Acts 5 1-11

Introduction

The church at Jerusalem had shared the same passion:

Business

Evangelism

Discipleship

Prayer

Committed to one another

To the point the young church shared the same heart and soul

They thought about one another

Their affection towards one another grew

All of this happened in the midst of the church experiencing her first persecution - where it was against the law to preach or teach in the name of Jesus

Satan understands there are two ways that can stop a movement:

Persecution

Disorder, disunity, as Paul says - a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump 1 Corinthians 5:6.

This morning is a sad and tragic tale that did not need to happen.

They did not have to sell their property

They did not have to give all of it - Acts 5:4 “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.”

They did not have to pretend what they gave was the full sum of what the property was sold for.

They would not have been thought of less or more.

I want us to see four things from our text with the goal of the premium that God puts on sharing the same heart and soul. We cannot be distracted from sharing the same heart and soul. Ananias and Sapphire became distracted over pennies. The distraction cost them their lives.

Conceiving Acts 5:4

Acts 5:4 KJV 1900

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.

The word conceive means to set in a certain place

The verb is in the middle voice which means he did it to himself - it is not to say that Satan had no complicity in this action of Ananias but Ananias set this motion

What was it he conceived? To deceive the apostles and the church at Jerusalem.

The significance of this statement is Ananias could not blame his sin on satan.

James 1 Temptation occurs twice

God to build our relationship with him bu Jesus Christ through seasons of trials that causes us to pray for wisdom to navigate the trials. Our relationship grows through prayer, enacting the wisdom giving to us, and our confidence in God;s plan for our life.

After this, a second temptation that comes from Satan.

Satan tempts us so that we stumble and fall.

Based upon what Peter and James said - Satan’s success over us is not based upon the temptation but us. James 1:14-15 “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

The reason Jesus could not be allured by the temptations of Satan was He had no desire to sin.

We have the old and new man, competing for our servitude. We have sinful and pure desires. If we do not die daily to the flesh, we will collapse under the weight of sinful desires.

Ruth’s

Esters

Luke’s

Mark’s

Satan filled his heart - Acts 5:3

Acts 5:3 KJV 1900

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?

1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”

Seeks to destroy

Patient

He looks for a weak link

Monster

Revelation 12:9 “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”

Present tense

Deceive - to roam or lead astray

Lt Sobel

He is a slanderer - Matthew 4:1 “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.”

Devil means slanderer

He has schemes - Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

It was not so much about Ananias and Saphira - they were vessels - His scheme was to contaminate and corrupt the church

Satan filled his heart

I believe A and S were saved .

First, they were included in the "congregation of those who believed" in Acts 4:32.

Second, they were involved with the Holy Spirit, thus indicating a relationship to Him.

Third, if they were not Christians, what lesson about sin did this give to teach all the rest who were true believers?

Fourth, Satan can become personally involved with believers (cf. Mt. 16:21-23; Eph 6:12; 1 Pe 5:8-9).

Finally, death can be divine chastening for a believer (1 Cor 11:30-32; 1 Jn 5:16).

Even though Christians cannot be possessed by an evil spirit, we can be influenced by an evil spirit.

They were completely under the influence of Satan.

We can get to this place when were are allured and drawn away from truth.

Their sin was against God, not man - Acts 5:3-4,9

Acts 5:3–4 KJV 1900

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.

Acts 5:9 KJV 1900

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.

This reminds me of David’s confession - Psalms 51:4 “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, And done this evil in thy sight: That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, And be clear when thou judgest.”

He lied to the Holy Spirit who guides us into truth - John 16:13 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”

How often do we use God’s name for our sin.

When we sin, not only are we lying to the Holy Spirit but we are tempting the Spirit of the Lord.

We are daring Him to do something.

Putting God to the test means seeing how far one can go in disobeying God-in this case lying to Him-before He will judge

Deuteronomy 6:16 “Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.”

Matthew 4:7 “Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”

Fear - Acts 5:11

Acts 5:11 KJV 1900

And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.

It was not just a little fear but great fear.

All the church and those without the church who heard

Hebrews 12:28-29 “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire.”

Horton wisely wrote "Some people imagine we must lower God's standards for the Church to make progress in today's world. But this has never been true. The Church has always been strengthened when it catches a vision of the holiness of God and seeks practical holiness in individual lives." (Acts: A Logion Press Commentary)

Fear of God appears a number of times in Acts

Acts 9:31 “Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.”

Ephesians 5:21 “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”