Don’t Lie to the Holy Spirit Sermon

Don’t Lie to the Holy Spirit

By Adrian Rogers

Date Preached: October 7, 1990

Time: 00PM

Main Scripture Text: Acts 5

“But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?”

Acts 5:3

Outline

Introduction

I. The Root of Their Sin Was Pride

II. The Fruit of Their Sin Was Pretense

III. The Source of Their Sin Was Satan

A. The Deception of Their Sin

B. The Detection of Their Sin

C. The Destruction of Their Sin

1. Judgment as a Sinner

2. Judgment as a Servant

3. Judgment as Sons

a. A Severe Judgment

b. A Saving Judgment

Conclusion

Introduction

Open your Bibles to Acts chapter 5. The title of our message, Don’t Lie to the Holy Spirit. Don’t lie to the Holy Spirit. The title of the message this morning was Don’t Mistreat Your Best Friend. And, I told you that your best friend is the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit is Jesus in you. And, He is the one who makes manifest the life of the Lord Jesus in your mortal flesh. What a wonderful, wonderful friend is the Holy Spirit.

Now, in the passage of Scripture that I’m going to read to you, we find a phrase in here about lying to the Holy Ghost. May I tell you, dear friend, that all lies are serious? Now, sometimes we tell little lies, you know we exaggerate a little bit and we think that’s not quite so serious.

I heard of one preacher who said to one preacher, as they were talking about their Sunday school statistics. This one preacher said, “Now, if I lie about my attendance, and you know that I am lying about my attendance, and I know that you know, isn’t that like telling the truth?”

Sometimes we justify our dishonesty. Sometimes we lie about things that we think are frivolous. Most folks will lie a few pounds about their weight, isn’t that true? They say that the seven ages of a woman are baby, child, junior miss, young woman, young woman, young woman, and young woman. Now, some lies we think are whimsical and maybe even humorous. But, a lie is a very serious thing.

When I told you this morning that Jesus is known as the truth. Satan, the Bible says in John chapter 8 verse 44: “he is a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44). When you tell the truth, therefore, you give God an opportunity to work. When you tell a lie, you tell a lie because Satan has already been working.

Now, let’s see this passage of Scripture that has caused us to entitle the message tonight, Don’t Lie to the Holy Spirit. “But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.”—And, by the way, that’s a wonderful proof text that the Holy Spirit is God—“And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.”—And, by the way if you think we have long church services, this is three hours and it’s still going on—“And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things. And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women) (Acts 5:1–5).

Now, may I tell you that the early church, when this passage was written, was in the white heat of revival? God was saving multitudes. Miracles and wonders and signs were being done in this church. And, the devil, if you were to read the first four chapters of the book of Acts, had done all he could do to stop this mighty move of God. He had come against these disciples with great persecution. But, he was not able to stop them with persecution, as a matter of fact, the more they were persecuted, and the more they went to Jesus. The more they went to Jesus, the more Jesus came to them, and the more Jesus came to them the more power they had.

That intimidation had done nothing but drive the church to her knees. And persecution can never stop the church of the Lord Jesus. There are not enough devils and demons in Hell or out of Hell to stop any church by persecution. Remember that. Persecution cannot stop the work of God.

And so, Satan changes his strategy, now he begins to work not from without, but he decides that he will work from within. And if he cannot conquer the church, he will corrupt the church. So he finds two likely candidates that he will use as his fifth columnist, a man names Ananias and his wife Sapphira. And they try to damage the church of the Lord Jesus and stop the revival. And may I tell you, dear friend, that after having been in the pastorate for many years, I’ve come to believe with all of my heart that the cause of Jesus Christ is hurt far more by hypocrisy, than she’s ever been hurt by persecution. Isn’t that true?

Now, we talk today and we moan a lot about the persecution that we’re getting as Christians. We ought to get persecution. I mean it may be just a sign that we are standing for something and doing something. But, dear God, deliver us from hypocrisy within the church.

Now, here’s what happened. There was a man named Barnabas who had some property and he sold it and he brought it and gave it to the church. Now, Ananias and Sapphira heard about that and Barnabas was a good man and Barnabas got praise for what he had done. And they thought they would emulate what Barnabas had done and perhaps they could get some praise. But the problem is they did not have the motivation and the purity that Barnabas had.

