Ananias and Sapphira

Intro

starting a brand new series, The Masks We Wear

full disclosure, when the title of the series came, I had just finished talking about the trunk or treat. So instantly I thought of a Halloween mask. Never crossed my mind that we had been wearing masks pretty consistently over the last number of months

I mean, I guess I could’ve used this as the picture, but I really don’t want to make a bigger deal out of masks than is necessary. Too many people on social media have already blown this out of proportion, let’s just move on

With Halloween and the trunk or treat on the horizon, my question for you

Question 1: Did you wear a mask at Halloween, and what was your favorite one?

I had a lot of good ones growing up. My favorite was an alien mask I wore once.I wore a black robe with it, and it glowed in the dark. Walking down a dark street with a floating alien head coming towards you… I got some good candy that year.

Masks Hide Who We Really Are

the general purpose of a mask is to hide our identity. So whether you are out trick or treating, a superhero with a mild mannered alter ego, or an actor in a play, the mask is designed to conceal our face, and hopefully our identity

This became especially useful in the early days of drama. More often then not, an actor would be tasked with playing multiple characters. In order to do that, they act out one role, run off stage, put on a different mask, and become someone completely different, all for the entertainment of the audience. Most times, no one in the audience actually knew who the actor was

The truth is that many people fall into this trap of hiding behind a mask. There is something in their life, or a perceived shortcoming, that they want to cover up, and often end up hiding it.

So over the course of this series, we are going to look at different stories throughout scripture, what mask the people in the stories were wearing, what they were trying to hide or compensate for, and how we can learn from their mistakes.

The first story we are going to look at comes out of Acts. We are going to meet a couple that tried to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes.

Acts 5:1–6 ESV

But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 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. 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? 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.” When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.

Step 1 - Ananias

so the property is sold, and Ananias comes to the Apostles to present the proceeds from the sale

now we don’t know how Peter found out Ananias was not being completely forthright. He may have received some divine inspiration, or there may have been someone in the room that knew that the actual value was

Peter starts by basically asking Ananias why he felt like he had to lie. It was his house, it was his money; he could have been honest about keeping some back and everything would have been fine. So why lie?

He didn’t have to sell it either. If they wanted to keep it, it was well within their rights

there is actually, in Ananias’ mind, a really good reason to lie, and we will unpack that shortly, but first, we need to meet his wife, Sapphira

Acts 5:7–11 ESV

After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 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.” 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. And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

Step 2 - Sapphira

I feel like there would have been some tension in the room when Sapphira walked in. Her husband just lied to the Apostles and DIED for it. Some people would have been heart broken for her, some would’ve held his sin against her. She’s probably concerned about where her husband has been for 3 hours. If she wasn’t, that would have been a whole other reason to be concerned

Peter gives Sapphira an out. Did you sell the property for this much? She could’ve come clean and all would’ve been good. However, she maintains the lie, and she dies too.

so why did they feel the need to lie about the money? Well let’s rewind the passage a little

Acts 4:32–37 ESV

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Feeling the Pressure

this is a typical, “Everyone else is doing it, we have to as well!” We don’t know how long Ananias and Sapphira had been part of the community, but they were obviously not hurting. They had property to sell, and they were following everyone else’s lead.

But everyone else gave all the proceeds. For some reason, Ananias and Sapphira didn’t want to give everything they had made, but they sure wanted everyone else to think they had.

Question 2: What is something you’ve done in order to fit in, only to wish you hadn’t?

for Ananias and Sapphira, giving to the needs of the community was not the problem; exaggerating about the proceeds was the decision they would regret. Like Peter said, they didn’t have to sell the property. They could’ve kept it and still belonged.

The mask that Ananias and Sapphira embodied was...

The Mask of the Martyr

someone who wears the martyr’s mask is not scared to tell others how they single-handedly saved the world by their selflessness. They often exaggerate their stories to make them feel significant, but in the process often alienate themselves from those closest to them.

Ananias and Sapphira wanted the community to know they were selfless, generous people, but in order to do so, they exaggerated their generosity.

Chances are, this was not the first time these two had made a point to let people know how sacrificial they were, but it was certainly going to be the last time.

The problem that the martyr struggles with is a deep desire for validation. They want to know that they matter, and by being so selfess, they believe they are necessary for the world to work.

They get trapped in this viscious cycle of needing validation, exaggerating their story, alienated by people. Just Ananias and Sapphira, they are killing themselves physically and emtionally, trying to maintain their value.

How Do You Take the Mask Off?

We can’t get our validation or value from people. The value we derive from someone is completely dependent on how they are doing and how the relationship with the person is. Even the validation that actors receive from their fans runs thin because it is only surface level, as long as they do what the people want them to do.

If you are someone who is constantly seeking the approval and validation of people, I have good news for you. You are instrinsically valuable, and your value is not based on anything you did or who you know.

- Your value is completely based on who knows you! God formed you in your mother’s womb, and counted your days before you had lived even one. While we were still enemies of God, Jesus died for us so that we could be released from the bondage of sin and death.

You are accepted, you are loved, you are valued beyond measure, and that is solely because you are a child of the living God. Nothing and no one can ever take away God’s love or how much he adores you.

When you come into a relationship with Jesus, and make him your Lord and Savior, your mindset changes. Instead of working in order to receive validation, you work because you have already been validated. Instead of trying to earn someone else approval, you are already approved and live out of that.

Because you are loved, because you are valued and live for a higher purpose, you can actually have better relationship with people. Your relationships shift from a place of trying to impress, to a place of simply loving each other. Instead of trying to get value, you can give it because you have received it in abundance.

This is why we must be so intentional about fostering a healthy relationship with God our Father. He is our source for everything!!

Let’s pray