1. John the Baptist told people to show the works of repentance before they were baptized. When they asked what they should do, John told them to share what they had with others who were in need.
2. In the Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6), Jesus told his listeners that the kingdom of God was given to the poor and therefore, they were blessed.
3. In the same sermon, he told the rich that they had all they were going to get. In other words, the kingdom of God was not for them... unless they could use their money to "buy friends with the mammon of unrighteousness (Luke 16:9)."
4. Zacchaeus (Luke 19), who was a rich man, found salvation by obeying Jesus' teachings in giving over half of what he had to the poor.
The early Christians followed Jesus' teachings by sharing everything they had with each other. The book of Acts (which was written by Luke) recorded their experience:
All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need (Luke 2:44-45).
So, rule number one in following Jesus and joining him in his community - share with those who have less than you.
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