The Plot that went to Rot
Acts 5:1-11
1 ¶ Pero cierto hombre llamado Ananías, juntamente con Safira su mujer, vendió una posesión. (SRVA)
1 ¶ But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, (KJV)
2 Con el conocimiento de su mujer, sustrajo del precio; y llevando una parte, la puso a los pies de los apóstoles. (SRVA)
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. (KJV)
3 Y Pedro dijo: --Ananías, ¿por qué llenó Satanás tu corazón para mentir al Espíritu Santo y sustraer del precio del campo? (SRVA)
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? (KJV)
4 Reteniéndolo, ¿acaso no seguía siendo tuyo? Y una vez vendido, ¿no estaba bajo tu autoridad? ¿Por qué propusiste en tu corazón hacer esto? No has mentido a los hombres, sino a Dios. (SRVA)
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. (KJV)
5 Entonces Ananías, oyendo estas palabras, cayó y expiró. Y gran temor sobrevino a todos los que lo oían. (SRVA)
5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. (KJV)
6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. (KJV)
7 Después de un intervalo de unas tres horas, sucedió que entró su mujer, sin saber lo que había acontecido. (SRVA)
7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. (KJV)
8 Entonces Pedro le preguntó: --Dime, ¿vendisteis en tanto el campo? Ella dijo: --Sí, en tanto. (SRVA)
8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. (KJV)
9 Y Pedro le dijo: --¿Por qué os pusisteis de acuerdo para tentar al Espíritu del Señor? He aquí los pies de los que han sepultado a tu marido están a la puerta, y te sacarán a ti. (SRVA)
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. (KJV)
10 De inmediato, ella cayó a los pies de él y expiró. Cuando los jóvenes entraron, la hallaron muerta; la sacaron y la sepultaron junto a su marido. (SRVA)
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. (KJV)
11 Y gran temor sobrevino a la iglesia entera y a todos los que oían de estas cosas. (SRVA)
11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things. (KJV)
Introduction:
The church was in revival and things were going well. The devil tried to destroy what God was doing from without. It was not working. So he changed his tactic to work from within.
A man once yoked two lions together and drove them through the streets of Rome; but there is no human power that can ever yoke together the Lion of Judah and the Lion of the Pit.
I. The Sin of Two church members
Ananias and Sapphira were good, regular church going folk.
In Acts 4, Bernabe sold some of his land and gave the money to the church.
This gave Bernabe a great testimony to all those around him. It also caused some others to want to do likewise.
The problem was that some selfishness and greed got in the way.
A. It provoked a conspiracy.
Ananias and Sapphira got together and planned how they were going to do it and what they were going to say to the rest of the church.
B. It produced hipocrisy.
They pretended to be more spiritual than they really were.
Hipocrisy was something Jesus dealt with time and time again, esp. with the religious leaders of His day. He did openly rebuke them for this sin.
We need to be God-pleasers and not men-pleasers.
John 3:30
30 He must increase, but I must decrease. (KJV)
30 A él le es preciso crecer, pero a mí menguar. (SRVA)
C. It Revealed their Hidden Sin
Prov. 28:13
13 ¶ El que encubre sus pecados no prosperará, pero el que los confiesa y los abandona alcanzará misericordia. (SRVA)
13 ¶ He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. (KJV)
God already know what you are doing. Just be honest and admit your shortcomings.
Don't say that the devil made you do it. He really cannot make you do anything.
1 Co. 10:13
13 No os ha sobrevenido ninguna tentación que no sea humana; pero fiel es Dios, quien no os dejará ser tentados más de lo que podéis soportar, sino que juntamente con la tentación dará la salida, para que la podáis resistir. (SRVA)
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (KJV)
Are there Hidden Sins in your life that impede spiritual growth and revival?
1. Sin of Selfishness
2. Sins of Unfaithfulness
3. Sins of Neglect
4. Sins of Worldliness
They cannot remain in your life without there being negative consequences.
They will thwart revival in your personal life and if not confronted, will impede revival in the local church.
II. A Bold Man of God
Peter was given discernment from
God. Peter spoke out and named the sin. He dealt with the issue. He also gave them an opportunity to confess and make things right. Mercy and grace were extended. Be sure that the Holy Ghost will not be mocked.
III. The Judgement of God
Death must come before real revival:
Christ died so man could be saved.
We must die to ourselves (die to the old carnal nature)
In this case, God sent physical death to remove the hindrance to continued revival.
1 P. 4:17
17 Porque es tiempo de que el juicio comience por la casa de Dios. Y si primero comienza por nosotros, ¿cómo será el fin de aquellos que no obedecen al evangelio de Dios? (SRVA)
17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? (KJV)
IV. The Fear of God was Restored
When the sin was dealt with and the unrepentant were removed, then the blessings of God were able to flow again.
