Acts 5:1-11
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. 6 Then 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. [1]
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This is a difficult passage. It seems rather harsh, being struck dead for not fulfilling your stewardship pledge. But what I noticed in this passage today is the connection to the previous section, yesterday’s passage.
It’s obvious that this is to be considered together with the previous passage. Ananias and Sapphira are being put forward as a contrast to Barnabas, who sold a piece of property and honestly laid the proceeds at the disciples’ feet (4:36). And Barnabas was put forward as an example of someone being led by the Spirit in answer to the believers’ prayer (4:29-30). What the selling of property and giving of the proceeds was really about was the believers loving each other and providing for each other. As I mentioned yesterday, God answered their prayer for boldness in witness by leading them to sacrificially care for each other, in addition to speaking their faith
So there is more going on with Ananias and Sapphira than dishonesty. They are failing to love the other believers and support them in their need. They are resisting the Spirit who is leading them to witness with their sacrificial support for the others. Their sin against the Holy Spirit is much deeper than merely lying about the total. They are sinning against the witness, against love of the body, and moving in the opposite direction of answer to the believers’ prayer.
Yes, it’s still harsh and I’m quite thankful that the Lord does not respond to my failure to love with such sudden consequences. I am thankful for His mercy.
So this passage reminds me to take seriously God’s call to sacrificially care for those around me. Yes, to give charitably with my financial resources, but also to give in other ways. The call to love one another, both near and far, is a vital part of who I am as a child of God and the mission that He has called me to participate it. My prayer today is that I will always be willing to give as He leads me for the sake of the Kingdom and for the sake of others.
What is the Word leading you to pray about today?
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[1] The New International Version. 2011 (Ac 5:1–11). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
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