1. The Early Church and the Work of the Holy Spirit
From Acts chapter 2 and 3, and on through chapter 4, we can clearly see how the early church was formed and how it was transformed. At the center of this transformation was always the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit, which fundamentally overturned people’s lives. Emphasizing this work of the Holy Spirit, Pastor David Jang explains that the early church was filled with a reverential fear of God’s rule and sovereignty, and as a result, they lived a life overflowing with miracles and signs. Yet these miracles and signs were not merely supernatural wonders—like the healing of the man lame from birth for 40 years—but also an entirely new change originating in the human heart, evidenced by emptying one’s possessions and sharing with others.
From Acts 2:43 onward, we read that “many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles,” indicating that the church of that time was filled with visible miracles. However, Pastor David Jang emphasizes that beyond these astonishing outward signs, we should pay closer attention to the fundamental change that led them to let go of their possessions and experience “emptying.” When believers “had all things in common, and they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need,” it showed the remarkable grace that overcomes the deep-seated greed and covetousness within human beings when the Holy Spirit is present.
In particular, in Acts 3:6, when Peter says to the disabled man at the temple gate called Beautiful, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you,” and then raises him up, it symbolically illustrates that the believers in the early church were truly living abundant lives. Even if they did not have silver or gold, they possessed the power of the Holy Spirit and the richness of faith that fully trusted in God’s sovereignty. Reflecting on this moment, Pastor David Jang reminds us of the kind of “wealth” we should truly seek. Rather than their own possessions, the early Christians had a heart to share everything God had given them, including the fullness of the Holy Spirit within them, with their neighbors. Hence, they did not regard material possessions as “everything.” This sense of abundance was the very root of the early church’s vitality and genuine freedom.
Moreover, as we move into Acts chapter 4, with the church experiencing great revival and continuing signs and wonders, external persecution grew, and at the same time, a deeper life of prayer was required within the church. The fact that they gathered together for the breaking of bread, singing praises, and devoting themselves to prayer shows that the ultimate energy of the church does not come from human enthusiasm or mere excitement, but solely from the compelling guidance of the Holy Spirit. At this point, Pastor David Jang emphasizes the importance of “resurrection faith.” The “resurrection,” in which the Lord rose from the dead, is the most decisive and ultimate basis for the hope humanity can hold onto. If the power of Christ, who overcame even death, is still at work through the church and manifested in the lives of believers, then we can cast aside any fear, according to Pastor Jang’s explanation.
When the early church held onto resurrection faith experientially and received the power of the Holy Spirit, they gained the conviction that God’s rule was truly being realized among them. This conviction was precisely the driving force that overturned their former individualistic and self-centered lives, enabling them to devote themselves to one another and willingly let go of their possessions. People began sharing their belongings to meet one another’s needs. Instead of clinging to silver or gold, they found joy in giving everything for the sake of God’s kingdom and experienced freedom. In this respect, Pastor David Jang repeatedly highlights the dynamism of the early church. By ordinary standards, giving away one’s property and dividing it among others is no easy task, because attachment to material things is a basic human instinct that has ruled people throughout history. Yet the early church overcame this precisely because of the “fullness of the Holy Spirit.”
Further on, in Acts 4:32 and the verses that follow, a figure named Barnabas stands out. Though he was a Levite, he “sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” We can guess how bold and radical such an action must have been in those days. Pastor David Jang says that Barnabas’s commitment perfectly represents the spirit of the early church. He did not just give his property; he confessed that he entirely belonged to God. Only with such a confession can true “sharing” become possible. Additionally, the meaning of his name—“son of encouragement” (sometimes translated as ‘son of consolation’ or ‘son of exhortation’)—is also noteworthy. In Isaiah 40, God commands, “Comfort, comfort my people,” and one can see Barnabas’s life as the fulfillment of that proclamation. Barnabas’s devotion testifies that the freedom from sin and the lifting of oppression foretold by the Old Testament prophets truly came to pass in the life of the early church community.
