God Judges Hearts

ILLUST: How’s your heart?

EKG, enzyme levels - can remedy with meds, lifestyle change (sleep, nutrition, exercise)

Easy to monitor - just “hook you up” and read results

What about your spiritual “heart?” - Not so easy to measure, and only God truly knows it

Not an “easy” message. The background is unique in all the NT - and Peter is right there for it

We’ll learn more of his character, and especially his love for the church!

Wanna feel good? Sorry, this might not be the day...

READ ACTS 4:32 - 5:11

The Story

Early church is enjoying unity with each other, driven by common presence of the Holy Spirit

As an example of desire to help the church, Barnabas sells land, as did others (houses, too) and gives the proceeds to the church

This was not required or commanded, and people did not go homeless because of it; they had assets and their desire was to help the church - REM - converts are outcasts, banned from family and synagogue/temple

Ananias and Sapphira - also sold some land (so the implication is that people knew they were doing this, and by doing so, they had pledged to the church to give the church the proceeds)

Likewise, they were not required to do this

They decided to hold back some of the money, and attempted to deceive the church

This is a blatant act of rebellion; pretended to be selfless, but showed themselves to be otherwise.

They wanted one foot in Heaven and one in the world

Matthew 6:24 NASB95

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

It doesn’t work that way!

They could have said they were going to sell it and give 75% to church, or whatever. They didn’t.

They followed Barnabas and others, and then went against their pledge/promise - nobody was obligated to do this. Each did as he/she was prospered.

Each demonstrated sacrifice, cheerfulness, and selflessness in their giving - not Ananias and Sapphira

PETER and his character

Peter is concerned with unity - to deceive the church was a sin against God, the Holy Spirit

Ananias and Sapphira sought human praise

Peter is unafraid to correct other believers, based on God’s Word and God’s ideal

Peter is BOLD…but concerned about church health

The funeral was hasty, more so than usual - maybe to get rid of the body for fear of more severe judgment

We are not told how Peter knows the amount. He is guided by the Spirit.

No time for disunity, distrust, disloyalty - and it’s the same today!

The Spirit grows the church - The Spirit unifies the church

There is no room for purposeful deceit, disunity, or lukewarm selflessness in giving

SO WE TALK GIVING TODAY!

Some Key Principles - guiding our giving

First, some FACTS

The “tithe” - 10%; OT law, along with “offerings”, totaled closer to 30%

NT

1 Corinthians 16:2 NASB95

On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.

2 Corinthians 9:7 NASB95

Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

5% of churchgoers tithe (let’s just use the tithe as a baseline, since most are familiar)

If every Christian tithed, faith organizations would have $139B additional support

Average per person is $17/week, $73.67/month, $884/year

US Christians make $5.2T annually

That’s the USA, what about Cornerstone?

Noble, Richland County - Median income is around $50,000

If our giving represents a true “tithe,” then is means our church’s median income is $19,000 - we know that’s not true

Never MY job to tell you what to give, how much to give - this is between you and God

Just be careful not to look the part and feel selfless

Stimulus Checks

Three rounds of “stimulus” checks

For this church, based on membership numbers and numbers of kids - and assuming everyone got these payments from the government

TOTAL of $184,000 in payments, just to Cornerstone church families - the last one alone is close to $84,000

But what about this “tithe”

Honestly, 10% is a good place to start, a good goal to strive for. 74% of those who tithe give above 10%

What if we had everyone make a pledge, to each other, promise what we’d give? Not real comfortable with that, huh? And I’m not here saying that.

But it was important to the church that Peter got going!

Key Principles to Guide our Giving

And thus, promote unity in our church - keeping us able to stay on mission

1) You can’t out-give God

John 3:16 - He GAVE His Son, for you

2 Cor 9:7 - God loves a cheerful giver - this means He give selflessly to those

The cheerful giver is the mark of a believer

Malachi 3:10 NASB95

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.

What is this “blessing?”

Peace, security in God, trust in Him, anxieties and doubts disappear

We hang on to money because we are afraid to be without it

OT uses “Jehovah Jirah” - GOD WILL PROVIDE what you need

If you have never giving sacrficically, generously, even tithed - this makes no sense to you

Because it goes against cultural thoughts (wealth planning, success, etc.)

Yes, we are to be wise - money is just a tool, and it’s not yours

2) It’s All HIS anyway - we are just the stewards

God asked us to care for what He gave us

Earth, Family, Church - focus on the church is at the center of giving (Piper)

Do we understand and agree with the mission of Cornerstone? Does that need to be communicated better? Maybe our giving shows a disconnect with church mission?

Do we see that God gives us jobs, income, etc. so that we can give it back to Him?

I’ll say this, out of my own experience (and others will testify, too)

God will make 90% of what you have go farther than you could ever make 100% on my own!

CHOICE - Try Him! You might see you need to cut out some “extras,” some “wants”

“But I DESERVE this.”

What can you afford? I don’t know the answer. God is not telling me what you give and how much that reflects. But He has shown me clearly that our giving shows a disconnect with Him and His purpose for what He has given us.

What can you afford? Start with what you will give to God. Promise that to Him. Then set your budget on the rest. Start with God off the top. And yes, that implies giving to the local church...

3) You, the giver, are the one that is blessed.

2 Cor 9:7 again - God loves, He gives selflessly to the cheerful giver

Malachi 3:10 as well, and the Widow’s mite

Someone who has never given faithfully, sacrificially, cheerfully, does not know this

Yes, bills still come, junk still happens that costs money.

But the one giving is the one who is blessed.

CLOSE

Uncomfortable? Good! Me, too. This is a tough challenge

The challenge for unity here should affect us

The temptation is real, to hold tight to money, to worry about finances

Luke, a physician, can relate

Judas gave in to that temptation, as did the rich young ruler (Luke 18) and others

The personal, yes personal, undoing of Ananias and Sapphira threatened the church

WE need a heart check here, and today that hits our giving

The Holy Spirit wants to work here, through you. There is no place for disunity, pretense, hypocrisy, etc., as those hinder the Spirit’s Work.

Peter knew the church was to be a holy community, on mission for the Lord...so should we