There are three things I want you to notice tonight in this message as I try to lay on your heart a plea from my heart to your heart and a warning to my own heart. As we look at this sin, lying to the Holy Spirit, I want you to notice. And, by the way, it was a sin of hypocrisy, that’s what it was. It was a sin of pretending that they had a devotion to Jesus that they did not have.

I. The Root of Their Sin Was Pride

I want you to notice that the root of their sin was pride. Now, put it down, we’re talking about the deception that expressed this hypocrisy and the root of that sin was pride. Now, look at the gift that Barnabas had made for example in Acts chapter 4 and verse 36: “And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,)”—That means the son of encouragement—“a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet” (Acts 4:36–37).

Now, Barnabas, who was a good man, knew there was persecution, knew there was a need for a love offering, so he had a piece of property, he sold the property. He brought the money to Peter and the other apostles. He said take this and use it for the cause of Christ. What good man was Barnabas as he gave? Now, he didn’t make a gift to be seen of men, but he did not hide his light under a bushel either. He was not ashamed that he gave. I love that spirit. I love the spirit of those who give not to be seen of men but also of those who are not ashamed of what they do for the Lord Jesus Christ.

And, so Barnabas’s gift was just a spontaneous act of love, it was motivated by the Holy Spirit, and he brought it. And, it did a wonderful, wonderful service for the Lord Jesus. I think Barnabas could have said it to minute “Naught that I have I call my own, I hold it for the giver, my life, my soul, my will, my all are His and His forever.” And, I hope that you’ve said that. I hope that you’ve said to the Lord, “Lord, nothing that I have is mine.” I’ve said that to the Lord before. And, I’ve found myself sometimes taking it back from the Lord. And, I have to examine my heart each time I say that, “Lord do I mean it? I don’t want to be like Ananias and Sapphira, Lord do I mean it, when I say that I have given to you everything?”

Well Barnabas was a good man, and he gave this gift and Ananias and Sapphira wanted to bask in the glow of that gift. And, so they decided that they would do something similar. But, the root of their sin, my dear friend, and the root of all hypocrisy is pride. It is pride. And, pride made them a sitting duck for the devil. Just keep your bookmark there if you will in Acts chapter 5 and turn with me to 1 Peter chapter 5. I want to show you something, and it’s been a great warning to my heart tonight. 1 Peter chapter 5 back over near the end of the New Testament. In 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 5 here’s what God says. “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder.” And, by the way, anybody who submits to anybody else does so through true humility if it is genuine submission. “Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5). Do you see that? Now, skip on down to verse 8. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour …” (1 Peter 5:8).

Verse 5 says to be clothed with humility. Verse 8 warns us about our adversary the devil. I’ve seen many young preachers fall and in almost every case, the problem, when it is properly analyzed, is pride. It is pride. How does the devil get a young preacher or an older preacher for that matter? Or, a businessman for that matter? Or, a teenager for that matter? It is through pride. What caused Ananias and Sapphira to lie to the Holy Spirit? The root of their sin was pride. They wanted to be praised like Barnabas was. They wanted the affirmation of that congregation. I want you to listen to what someone has well said. “Nothing puts a man out of the devil’s reach than genuine humility.” Did that sink in? Nothing puts a person more out of the devil’s reach than genuine humility. Be clothed with humility. Why? Because your adversary the devil goeth about. It was pride that made the devil, the devil to begin with. The Bible says that a young preacher should “Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil” (1 Timothy 3:6).

II. The Fruit of Their Sin Was Pretense

Now, the root of their sin was pride, the fruit of their sin was hypocrisy. The root was pride, and the fruit was pretense. Look if you will in verse 3. Peter said unto Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

Now, what was their sin? I mean what is lying to the Holy Ghost? Well, they had sold a piece of property, they pretended that they brought all of the money and gave it to the church. Now, they didn’t have to give the money to the church, they didn’t need to do that. They didn’t have to sell that piece of property, there’s no commandment in the Bible, nor was there any compulsion from anybody in the church telling them that they had to do that, it was their right to keep the property if they wanted to. Notice verses 3 and 4. Peter said, “Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? While it remained, was it not thine own? And, after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart?” Now, you see, the root of this sin was pride, but the fruit of their sin was pretense. The problem was not that they only gave part. The problem was that they only gave part and declared that they had given all. It was their right to keep back some if they wanted to keep it back, but they pretended that they had given everything to God. We sold it, and this is all we got. And, when they said that they lied.