Summarizing all this, Pastor David Jang asserts that the early church is not merely an “idealized past” but the true identity the church of today should reclaim. By definition, the church is a community that distributes material resources and power, lives for one another, and meets one another’s needs. The early believers had one overarching vision—the bold faith founded upon the resurrection of Jesus Christ—and when that faith was manifested in real life, the world could not help but witness astounding miracles and signs.
2. The Emptying of Possessions and Sharing
One of the most prominent features seen in the early church is precisely the “emptying of possessions.” Those who were filled with the Holy Spirit began to let go of their possessions and no longer considered their property and money as “their own.” “The full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common” (Acts 4:32). This verse clearly shows what kind of community the church should be. Pastor David Jang points out the phrase “possessions are overcome” here. Throughout human history, the desire to possess has been at the root of nearly every problem. Individualism, selfishness, war and conflict, exploitation and inequality, and injustice often originate from this drive for possession or greed. Yet the early church, through the work of the Holy Spirit, began to practice love and sharing that went beyond possession, almost as if Eden were being restored. This practice reveals the very essence of what the church was meant to be.
Pastor David Jang describes the core of this phenomenon as “sharing.” Genuine sharing does not mean a rigid system in which property is distributed equally or ownership is completely forbidden. It begins with believers inwardly realizing, “This is not everything.” In other words, they recognize that God is the true owner and that all they enjoy ultimately belongs to God. When this realization translates into real-life practice, people can finally let go of what they once claimed as “theirs.” They empty themselves of possessions and willingly give them to others because their hearts have become so generous. This is what Pastor David Jang emphasizes as the “abundance of the Holy Spirit” that the early church experienced.
In Acts 4:34 and the verses that follow, we read, “There was not a needy person among them.” There were no poor among them at all. People sold their lands and houses, laying the proceeds at the apostles’ feet, and the money was distributed to each as they had need. Historically, this was the most dramatic form of love shown by the early church. According to Pastor David Jang, what seems humanly impossible was made possible by the “fullness” the believers already possessed “in the Holy Spirit.” Where did they find the power to surrender their possessions? It was not mere enthusiasm or human goodwill, but the conviction of those who had encountered the Risen Lord and believed that “they had already gained everything” through the grace of the Holy Spirit. They no longer needed to cling to wealth or tremble in fear about their future. They believed that God would take responsibility for their lives and their future.
Of course, this does not mean that every church must adopt a system of communal property or that believers are mandated to do so. According to the account in Acts, people still owned their property individually, but they voluntarily and joyfully laid it down. As a result, it was distributed “as any had need.” That is, the early church did not forcibly compel giving through coercion. Barnabas’s voluntary example of selling his field and placing the money at the apostles’ feet is the quintessential example. Pastor David Jang says that this “voluntariness” is the evidence of a community governed by the Holy Spirit. If someone is forced by pressure to give an offering, that does not reflect the true character of the church. The early church was guided solely by the Holy Spirit, resulting in spontaneous outpourings of love and dedication. This, he explains, is the healthy form in which “possessions are overcome” within the church.
Pastor David Jang insists that the modern church should learn from this early church model. We live in an age more pervaded by individualism and materialism than ever. The instinct to possess more, coupled with the relentless pressure to outdo others in a highly competitive world, is extremely strong. However, if the church merely goes along with this worldly current, then it loses the early church’s ideal of love and sharing, as well as the spiritual abundance that surpasses material wealth. Thus, if the church truly seeks renewal and reform today, Pastor Jang suggests that it must once again awaken to the value of “emptying possessions and sharing.” Once truly seized by the Holy Spirit, we are no longer dominated by possessions and become free to give wholeheartedly where there is need.
Another essential point here is that the church never denies or ignores “practical needs.” The community in Acts also distributed resources “as any had need.” In other words, they provided for those who truly lacked, and if someone’s need was comparatively smaller, they received less help. Sharing and distribution were carried out based on actual need, so the early church’s practice of sharing is by no means some utopian version of “communism” or “communal production.” It was the manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s love in real-life contexts, bearing practical fruit. Pastor David Jang observes that this “need-based” sharing exemplified by the early church is a crucial model the modern church should reclaim.
