Hypocrisy Kills

Hypocrisy Kills

Acts 4:36-5:11

Good morning…

I heard a story about a bad snowstorm that happened while one of the employees had a scheduled day off and stayed in bed.

The employee was relieved because he did not have to drive in the horrible weather, but just then, his phone rang.

It was his boss asking him to come in to work because many of the employees called and said they were unable to navigate the roads during the storm.

The man informed his boss that he was not comfortable driving in the storm because of the road conditions, but the boss kept putting pressure on him, telling him the roads were not too bad.

Just then, the employee heard a child on the other end of the phone asking the man’s boss to make him breakfast. The employee asked the boss, “Wait, where are you?”

The boss replied, “Oh, well, I’m at home”.

The employee replied, “You’re asking me to drive into work in a snowstorm, but you’re not going in to work yourself?”

The boss said, “My car is worth $90,000!

I’ve seen what you drive. If you damage your car in the snow, it would not be that great of a loss.”

The employee hung up on the boss and went back to bed.

Hypocrisy can kill our witness, our relationships with other people, and sometimes, our relationship with Christ, as well.

Please open your Bibles to Acts 4

Last week, we learned in Acts that Peter and John returned to the other Christians after being questioned by the Sanhedrin.

At this time in the Church's history, the believers had sold their possessions and were financially supporting each other.

Their common interest in furthering the Gospel overshadowed their differences and their desire for the world’s wealth.

No wonder the Gospel was spreading so rapidly. They kept the main thing, the main thing. The truth of the resurrection of Christ convinced them to act with loving concern for each other.

We learned that it is a ploy of the enemy to divide Christians over minor differences.

Their genuine faith and love for the LORD motivated them to assist their fellow Christians with financial needs.

We learned how we need the Holy Spirit to empower us to know who we are talking to in prayer, and we need Him to empower us to live a surrendered life unto Christ!

I. Holding back.

Read Acts 4:36-5:2

As a review, again we see Barnabas, the son of Encouragement, gave the proceeds of his belongings to the needs of the Church and its members, like some of the other believers had also done.

George MacDonald once said, “Half of the misery in the world is caused by people trying to look, rather than trying to be.”

Again, Acts 4:32, neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.

These gifts were not obligations, rather, the gifts were given as a love response to all the LORD had saved them from.

You can imagine the response the followers received from the others as they witnessed him giving such extravagant gifts.

I don’t know how much land these followers sold, but I can imagine it was worth a lot of money, so the people were excited to see that huge offering.

In our passage, a husband-and-wife team wanted to fit in and receive the notoriety that came from that extravagant giving.

This married couple was trying to imitate Barnabas because they witnessed the amount of attention Barnabas’ giving, caused.

Certain behaviors from Christians can cause a bad reputation within the world or among younger believers.

We are also told by Jesus in Matthew 7:20, Therefore by their fruits you will know them. NKJV

Ananias and Sapphira sold a piece of land and gave part of the proceeds to the Apostles. The issue was not that they kept some of the money; the issue was hypocrisy and lying to the Spirit!

They were not forced to sell off their property, nor did they have to give the entire amount of money to the Church.

Jesus taught in Matthew 6:1, "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

Matthew 6:2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

Matthew 6:3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, NKJV

Matthew 6:4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.