Now, my friend, listen to me, they wanted credit for something they had not done. It’s just as simple as that. The root of their sin was pride, the fruit of their sin was pretense. Pretending devotion, they did not have. Oh how I had to check my heart, as I prepared this sermon, and prayed over it, and did just a few moments ago before I preached it. And, I had to say to myself, “Adrian, do you pretend a devotion when you preach that you don’t have? Do you preach things that you don’t experience? Do you say things that you don’t believe? Do you declare commitments that you’ve not made?” And, very frankly, the very question struck fear into my heart. To say, “Adrian are you honest? Is there any pretense in your life?” And, I think we all need to ask that question. The question is not how much we give of our money or of our time or our devotion or anything else, that’s not the question. The question is how much do we say that we give in comparison to what we give?

Oh, how God detests the sin of hypocrisy, the sin of pretense, the sin of saying we are one thing, but really being another. If you will read the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, you will find out that Jesus reserved his sternest words for hypocrites. There was one thing that Jesus Christ detested, and it was hypocrisy. And, oh how I pray God in my own life, that I will not be a hypocrite. That I will be transparent, that I will be pure and will be true. I wonder how many hypocrites that we have in our churches. I mean, many of them that are looked upon as some of the best members. We stand and we sing, “All to Jesus I surrender.” Have you done that? Or, do you just sing it? I surrender all, and we don’t. We sing that song, “Take my silver and my gold, not a mite will I withhold.” Have you ever sung that? I mean, have you ever meant it? Somebody said, “Take my silver and my gold not a mite would I withhold, and we hold it with all our might.” We’re not ready to give up anything for the Lord Jesus.

Now, that doesn’t mean that if you say, “Lord take my silver and my gold not a mite will I withhold does it mean that he will take it.” He knows that you have to live. He knows that you need groceries. He knows that you need recreation. He knows what needs you have. But, dear friend, you have to come to God this way. This way. What you do not willingly give, God neither needs nor wants. Understand that. We’re not here to put any pressure on you, to twist your arm, or to say you must give that. But, on the other hand, you make certain that what you give, you give from a pure heart. And, don’t you dare to pretend a devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ that you do not have.

III. The Source of Their Sin Was Satan

The root of their sin was pride. Wanting others to brag on them, and therefore they opened themselves up to the devil. And, the fruit of their sin is pretense. Any time you see a hypocrite, you can be certain he is a man who is reeking with pride and ripe for the Satan to work within him.

A. The Deception of Their Sin

Now, the very first thing that I want you to see is what I am going to call, the deception. The second thing, the detection.

B. The Detection of Their Sin

Now, you see, God detected that sin, and the Holy Spirit just flashed the whole thing before Peter. Look in verse 3. Peter said, “Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart?” Now, the root of their sin was pride but the source of their sin was Satan. You see, Satan found fertile soil when he found pride. And, so here’s a man with a heart full of pride, and Satan says, “Oh boy, I can work with that heart.” And, so Satan filled Ananias’ heart, Sapphira’s heart. It was Satan in the heart. Satan whispered to Ananias when he saw that pride, “Tell them that you’re giving everything, they’ll never know the difference.” John 8 verse 44 says that Satan is a liar and a murder. My dear friend, when you lie, when you’re a pretender, when you have pretense, you’re acting like the devil himself.

How important it is that we pray for daily deliverance from the one who would fill our heart? And, how important is it that we keep our heart with all diligence? Oh keep your heart. Keep your heart. If you don’t keep your heart, Satan will fill your heart to lie to the Holy Ghost. And, so the Holy Spirit revealed the source of the sin, it was Satan.

And, the Holy Spirit revealed the seriousness of the sin. What is the seriousness of the sin? Look if you will in verses 3 and 4. He says that Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, in verse 3 and then the last part of verse 4, you’ve not lied unto men, you have lied unto God.

Now, let’s go back to what we said as we introduced this message. It’s a serious thing to tell a lie. But, my friend, it’s more serious to tell a lie to a judge. When you get in the courtroom you better tell the truth or you’ll purge yourself. But, it is serious beyond words to lie to God, to lie to God. And, not only is it serious, it’s foolish. I mean, you can fool a judge sometimes.

