us not forget that the spirit of this life must be ours. If it be the best on the whole for the true welfare of society that each man be the possessor of the fruits of his own toil, and the uncontrolled steward of his own resources; if many high and Christian purposes are answered by that gradation of ranks and that variety of fortunes which is the form of society under which God has placed us; yet let us not forget that one end, perhaps the chief end, to be answered by this arrangement, is, that each man, "working with his hands the thing that is good," may thereby "have to give to him that needeth"; that every one may be able to exercise his individual judgment upon various objects of piety and charity proposed to him; but certainly not that any one may be at liberty to say, I prefer keeping to myself, and to my own, all that I possess. III. THEIR PRIVATE AND DOMESTIC LIFE (vers. 46-47). 1. The life of a true Christian ought to be and will be a happy life. His very food has a blessing. He praises God over it. He partakes of it in gladness. It is to him the token of a Father's love. He receives it, as out of God's hand, in his own. And the heart which is glad is described as a "single" or a "simple" heart. The word denotes properly smooth or level; it is the epithet of a field or a road out of which the stones have been carefully gathered, so that it presents no impediment to the plough of the husbandman or the feet of the traveller. A stoneless heart is one which has no impediments or obstacles in it; one out of which the roughnesses of temper and the stumbling blocks of sin have been removed by grace, so that it is now level and even, smooth in its course, and gentle in its contact. 2. And this may explain how it should be that a life which inspired fear was also one of "favour with all the people." A Christian life is a witness against sinfulness and carelessness. It awakens slumbering consciences, testifying of realities above not to be forgotten without danger. In this aspect it inspires awe. But in another it is altogether lovely. It is written of Jesus that, as He "increased in wisdom and stature," He increased also "in favour with God and man." So is it with His people. Men often show their religion in unattractive or repulsive forms, and then regard their own unpopularity as a proof of the world's hatred against religion. Let them exhibit their religion in its aspect of a world-wide charity, and they will find it otherwise. They will find that, while it inspires awe as God's witness, their religion wins love also as.the friend of man. IV. THEIR INCREASE (ver. 47). There is nothing here of a Divine selection fixing by an arbitrary sentence who should and who should not be heirs of salvation. The words themselves say, "those who were in the course (in the process) of salvation." Salvation, if in one sense a single act, is in another a course of acts. A man may forfeit salvation; he may grieve and quench the Holy Spirit; he may fall away and never be renewed And while these things are possible, it is as much as we can say of any man that he is in course of salvation. And a great thing it is to be able to say this. We cannot say this of a man who is trifling, or is a despiser of the means of grace, or is cherishing any known sin. 1. It is "the Lord" who adds. Without Him, without His Holy Spirit, what would be Paul or Apollos or Cephas, much more we poor, erring, uninspired men? It was He who "opened the heart" of Lydia "that she attended to the things that were spoken by Paul." And it is He who opens hearts now to attend to the things spoken by His ministers. We want new converts, and who can add these to our number, save the Lord only? 2. It is "to the Church" that the Lord adds. It is not only secret desires, resolutions, prayers, that we need awakening in us; there must be an adding to the Church. We ought ¢o be not only a pious people, fulfilling life's duties and satisfying life's relations in the fear of God; but also a people honouring God, and walking to heaven together, together serving Christ, and working righteousness. 3. These additions were "day by day." The course of this world is a transitory, rapid thing; we are here to-day, and to-morrow there. In the meantime can we say that there is a daily Church progress? "The Lord's arm is not shortened," etc. Then why this pause and intermission in the work of grace? Why is it that a minister counts himself happy if but one or two souls are gathered into the Church below? What has become of the word "daily"? Can we afford, any better than the primitive Christians, to lose time in this work of adding? The world stops not for our loitering; life and death stop not while we linger; God of His infinite mercy make us feel the value of time, and count each day lost that has not added to His Church one that shall be saved! (Dean Vaughan.) Parallel Verses KJV: Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. |
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