We Need to Talk!
Acts 4:32-5:11; Matthew 6:19-24
March 10, 2002
Intro:
A. [Isn’t it Strange?, unknown author, submitted by Jerry Pearcy]
Isn’t it strange how a 20 dollar bill seems like such a large amount when you donate it to church, but such a small amount when you go shopping?
Isn’t it strange how endless an hour seems when we are serving God, but how short it is when we watch a basketball game for 60 minutes?
Isn’t it strange how 2 hours seem so long when you’re at church, and how short they seem when you’re watching a good movie?
Isn’t it strange that you can’t find a word to say when you’re praying, but you have no trouble thinking what to talk about with a friend?
Isn’t it strange how difficult and boring it is to read one chapter of the Bible, but how easy it is to read 100 pages of a popular novel?
Isn’t it strange how everyone wants front-row-tickets to concerts or games, but they do whatever is possible to sit at the last row in Church?
Isn’t it strange how we need to know about an event for Church 2-3 weeks before the day so we can include it in our agenda, but we can adjust it for other events in the last minute?
Isn’t it strange how difficult it is to learn a fact about God to share it with others, but how easy it is to learn, understand, extend and repeat gossip?
Isn’t it strange how we believe everything that magazines and newspapers but we question the words in the Bible?
Isn’t it strange how everyone wants a place in heaven, but they don’t want to believe, do, or say anything to get there?
Isn’t it strange how we send jokes in e-mails and they are forwarded right away, but when we are going to send messages about God, we think about it twice before we share it with others?
IT’S STRANGE ISN’T IT?
B. Ok, we need to talk…
1. Today we need to talk about commitment.
2. As we continue our journey through the book of Acts, we come to the shocking story of Ananias and Sapphira.
3. It is not the most pleasant story for pastors or for church members or for new seekers.
4. But it is in the Bible and we need to hear what God has to say to us through this tragic story none-the-less.
I. The Background
Acts 4:32-37, All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. 34 There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. 36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
A. So let me make a few comments pertaining to the background of the Ananias and Sapphira story.
1. This portion of the text sets us up for what happens in the main part of the story in chapter 5.
2. Luke gives insight as what things were like with the believers at this time.
B. First Luke tells us that the believers were one in heart and mind.
1. They were united in love for God and one another.
2. They had strong, heart-felt relationships with the other believers.
3. They were so close to one another that no one laid sole claim to their own possessions.
4. If another believer had need of something they had, they let them borrow it or let them have it.
5. "What’s mine is yours."
6. They made sure that there were no needy persons among them.
7. They were of one heart and mind.
8. What a wonderful church family (and remember this a "huge" church of 15,000 members!)!
C. They apostles were preaching powerful sermons.
1. They continued to preach and testify about the resurrection of Christ.
2. God’s grace was being poured out powerfully through their sermons.
D. These people were so committed to one another that they made great sacrifices for the sake of the church, the Body of Christ.
1. They not only gave up their possessions, they also gave up their land.
2. From time to time, people sold some land and gave the proceeds to the church.
3. One of those people who did that was a man whose name was Joseph but was also known as Barnabas because he was such a great encourager.
4. He was such an encourager to others in the church that he became know not just as Joseph but as the Son of Encouragement.
5. He was a child of God who was a major source of encouragement to others.
6. And what an encouraging thing it was to the other believers when Barnabas sold a field that he owned and brought the money to the church.
E. Now I must make it clear that this is pure communism and it was purely voluntary.
1. There are those who would take this text and try to say that the Bible teaches communism and that cannot be done without twisting the Scriptures.
2. This is what communism should be, but the government forcing redistribution of wealth is NOT Scriptural.
3. The Bible teaches capitalism where everyone goes out and works hard to earn whatever they can and then voluntarily share with those in need.
4. When you have earned more than you need, you voluntarily help those who are in need—especially those in the church—like the early church did.
5. The government forcing redistribution of wealth misses the whole point of love and goodwill to others that communism should support.
6. And one last thing I will say is that we need to get rid of the Social/Welfare System in the US because that is exactly what I’ve been saying shouldn’t be happening.
7. Our Social/Welfare System is nothing but government enforced communism; government forced redistribution of wealth and its not working any better here than it did in Russia.
8. The Bible does not teach Governmental Communism even though the first church rightfully practiced voluntary individual sharing of possessions and wealth.
9. And this background paints a wonderful picture of that very first church family.
II. The Story
Acts 5:1-11, Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. 3 Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God." 5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6 Then the young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him. 7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, "Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?" "Yes," she said, "that is the price." 9 Peter said to her, "How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also." 10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.
