The Deception And Death Of Annanias And Sapphira

THE DECEPTION AND DEATH OF ANNANIAS AND SAPPHIRA

Acts 5:1-11

(Antioch Baptist Church: Wednesday, October 11th, 2025)

“George MacDonald wrote, ‘Half of the misery in the world comes from trying to look instead of trying to be, what one is not.’ The name that Jesus gave to this practice is “hypocrisy,” which simply means “wearing a mask, playing the actor.” We must not think that failure to reach our ideals is hypocrisy because no believer lives up to all that he or she knows or has in the Lord. Hypocrisy is a deliberate deception, trying to make people think we are more spiritual than we really are.” - Warren Wiersbe

Our selected text gives us a vivid description of blatant hypocrisy and the severe consequences that come as a result. During the infancy of Christ’s Church, many of the Believers sold their possessions and gave the proceeds to the Apostles so that they could care for their new brothers and sisters in Christ. Impressed by these acts of benevolence, a man named Ananias and his wife Sapphira devised a scheme so that they could receive glory for themselves. Like the others, they sold a “possession”, but they only gave a portion of the proceeds to the Apostles while pretending to give it all.

This devious couple lied and attempted to deceive the members of the Lord’s Church. Their sin was not holding back a portion of the proceeds; their sin was that they professed to give all, while only giving a portion. In their attempt to deceive others and receive the praise of men, they lied to the Holy Spirit. Ananias & Sapphira wanted to be seen as generous, compassionate, selfless and spiritual; when in reality they were greedy, selfish hypocrites. I would like for us to examine this cautionary tale and consider “The Deception And Death Of Annanias And Sapphira”.

This chapter begins with a contrast concerning the benevolence that is seen in the closing verses of the previous chapter. There, Luke introduces us to a man named Barnabas who “having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet” (4:37). Barnabas selflessly gave of his own wealth to help those in need. It was not only Barnabas who possessed this great spirit of benevolence, for we are told that this was the desire of many of the recent converts to Christianity.

Ananias & Sapphira who sought to deceive the brethren and convince them that they were as generous and benevolent as the others. In doing so, they committed the grave sin of lying to the Holy Spirit. Let’s look to verses 1-2 and examine:

THE DECEPTION INVOLVED IN THEIR HYPOCRISY

v1 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.

The actions of Ananias & Sapphira stand in stark contrast to those of Barnabas and many of the other new converts to Christianity. Whereas the others had sold their goods and given the proceeds to the Apostles out of a genuine concern for their new brothers and sisters in Christ, Ananias & Sapphira devised a scheme so that they could receive glory for themselves.

Like the others they did sell a “possession”, but they only gave a portion of the proceeds to the Apostles while pretending to give it all. They lied and attempted to deceive the members of the Lord’s Church. Their actions could have greatly harmed the wonderful unity that was present in the early church.

They were numbered with the church, but they faked their spirituality in an effort to impress others. Their sin was not holding back a portion of the proceeds; their sin was that they professed to give all, while only giving a portion. Ananias & Sapphira wanted to be seen as generous, compassionate, selfless and spiritual; when in reality they were greedy, selfish hypocrites.

- The Apostle Peter confronted their sin in verse 3, notice:

THE CONFRONTATION CONCERNING THEIR HYPOCRISY

v3 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?

Peter points out the fact that Satan was behind their dastardly actions. Just as the Holy Spirit had “filled” the believers and motivated them to exhibit love and compassion for others, Satan had “filled their hearts to lie to the Holy Spirit” and to attempt to deceive others. The term “filled” speaks of taking possession or control. Ananias & Sapphira were tempted with wicked desires and evil thoughts. Rather than resisting this temptation, they gave in to the scheme of the Devil. In doing so, they exhibited one of the most prominent characteristics of Satan. Jesus said to a certain group of Jews in John 8:44, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.”