Still, even in such a pure and beautiful early church, a dark shadow appears in the story of Ananias and Sapphira. Many say that without fully understanding the “sharing of possessions” from Acts 4:32–37, the story of Ananias and Sapphira in chapter 5 can seem excessively harsh and perplexing. Pastor David Jang stresses that we must realize how severe the consequences can be when something “consecrated to God” is treated carelessly or deceptively. Once you decide to give something to God, it no longer belongs to you personally but to Him. If you subsequently conceal part of it and selfishly try to profit, you end up “lying to the Holy Spirit.”
3. The Ananias and Sapphira Incident, and Pastor David Jang’s Message
Acts 5:1 and the following verses recount the well-known story of Ananias and Sapphira, regarded as the sternest disciplinary case in the early church. They planned to sell their property and dedicate the proceeds to the church community. However, they secretly kept back part of the money. The problem was not simply that they withheld some funds; it was that they had “deceived” the community. Once they had decided to give the proceeds from the sale to God, that property was no longer “theirs” but God’s. Their attempt to hide a portion and effectively lie to God became a grave offense.
Pastor David Jang highlights the fact that “people filled with the Holy Spirit can perceive deception.” As soon as Peter sees Ananias, he confronts him: “Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit…?” To human eyes, this might seem like a minor wrong, but it fundamentally threatened the purity, transparency, and communal way of life under God’s authority that the early church so devotedly practiced. As a result, Ananias and Sapphira each died in Peter’s presence—an outcome illustrating how seriously the early church took this matter. It shows how “falsehood” and “deception” can destroy the entire community if they are allowed in at a time when the church is flourishing.
Admittedly, this incident can appear very harsh to modern readers. We might ask, “They just gave a little less; why did they have to die?” Pastor David Jang addresses this concern by explaining that in the early church, God’s absolute sovereignty was being powerfully experienced, so sins committed within the church could not be handled from a merely human perspective. In an age where the majesty of the resurrected Lord and the Holy Spirit’s holiness were so evident, any act that undermined God’s sovereign rule could be regarded as “opposing the Holy Spirit.” Furthermore, it reflects the Old Testament concept of herem (that which has been wholly devoted to God cannot be touched by humans). The property Ananias and Sapphira dedicated had already been set apart, so their keeping a portion for themselves was similar to the sin of Achan.
In the story of Achan from the Book of Joshua, after Israel’s victory in battle, all spoils were to be devoted to God, but Achan secretly kept some for himself. Consequently, the entire community suffered defeat and was plunged into crisis. Only after Achan was stoned to death did victory return to Israel. Scripture repeatedly treats sins involving the misappropriation of consecrated items with absolute seriousness. This is because it amounts to denying that life, wealth, and all things belong to God. Pastor David Jang interprets the early church as having inherited this principle of holiness. Therefore, while Acts 5 may seem extreme by today’s standards, in a church community that was tangibly experiencing God’s authority, it had to be handled with the utmost severity.
Ultimately, this interpretation leads us to a fundamental question: What is the church? Is it genuinely the place where God’s reign is manifest, or merely a setting for religious activities and human gatherings? If the church truly stands under God’s rule, no sin—no matter how small—can be tolerated within it. While we all remain sinners and cannot be perfect in the church, we must at least recognize sin as sin and strive to turn away from it. Pastor David Jang emphasizes this point, asserting that the contemporary church must meditate on the story of Ananias and Sapphira more earnestly. Why do we give offerings? Why do we serve? Why do we live lives of worship? Are these actions genuinely offered with sincerity before God, or might we be hiding some subtle self-centered motives behind a religious facade?
Ultimately, Ananias and Sapphira’s death instilled a renewed sense of reverent fear in the early church. Scripture states, “Great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things” (Acts 5:11). This fear was not one that crushed or destroyed the church. Rather, it awakened a genuine reverence for God: the realization that “we must be pure for the church to live.” The message that the church must be honest and sincere resonates powerfully for modern congregations and cannot be ignored.
Pastor David Jang underscores, “The greatest miracle that can occur in our lives is not the external wonders, but the breaking of deep-seated greed in our hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit, which transforms our attitude to fully acknowledge God’s sovereignty.” Though money is where our sin nature is often most vividly exposed, the real issue involves the state of our faith revealed through how we handle our material wealth. It is not primarily about “how passionately we participate in church,” but about “whether we genuinely trust God enough to rise above possessions and live in freedom.”
