Acts 5:1 ¶ But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira
his wife, sold a possession, 2 And kept back part of the
price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and
laid it at the apostles' feet. 3 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? 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.
5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and
great fear came on all them that heard these things. 6 And the young
men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
7 ¶ And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife,
not knowing what was done, came in. 8 And Peter answered unto her,
Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
9 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. 10 Then
fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young
men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by
her husband. 11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as
many as heard these things.
An example
of exactly what not to do
-
The power of examples
o Inspiring –
it can be done
§ In 1954
Roger Bannister ran the mile in under 4 minutes, beating the previous world
record that had stood for 9 years. Just two months later two other runners ran
the mile in under 4 minutes. In 1964 a high school boy ran the mile in under 4
minutes.
o Warning
§ Drugs go in
and out of style as people begin to see the consequences of drug abuse in those
around them.
§ “I saw my
parents’ marriage”
§ “I don’t
want to treat my children the way I was treated”
§ “I don’t
want to end up like my brother did”
§ “great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as
heard these things”
-
Examples of examples
o Barnabas
(chapter 4, he sold his property and gave all
of the proceeds)
o Judas
o Fern W
o Ted Haggard
-
What Ananias and Sapphira did
o Tried to
look better than they were
o Offered a
partial sacrifice to God, pretending to give their all
§ Luke 14:25 ¶
And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and
wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he
cannot be my disciple. And
whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
For which of you, intending to
build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient
to finish it? Lest
haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it,
all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began
to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against
another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with
ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way
off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that
forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
o Lied to God
o Deceived
themselves rather than God
-
Nothing new under the sun – their followers live on
o People
still try to look better than they are
o People
still try to give God leftovers, while pretending that they’ve given all
o People
still lie to God
o People
still end up deceiving themselves
-
Learn from their example
o God still
judges hypocrisy
o Choose your
vows carefully
Is
hypocrisy still as deadly as it was back then?
Does this
bring any OT history to mind? [Achan]
Why do you
suppose God is so fiercely opposed to hypocrisy?
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