I heard about a man who was in a courtroom for stealing a watch. They tried to prove he stole it, but they couldn’t prove it, and so finally the judge said, “Well you are acquitted.” He was an ignorant man and didn’t have an education. He said, “Well, does that mean I have to give the watch back?” Now, you can fool an earthly judge, but friend it is serious and foolish to try to lie to God because you see, the Holy Spirit was there when the deal was made.

The Holy Spirit was there when Ananias and Sapphira had this conversation. He knew all about it. It was the Holy Spirit that revealed the matter to Peter, who had the gift of knowledge. The Holy Spirit had warned them. As you read this whole passage you can tell that they had not sinned ignorantly. They had not sinned carelessly. They sinned against light. It was not an intentional error, it was a conspiracy, it was willful, and it was inexcusable.

Therefore, it was a direct challenge to the Holy Ghost. Look, if you will, in verse 9. Peter said unto her, “How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord?” Now, it’s very obvious therefore, that the Spirit of God had been working with Ananias and Sapphira. I mean they brazenly said, “We’re going to do this, we are going to test God.” They may not have said it overtly, but in their heart they knew what they were doing. Friend, it was a direct challenge to the Holy Spirit and I would not advise that for anyone.

C. The Destruction of Their Sin

Now, I want you to think, not only of the deception of their sin and the detection of their sin. But, I want you to notice the destruction that this sin brought. I want you to see how this sin brought devastation into the life of Ananias and Sapphira.

Notice in verse 5. And, Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost. That’s just a euphemistic way of saying he died. And, great fear came on all them that heard these things. And, then the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. It’s a very interesting thing. It’s a very severe judgment. Ananias and Sapphira both died. The passage goes on to say the same thing happened to Sapphira. It’s almost been a little humorous to me as I read this. It almost seems like it was a part of the service. I mean, Peter says, “you’ve not lied to men, you’ve lied to God.” Just like that they fall down dead.

And then the Bible says that the young men come in wrapped them up, carried them out and buried them. It makes you wonder if they didn’t have a committee in the church called the blanket committee. They just come in here, you know, and wrap them up and carry them out. I guess that’s why they we have graveyards near the church, in those early churches. I mean, they just died if you lied to God.

That bringing up a very interesting question, do you think Ananias and Sapphira were saved? I do. The reason I think Ananias and Sapphira were saved is the way that God dealt with them. You see, the Bible teaches that God does not judge this way with the unsaved. As a matter of fact, Romans chapter 2 verse 5 tells that the unsaved get their judgment later on “… after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God …” (Romans 2:5). The ungodly, the unsaved, put their judgment in the bank against that day. But, God deals with His saints, God deals with His servants immediately.

I have reminded you that there are three kinds of judgment that we face.

1. Judgment as a Sinner

We face our judgment as a sinner at Calvary, we’re judged as sinners at Calvary. You see, when Jesus Christ died for me I died with Him and Jesus took my judgment, I settled my case therefore out of court by receiving Christ as my personal Savior. And, the Bible says in Romans chapter 8 verse 1: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus …” (Romans 8:1). That judgment for me, judgment as a sinner, has already passed and I praise God, because my sins were judged at Calvary.

2. Judgment as a Servant

But, not only am I judged as a sinner, I’m also judged as a servant. Now when is my judgment as a servant going to take place? At the judgment seat of Christ. After I die, I’m going to be caught up along with all believers to stand before the judgment seat of Christ. And, the Bible says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). And, so one of these days, I’m going to face my Lord as a servant, or as a steward, and this won’t be a judgment to determine whether I go to Heaven or Hell, that’s already determined by my judgment as a sinner, when I received Christ. But, my judgment as a servant is a judgment of reward. Not everybody will have the same reward in Heaven. Jesus said, “… lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven …” (Matthew 6:20). That makes no sense whatever unless some have more treasure than others. So we’re going to be judged as servants.

