To send relief

Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. – Acts 11.29-30

At this stage of the church there were not only preaching prophets, but prophets to whom the Holy Spirit gave the ability to know the future. One of these prophets warned that there was a great famine coming.

The disciples knew that there was going to be a real need in the church. They knew that people would starve to death if they didn't do something about it.  

So they did the right thing. They took up offerings, each giving according to what they could do, and the sent relief to those who were going to need it by the hands of Saul and Barnabas.

Okay, they may not sound like much. Those who had gave what they had to make sure that those who didn't have would have enough in the coming famine.

So how do we apply that?

It seems to be that there was a great lever of equality in the early church. They wouldn't hear of some doing without while others had plenty. They was no way that some would lack while other had an over-abundance.

Somehow we are missing that today. While in some parts of the world the church meets in poverty and squalor in other part of the world the church meets in prosperity and splendour. In some parts of the world the church meets in shacks and hovel and other parts of the world the church meets is palatial splendour. In some part of the world churches don’t have indoor plumbing while in other parts of the world churches have gold plated fixtures in their indoor facilities. In some parts of the world churches meet in the glow of oil lamps while in other parts of the world the church meets under crystal chandeliers.

Something is seriously broken here. Maybe it is time we learn a lesson in ‘sending relief.’