Empowered to live with integrity
Notes
Transcript
Secular:
Package - integrity
Personal:
Have you ever gotten something - not what you ordered?
How did it effect your next order?
Why is it so important that others do what they promise they’ll do?
Do you do what you promise you’ll do?
What about in your promises to God?
Biblical:
Believers are responding to the needs of the community
Some are selling their land and homes and giving to the Apostles
Last week we learned about one example in the man named Joseph, called Barnabas
Another example today we can learn from, but from their sin rather than their godliness
Subject:
What can we learn from the sins of Ananias and Sapphira?
Textual:
1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” 5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. 7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.
1-4
Ananias and Sapphira follow Barnabas’ example - selling some of their property
But
wife’s knowledge
brought back only a part of it
lie to the Holy Spirit
You have not lied to man but to God v. 4
“Kept back” - ἐνοσφίσατο - nosphizomai - embezzle
1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
1 But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel.
5-6
God brings judgement (not Peter)
God takes Ananias’ life
Great fear came upon all who heard it
Young men bury his body
7-10
Peter gives Sapphira a chance to repent
She lies to the Spirit
Peter proclaims coming judgment
God takes her life too
11
Great fear came upon the whole church (first use of this word) and upon all who heard of these things.
What can we learn from the sins of Ananias and Sapphira?
The church is real
real pressures
real problems
The people are real
real challenges
real crime
real consequences
God is real
real fear
real faith
Empowered to live with integrity
Integrity: vocabulary.com
Having integrity means doing the right thing in a reliable way. It's a personality trait that we admire, since it means a person has a moral compass that doesn't waver. It literally means having "wholeness" of character, just as an integer is a "whole number" with no fractions. Physical objects can display integrity, too — if you're going over a rickety old bridge that sways in the wind, you might question its structural integrity.