Insincere Givers
It was the late 1970s, and my small-town church of about 80 people was facing a big challenge: major repairs were needed to the roof of the educational building. The cost was to be $4,000 (about $15,000 in today’s money). That was a hefty burden for that church, located as it was in an area with a somewhat depressed economy. The church board, with some reluctance, decided on a Tuesday night to move forward with the project. The concern was where we would get the money, but we stepped out on faith.
The next night at Bible study, a dear saint came up to me and asked if I could stop by her house the next afternoon. So on Thursday I did. That’s when she told me that she had just sold some family land and wanted to give 10 percent to the church. She wondered if there was a special project that needed funding. She had received $40,000 for the sale of the land, and 10 percent of that was the exact amount needed for our project.
Is it mere coincidence that such things happen? No! These are “God incidents,” when He blesses His faithful people to be a blessing in turn. The old adage, “You can’t outgive God” is proven true time and again. This is a lesson I learned early in my ministry life. As He sees faithfulness in those He blesses, He turns right around and blesses them anew.
Introduction
II. Insincere Givers
(ACTS 5:1–10)
A. Deceit Planned (vv. 1, 2)
1, 2. But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, and kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
With the introduction of Ananias and Sapphira, we see two of the same actions we saw regarding Barnabas: a possession is sold and money from the sale subsequently is placed at the apostles’ feet. But the similarities end there.
The word translated kept back is used in the Greek version of the Old Testament (called the Septuagint) only in Joshua 7:1. There it is translated “took” in describing Achan’s sin. Luke, the author of Acts, apparently wants the reader to see the connection. Both that passage and the one before us teach sobering lessons about deceit.
What Do You Think?
What issues should couples discuss when deciding how best to support God’s work financially?
Talking Points for Your Discussion
■ Regarding support for their local church
■ Regarding support for parachurch organizations
■ Regarding gifts that yield no tax deductions
B. Deceiver Ananias Confronted (vv. 3, 4)
3. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
Last week’s lesson showed us the apostles’ reaction to a threat from outside the church; our passage today shows us Peter’s reaction to an internal threat. Ananias and Sapphira are pretenders, deceivers. They pretend to have donated the entire price of the land they have sold, while actually holding back part. Their motives for doing so are unstated, but they have allowed Satan to influence them so that they seem to have no qualms with their plot—it is premeditated, not spur of the moment.
If these two had allowed the Holy Spirit to be the dominant influence in their lives, they would not have cooked up this deceit in the first place. Lying to fellow believers is bad enough (Colossians 3:9); attempting to lie to the Holy Ghost is to presume that one has the power to deceive Him. Such presumption is blasphemy!
4. Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
The property Ananias and Sapphira sold was their own. The two could have kept either the property or all the money from its sale. They could have chosen to donate a portion of the proceeds while openly keeping the remainder for themselves. Owning property, making money from the sale of assets, and deciding how much to give to the work of God’s kingdom are all personal matters.
Even so, the choices people make in this regard have a way of revealing the nature of their relationship with God. God so closely identifies himself with those created in His image that the way someone treats others is indicative of how that person relates to God. We see this in David’s lamenting his sin of adultery. When he confessed that sin, he said it was a sin against God only (Psalm 51:4). In Matthew 25, Jesus identifies the good deeds and the lack of good deeds done for others as actions done or left undone to Him. Ananias thinks he is lying merely unto men (the apostles), but that is not true. Ultimately, he is lying unto God.
We would dearly love to hear Ananias’s answer to the question Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? for that could reveal his motives. But punishment comes so swiftly that the question remains unanswered.
MOTIVES FOR GIVING
A study of a few years ago analyzed how giving patterns differed among Americans of various economic levels. Within the mountain of data and charts that resulted was this interesting nugget: those in the lowest income class directed more than three-quarters of their donations to religious organizations and organizations devoted to helping meet the basic needs of the poor, while those in the highest income class directed less than one-quarter of their donations that way. The latter demographic showed a much greater preference for supporting the arts, education, etc.
Visual for Lesson 2. Point to this visual as you pose the discussion question that is associated with Acts 4:34, page 19.
We naturally wonder why the difference! Could it be that endowments for high-profile arts and educational organizations result in the wealthiest givers having the satisfaction of “seeing their name in lights” in ways that donations to religious organizations do not?
When a need to assist the church’s poor of the first century presented itself, many members accepted the challenge. However, the gift from Ananias and Sapphira seems to have been prompted by a desire for recognition, not by compassion for those in need. To what extent is this a problem in the church of today?
—C. R. B.
C. Deceit’s Result, Part 1 (vv. 5, 6)
5. And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
The Scripture does not tell us whether Ananias is in any way remorseful or even if he has time to be so (compare Acts 12:23; contrast Joshua 7:20, 21; Acts 8:18–24). All that is said is that he fell down, and gave up the ghost—he died.
We may wonder how many are present to witness this act of divine judgment. Since the tainted gift has been laid “at the apostles’ feet” (v. 2, above), it seems that at least one other apostle besides Peter is there. Beyond that, verse 6 (next) indicates “young men” to be in close proximity. The fact that great fear comes on all who hear of these things implies eyewitnesses to the event (or at least to the result) to spread the news (compare Acts 5:11, not in today’s text).
