***ACTS 5:1-10

Lie Can’t Live! (Acts 5:1–10))

ny lies that we tend to tune them out and not pay much attention to the lies. We become skeptical at what others tell us! There are some common lies that I came across that are told every day:

• The check is in the mail.

• I’ll start my diet tomorrow

• We service what we sell

• Give me your number and the Doctor will call you right back

• Money cheerfully refunded

• One size fits all

• This offer limited to the first one hundred people who call in

• Your luggage isn’t lost, it’s only misplaced

• Leave your resume and we’ll keep it on file

• This hurts me more than it hurts you

• I just need five minutes of your time

• Your table will be ready in five minutes

• Open wide it won’t hurt a bit

• Let’s have lunch sometime

• It’s not the money, it’s the principle

I heard about this little girl when asked what a lie was she said, “A lie is an abomination unto the Lord and an ever present help in time of trouble.” I want you to understand that a lie is never a help and it will get you into present trouble with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke declared the defilement, the detecting, the denouncing, and the death of this couple. Christians are to deal truthfully and faithfully and with integrity before God and man. God’s judgment comes upon those who live a lie and die a hypocrite! Do we have some Ananias and Sapphira in us? Are we guilty of lying to God? Do we want the praise of man or the honor of God? Do we seek to be seen or heard or do we seek to give glory to the Lord Jesus? If God’s judgment would fall today as it did then would you be in danger? This passage reveals some truths why a lie can’t live!

I. The preconceived plan discussed. (1–2a)

“But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. 2 And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it,”

“and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.”

This was a meeting to remember in the house of God. Two thousand years later and we are still talking about that day that the judgment of God fell. Remember that Luke tells us at the end of chapter four that the church was being the church. The church was doing what the church was supposed to do! They were ministering to the needs of the flock and reaching out to the lost. Luke tells us that Barnabas had some land and he sold the land and brought the money and laid it at the apostle’s feet. The apostles had given Joses the name Barnabas which means “Son of Encouragement.”

Ananias and Sapphira saw how the church honored Barnabas and the respect that was given to him and they wanted that same praise. So they came up with a plan to receive honor from the church without giving fully to the Lord.

Ananias: His name means “God is gracious.”

Sapphira: Her name means “Beautiful.”

This couple did not live up to their names! Because of his actions God was not gracious to Ananias and by her plotting we learn that Sapphira was not a beautiful woman! So the infamous plan was set in motion.

Chapter five and verse one starts with the word “But.” Luke uses this conjunction to transition a change in the atmosphere and action in the church. John Phillips wrote, “The ‘buts’ in the Bible are the hinges on which great doors swing. They always mark a decisive change in the story. Thus far the church triumphant had been marching forward in victory. Satan was unable to conquer it, so next he tried to corrupt it.” They saw the praise for Barnabas and they sold a possession of their own.

Ananias and Sapphira decided to keep back part of the money. Kept back: (apart or clandestinely); to sequestrate for oneself, i.e. embezzle:- keep back, purloin. Keeping back any part that we claim to devote to God is disobedience and deception. They wanted the church to think highly of them. They wanted the honor and prestige, and glory heaped on them. Brian Harbour wrote, “Instead of being concerned about their standing before God, they were really concerned about their status in the church.”

They cared more about what man thought that what God thought! They wanted honor from the church instead of honor for Christ and honor from Christ. They were putting on a show and a farce. Have you ever known anyone like that? A newly promoted Army colonel moved into his new and impressive office. As he sat behind his new big desk, a private knocked on the door. The colonel said, “Just a minute, I’m on the phone.” He picked up the phone and said, loudly, “Yes sir, General, I’ll call the President this afternoon. No sir, I won’t forget.” Then he hung up the phone and told the private to come in.” The colonel said, “Son, what can I help you with?” The private said, “Well, sir, I’ve come to hook up your phone.” Folks try to impress others with what they have and who they are!