3. Judgment as Sons

But, then there’s a third judgment that you have and that’s what Ananias and Sapphira got. We’re judged as sinners at Calvary, we’re judged as servants at the judgment seat of Christ, but my friends, we are judged as sons right here in this life.

a. A Severe Judgment

Now look with me please, turn to Hebrews chapter 12 for a moment and you’ll see what I’m talking about. Hebrews chapter 12. And, in the book of Hebrews chapter 12 the Lord talks about our judgment as sons, and when He says, “son” He’s speaking in the generic sense because He includes there those who are both men and women. Hebrews 12 verse 5: “And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth” (Hebrews 12:5–6).

Now, “to chastise” is a very severe word and “to scourge” is a very strong word, it speaks of a severe lashing. And, then verse 7, “If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers …”—That is all sons are partakers—“… then are ye bastards, and not sons” (Hebrews 12:7–8). What God is saying is that “If you live in sin and you’re My child I will chastise you, I will scourge you.”

Now He says, “If I don’t chastise you and I don’t scourge you, it doesn’t mean that you’ve gotten away with your sin. It just simply means that you’re not My son. I never sired you, I never Fathered you spiritually you illegitimate, you have never been born into My family.” And, He says very clearly and very plainly, “If you were Mine I would have chastised you.” That’s the reason that I believe that Ananias and Sapphira were truly saved. Well you say, “Would God kill them?” I believe He would. I believe He did.

Turn to 1 Corinthians here with me for just a moment and look if you will in 1 Corinthians chapter 11. It’s a very amazing passage of Scripture. I’m going to begin reading in verse 29. He says here in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 and verse 29. Well let’s begin first in 28. He’s talking about the Lord’s Supper. “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.” When we come to the Lord’s table be very certain that you examine yourself before you take the Lord’s Supper because “… he that eateth and drinketh unworthily …”—That is in a manner without a cleansed heart—“eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body” (1 Corinthians 11:28–29).

Now, the word “damnation” here means “judgment,” it does not refer to someone being consigned to Hell, but the word in the general sense means he is eating judgment. That is when you take that element, that unleavened bread into your hand and ingest it, you’ve just ingested judgment. When you take that ruby red fruit of the vine and drink it, you just drank liquid judgment. That’s what he is saying here. He says that when you do this you are taking judgment into yourself, into your heart. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment, damnation to himself. Why? Because he’s not discerned the Lord’s body. He has not understood that these elements stand for the broken body and the shed blood of the Lord Jesus. In a cavalier way, in a light way, he has just taken holy things and made a mockery of holy things. That’s what Ananias and Sapphira were doing, they had sinned against God in the heat of a revival.

And, then he goes on to say in verse 30. “For this cause …”—because some have eaten judgment, because some have dropped down judgment—“For this cause many are weak …” Now, that could mean spiritually weak, physically weak, emotionally weak, mentally weak, or financially weak, many are weak in their lives. They wonder, “Why don’t I have any Christian strength.” Because you’ve been eating and drinking judgment. “… and sickly among you …” Not all sickness is a direct result of personal sin. But, I am telling you, my dear friend, it would amaze us and surprise us if we knew how much of our physical and emotional illness are the direct result of travesty with holy things.

And, then look at the next part of that verse, “… many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep” (1 Corinthians 11:30). Now, the Bible never uses the word “sleep” to refer to the death of the unsaved, but just to the death of the saved. Many of these early church members were prematurely dead, like Ananias and Sapphira, because they made travesty of holy things, and God judged them.

It is entirely possible that many of those who die early, die early because of their sin against God. Turn with me now over near the end of the New Testament to 1 John chapter 5 and look with me in verse 16: “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.” (1 John 5:16).

I dare say that no one could have prayed for Ananias and Sapphira and saved their lives in this early church meeting. They had so sinned against light and love they had so made a travesty of something holy that God’s judgment came upon them.

“Adrian, have you ever seen this in your pastorate?” Yes, I believe I have. I believe that I have seen on several occasions people that I know or believe sinned against the Holy Spirit who were saved. They challenged the Holy Spirit, they knew what they were doing was wrong. They were hypocrites and pretenders and yet they were saved and I believe that God killed them and took them out. Now, if I’m wrong I’ll find out when I get to Heaven, but it is the conviction of my heart that God did that and I will delineate some of those stories tonight. But, some of them have been the most frightening things that I have seen in my ministry. This judgment was a severe judgment.

