Dying for a Lie. This is Serious! Acts 5:1-11
Focus: The truth about Christianity. Ananias and Sapphira died for a lie. Will we live for the truth? We cannot take this lightly! But there are some great reasons to be a commited Christian.
Background: The church is starting to face big challenges. Things are going pretty well, then someone lies…
Pretending to be a religious could kill you!
Contradiction: A lot of people believe they are going to heaven, but don’t believe the Bible!
What is the point of being a Christian? To go to heaven?
What is a Christian?
A Christian is a person who believes that Jesus is the Son of God, died, rose again, has repented of sin and experienced forgiveness in Him, has commited their fully life to God, makes a clear and public confession of faith in Jesus by their words and actions, active in discipleship in prayer, study of scripture, and spiritual disciplines, lives a life of moral purity and integrity, is commited to the fellowship of believers, and seeks to tell others about salvation in Jesus.
Apostles Creed – Helps Eliminate Confusion
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. AMEN.
Creeds can be helpful, but anyone can say a creed, or a prayer and not mean it. No matter what you call yourself, being a Christian is more than label.
Why should anyone be a Christian?
1. Peace – we have peace with God. AHH!
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, Rom 5:1
2. Protection – For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; Psalm 91:11
3. Purpose – with God I have a clear purpose.
The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever—do not abandon the works of your hands. Psalm 138:8
4. Presence – God himself is with us in his Spirit.
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5
5. Joy – Not a false happiness that comes and goes, but a deep inward joy of the Holy Spirit that endures pain and suffering.
Ps 16:11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,
Honda made a "Musical Road" for a commercial in Lancaster, CA, that played the William Tell Overture when you drove on it. At first, it wasn’t too exciting. But as you picked up speed, you could actually hear a song played by the tires hitting the grooves in the road at just the right time, and it put a big smile on your face. But alas, some people complained and they paved over the grooves. Sometimes, our lives seem mundane with brief moments of happiness, but a deep inward joy from the Holy Spirit that does not fade comes from knowing the Lord.
6. Friendship – with God and people.
Proverbs 18:24 A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
7. Faith – I can believe beyond what I see.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
What do you believe? Just what you see?
8. Forgiveness – No other way.
Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace
9. Future Hope
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
10. Truth (Morals and Integrity)
John 8:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
Truth (Values) come from God. No one is good apart from him. The reason our world is in so much trouble is that people ignore truth.
California has a amazing aqueduct system that brings water from the north to the south. Along the way, they have posted signs that say "Stay out of Aqueduct." You would think that would be obvious to not get in a long, deep, dark, canal of water, but people need the truth! Without the truth of God, we get into all kinds of trouble.
11. Healing
1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
12. Life
John 20:31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
A very nice doctor’s office had a beautiful fish tank. The fish are bred to look like exotic salt water fish. They are beautiful, but they are stuck in that expensive tank and going nowhere, chasing each other, killing each other, hoping someone will pay attention and feed them. Without God, that is what life is like. God meant more for us than that - He wants us to have a full, abundant life now! (John 10:10)
We are not just "fish swimming in circles in an aquarium."
The motivation for Christianity is not simply to get to heaven or not go to hell. It is not to be a good person – it is all about everything – LIFE!
Is anything else working? The biggest, most powerful institutions that millions of people put their faith in have failed.
What about other religions? Islam? Hindu’s in India? Buddhist in Japan? Cults abusing children? Some countries kill people who do not conform to their religion.
Do the Muslims have something on us? Maybe they are more dedicated, but the message of the Gospel has endured more than 2000 years.
Logic of Faith – Faith makes sense. If you are living like there is no God, you better be right.
Don’t die for a lie, live for the truth! This is serious – we can’t take it lightly. We are in a crucial and critical moment of history in the world, our country, and the Church.
Some people say, "I am afraid to fail...I don’t want to be a hypocrite."
Do we sin? Yes. We can not do this on our own. We need the Holy Spirit!
PRAY! If my people…
