Death By A Lie Series

Text: Acts: 5:1-11

Theme: Family of Liars

Greetings: The Lord is good and His love endures forever!

I would like to share with you about a family which was part of early vibrant church. Unfortunately, this family tested the power of the Holy Spirit. They turned to be Lovers of possessions or lovers of money, Lovers of popularity or pretensions and Lovers of Positions. They are none other than Ananias and Sapphira.

1. Lovers of Possessions: Acts 5:1-4

In the previous chapter we have an account of the eminent liberality and sincerity of the mass of early Christians, in being willing to give up their property to provide for the poor. The great generosity of Barnabas was well respected by the Church leaders and congregation (Acts 4:36-37). St. Luke places the selfishness and hypocrisy of Ananias and Sapphira. This couple wanted to cheat the church, church leaders and even underestimated the power of the Holy Spirit. They were lovers of money, lovers of possessions.

Ananias and Sapphira Kept back (nosphizomai) means equivalent “to misappropriate” and to steal (Titus 2:10). Nosphizo was found in secular Greek writings in reference to embezzlement of public treasures. The same word was used of Achan’s theft in the Greek translation of the Old Testament (Joshua 7:21). Kept back part of the money with the Full Knowledge Sapphira, partners in the deception.  Though Ananias and Sapphira did not steal God’s money, didn’t misappropriate the church offertory but they had not fulfilled the vows, and deceived the Church, which was considered equal with the theft and misappropriation.

According to John Calvin, the sin of Ananias has the contempt of God, Sacrilegious defrauding, perverse vanity and ambition, Lack of faith, the corrupting of a good and holy order, and Hypocrisy.

David Guzik says ‘We can create or allow the impression that we are people of Bible reading or prayer when we are not. We can create or allow the impression that we have it all together when we do not. We can exaggerate our spiritual accomplishments or effectiveness to appear something we are not. It is too easy to be happy with the image of spirituality without the reality of spiritual life’. We can observe that there was a rebuke instead of Praise, there was a condemnation instead of congratulations! Disgrace instead of respect. They were filled with greed and pride.

They had a suspicion that they would not faithfully distribute what they were entrusted, or by an assurance that they could not discover the fraud. The Holy Ghost brought out everything into the light as it was dealt with Gehazi, whom his master convicted of his error by that word, ‘Went not my heart with thee?’ (2 Kings 5:26). It is charged upon the house of Israel and Judah when they dealt very treacherously, that they belied the Lord (Jeremiah 5:11, 12).

2. Lovers of Pretension or popularity: Acts 5:7-9

Lovers of pretensions means lovers of vanity, lovers of hypocrisy and lovers of duplicity. They had dual personalities. They were so generous to the world. But not in reality. Exposing the hypocrisy, lies, cheating, defrauding is so shameful and disgusting. God hates whatever is honoured by men.

Ananias is the Greek form of the Hebrew Hananiah, which means “one to whom Jehovah has been gracious.” “Sapphira,” is connected with the “sapphire,” as a precious stone, and from a Hebrew word signifying “beautiful” or “pleasant.”Sapphira may have been beautiful on the exterior, but not on the interior for she was ugly with sin. Dr. Constable says, "Their names proved as ironic as their behaviour was hypocritical!" George MacDonald said, "Half of the misery in the world comes from trying to look, instead of trying to be, what one is not."

Satan was a liar from the beginning (John 8:44). This couple were filled by Satan and not by Christ, they told a deliberate lie. Warren Wiersbe says "We must face the fact that Satan is a clever foe. If he does not succeed as a "devouring lion" (1 Peter 5:8), then he attacks as a "deceiving serpent" or an "angel of light" (2 Corinthians. 11:3, 13-14). Satan is both a murderer and a liar (John 8:44).” Lying to the Holy Spirit is a sin that Christians commit frequently today.

David Guzik says ‘Satan can influence the life of a believer, even a spirit-filled believer, but he can’t do your sinning for you’. A most dramatic contrast between Ananias and Barnabas, Son of Encouragement, a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith (Acts 11:24) whereas Ananias was filled and controlled by Satan.

The subtle strategies of Satan are: Quotes Scripture to lead us astray (Matthew 4:6). Afflicts the body (2 Corinthians 12:7). Plucks away the seed of the Word (Mark 4:15). Tempts by impure thoughts (1 Corinthians7:5). Tempts by pride (1 Timothy 3:6). Hinders through circumstances (1 Thessalonians 2:18). Seduces by pleasure (1 Timothy 5:11, 15). Severely buffets in a crisis (Luke 22:31). He accuses the brethren (Revelation 12:10).