Remembering Grace - Acts 5:1-11

Remember Jesus, He Remembered You

Memorial Day – The first national observance of Memorial Day occurred on May 30, 1868. It was known as Decoration Day. It became an official federal holiday in 1971. It is celebrated by many by visiting cemeteries, placing flags upon the graves of veterans, the holding of family gatherings, and parades in honor of the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we take advantage of every single day. No one in the world is free from the affects of the American fighting men and women who have sacrificed their lives to crush tyranny, and provide the window of hope in freedoms of people from oppressive governments that we live in today.

It is important for us to remember those who have laid down their lives for us, least we forget and surrender the freedoms we have today. The ideology of freedom from oppression is only kept alive in the remembrance of the sacrifice that was necessary for this freedom.

Our freedom comes directly from the hope and faith that we have in God through Jesus Christ. There are many who are trying to re-write history to say that we were not a county founded on Christian beliefs, but they are liars. They are indoctrinating your children in ignorance, in order to make them salves of the tyrannical rule of the Antichrist and his prophet. The new world order wants to make us forget that it was God who ordained the United States. George Washington saw the importance of remembering that God himself was the reason for the success of American freedoms.

“Glorious indeed has been our Contest: glorious, if we consider the Prize for which we have contended, and glorious in its Issue; but in the midst of our Joys, I hope we shall not forget that, to divine Providence is to be ascribed the Glory and the Praise.”

—Letter to Reverend John Rodgers, June 11, 1783

George Washington even saw that God had established the United States as a means of the spreading of the gospel and a blessing to the world.

“Whereas it becomes us humbly to approach the throne of Almighty God, with gratitude and praise for the wonders which his goodness has wrought in conducting our fore-fathers to this western world…and above all, that he hath diffused the glorious light of the gospel, whereby, through the merits of our gracious Redeemer, we may become the heirs of his eternal glory.”

—Washington’s General Orders, November 27, 1779

As a nation we have certain rights that we believe are given by God, and can therefore never be taken away.

In Congress, July 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

We see the importance of remembering was to our forefathers. Remembering is also important to our God. In this day when our children are being taught to abandon their heritage as Americans, and as Christians, God says to remember.

The Hebrews were given feasts in order that they may remember what God has done for them.

Deuteronomy 8:2 - And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

Deuteronomy 6:12 - Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

· Pesach (Passover)

· Unleavened Bread

· First Fruits

· Shavuot (Pentecost)

· Rosh Hashanah (Feast of Trumpets)

· Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)

· Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles)

· Purim (Esther)

· Chanukkah (Festival of Lights) Rededication of Temple after Greek occupation

God tells us to remember some things also.

Revelation 2:5 - Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Luke 22:19 - And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

So, we are given the importance of remembrance by Jesus Christ. That we should remember the sacrifice that he gave delivering us unto spiritual freedom. Also, if we should forget the heights of our calling in Christ and should abandon our humility, then we should remember from where we have wondered and repent. Forgetting this will lead to destruction.

We are to return to our first works. The Lord says, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

How then are we to return to our first works? We are to remember.

Isaiah 46:9 - Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,

1 Corinthians 11:2 - Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.

2 Thessalonians 2:15 - Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

In today’s text we see a couple that forgot to remember.

Acts 5:1-11 (read)

· Ananias and Saphira forgot the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

o They looked for carnal things instead of spiritual rewards

o They looked to hear and now instead of eternity

§ This is where covetousness comes from, we look in the wrong direction

§ Ananias and Saphira became trapped by their evil scheme

· They coveted their own money

· They coveted Barnabas’ reputation

· So they lied… and then kept lying

o If only we could keep our eyes on the resurrection and eternity

§ What foolishness it could keep us from

· Ananias and Saphira forgot the presence of the Holy Spirit

o Scripture tells us that the Holy Sprit comes to dwell within us

§ 1 Corinthians 3:16 - Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

§ 2 Corinthians 6:16 – Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

o When they made the plan to sell the land – the Holy Spirit was there

o When they schemed together to keep the money and lie – the Holy Spirit was there

o When they were paid for the land – the Holy Spirit was there

o When they counted the money into two piles and hid the one – the Holy Spirit was there

o When they followed through with their plan – the Holy Spirit was there

o When they lied, the Holy Spirit bore witness and told Peter

· Ananias and Saphira forgot the grace of God in Jesus Christ

o Peter gave them both a chance to be honest and repent

o They could have repented, confessed, and sought the grace of God

o They forgot the wages of sin is death

o They forget the sacrifice of God

o They forget the resurrection – and it’s implications –

§ Romans 8:11 – But the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

o They forgot they serve the living God

Sometimes we forget.

Sometimes we look to the wrong place and the wrong time

Sometimes we forget the Holy Spirit dwells within us

Sometimes we forget that Jesus is not dead, but was resurrected and is the living God

1 John 1:6-9

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

So then what should Ananias and Saphira done?

What is it that we need to do?

What is it that I should do?

That’s right… we should pray forgiveness, and grace, and mercy…