19/6/16   Acts 4:32 - 5:11

There are 3 slogans tha are often used to sum up those who work on Wall Street: ‘Buy or die’, ‘Lunch is for wimps’ and ‘Greed is good’.[1]  Now I don’t think that any of us here would say greed is good. If anything any one of us would not hesitate to put family or friends ahead.  This is where we find our trouble is in our attitude to money.  This can be really tricky, contradictory even.  If there is one thing we know about our own hearts.it is that we all struggle with disordered loves.  We’re often very quick to condemn the big end of town where those company directors give themselves golden parachutes or we diss the selfish actions of men like Nick Leeson who by himself and his share trading actions brought down Barings Bank.  What I think we struggle with is that the love of money.  Like recently with the lure of a 100 million OZ Lotto jackpot, 1 in 6 Australians put down their cash for a chance to win[2].  Or a survey of regular churchgoers in America found 90 per cent said greed was a sin, fewer than 20 per cent said they were ever taught that wanting a lot of money was wrong, and 80 per cent said they wished they had more money than they did.[3]  Thing is what rules you comes out into the open; what comes out reveals what rules you.

As we read in verse 1-2 of Acts 5

1  Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.  2With 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. 

Before we get into what happens with Ananias & Sapphire,  I want to back up the truck a little with what happens before it.  Have a look at the passage as we see the early church where generosity and shared need were what stood out.  The Holy Spirit comes on all the believers at Pentecost, and we’re told in Acts 2:44-46a

 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.

 The same practice continues further on as we get pointed the way of Barnabas in Acts 4:32-33

32  All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.  33  With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. 

 Then verse 36-37

36  Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement),  37  sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet.

Here Joseph, otherwise known as Barnabas sells his field, and it’s as if we’re being prepared for the shock that soon follows.  Barnabas the once former Levite now follower of Jesus sold his field. (Barnabas appears again in Acts in Chapter 13 standing out for his leadership and continued generosity), without question or asking favour Barnabas puts his money at the apostles feet for them to use as they see fit.  Just as Jesus knows the struggle of our hearts as he said you cannot serve both God and money (Luke 16:13b) and where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Luke 12:34).  Just as we step onto the ground of realizing there’s no fooling God Acts 5:1-11, as Ananias and Sapphira find out their greed turns out was a form of unbelief, verses 1-2

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. 

In this story of  deception we’re told how Ananias and Sapphira sell a field, claiming they have put the full amount at the apostles feet, just like Barnabas does, truth is, they hold some back, a form of moral  embezzlement takes place.  So what is it that most gets us about this story is the speed at which things occur, they are both dealt with swiftly, and where the Apostle Peter has an extraordinary insight into their lives.

On the surface this looks like another act of generosity, they would have said it was all for the good of the community of Christ, and the trouble is we soon know it’s filled with deceit.  The problem here wasn’t so much that they had decided to keep back part of it for themselves.  The problem was that Ananias and Sapphira were trying give the appearance that they’d given more what’s more is it is a lie compounded by Sapphira  - Ananias’ wife who is also given a chance by Peter to tell the truth, she won’t, and so meets the fate as her husband in Ananias & Sapphira we are shocked by the instantaneous judgment on a couple who lost sight of God and found their souls filled with greed.  The seriousness of the problem here was the lie they had told themselves, that lie they tried to tell to the Church, was a lie to the Holy Spirit; as giving everything was not mandatory.   The desire Satan fills Ananias and Sapphire with is the desire for recognition in the church to be the same sort of good guys like Barnabas, as one thing we know Jesus does is to help us spot things.  Like have ever asked yourself “Where do I go off? Why do I worry? What makes me forget? Why do I fret? Why do I lose it?” When faith is dying out, greed and worry come to life.[4]  As we read in verses 3-5

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 to men but to God."  5  When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 

Peter tells it straight as Ananias were breaking faith with this community of Christ by trying to deceive them; as Spiritual warfare is raging around us all the time, Satan likes to work in the fog of war.  As God’s people we are tested, and here’s the thing when we face temptation God is providing us occasions to either stumble or stand.  The question is do we find our strength in the Lord to stand up, step out in faith when it’s hard?  Or are we seeking God’s grace and strength?

This was a community we’re told who were of one heart and mind, as the Spirit of God amongst them, where they were calling nothing their own.  This couple were trying to counterfeit that, hoping to be fully part of the community of believers and yet hold something back of their own, as right here Ananias finally gets whose really been deceived.  Notice the realization he’d deceived himself, and that he’d actually lied before the Spirit of God, and so with this knowledge falls down dead.  Then next comes Sapphira, who is offered her chance to tell the truth, no matter how painful it was, she’s still trying to keep up the appearances.  Sapphira also dies with the shock of knowing she was deceiving herself.  Notice that God saw right through it all

 9  Peter said to her, "How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! 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. 

 God takes sin seriously, he takes greed seriously, as it turns out greed is a form of discontentment with God.  Greed is just as powerful an idol as a love of ignorance or crudeness, or a love of bitterness or jealousy.  So can you name an evil or temptation that continues to tempt you.  So are aware of how will you will  let the light of Christ’s love expose that for what it is.  Will we call on the Lord for his aid, protection, his strength, his

delivering power, or draw near to him in the humility of need, we’re promised the devil will flee[5], reach out for Christ’s love, and God’s forgiveness

Let’s pray…

Our Father, we stand before

You because of mercy. You are full of mercy. We

are the recipients of a most spectacular mercy.

We thank You that You forgive us, You rewire

us, You work with us from exactly wherever

each one of us starts. You are the great

awakener of our lives, the One who gives

purpose and who makes life shine brightly.

Make these things true in our lives this very

week, that not one of us would fall prey to the

kinds of things that would rob us from seeing

the good things You have spoken to us, Jesus. It

is in Jesus’ name, our Father, that we pray.

Amen.[6]