Turning the World Upside Down: The Bad, and the Ugly: Acts 5:1-16

I. The Bad,… vs. 1-10

A. Ananias’ name means “God is gracious” and Sapphira means beautiful. Sapphira knew what was going on and said nothing, a “submissive” wife does not stay silent while their husband does wrong. A “biblical” wife lovingly confronts her husband when he goes astray.

B. Ananias laid the gift down, and this occured immediately.

C. Satan had filled his heart, is a lot like what happened to Peter himself. But Peter never lied to God, he only said he didn’t want Jesus to die. Peter acted in ignorance, but Ananias acted in full knowledge in what he was doing was wrong.

Mark 8:27–33 NASB95

Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, “Who do people say that I am?” They told Him, saying, “John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; but others, one of the prophets.” And He continued by questioning them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.” And He warned them to tell no one about Him. And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”

D. This was done in a public setting probably service.

E. Sapphira comes in 3 hours later. It doesn’t say that she was summoned. She was probably going to the evening church service. We don’t know where she was. Could she have been shopping with the money that they got from the sale?

F. Ananias and Sapphira had agreed together to lie. This was on purpose, not an accident.

II. The Ugly vs. 11-16

A. People were scared of the apostles. Here we see the faction of Judaism and Christianity starting to widen.

B. People were believing in Jesus, so many they weren’t even numbering them anymore, so it was probably over 5,000.

C. They were believing in the old superstition that if a godly man’s shadow would fall on them they would be healed. The fact that they are listed separately, shows that this group didn’t believe, they only wanted to be healed.