This fear can have more than one component: being personally convicted that one has not always been truthful, fear of Peter personally, etc. Most likely it includes a dawning awareness of how serious God is about His church and her purity. The need for such purity is probably the very reason God takes such a drastic action as we see here. He wants people to see their role in maintaining the purity of the church.
God’s judgmental action in that regard corresponds with the way He interacted with the Israelites as they entered the promised land. Because of the sin of Achan, God declared that “Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also” (Joshua 7:11). The death penalty resulted there too (7:19–26).
6. And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
There is no record of a funeral, words of explanation or exhortation by Peter, or eulogy. Attempts to undermine the purity of the church place the perpetrator at the gravest of risks—the wrath of God. Those who so perish leave no good memory.
D. Deceiver Sapphira Confronted (vv. 7, 8)
7. And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
Perhaps “the young men” of verse 6 (above) have tried to contact Sapphira in the intervening three hours but have been unable to do so. Perhaps Peter has instructed them to stay put and keep their mouths shut—we don’t know; the text does not say. There are no cell phones, Twitter, or Facebook at the time to get information out. Since Sapphira shows up not knowing what was done, she has exactly the same chance to come clean by truthfully answering Peter’s question that we see in the next verse.
8. And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
Throughout Bible history, we see that God is as much or even more interested in the attitude of the giver as He is in the gift itself (examples: Psalm 51:17; Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13; 2 Corinthians 8:12). But some do not learn this lesson; ulterior motives in giving still exist today. Those who are clever in this regard can fool others, since the Holy Spirit may choose not to reveal the sin. If the impure motive is for recognition or an attempt to get one’s way, these ends may be realized. The reality, though, is that such deceivers receive only that recognition as the reward (see Matthew 6:2).
But the Holy Spirit is revealing the sin in the case at hand. If Sapphira answers Peter’s question honestly, she may have a chance to extricate herself from the web of deception she has helped spin. Sadly, she chooses to maintain the charade. In so doing, she reaps the reward of her deception.
What Do You Think?
How have the examples of others taught you to be a better giver? (Be careful about using real names.)
Talking Points for Your Discussion
■ Positive examples, Christian and secular
■ Negative examples, Christian and secular
E. Deceit’s Result, Part 2 (vv. 9, 10)
9. Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
Immediately after Sapphira’s lie, Peter reveals that he knows all about the conspiracy to tempt the Spirit of the Lord. A temptation to sin is not what is in view (as it is in Matthew 4:1–11). The idea, rather, is a testing of the Holy Spirit. Testing God is forbidden (Matthew 4:7 [quoting Deuteronomy 6:16]; 1 Corinthians 10:9). Yet challenging authority seems to be part of human nature. Children test parents by stepping as close to boundaries as possible. Throughout the Old Testament, we see the nation of Israel testing the patience of God time and again (example: Exodus 17:1–7).
To attempt to test the Lord is actually to test ourselves—a test that one always fails. Sapphira is about to experience divine punishment for her own failure in this regard.
10. Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
As with her husband Ananias, there appears to be no opportunity for Sapphira to respond to the accusation Peter has just made. It’s too late for that. The judgment of God is immediate and irrevocable.
This is a foreshadowing of the final judgment. At that time it will be too late to repent. Before that time comes, however, God will accept those with broken and contrite hearts (Psalm 51:17) who turn to His Son for forgiveness (John 3:16; 14:6). But time is running out.
Conclusion
A. Much Is Required
God, the giver of every good gift, desires that those who receive from Him be faithful in their stewardship of those gifts. When we hear that word stewardship, we naturally may think of how we manage our finances, give back to God, etc. But biblical stewardship involves something much more foundational: the giving of our hearts to Him. When we do, we will be faithful in all other aspects of stewardship (1 Corinthians 4:2). To conduct ourselves with godly sincerity is vital (2 Corinthians 1:12). Today’s text serves as a cautionary tale in that regard.
B. Prayer
Generous God, help us to be genuine and sincere givers, giving to You our hearts first. As we do, we will respond to the needs around us for Your glory, not ours. In Jesus’ name, amen.
C. Thought to Remember
Sincere generosity glorifies God.
It was the late 1970s, and my small-town church of about 80 people was facing a big challenge: major repairs were needed to the roof of the educational building. The cost was to be $4,000 (about $15,000 in today’s money). That was a hefty burden for that church, located as it was in an area with a somewhat depressed economy. The church board, with some reluctance, decided on a Tuesday night to move forward with the project. The concern was where we would get the money, but we stepped out on faith.
The next night at Bible study, a dear saint came up to me and asked if I could stop by her house the next afternoon. So on Thursday I did. That’s when she told me that she had just sold some family land and wanted to give 10 percent to the church. She wondered if there was a special project that needed funding. She had received $40,000 for the sale of the land, and 10 percent of that was the exact amount needed for our project.
Is it mere coincidence that such things happen? No! These are “God incidents,” when He blesses His faithful people to be a blessing in turn. The old adage, “You can’t outgive God” is proven true time and again. This is a lesson I learned early in my ministry life. As He sees faithfulness in those He blesses, He turns right around and blesses them anew.
Lesson Background