Ananias and Sapphira had a preconceived plan and they discussed about what they were going to do and how they were going to do it. They connived together and schemed together to sell a possession of land. The Bible says, “his wife also being aware of it,” and that tells us that she was just as guilty as he was. This was a well thought out and planned out scheme. What would compel someone to do such a thing? Ananias and Sapphira had selfish motives and had greed in their hearts. They intentionally kept back part of the proceeds for themselves. They lied about their giving! John G. Butler said, “Lying about your giving is so bad that it is better not to give at all than to be deceitful in your giving.” 1 Timothy 6:10 says, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” Greed and covetousness and hypocrisy will lead a person to do anything at anytime to anyone.

I remember that as a little boy I was at a High School baseball game with my friend watching the game. There was a foul ball behind home plate and out in the field where the weeds were high. My friend told me that if I found the ball to stand on it and to hide it so that he could get it later. Sure enough I was the one who found the ball and I listened to my friend. I stood on the ball and quit looking around. The other kids noticed that I had quit looking and they came and found the ball under my feet. They took the ball from me and told everyone what I was doing. I felt embarrassed and ashamed at what I had done. My friend and I had a preconceived plan that didn’t work out for us. Ananias and Sapphira had a preconceived plan that didn’t work out for them. We’ve noticed the preconceived plan discussed. In verse 2 we also note:

II. The public present delivered. (2b)

“and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.”

They intentionally and secretly kept back part of the money for themselves and publicly brought the leftovers before the whole church. Ananias and Sapphira didn’t take heed to the Lord’s words. Matthew 6:1–4 says, “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.” Giving is worship and we need to focus on Jesus and what He gave as we give. Ananias’ heart was not right as he presented his gift to the church. Proverbs 25:14 says, “Whoever falsely boast of giving is like clouds and wind without rain.” A cloud without rain is good for nothing except blocking the sun. A church member without the Spirit is good for nothing except blocking the SON.

Ananias came strutting into the church with a bank roll in his pocket, and the devil in his heart. Ananias is not known for what he gave, but for what he didn’t give. No amount of money is worth losing your life. Today many people withhold God’s money and refuse to give.

The disease cirrhosis of the giver was discovered in A. D 34 by the husband-wife team of Ananias and Sapphira. It is an acute condition that renders the patient’s hands immobile when he is called on to move them in the direction of his wallet or her purse, and from thence to the offering plate. This strange malady is clinically unobservable in such surroundings as the golf club, supermarket, clothing store, or restaurant. Some try to use a fake remedy, pointing out to the patients that income tax deductions can be claimed for giving. The best therapy and that which leads to a sure and lasting cure is to get the individual’s heart right with God.”

In the presence of God and the church united came Ananias with his supposedly gift to God. We need to be careful when we make promises, when we make plans, and when we give presents and do not seek guidance from God. Years ago pastor and author Donald Grey Barnhouse would not let his congregation sing the third stanza of “At Calvary” which says, “Now I have giv’n to Jesus everything; now I gladly own him as my King.” Dr. Barnhouse said, “You see if God acted in the same way today that he did in the fifth chapter of Acts, you’d have to have a morgue in the basement of every church and a mortician on the pastoral staff.” We learn from this text that the motives of Ananias were evil. His intentions were not for the glory of Jesus not the promotion of the kingdom of God or the edification of the church. His motives were selfish, greedy, and acted in accordance with the devil. How is your giving today? What promises have you made to God? What plans have you made in secret? We’ve noticed the preconceived plan discussed; the public present delivered; and we also see:

III. The personal payment demanded. (3–6)

A. The explanation given by the Leader. (3–4)

“But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? 4 While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”

God gave Pastor Peter some special discernment in the occasion as he asked Ananias one of the last questions that he would ever hear. We see in this text that deception comes from desires prompted by Satan. The devil cannot make us do anything, but he constantly and consistently tempts us to go astray. Spiritual warfare is real and has present and physical ramifications. Peter asked Ananias why Satan had filled his heart so that he would lie to the Holy Spirit. Albert Barnes said, “A man’s heart or mind is full of a thing when he is intent on it; when he is strongly impelled to it; or when he is fully occupied with it. The expression here means that he was strongly impelled or excited by Satan to this crime.” The questioned posed to Ananias implies that Ananias did not have to do the will of the devil. He did not have to submit to the devil; he did not have to give place to the devil!

