God Establishes His Church in the World

A CONTRAST BETWEEN A SHARING SAINT AND A SINNING ONE

Acts 4:32-5:11

Jerry A Collins

SCC

3/23/03

Ÿ How should believers view and use their possessions?

Ÿ What role does Satan play in our lives?

Ÿ Does God take sin seriously in His people’s lives?

One of the distinctive traits of Christianity is the authentic living it produces in the lives of those following Jesus Christ. When you are following Him, there is no room for or motivation for pretense, hypocrisy, lying or covering up. There is a spirit of generosity and care giving to those in need in God’s family. However, there are also believers whose generosity is only a show. It may be to gain a reputation for greater generosity than deserved. It is possible for believers to look like they are following Christ but are only following their sinful desires. Looks can be deceiving and that has been the case from the very beginning of the church. We will see the results of God’s power producing generous giving. Then we will see that either sincerity or insincerity could motivate these magnanimous deeds.

1. GOD’S POWER IN OUR LIVES MANIFESTS ITSELF THROUGH MAGNANIMOUS CAREGIVING

In verse 32-35 we see at least three manifestations of the power of God in His people.

(1) Christian unity vs. 32. One heart and one soul tells us they were all on the same page. It was as if a single heart throbbed within this group and embraced the same thinking and emotions. The effects reached ALL of them (Jn 13:35; 17:21). This unity manifested itself in a sense of responsibility for one another. This unity had a practical outworking within this community. They made their possessions available to God for those who were in need. Notice the sense of responsibility for one another and not authority over each other that resulted from God’s work in their lives.

(2) Christian Witness vs. 33. Because of this unity, the witness of Christ was even more powerful as Jesus resurrection was being proclaimed. . The resurrection was the major emphasis of the apostle’s teaching (2:24; 32; 3:15; 5:30; 10:40; 13:30, 33-34, 37). The abundant grace upon them was divine enablement that God granted to them to speak and live out their faith in Christ. A fellowship characterized by loving unity and evangelistic zeal receives God’s favor.

(3) Christian Charity vs. 34-35. They understood that everything they had belonged to God. They and we are stewards of all of that. God’s grace enables us to use what He has given us to give it for the needs of others. In this case the apostles were charged with distributing it to those needs because they were more aware of where and what they were. So people sold some of their property and possessions and made that available as a regular way of addressing this need amongst the people. This was not some sort of primitive form of communism: 1. They did not pool their possessions together. 2. Individual believers still owned homes in Acts 12:12. 3. Peter’s words to Ananias in 5:4 show selling voluntary. 4. Acts does not record that believers in other locations followed this pattern. So we not only witness of Christ with our words but with our works. Imagine ourselves as a community of caregivers to one another. Not seeking or wanting or desiring applause but only serving for an audience of one. To participate in meeting the needs of believers within our circle of influence and beyond. Jesus often did something simply because he was moved by compassion.

(3) Christian Example vs. 36-37. Here is care giving we might want to emulate. Barnabas is an example of what is being produced in people impacted by God’s power in the life of the church. Because this is first time he appears in Acts, Luke gives some background as he will become more prominent later in the book. Later we learn (1) He introduced Paul to Jerusalem reassuring them of his conversion Acts 9:26-27. (2) He accompanied Paul to Jerusalem with contributions from Antioch for the poor (Acts 11:30). (3) He traveled with Paul on 1^st missionary journey Acts 13:2ff. (4) He represented Church in Antiosh at Jerusalem council Acts 15. (5) He disagreed with Paul and took John Mark with him on second missionary journey Acts 15: 36ff. He was a Levite. He was from Cyprus possibly why 1^st missionary journey began there. Apostles called him Barnabas as Luke notes meaning Son of encouragement. He had relatives in Jerusalem, John Mark Col 4:10 and Mark’s mother Acts 12:12 possibly his sister. His generous spirit and act was an example Luke wanted us to see and follow. Generosity can be a means of tremendous encouragement. This is always a true mark of one investing in his relationship to Jesus Christ. Hoarding, stinginess, self serving is never an attribute of God’s power in our lives. Generosity, benevolence, magnanimous is always a manifestation of the power of God in our lives. God can give you a spirit of sufficiency.

2. GENEROSITY CAN LOOK GODLY BUT BE HYPOCRITICAL AND JUDGED BY GOD 5:1-11

We mite conclude from what precedes that the church was a sinless community at this time. “But” in vs. 1 is a strong contrast. Ananias and Sapphira also sold property. Unlike Barnabas he kept back part of the price for himself with wife’s knowledge. They saw opportunity for double profit. Gain spiritual prestige and still make some money on side.

ANANIAS 3-6: Rather than allowing the HS to fill him (vs. 31) he allowed Satan to control his heart. Nowhere were believers commanded to give everything but giving was voluntary (2 Cor 9:7). The sin was lying, publicly pretending to have given all the proceeds based on a desire for spiritual status and approval. Satanic conflict rages in our hearts. The battle is won or lost there. Tho Satan filled his heart with deceptive intentions, Ananias was responsible for his decision to be led by it. The Bible never blames our sin on Satan. By deceiving the church, he was trying to deceive the HS who indwells it. Attempting to deceive the HS he is trying to deceive God. First, this affirms that the HS is a person, not influence or force since he was lied to. Second this was called a lie against God vs. 4 equating the HS as God. Lying to the HS is a sin xians commit frequently. When acting hypocritically by pretending a devotion that is not yours, a surrender of life have not really made, a vow you may not keep, you lie to the HS. God takes this seriously vs. 5. It is sobering that God sometimes takes lives of sinning xians. It is a sin unto death (1 jn 5:16; 1 Cor 11:30; James 5:19-20). Death is Gods ultimate discipline for sinning believers.

SAPPHIRA 7-10: Three hours later (God gives her 3 extra hours to repent), tho she had not conceived of the plan, she agreed to tempt the Lord, she is questioned vs. 8. She chose to continue the deception instead of repenting. They had chanced it that God would permit them to get away with it. Sinners dare God in effect to deal with them by deliberately going against His known will. Putting God to the test means seeing how far one can go disobeying God before He will judge. So ended their short-lived, foolish attempt to deceive and test God’s patience with sin. The impression upon the church great fear vs. 11. (1) No such thing as free sin. (2) Fear sin and repent. (3) Fear God and live. (4) don’t test, trust.