Heart and Soul: Why the Early Church Changed the World (And We Don’t)

A look at Acts 4:32-5:11 and the price of authentic Christianity

What’s the difference between a church that changes the world and a church that’s just playing church? Between spiritual power that turns communities upside down and religious activity that merely keeps people busy?

These aren’t comfortable questions, but they’re essential ones—especially when we compare the early church’s impact to our modern reality.

One Heart and Soul

Acts 4:32 tells us the early believers “were of one heart and soul, and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them.” This wasn’t mandated communism or forced socialism. This was love in action—believers so committed to their mission and to each other that they naturally shared everything they had.

Think about it: when these people heard the gospel—that their long-awaited Messiah had come, been crucified, and risen from the dead—it changed everything. Their previous agendas became irrelevant. Business plans were set aside. Personal ambitions took a backseat to this earth-shattering reality.

The result? They devoted themselves completely to learning from the apostles, to fellowship, to breaking bread, and to prayer. And when needs arose in their community, those who had resources simply met them. No campaigns. No guilt trips. Just genuine love expressing itself through radical generosity.

The Three “Greats”

Luke records three powerful results of this complete commitment:

Great Power – The apostles testified to Christ’s resurrection with such power that lives were being transformed. This wasn’t just about miraculous healings (though those happened). This was about the miracle of changed hearts—people who were completely different after encountering the risen Christ.

Great Grace – God’s abundant provision was upon them all. Nobody lacked anything they needed because the community ensured everyone could focus on their shared mission.

Great Fear – A holy reverence for God that kept the community authentic and honest.

When Authenticity Matters More Than Generosity

Then comes one of the most sobering stories in the New Testament. Ananias and Sapphira sold property and brought a portion of the proceeds to the apostles, pretending it was the full amount. By any standard, they were being incredibly generous—likely giving 70%, 80%, maybe even 90% of the sale price.

But Peter’s response is shocking: “Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?”

Their sin wasn’t keeping back money. The property was theirs; the proceeds were theirs. They could have kept it all if they wanted. Their sin was pretending to give all while only giving some. They were counterfeiting total commitment.

Both dropped dead on the spot.

Let that sink in. God struck down two people for pretending to be more generous than they actually were—even though they were still being remarkably generous by any human standard.

The Modern Disconnect

This passage forces us to confront an uncomfortable truth: perhaps the modern church’s lack of power isn’t because God has changed. Perhaps it’s because we’ve settled for partial commitment while expecting full blessing.

Consider these current statistics about our “Christian nation”:

• Total annual giving to all religious organizations (Catholic, Protestant, etc.) in the United States is approximately $145-146 billion.
• Americans spend $164 billion annually on cable and internet—$20 billion more than all religious giving combined
• We spend $221.6 billion on summer vacations—$75 billion more than all religious giving (good thing no one dies and goes to hell in the summer, right?)
• For every dollar spent worldwide to reach people who’ve never heard of Jesus ($400-500 million), Americans spend $27 at the movies ($12 billion a year just on tickets, not including concessions)

Where your treasure is, there your heart is also.

The Real Question

The issue isn’t perfection—God already provided that in Christ. The issue is authenticity. Barnabas wasn’t perfect, but he was genuine. The early church wasn’t flawless, but they were fully committed, heart and soul.

We sing “I Surrender All” on Sunday mornings, but would it be as popular if the lyrics were “I Surrender Some” or “I Surrender Most”? We want people to think we’re fully committed, but are there areas where we’re holding back?

Maybe it’s our time—we give God Sunday mornings (most weeks) but guard the rest of our schedule jealously. Maybe it’s our talents—we use them for career advancement but rarely for Kingdom purposes. Maybe it’s our testimony—we’ll talk about God at church but never at work or in other relationships.

What If?

Imagine if churches across America became like the early church—not perfect, but authentic. Fully committed with all our heart and soul.

What if our unity was so genuine that the watching world could only explain it by concluding we really believe Jesus rose from the dead?

What if our generosity was so radical that people had to conclude something supernatural was happening?

What if we were more committed to expanding God’s kingdom than building our own?

The early church turned the world upside down—not because they had better methods, more resources, or political influence. They had none of those things. They transformed their world because their complete commitment to Christ made their testimony undeniable. When they said “Jesus is alive,” their transformed lives proved it.

The Choice Before Us

The same Spirit that filled the early church dwells in believers today. The same power that validated their testimony can validate ours. But it requires the same price: everything.

Partial commitment in the presence of God isn’t just ineffective—it can be dangerous. God is calling us to the kind of commitment that changes the world. The question isn’t whether God still works in power. The question is whether we’re willing to pay the price for it.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ demands more than mental assent or emotional response. It demands everything—complete commitment. And maybe it’s time we stop asking “How little can I give and still be considered a good Christian?” and start asking “How much can I give to advance the testimony of the resurrected Christ in a world that desperately needs Him?”

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Listen to the full sermon from Pastor Joe at Howell Bible Church here.