Ananias and Sapphira

Summary
Sold - Kept - Lied - Died

History
Ananias - Jehovah has been gracious.
Sapphira - Beautiful
It is said that Sapphira was a rare name during that time and thus they could be from a
wealthy family.

Strength
Supportive wife: We must understand that he had a very supportive and a wife who was
faithful to him, even though the faithfulness was towards the wrong intention in this case.
Spouse must understand that obedience/love/submission must be in Christ (1 Peter 3)

Heart to give: Again we must understand that he was ready to give up a portion of what he
had, so as his name says he had a gracious thought. The intention behind the giving and the
lieing was the problem.
When the church is in need it is good to help if you are able, but the intention behind it
matters.

Weakness
Lie: Keeping a portion of what he got was never the mistake in this portion. God would have
blessed him if he had said the truth or nothing would have happened if he had not given at
all.
Acts 5:3 ESV
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?
Sometimes we must check our tongue when we exaggerate stories. A lie whether it be big or
small, it is a lie. Be truthfull about anything.
1 Peter 3:10 ESV
For "Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and
his lips from speaking deceit;
Keeping things aside is not a sin but holding back things dedicated to God is a sin, so watch
before you commit.
Never Lie for our master Jesus never lied. If you are a person who lies then examine the
kingdom that you belong to.

Envy or praise seeking or position seeking:

Acts 4:36-37 ESV
Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of
encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, [37] sold a field that belonged to him and
brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.
He must have seen the reception that Barnabas got from the church when he did the same
in chapter 4 of Acts. The intentions were different.
Never give to show off. God is looking at our heart and not just our actions.
1 Samuel 16:7 ESV
But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his
stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on
the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart."
Going with the trend leading to abuse of good practices:
Acts 2:44-45 ESV
And all who believed were together and had all things in common. [45] And they were selling
their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.
Acts 4:34-35 ESV
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 [35] and laid it at the apostles' feet,
and it was distributed to each as any had need.
Going as per the trend is not a sin, but we must check our intentions behind the actions.
Here because of a Hypocrite or Prideful or Deceptive mind, they started abusing a good
practice. Examine whether we abuse good practices in church or anywhere in our lives for
our personal gain. Remember 1 Samuel 16:7

Taking things lightly:

He must have experienced grace of God but He did not have the maturity to understand the
wrath of God or the power of the Holy Spirit.
We must understand that even after the Holy Spirit has come, satan is still working or doing
his job. We must be watchful.
1 Peter 5:8-10 ESV
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion,
seeking someone to devour. [9] Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of
suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. [10] And after
you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory
in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

Tested Lord:
Deuteronomy 6:16 ESV
"You shall not put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah.
Matthew 4:7 ESV
Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'"

Question to us?
What are you holding back from God pretending you have given it already?
Do you seek honour without sacrifice?
Satan used a lie to break unity in the early church, it didn’t work. What are the deceptions he
is doing inside our gathering? Is it working? Are we letting him become successful or God?
God hates sin. Am i hating my sins as much as God does?

Old Testament Connection

- Similar Story:
Achan (Joshua 7)

- Similar Death:
Nadab and Abhihu (Leviticus 10)
Uzzah (2 Samuel 6)
What do you learn about God in this Character or his life?
Power of God
- We sing “ its Your breath, in our lungs”. He doesn't need a second to take it away.
Always be thank ful about the breath of God. How many sins have we committed in
our lives where He could have taken it, but God so loves us.
- As the power of God increases in church ( Ch. 4) the judgement and wrath of God is
also seen agaisnt the people who does not have a repenting heart ( Ch. 5).
Grace of God
- If given a choice, would we choose disease or death?. Sometimes God gives some
diseases in our lives for us to repent from it. It is the grace and love of God that we
are not dead yet. Miriam is an example; Leprosy was a grace of God towards Miriam
( Numbers 12).If we show a repenting heart God will show you His grace otherwise
get ready to face his judgement like Ananias/Achan.
Jesus never lied - God can never lie
- 1 Peter 2:22 ESV
He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.
- Numbers 23:19 ESV
God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
- Titus 1:2 ESV
in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began

Key Verse
Acts 5:2 ESV
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.