Furthermore, Pastor David Jang poses this question to churches today: “When we face the story of Ananias and Sapphira, is there some area in which we are deceiving God?” We may do good works that appear righteous within the church or outside it, yet harbor a heart that is deceiving the Holy Spirit. For instance, do we seek human praise and recognition when we serve or give offerings? Or, even while claiming to devote everything to God, are we secretly “withholding” a part of ourselves? Failing to reflect on these issues and simply taking pride in statements like, “I faithfully attend church” or “I give bigger offerings than others,” could lead us toward the same tragic mistake as Ananias and Sapphira.
Likewise, modern church leaders bear a responsibility to examine themselves and to guide the congregation rightly. If a church lacks transparency in financial matters, or if its uses of offerings are unclear, or if a leader exploits the church to fulfill personal desires, it stands in direct opposition to the purity the early church displayed. Pastor David Jang stresses that leaders should first be like Barnabas, voluntarily surrendering what they have and becoming authentic figures of consolation. In other words, before demanding sacrifice from congregants, a leader must examine whether they themselves are truly devoted. The crux of the early church’s spirit was not “who gives more” or “who receives higher praise,” but rather, “how do we meet each other’s needs and encourage one another?”
In this light, while the incident of Ananias and Sapphira may appear as a dark cloud overshadowing the early church’s most glorious moments, it paradoxically highlights how holy and pure that community truly was. When the church lives under the Holy Spirit’s governance, not even the smallest falsehood can be tolerated. The church must resolutely defend truth and holiness. Pastor David Jang insists the modern church must take this to heart.
Today, churches continue to face various problems—financial misconduct, power struggles, interpersonal disputes—and each time these issues surface, society’s disappointment and criticism of the church intensify. In the midst of this, the lesson we must learn from the early church is to shift our perspective on “possessions” and to practice “integrity and transparency.” This is not simply a matter of new procedures or organizational charts; it requires inward transformation by the work of the Holy Spirit. Pastor David Jang states, “When the Holy Spirit comes upon us, people’s hearts are fundamentally changed, and from that point onward, the church ceases to revolve around self-centered mindsets and begins to exist for one another.” Without such transformation, the church cannot become the church it was meant to be.
Not only in the early church, but in every age, certain characteristics emerge whenever the church stands under God’s authority. People become one in heart and soul, love one another, and enjoy the freedom to hold possessions in common. Although it is not easy to break free from our innate greed, when the Holy Spirit arrives, it becomes possible to resist covetousness and humble ourselves in service. At that point, the church is no longer just a place of worship and rituals, but a realm where the Kingdom of God truly unfolds.
Ultimately, Pastor David Jang proclaims that “resurrection faith,” “the fullness of the Holy Spirit,” and “the emptying of possessions and sharing,” which were demonstrated by the early church, are equally essential for us today. We all cling to “the hope of resurrection—that even if we die, we live again”—and we already live in the era of the Holy Spirit, in which that resurrection has commenced. Thus, believers must acknowledge that even their lives, wealth, time, talents, and health all belong to God, using them for the glory of God. When this attitude overflows in the church—when it recovers “honesty and sincerity” and serves God in “fear and reverence”—the astonishing revivals and miracles recorded in the Book of Acts can be repeated, Pastor Jang maintains. Indeed, he affirms that this is the most urgent and significant mission the church of this age must reclaim.
Ultimately, in the early church, miracles and signs were not merely external phenomena. They served as proof of a deeper purpose—that people’s hearts and lives were being transformed. The most decisive “sign” was that believers’ lives changed so radically they became a loving community that shared their possessions. Likewise, if we anticipate the powerful work of the Holy Spirit, keep resurrection faith at the center, and humbly submit before God’s sovereignty, only then can we experience the freedom and joy of relinquishing our possessions, building up the church in unity. Pastor David Jang reiterates that the essential message of the early church is not just a relic of history or an unattainable ideal, but a real possibility and calling for today’s Christians. Because God is still at work through the church, we must respond earnestly and truthfully to that call.
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