Honesty is the best policy Acts 5:1-11

Introduction

Following the healing of the lame man and Peter and John being put on trial for healing in the name of Jesus the church continued on mission.

At the end of chapter 4 Luke gives us a state of the church address.

The Bible tells us in Acts 1 that the church role was at 120 members, by the end of chapter 2 the role was over 3000 members. In Chapter 4 the Bible tells us that around 5000 more had been saved and added to the church.

At the end of chapter 4 we see that the multitudes of those who believed were of one heart and on soul. They were unified in the work of the Gospel. They had seen the life changing effect of the Gospel and it bonded them together.

It also tells us the the Apostles still had great power in their witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

They all had great grace upon them. Aren’t you thankful for the grace that God bestows on our lives everyday?

The church was selling things to help those who were in need. They weren’t practicing communism but rather commonism. They were voluntarily selling their homes and land to help those in the church who were in need. They were truly living out the principle that Jesus gave that says “it is more blessed to give than to receive”

As we come to the final verse of chapter 4 it tells us about a man named Joses who was given the name Barnabas by the Apostles. Barnabas was a levite (the priestly tribe) and he was from the country of Cyprus an Island northwest of Jerusalem. He had some land that he sold and brought the money to the Apostles.

As we come to chapter 5 we are going to see a couple who also had some land that they sold, but their outcome would be very different from the outcome of Barnabas as he would join Paul on a missionary journey later in Acts.

Ananias and Sapphira’s plan vs 1-2

Notice the first word of Chapter 5

Reminder the original manuscripts of the Bible didn’t have chapter and verse markings.

This story is a continuation of the introduction to Barnabas.

Theres a man and his wife who have a possession that they sell.

Their names are Ananias and Sapphira

Apparently Ananias comes up with a plan to tell the church he gave everything but to hold back some of the money for himself

The Bible says his wife was privy or aware of what was going on.

It’s one thing to sin privately, it’s even worse when you bring someone in to help you get away with

Ill. when you and your sibling break something and you have to get your story straight before you tell your parents about it.

After they come up with their plan Ananias brings a portion of the money to lay at the apostles feet.

The Truth Revealed vs 3-10

Ananias had a well thought out plan as he brings the money from the sell of his possession. He has rehearsed it and has his wife on board as well. the plan was fool proof. The problem was he didn’t take into account the fact that Peter was led by the Holy Spirit.

As Ananias lays his treasure at the feet of the Apostles peter asks him a question vs. 3-4

Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost? vs. 3

De 23:21 “When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.”

This isn’t the first time that Satan got into the heart of a follower of Jesus

Lk 22:3 “Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.”

Remember Jesus told Peter that Satan desired to have him. Satan desires to have all of us, but when we are saved he can’t take that away. What he can do is disqualify us and ruin our testimony for Christ.

After Jesus told Peter that he told him that He prayed for him that his faith would fail not. I believe Jesus does the same for us.

Notice the lie wasn’t to the Apostles or to the church but rather to the Holy Ghost.

When we lie it’s not just towards the person you lied to its toward God.

Why did you keep back a part of the price of the land? vs. 3

I don’t believe the sin that Ananias and Sapphira were guilty of was greed, they had just given a portion of the money that they got from the sale to the church.

I think the sin was pride. They saw the praise that Barnabas had gotten when he sold the land and they wanted that. They wanted their name on a building, they wanted the prestige, they wanted people to notice them.

Our motives truly do matter. We shouldn’t do things for God for the praise of those around us we should do what we do for the Audience of One and that is Jesus Christ!

Phil 3:13-14 “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Ps 27:4 “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.”

Luke 10:42 “But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

He asks him while you had it, didn’t you own it? After you sold it wasn’t the money in your control? What put this idea in your heart? vs. 4

They were under no obligation to give. There was no pressure put on them to give more money.

He didn’t have to sell his property and when he did sell it he didn’t have to give any money from the sale to the church.

John Phillips said this “What is not freely given out of a spirit of generosity and integrity, God neither wants nor needs”

2 Cor. 9:7 “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

Peter then makes another statement reminding him who he lied against vs. 4

Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God

John 8:44 tells us that Satan is the father of lies, when we lie we act like Satan.

Ananias dies vs. 5-6

After Ananias heard that he lied against God the Bible says he fell down and gave up the Ghost.

You might be thinking “Wow, thats a pretty harsh punishment for a little lie”

One think we must remember is that God is patient but he is also Holy. He is merciful but he is also Just.

Satan tried to attack the church from without and now was trying to attack the church from within and God had to stop it.

The Bible say’s great fear came on all those that heard these things.

I’m sure there was some heart searching after this had happened

Some young men from the Church wrap him up and go bury him

Sapphira dies vs. 7-10

Around three hours pass and Sapphira makes her way towards the church unaware of what had happened to her husband.

She walks in thinking man am I about to get some praise from the Church.

As she walks in I’m sure its pretty quiet, people are still processing what happened just three hours before.

As she walks in Peter asks her if she sold the land for a certain amount of money and without hesitation she feeds Peter the lie they had come up with.

As she answers Peter asks her another question.

Why would you collaborate to tempt the Lord.

As he is saying this the men wwho had just burried her husband are at the door.

Peter tells her the same men who just buried your husband are now going to bury you.

After he finished talking she fell down and died as well and they took her out and buried her with her husband.

You might be thinking this morning what does this story have to do with me. As I was studying I was convicted by this thought.

How often do we say that we have surrendered all to God, but we are holding something back, but we play it off to those around us as though we are sold out to God but in reality we have something holding us back we won’t surrender.

It might sound something like this

“God you can have everything but...”

The Church’s reaction vs. 11

Not only was there great fear in the church, but to all those that heard.

Conclusion

What are you holding back from God? Does God really have your everything?

If there has never been a time where you have received Christ as your saviour please come today. I’m not trying to scare anyone into salvation, but the coming of the Lord could happen any day.