"Bountiful Sowing and Reaping" (Acts 2:42-47)

Copyright Rev. Jacob D. Gerber 2025

Theme: Whoever sows bountifully will reap bountifully (2 Cor. 9:6).

1. Slow and Steady Growth (Acts 2:42—43)

2. No Gutting for Profit (Acts 2:44—45)

3. No Get—Rich—Quick schemes (Acts 2:46—47)

Discussion Questions:
1. What does the early church “devote themselves” to doing (v. 42)? What was the “apostles’ teaching,” and where
can we find it today? What do you think Luke means by “the fellowship”? What is “the breaking ofbread”? What
should we understand in “the prayers”? How would you summarize the emphases ofthe early church in these broad
brush strokes? How did the outside world respond (V. 43)?

2. Why do some people think that VV. 44—45 suggest some kind of socialism or communism as the ideal setup of the
early church? What does the story of Ananias and Sapphira suggest about the ongoing validity of the principles of
private property (Acts 5:4)? How, then, ought we to understand the nature of this generosity? How should we
pursue this kind of generosity in the life of the church today?

3. How does the list of vv. 46—47 compare with the list we saw in vv. 42—43? What is similar, and what is different?
How is the word behind what the ESV translates as “together” used through the rest of the Book of Acts? What kind
of “breaking of bread” do we see here (v. 46)? How does worship characterize the lives of believers here (vv 46a,
47a)? What kind of eEects do the activities of the early church have on the outside world (V. 47b)?

4. What kind of an investment do you make in your local church? What kind of return do you think that you
receive from your investment? What kind ofa return from your investment should you expect? How does what we
see here help us to be patient toward slow and steady investments in ordinary ministry and fellowship within the
church? How does the community of the church bless you? How do you bless the community of the church?

Copyright Rev. Jacob D. Gerber 2025