Now, you say, “Pastor, do you believe that God would do something like that in our services today?” Yes I do. Yes I do. You say, “Why don’t we see more of this today?” I’ll tell you why we don’t see more of it. Because the level of our fellowship commonly is so low, there’s no fear of God. And, the Holy Spirit of God is not working in revival fire like He did so long ago. And, I believe if we were to have the kind of a white-hot revival that they had so long ago, we would see more of the severe judgment of God upon great pretenders. But, I have seen in my ministry where people have challenged the work of God, many of them great pretenders, lying to the Holy Spirit, and their judgment was a severe judgment.

b. A Saving Judgment

But, not only this judgment a severe judgment, may I say secondly it was a saving judgment. Don’t get the idea that God is just reacting. God knew what He did and why He did it and He did it in love. Now, what kind of a judgment was this and why did God so judge Ananias and Sapphira? I think first of all, to save Ananias and Sapphira from deeper sin. I believe He loved them and He saw this hypocrisy in their heart and He took them home early.

Turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 5 for a moment. And, look with me in verse 5, there was a man who was living in open flagrant sin in the church at Corinth and Paul gave admonition and instruction to that early church to do this “To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Corinthians 5:5). Now, could it be that God delivered Ananias and Sapphira to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that their spirit would be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus? Could it be that God in mercy let them go home early, that they would not heap sin upon sin?

But, I’ll tell you what else He wanted to do. Not only did He want to save Ananias and Sapphira from further sin, He wanted to save that early church from further pollution. Go back, if you will, to Acts chapter 5 and look in verse 11. The Bible says in verse 11, “And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things” (Acts 5:11). When God brings this kind of judgment, it brings fear upon other people.

These people were a pure people and they were a praying people. And, because of this, God moved in this swift and strong judgment. I’ll tell you a third reason that He did it. I believe not only to save Ananias and Sapphira from further sin and to save the early church from pollution, but it was to save the lost from Hell. As a result of God’s judgment upon Ananias and Sapphira, the Bible says, “And believers …”—verse 14—“… were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women …” (Acts 5:14). And, so we see the terrible, horrible sin of pretending a devotion to Jesus that we do not have.

Conclusion

I’m finished with the message, but let me make four observations, and four pleas with you tonight. Number one, may I tell you, if you’re a child of God that sin among the saints it is more serious than sin among the lost? And, sin when God is working in revival power, is the most dangerous of all sin. May I tell you number two? That sin against the Holy Spirit is extremely, extremely, extremely serious. Do not tempt the Holy Spirit of God. Do not be a pretender. Number three, may I urge you, may I plead with you to do what God has lead me to do and is leading me to do? And, that is to be on guard against hypocrisy in your own life. It’s far better not to be what you ought to be than to pretend that you are what you’re not.

Do not pretend. As a matter of fact, if you’re having problems, perhaps if you would share the fact that you’re having problems. Perhaps, if Ananias and Sapphira had come and said, look, Simon Peter I’ve got a problem. I’m jealous. I’m jealous of Barnabas. He’s getting all this praise. Simon Peter would have said, “Ananias, I can understand that, I had some problems myself and still do. Let’s pray about it brother Ananias.” Don’t pretend that you’re something that you’re not. We preachers are often tempted to do that, to exaggerate, or to pretend devotion because we think that we’re setting the example. In my estimation, I want my pastor just to be honest and to tell it like it is in his heart. And, I want my people to be honest. And, I believe when there’s a spirit of honesty even though there’s a spirit of failure, God can work. I beg you. Don’t pretend a devotion to Jesus Christ that you don’t have. Don’t settle down on a lower plain, but don’t pretend. Don’t lie to the Holy Ghost. And, last of all, don’t let some hypocrite keep you from getting the best out of life. Ananias and Sapphira come all along life and all along the trail. I’ve seen many of them in my ministry but they cannot hold back the power of God in revival if we keep our eyes on Jesus.

Let’s bow in prayer. Father God, I pray tonight as I have brought this message, you dear Lord would help me that I might be judgment day honest with you, as best I know my heart. And, not to pretend, dear Lord, a devotion that I do not have to you. But, oh dear Lord, help me not to be satisfied with a lack of devotion, but to be a growing Christian. And, Lord I pray tonight for those in this congregation who are not saved, that even tonight they might come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior in His wonderful name we pray, Amen.