Peter doesn’t call Ananias aside to a secret or private meeting. He does not wait for an opportune time, but he immediately explains the situation in front of the church so that everyone present knew what was going on. What Ananias had planned backfired on him. Peter tells him the source of his problem is the filling of the devil in his heart! How do we lie to the Holy Spirit?

• When we sing I surrender all and go out and live for self and live for Satan we lie to the Holy Spirit

• When we tell God we are going to tithe and we withhold the tithe from God we lie to the Holy Spirit.

• When we ask God to rescue us out of marital trouble or financial trouble only to return to the same attitude and actions we lie to the Holy Spirit.

• When we say we want the fullness of God’s Spirit when in reality we want the approval of men we lie to the Holy Spirit

Peter gives Ananias a full explanation so that he would know that God knows and now everyone else knows why he did what he did! Ananias was disgraced by his actions.

Peter tells Ananias that he was not under any obligation to sell the land and once the land was sold he was not forced to give a certain amount. Ananias had full control of the land and the money from the land. Peter goes on to tell Ananias that he had not lied to men, but to God. He did indeed lie to Peter and the church, but primarily his sin was against the Lord. His sin was against the Holy Spirit of God. When he lied to the Spirit he lied to God! The Holy Spirit is God in us. He can be grieved, quenched, and hindered. He desires to fill us, control us, motivate us, and use us to honor the Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 4:30 says, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” 1 Thessalonians 5:19 says, “Do not quench the Spirit.” Isaiah 63:10 says, “But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; so He turned Himself against them as an enemy, and He fought against them.” When we grieve the Holy Spirit we are fighting against God and when we fight against God we are fighting a losing battle. In verses 3–4 we’ve noticed the explanation given to the Leader; in verses 5–6 we see:

B. The expiration given to the liar. (5–6)

“Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. 6 And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.”

Ananias fell dead in front of the pastor. The judgment of God had fallen on him. It has been said, “Most of us have some of Ananias about us—the desire to be thought better or more holy or more spiritual than we are.” Keeping back is half hearted lukewarm commitment that results in the death of Ananias. Breathed his last: (KJV: gave us the ghost) The word means “To expire.” His life left him; his breath left him; his spirit left him; and his soul left his body. God did not demand his money, but He did demand his life. God demands our lives as well. He wants us to surrender all the Jesus and His Lordship.

We see that the money that Satan used to motivate Ananias to this hideous act could not be carried with him. He left the world empty and he left this world doing Satan’s will. What kind of legacy are we leaving or will we leave behind? I heard about this old country black lady years ago who was known for saying, “Be what you is. Because if you be what you ain’t, then you ain’t what you be.”

Ananias and Sapphira tried to be something that they were not! Was Ananias a believer? He was a church member; he had his name on the church roll, he had been baptized, but he sure didn’t act like a born again Christian. God had the right to judge the saint and the sinner and He will one day! Hebrews 9:27 says, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, after this the judgment.” The liar lied his last! Ananias spoke up for Satan and God showed up and spoke us through Peter.

This man’s life expired that very day, that very hour. That was his last church service; his last sermon that he ever heard; his last opportunity to give to the work of the Lord; and his last lie he ever told. Then great fear came upon all those who heart these things. The judgment on Ananias was beneficial to the rest of the church. The people who heard and saw the judgment of God feared God and lived right! The Bible says in verse 6, “And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.” The young men wrapped him up and took him out to bury him. The same day, the next of kin was not even notified, no funeral arrangements were made, no viewing, no eulogy or sermon given; no songs sung; he was just buried. What a way to go out; lying to God and shown to be a fraud. So far we’ve noticed the preconceived plan discussed; the public present delivered; the personal payment demanded and lastly we note:

IV. The partners plot denounced. (7–10)

A. The persistence to the plot. (7–8)

“Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?” She said, “Yes, for so much.”

