Sermon Tone Analysis

the Spirit-filled church is unified, magnified, and multiplied

As a fire burns, their are always those who think that they are immune to its power.

They have to learn proper respect for the fire.

As the church grew some tried to take advantage of the Holy Spirit's work for their own glory.

God protected the purity of the church by disciplining Ananias and his wife Sapphira.

Here we see 3 reactions to the Holy Spirit in the early church.

1. Enjoying the Warmth of the Fire (32-37)

acts 5

The Reason for the Warmth (32-33)

Unity in Property

Unity in Witness

Unity in Grace

The Reason for the Warmth (32-33)

Unity in Heart, Unity in Property, Unity in Witness, Unity in Grace

Not Christian Communism.

They all owned their own property until it was voluntarily laid at the apostles feet.

The Way they were Warmed (34-35)

The Way they were Warmed (34-35)

The Example of Warmth (36-37)

Somewhat sarcastic but sadly too often true is F. E. Marsh’s modern parallel:

One has said, in contrasting the early Church with the Christianity of today, “Is it not a solemn thought, that if the evangelist Luke were describing modern instead of primitive Christianity, he would have to vary the phraseology of Acts 4:32–35 somewhat as follows: …” And the multitude of them that professed were of hard heart and stony soul, and every one said that all the things which he possessed were his own: and they had all things in the fashion.

And with great power gave they witness to the attractions of this world, and great selfishness was upon them all.

And there were many among them that lacked love, for as many as were possessors of lands bought more, and sometimes gave a small part thereof for a public good, so their names were heralded in the newspapers, and distribution of praise was made to every one according as he desired.”

2. Stealing the Warmth of the Fire (1-10)

The Deception (1-2)

The Confrontation of Ananias (3-6)

The Confrontation of Sapphira (7-10)

Ananias means “God is gracious,” but he learned that God is also holy; and Sapphira means “beautiful,” but her heart was ugly with sin.

Hypocrisy is deliberate deception, trying to make people think we are more spiritual than we really are.

Ananias means “God is gracious,” but he learned that God is also holy; and Sapphira means “beautiful,” but her heart was ugly with sin.

The church is “the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim.

3:15), and Satan attacks it with his lies.

The church is God’s temple in which He dwells (1 Cor.

3:16), and Satan wants to move in and dwell there too.

The church is God’s army (2 Tim.

2:1–4), and Satan seeks to get into the ranks as many traitors as he can.

The church is safe so long as Satan is attacking from the outside, but when he gets on the inside, the church is in danger.

3. Spreading the Warmth of the Fire (11-16)

great power and great grace.

Vance Havner lists four other marks, as follows: great fear (5:5, 11); great persecution (8:1); great joy (8:8; 15:3); a great number who believed (11:21).