Acts 5

Acts 5: 1-16

Ananias and Sapphira

¹ Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. ² With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.

³ Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? ⁴ Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”

⁵ When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. ⁶Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

⁷ About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. ⁸ Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”

“Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”

⁹ Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”

¹⁰ At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. ¹¹ Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.

The Apostles Heal Many

¹² The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. ¹³ No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. ¹⁵ As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. ¹⁶ Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.

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Observation

Ananias's sin was against God (verse 3, 4).

What was his sin? Lying to the Holy Spirit (verse 3, 4).

Fear seized the church and all who heard about what happened (verse 5, 11).

Death was the price for not telling the truth. (verse 5, 10). In being dishonest, they were testing the Spirit of the Lord (verse 9).

No one else dared join the believers in Solomon’s Colonnade though they were highly regarded by the people and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to the believers' number (verse 13, 14; these two verses need to be reconciled for me).

Sapphira had the opportunity to speak for herself. She was not struck down because of the sin of her husband. She died because of her own sin (verses 7-10).

The apostles were still performing miracles and still healing after this event (verse 12, verse 16).

Interpretation

God is good, but He is also still God. There are consequences for people in the Church who do not honor Him.

The sin of Ananias and Sapphira was presenting a sacrifice before the Lord that was not their all/best. Then they lied and claimed that it was their all. God does not take our second-best. Oh no sir.

The apostles were still healing and performing signs. God was still with them.

Perhaps the death of Ananias and Sapphira served as a reminder to the people that though God has been merciful, He is still God.

Sapphira was held accountable for her own sin. She was given a chance to repent.

Is this a difference in God's interaction with us from the Old Testament to the New Testament? Each is responsible for his/her own actions/sins, not the sins of their forefathers/families?

It is foolish to lie, especially in the Church, in front of God's people. Ananias and Sapphira lied to God's people.

Moreover, by not bringing all the money they made from selling the land, they undermined community.

- Undermined community by:

1. Lying to the community

2. Not bringing their all to God

Questions:

1. Why was it that no one dared to join the believers in Solomon’s Colonnade (verse 13)?

2. What does it mean to test the Spirit in this context? Ananias and Sapphira did it in a way that dishonored God. What are the differences between testing the Spirit in a way that strengthens our faith in and trust in God and testing the Spirit in a way that does not bring glory?

3. Why was death their punishment?

4. Why the strike of fear in the Church? What kind of fear of the Lord was it?

5. This incident was an illustration of God's wrath. But as God's people, aren't we no longer under the wrath of God? What made Ananias and Sapphira unique?

Application

I need to bring my best to God and be honest with Him. Not bringing my best/ALL is a sin against the Holy Spirit.

I cannot undermine community by lying or by not giving my all. In my life right now, that looks like being honest and talking to Stephen about what God has told me to talk to him about.

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Lord, help me to fear You. In the way that I should. I pray that my fear of You would be a righteous fear, a holy fear and not a fear that immobilizes me. May I give you my ALL; I pray that I would not sin against the Holy Spirit by giving You less than my best and calling it my best, less than my all and calling it my all. May I know who I serve and understand the great offense it is for me to not give You my all. Lord, please reconcile for me the many parts of Your character; Your mercy, grace, and love, but also Your wrath and expectations of me. Have Your way in my heart, in my life, and in my Spirit Holy God. In the Name of Jesus the Christ I pray, Amen.

Lord, may I not undermine community by lying or by not giving my all. May my aim be to build up community, not to subvert it or subvert the plan that You have for it. Lord, give me the courage to be honest and to give You my all. Give me the strength to take the risk to be vulnerable with community. Guard against even the unconscious undermining of community. Make my spirit so aware of how I serve You. May I be intentional with all the I do in the Name of Jesus Christ. Please keep me blameless at Your coming Lord Jesus, as You have promised in Your word to do. Hallelu Yah. This I pray in Your Name Jesus, Amen.