A. Now lets walk through the facts of this story…
1. Barnabas got a lot of recognition in the church for selling his field and giving the money to the church.
2. That’s not why he did it, but clearly that recognition was what Ananias and his wife saw and they wanted for themselves.
3. So they sold a piece of property and brought some of the money to the church.
4. Sapphira knew about the whole thing.
5. Ananias brought part of the money to the church and told the church that it was all of the money.
6. Peter questioned him about it and told him that he was going to die.
7. Ananias instantly fell down dead and Peter called the Deacons in to carry him out and bury him.
8. Three hours later Sapphira came in--not know what had happened to her husband.
9. Peter asked her if this was the price that they had gotten for the land and she said, "Yes."
10. Peter told her the same thing he had told her husband and sure enough, she fell down dead as well.
11. Then the Deacons returned from burying Ananias and Peter told them they could take Sapphira out and bury her beside him.
12. And then there is what I believe to be two of the great understatements of the Bible, in verses 5 and 11 it say Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.
13. I imagine!
14. One of the most shocking stories in all of Scripture, but it is Scripture and we must treat it as such.
B. First lets think about what Ananias & Sapphira did wrong that would merit such a punishment.
1. At first glance it appears that Ananias & Sapphira were being killed for doing the same thing Barnabas did, but we quickly realize there must be something different about Barnabas and Ananias & Sapphira, because surely God wouldn’t kill them for giving to the church.
2. So what is the difference?
3. It may appear that what Ananias & Sapphira did wrong was that they didn’t give the whole amount of money to the church; death would seem to be a pretty harsh punishment in that instance.
4. But as we look closer at the text, we see that not giving all the money was not the sin that got them killed.
5. Peter said in verse 4 that Ananias had lied to God.
6. And Peter said in verse 9 that Sapphira had agreed with her husband to test the Spirit of God.
7. Now let’s look closely at verse 4: Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."
a. The first question Peter asks Ananias is Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold?
1) What Peter is asking Ananias is, "Did anybody tell you that you had to sell the land?"
2) "Ananias, did anyone tell you that if you’re going to be a believer in Jesus Christ and if you are going to be a part of the church, you must sell extra property that you own and give the money to the church?"
3) "Ananias, wasn’t this property yours to do with as you please; did you even have to sell it all?"
4) Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold?
5) Clearly, Ananias would have to answer, "Yes, it was my property to do with as I please and I wasn’t pressured into selling it."
b. The second question Peter asked Ananias was, And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal?
1) Now Peter is asking Ananias another question on another level.
2) First of all, Ananias didn’t have to sell the land at all, and after he sold the land, he could have done anything he wanted to do with the money.
3) He could have bought himself another piece of land; he could have built himself a house; he could have saved the money for his retirement.
4) Peter makes it clear that Ananias didn’t have to sell the land in the first place.
5) Then Peter makes it clear that if Ananias chose to sell his property, he didn’t have to give the money to the church just because Barnabas had done it.
6) And Ananias CERTAINLY could have given part of the money to the church and took his wife out to eat with the rest of it.
7) Even after he sold it, he was under no obligation to give any, part, or all of the money to the church.
8) It was his to do with whatever he wanted.
9) He chose to give part of it to the church and keep some of it.
10) Was that wrong? No that wasn’t wrong.
11) What was wrong was, he and his wife decided to tell the church that this was the whole amount.
C. Now the question that must be asked is: Why would they do this?
1. Why would Ananias and Sapphira do this?
2. Clearly it must have been that they wanted something that Barnabas and the others had gotten.
3. You know that if someone sold a piece of property and came in and laid it down in the church, people are going to see it and people are going to know about it.
4. Barnabas and the others got some recognition that A & S decided they wanted; but they didn’t want to make the kind of sacrifice the others made to get what they got.
5. Barnabas and the others gave all and A & S weren’t willing to make that kind of sacrifice and so they lied about it.
6. Barnabas and the others clearly made some great sacrifices and there was something in A & S that made them want to be seen like Barny and the others—but without really making the sacrifice that they had made.
D. Peter said that A & S were lying to God and testing the Spirit.
1. A & S may have thought they could lie to the people and get away with it.
2. But Peter said they weren’t really lying to the church, but to God.
3. Because the Church is the Body of Christ.
4. And they were tempting the Spirit to see if they could get away with it.
5. They were testing God to see if He would let them get away with it.
E. Now there are those who would say that this was a precedent that God was setting because this was the first church.
1. God acted this severally with these people because it was the first time something like this had happened in the newborn church and He had to make a strong statement at the onset or else no one would take the church seriously today.
2. Well I believe it has failed to set a precedent because great fear doesn’t seize the whole church today.
3. People lie to God in churches everyday and don’t bat an eye even if this story is in the Bible.
4. So if God wasn’t just doing this to set a president in the church, then why isn’t God striking people dead today when they lie to Him?
