The communal funds ran out and left the Jerusalem believers poor and destitute.
The early believers sold their lands and houses and laid the proceeds at the apostles' feet. Everyone then lived from one common kitty. Les explains that because no ongoing source of income or sufficient interest replenished the pool, it ran dry and the believers were left destitute.
Acts 2:44-45 — This verse records the believers holding all things common and selling possessions, showing the practice that created the communal fund.
Acts 4:34-35 — This passage shows landowners selling their property and placing the proceeds at the apostles' feet for need-based distribution.
Acts 2:44-45 shows the believers together with all things common; they sold their possessions and goods and gave to anyone who had need. Acts 4:34-35 adds that everyone who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money, and placed it at the apostles' feet, with distribution made to each person according to his need. These verses provide the scriptural background for the common fund; the reason it later ran out is the subject of Les Feldick's teaching from the chronological events in Acts.
Les Feldick explains that the Jerusalem believers pooled all of their resources. They sold their lands, houses, and any investments, and put everything into a common kitty for everyone to live on. He says the kitty was probably rather large at first, but it was finite. Since the believers were not earning ongoing income on it and only new believers joining could add to it, the common fund eventually ran out. When it ran dry, the believers were left poor and destitute. Les repeatedly emphasizes that they became poor precisely because they had sold everything and then the fund was exhausted. God, in His grace, then used the offerings that Paul collected from Gentile congregations to care for the poor saints in Jerusalem for the rest of their lives.
Les teaches that these Jewish believers were expecting the Kingdom. With the Old Testament program in view, they were not worried about keeping their property. They gladly brought the money to the apostles' feet because the more believers came in, the faster the Kingdom could come. Their joyful giving was tied to their expectation that the King would soon appear.
Les explains that there was no such thing as a continually growing common fund without an ongoing income. Unless the kitty was being added to by new believers coming in and contributing, it would eventually be spent. He compares it to entitlement programs that cannot keep handing money out indefinitely. That is exactly what happened to the believers at Jerusalem—the common kitty ran dry.
God in His grace responded to the believers' situation. Les says that because these people had acted from good intentions while expecting the Kingdom, God took care of them for the rest of their physical lives. Paul took up collections for the poor saints in Jerusalem wherever he went among his Gentile congregations, and that is how the destitute believers were provided for.
Believers Sold Lands and Houses
Les reads the Acts account showing believers who owned lands or houses selling them and bringing the price to the apostles' feet for distribution according to need.
All Things Common
Les describes the early Jewish believers having all things common and living out of one common kitty, which was probably rather large when it started.
The Common Kitty Ran Out
Les tells why they were poor: the believers sold their resources, put the money into a common kitty, and the kitty ran out because you cannot keep handing it out indefinitely.
Kitty Ran Dry and Paul Collected for the Poor
Les says the kitty had no enough interest and had to be replenished by new believers or it would run out; it did run out, and God covered it through Paul's collections for the poor saints in Jerusalem.
Kingdom Hope Led to Poverty
Les teaches the believers gave gladly because they expected the Kingdom, but when Israel did not respond and the Kingdom did not come, the kitty ran dry and they became poor.
A Finite Common Kitty Cannot Last
Les repeats that unless the common kitty was earning enough interest, it would run out, and that is exactly what happened to the believers in Jerusalem.
They Gladly Sold Everything and Were Left Destitute
Les ties their willingness to sell property to their Old Testament Kingdom expectation and says that after the kitty ran dry they were left destitute.
The Resources Had Run Out
Les states the common resource pool had run out and the believers were destitute, so Paul instructed the gathering of offerings primarily for the poor saints at Jerusalem.
Acts 2:44-45: And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
This records the shared life and selling of property that created the common fund.
Acts 4:34-35: Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
This reiterates that landowners and homeowners sold property and placed the proceeds at the apostles' feet for need-based distribution.
Les Feldick teaches that they were expecting the coming Kingdom. They gladly sold their property because the more believers who came in, the faster the Kingdom could come. They were not worried about keeping their possessions in view of that expectation.
Yes. Les explains that a common kitty without enough interest or ongoing contributions cannot last. The believers at Jerusalem lived out of this common fund until it ran dry, leaving them poor and destitute.
God used the offerings that Paul collected among his Gentile congregations. Paul took up collections for the poor saints in Jerusalem during his missionary journeys, and God used those gifts to care for the believers who had become destitute.
Watch the Teaching: Why Poor Churches Begged to Give - 2 Corinthians 8:1-6