A Catastrophic Conspiracy

Conspiracy theories abound: (not passing any judgment)

Lee Harvey Oswald acted in concert with others

There were others involved in the Lindbergh baby abduction

Roswell NM is ground zero for all sorts of alien activities

Speaking of extra-terrestrial-types of thing, a secret chamber in Mt. Rushmore containing proof that UFOs exist

The elements of a conspiracy are that two or more people agree together to commit an offense; in some jurisdictions, an overt act must have been commited

We start in 4:35 to get the context, read through 5:11…and see if one had been committed

We had seen the unity of the early church

One part is shown by the sacrificial giving of Barnabas

Submitting the proceeds of the sale of property to the authority of the Apostles

Now we have the conspirators, the conspiracy, the clarity, and the consequences

[An interesting bit of trivia—the first place Luke used the term “the church” ]

The Conspirators

Ananias and Sapphira

A couple of connivers

Most likely of Jewish background; most if not all believers at this point were; names were common to the Jewish culture

Speculation, may have been part of the earliest grouping of believers, the 120

Their character—they were not above lying to their fellow believers

May have been of some means—they had this property to sell

Their temptation—to be seen as generous, maybe to be put on a pedestal ... to gain stature

Their sin—

We can speculate that greed and pride may be the motivation but...

...lying to the Holy Spirit—is the sin for which they are called out, and for which they pay the extreme penalty

The Conspiracy

Agreeing between themselves to lie to God—bold-faced hypocrisy…acting the part but not being the part

The family that prays together stays together; the couple that lies together...

Telling Peter (God’s agent) that they’d given it all

Backing up a bit on this, the word translated “kept back,” in a deeper study, leans toward embezzlement, at best misappropriated

Scholars speculate that there may have been some sort of pre-made agreement, maybe after having seen the actions of Barnabas, to sell and donate the whole of the proceeds

“Contrived” sounds pretty intense—The Message uses “pull a trick like this”

The Clarity

Peter was given (no doubt by divine direction) the knowledge of the whole story

When Ananias presented the gift, Peter knew right away—never gave him a clear challenge to recant

However, within this, there seems to have been the chance for Ananias to stop Peter’s accusations and make it right

Not that Peter pointed and said “you’re a dead man” He merely asked “why”

…why he had contrived (other translation, “conceived in your heart...”

We should note that it was Satan filling the heart of Ananias

He should have been on his guard against this

Peter gave Sapphira a chance—you have to wonder what went through her mind

“I wonder where Ananias went????

The Consequences

They should have known better; presuming them to be Jews , they would have know about the sin of Achan—God destroying the family of the disobedient man, Achan, in Josh. chapt. 7

A major piece of tragedy in the nation of Isreal

Achan and his family—along with the goods they had taken--were removed from the camp, stoned, and burned

In this case today, both are buried without any great fuss—their names live on…in infamy

Good illustrations of bad examples

Acts 5:11 ESV

And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

Lessons Learned

A Theology Lesson

Sort of sneaking in there

In v. 3, Peter refers to a “lie to the Holy Spirit;” in v. 4, “…to God”

2/3 of a trinitarian formula—clearly defining the Holy Spirit as God, a specific person of the Trinity

An Offence Against the Spirit!

It was not an offence against Peter, the Apostles or the church

We should know that all sin is against God (David after adultery and murder)

Psalm 51:4 (ESV)

Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.

Do We Take Offense?

...our offence at what happened

Some pseudo-scholars think this is just a morality play of sorts…something Luke wrote into the record, just to make a point

NO, it’s recorded as a real event; if we’re going to believe Scripture, believe this

If we do not believe this, what else will we doubt? …what will we doubt next?

Some think it doesn’t fit well with the model Jesus gave: forgiving

There was a pattern of deceit leading up to the death of Ananias, continuation that led to the death of his wife

Just as the case of Achan (Josh 7), in the early days of the Jewish nation, served to warn the congregation of obedience; this served to warn this new thing—the Church—about obedience and honesty in the new environment

Some are so brazen to say: “When I get to Heaven I’m going to talk to God about that!”

Not to be snarky; but when we presume to tell God how to run His church we step onto very dangerous ground

Luke records this for a reason; God was not going to let something like this get in the way of the early church

The message was, apparently, heard loud and clear…next week’s message

A Need for Transparency

A need of transparency and honesty among the members of the church

1 Peter 4:17 ESV

For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

A Need for Discipline in the Church

1 Corinthians 5:5 ESV

you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

That was a specific matter that appeared to have been successful (follow the story to 2nd Cor.

A Troubling Question

Were Ananias and Sapphira truly among the saved or were they just “hangers-on”

Saved or Hangers-on?

We have no clear answer in Scripture

We could ask the same question of Achan—truly a believer or not?

We must recognize that being associated with the gathering of God’s people does NOT make one saved!

That was true of early Israel, and is true today

Only trusting Christ and His finished work on the cross does, that includes repentance and obedience

Dangerous Ground

If you’re a “hanger-on”

You may think you’re getting away with it but Gal 6 7

Galatians 6:7 ESV

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

You won’t slip into Heaven by being around saved people, being a church member, doing good things, saying the right things....

The same verse applies if you’re a true believer, but treading on dangerous ground

Jesus tells of the vine and the vine-dresser in John 15 5-6

John 15:5–6 (ESV)

If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

Who Do We Think We’re Fooling?

If you’re on who is hanging on—I can’t tell

If you’re saved, but slipping away…God MAY chose to clip you off as unfruitful

Today is the right day to make a decision