WHAT’S IN A NAME?
Ananias
“THE MAN WHO TRIED TO DECIEVE GOD”
Acts 5:1-11
1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession.
2 And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles' feet.
3 But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?
4 While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God."
5 Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things.
6 And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.
7 Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
8 And Peter answered her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?"
She said, "Yes, for so much."
9 Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out."
10 Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband.
11 So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.
Deception is a bad thing. Most of us would agree with that. In fact, deception is covered by one of the big ten in the Ten Commandments.
“Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness”
While trying to deceive each other is bad enough, attempting to deceive God puts us in a whole new category of offenders. When Ananias lied and attempted to deceive the church Peter reminded him that he was actually trying to deceive God.
Lying about our relationship with God or altering the truth about something we’ve supposedly done for God is, according to Peter, an attempt to deceive God.
What can we learn from Ananias’ deception?
ARE YOU TALKING TO ME
A four-year-old boy was eating an apple in the back seat of the car, when he asked, "Daddy, why is my apple turning brown?"
"Because," his dad explained, "after you ate the skin off, the meat of the apple came into contact with the air, causing it to oxidize, thus changing the molecular structure and turning it brown."
There was a long silence. Then the son asked softly, "Daddy, are you talking to me?"
1. ANANIAS’ DECEPTION BEGAN WITH THE DEVIL (v. 3):
3 But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?
The guilt of all sin is laid at the feet of the one doing the sinning; we are free moral agents who make our own decisions. However, that doesn’t mean someone isn’t pushing us to do wrong just as the Holy Spirit nudges us in God’s direction.
When we attempt to deceive and deliberately engage in sin we are merely following the same path as the one taken by our enemy. Jesus declared that He was a liar from the beginning and that those who deceive others are in league with him.
John 8:44
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
2. ANANIAS’ DECEPTION WAS MOTIVATED BY PRIDE (v. 2):
2 And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles' feet.
Ananias’ deception appears to go back to the generosity of others such as Barnabas. Certain disciples had legitimate needs and some in the church felt responsible to meet those needs. People like Barnabas sold their possessions and brought the proceeds of the sale and laid the funds at the feet of the Apostles for distribution.
We can only imagine the “Ooing and Aahing” that must have taken place. Likely they weren’t seeking personal honor but sometimes it happens. Apparently, Ananias wanted some of that for himself. However, He wanted his cake and to eat it too. Others gave to meet needs and to glorify God but Ananias gave in order to glorify himself.
God never shares His glory.
3. ANANIAS’ DECEPTION WAS JUDGED BY GOD (v. 5):
5 Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things.
Was Ananias a saved person; a born again believer? Some say he couldn’t have been because of how the story turns out. However, even true believers can sin a sin unto death and only God knows when that’s going to be.
According to His Word our heavenly Father is a God of great grace and forbearance. However, even His legendary patience sometimes runs out. God judges sin. A time of reckoning will come. The best plan of action for avoiding judgment is to not sin. When we do sin God has provided a way back and, unlike Ananias, we must take it.
1 John 2:1
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
4. ANANIAS’ DECEPTION ENSNARED SOMEONE ELSE (v. 10):
10 Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband.
No doubt Sapphira, Ananias’ wife, was responsible for her own sin. In the end, like Ananias she could have told the truth and perhaps escaped God’s wrath. However, it was up to Ananias to set the right example. The phrase “also being aware of it” in verse 2 seems to indicate that Ananias was the one who instigated the whole affair and she merely fell in line. So, if it had not been for Ananias this whole sorry episode in the life of the church might have been avoided.
Our sin often causes others to get involved. Lucifer is in the business of ruining as many lives as he possibly can. Don’t let yourself be used by the evil one to bring harm to someone else. The one who shares in your judgment might be someone you care about a great deal. If you won’t think of yourself, think about them before you sin.
RUN FROM SIN
Few college football coaches have made a point against drugs as effectively as Erik Russell of Georgia Southern. He arranged for a couple of country boys to burst into a team meeting and throw a hissing, six-foot-long rattlesnake onto a table in front of the squad. "Everyone screamed and scattered," Russell recalls. "I told them, 'When cocaine comes into a room, you're not nearly as apt to leave as when that rattlesnake comes in. But they'll both kill you!"