Three hours later and the church were still meeting! Sapphira came in later and the Bible says she didn’t know what happened. Why didn’t she come to church with her husband three hours earlier? It could have been that they wanted the praise from the people to resound again when she showed up. God gave Sapphira a chance to turn from her evil plot, but we learn that she persisted on not repenting of the sin in her heart. She didn’t know that her husband had died! I’m sure the atmosphere in the church when she arrived got her attention. All eyes were upon her. What is going to happen now?

Ananias had an opportunity to lead his wife in the way of righteousness, but he chose to lead her astray and lead her to death and the grave. Just because a man brings his wife to church does not mean that he’s being the spiritual leader that God desires for him to be. Ananias failed at leading his wife, but not all the responsibility fall on his shoulders. Obviously, Sapphira was responsible for her actions as well.

Ananias and Sapphira were in church regularly, but their hearts were far from the Lord. They were full of the devil! Sapphira persisted on with her evil intentions, she did not have a change of heart, she did not have a change of mind, and she did not recognize what was going to happen to her. Warren Wiersbe wrote, “Ananias was dead and buried, and Sapphira did not even know it! Satan always keeps his servants in the dark, while God guides His servants in the light.” TRUTH: You may fool some of the people some of the time, but you can not fool God any time. The Lord Jesus knows what we do and why we do it! John Phillips wrote, “We are not to put God to the test. Nor must we put the Holy Spirit in a position where His wisdom and His power war with His mercy and His grace.”

When you set your heart on evil and persist in your actions then your heart will harden and you can not please God. Peter knew that the couple had not given what they got for the land, he knew their plot, he knew what had just happened to her husband. He asked her the same question that he asked her husband and he got the same answer he got from her husband. Sapphira persisted in the plot that they had conjured up! She didn’t come clean and confess her sins. Proverbs 28:13 says, “He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” Proverbs 29:1 says, “He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” If many of us had the persistence for living for God that Sapphira had for the ungodly plan this world would see changed lives! She was dedicated to the scheme that her and Ananias came up with. We’ve noticed the persistence to the plot and in verses 9–10 we note:

B. The payment to the partner. (9–10)

“Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband.”

It astonished Peter that she would persist in her evil plot to test the Spirit of the Lord. Jeremiah 17:9–10 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? 10 I, the I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” Test: (KJV: tempt) peirazo, pi-rad’-zo; to test (object), i.e. endeavor, scrutinize, entice, discipline:- assay, examine, go about, prove, tempt (-er), try. They tested the Spirit of the Lord by secretly doing evil and lying to God and man about what they were giving. The Holy Spirit is “HOLY” and they brought sin into the camp and they tested whether or not the Spirit would allow sin to go unchecked! He did not and He will not today! The Spirit of God did business with those who failed to do business with Him. This is a picture of the judgment that will come upon all those who do not know Jesus. The judgment was swift and final.

The last words that she heard was that she had agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord and that those who buried her husband was now going to bury her. The last words that she heard was the last words her husband heard. Her burial was no better than her husbands. Albert Barnes wrote, “In the very beginning of the Christian church it was important, by a decided and awful act, to impress upon the church and the world the danger and guilt of hypocrisy. Well did the Savior know that it would be one of the most insidious and deadly foes to the purity of the church; and at its very threshold, therefore, he set up this solemn warning to guard it, and laid the bodies of Ananias and Sapphira in the path of every hypocrite that would enter the church. If they enter and are destroyed, they cannot plead that they were not fully warned. If they practice iniquity in the church, they cannot plead ignorance of the fact that God intends to detect and punish them.” The payment was full not partial, complete not empty and the results of the judgment was evident on everyone else. They feared God and honored Him! That is what we are supposed to be doing as His people.

The Bible says that she immediately fell down and breathed her last. The same young men that carried out the same kind of sinner! FACT: She persisted in her husbands plot and she received a plot next to her husband. How is your giving? How is your living? What are your motives for serving and sacrificing? Have you lied to the Holy Spirit? God call for truth; God calls for repentance; God calls for us to get right with Him. Do you need to confess sin tonight? Do you need to repent? Would you call upon the Lord and start walking in the Light and living by the truth? We’ve learned today that a lie can’t live! May our lives show forth God’s truth every day and in every way!