Ananias and Sapphira

HOOK

DO NOT FORGET TO UNMUTE

It’s the 5th day of October.. Another beautiful Monday morning!

Last Thursday right here at “The Message” we saw how generous and united our early brothers and sisters are… from them we learned:

I WILL PROMOTE UNITY & GENEROSITY IN THE MINISTRY

I WILL CONTINUE TO TESTIFY FOR THE LORD JESUS

Let’s see how their unity and generosity evolved as the early church grew after it was born following Peter’s very first sermon during the Pentecost celebration in Jerusalem when the HOly Spirit came on to empower them

Open your Bible to ACTS 5:1-11— From there you will find the story of Ananias and Sapphira— once you get there, type “let’s begin with chapter 5”

When reading in advance, whenever you’re studying God’s Word— look for words that defines that CHARACTER of God, COMMANDS to obey, PROMISES to claim, good EXAMPLES to follow and bad examples to avoid, ENCOURAGEMENTS & CHALLENGES to keep you going, reasons to be THANK GOD for, PRAYERS to pray

READ ACTS 5:1-11

BOOK

Acts 5:1–11 NIV

1 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. 3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” 5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6 Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him. 7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.” 9 Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” 10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.

WHAT: Ananias and Saphhira sold their piece of property

WHERE: Not clearly stated but it could still be in Jerusalem where the church started

WHEN: After Peter and John was released from the Sanhedrin for questioning

WHO: Ananias, Sapphira, Peter and other believers who carried and buried their bodies

WHY: They lied and tested and Holy Spirit

The story demonstrates how seriously people should take their commitments before God

LOOK

WITH HIS WIFE’S KNOWLEDGE HE KEPT BACK PART OF THE MONEY FOR HIMSELF

They sinned in pretending to honor Christ with the whole amount while withholding some of it for themselves

They lied in order to keep some of the money, certainly— but perhaps more significantly, they desired to be honored for their perceived generosity

With his wife’s knowledge— Sapphira was a complicit

YOU HAVE LIED TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

Ananias did not merely lie to the apostles and fellow believers in the church; his deceit was against God Himself

DIDN’T IT BELONG TO YOU BEFORE IT WAS SOLD?

Peter’s rhetorical questions point out that Ananias was not obligated to sell his property or give the proceeds away— deception was not necessary to retain part of the money

So the only reason to lie was in order to claim greater honor and status within the church

YOU HAVE NOT LIED JUST TO HUMAN BEINGS BUT TO GOD

Their deception is not just towards the church but to God

IS THIS PRICE YOU AND ANANIAS GOT FOR THE LAND?

Another rhetorical question of Peter

HOW COULD YOU CONSPIRE TO TEST THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD

Sapphira’s actions challenged God’s holy reputation with the church and outside of it

The reputation of the power and seriousness of the Holy Spirit’s work now extends not only to those within the church but also to anyone who heard

The Christian community learns that God will protect the purity of the early church

Jesus said… MATTHEW 22:21

TOOK

I WILL NOT LIE TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

I WILL NOT PUT THE SPIRIT OF GOD TO TEST

SING

Agape Worship Team— Hands to the heavens by Kari Jobe