5. Well, the truth is that I have seen people die who tested the Spirit of God.
6. They didn’t die on the spot, but they did shortly thereafter when they’d had a change to repent and didn’t.
7. A & S were both given a chance to confess and they didn’t do it.
III. Our Lessons
#1. Sacrificial giving is a matter of unity.
Acts 4:32, All the believers were one in heart and mind.
1. Now when I say "sacrificial giving" I want to clarify that…
a. Does "sacrificial giving" mean money? Yes!
b. Does "sacrificial giving" mean only money? No!
c. Sacrificial giving is giving time, talents, and treasure sacrificially.
d. Sacrificial giving is giving possessions sacrificially.
e. Is not having extra land an excuse for not giving sacrificially? No.
f. Jesus praised the poor widow who gave just a few small pennies.
g. She didn’t give a large amount, but she gave sacrificially.
h. The amount is different for everyone, but sacrificial giving is incumbent upon all.
i. Because of what God means to me, I want to give my money to Him.
j. Because of Jesus means to me, I want to give my possessions to others.
k. Because of what he HS means to me, I want to use my abilities to serve others.
l. Does "sacrificial giving" mean money? Yes!
m. Does "sacrificial giving" mean only money? No!
2. Sacrificial giving is a matter of unity.
a. When we are all sacrificially giving to the church, we will be united like we’ve never been united before.
b. When we are giving, we really feel like the church is ours; we’re a meaningul part of the Body of Christ.
c. It unites us with others in the church because we are truly committed to the church and its purpose.
d. But when we are throwing a $20 bill whenever we have an extra one in our wallet, we aren’t really united with the church.
e. When we only show up for church on Sunday’s to get a blessing from God, we aren’t really united with the church.
f. But when we are giving all the money we can, we unite ourselves.
g. When we are giving our energies to the church outside Sunday morning, we unite ourselves with the church
h. When we are sacrificially giving, we will fight to keep Satan from driving wedges of division between us.
i. Sacrificial giving is a matter of unity.
#2. Sacrificial giving is a matter of capability.
Acts 4:33, With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.
1. Sacrificial giving will give us the capability of doing greater things.
2. Now please don’t misunderstand me to say that because more people are giving time and money then we will be able to do more than we are.
3. While that is true to a certain extent, that’s not the capability that we’re after.
4. Human capability is not what we are after, although humans are required.
5. What we’re after is the kind of capabilities that the first church had.
6. The capabilities the first church had was that God was on their side.
7. The capabilities the first church had was Divine capabilities.
8. The apostles were preaching with great power and that power was not their own, it was God’s.
9. There is a synergy that develops when people give sacrificially to God—great things happen!
10. And when the people of the church are not giving sacrificially, their capabilities are severally restricted.
11. How much do we want the church to do for the Kingdom of God?
12. Sacrificial giving is a matter of capability.
#3. Sacrificial giving is a mater of necessity.
Acts 4:34-35, There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
1. These people were sacrificially giving because they believed it was necessary to provide for the needs of others.
2. And the truth is that our sacrificial giving is a necessity as well.
3. Sacrificial giving is a necessity for the church today.
4. We live in society that things cost money.
5. We live in a society that takes a lot of people banded together to get things done.
6. We need sacrificial financial giving to enable us to…
a. provide for those families who are financially in need.
b. pay the mortgage on the building and for our ministry to the youth.
c. pay for insurance and the utility bills.
d. provide support to missions programs.
e. Can we get by with just regular financial giving? Well, we are.
f. But I don’t want the church to "just get by"—do you?!
g. I want the church to do as well for God as it possibly can and that takes sacrificial financial giving.
7. We need sacrificial time and talents given to enable us to…
a. minister to the youth in our community.
b. educate our church spiritually; to minister to shut-ins.
c. respond to visitors in the church and bring them into relationship with God and the church.
d. take care of the building and grounds.
e. There is no end to the things this church could do if we determine to get out of the pews and start giving of ourselves sacrificially to the work of God.
8. Sacrificial giving is a matter of necessity.
#4. Sacrificial giving is a matter of integrity.
Acts 5:4, Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."
1. This is an easy one.
2. Who showed integrity in giving? Barnabas and the others or A & S.
3. A & S wanted to be seen as sacrificial givers, but they didn’t want to actually sacrificially give.
4. Sacrificial giving increases our integrity.
5. When we give of our time, talents, and treasures, it increases our integrity.
6. We are held in greater esteem by the community when we give like that.
7. But more importantly, we are held in greater esteem by God.
8. I want God to see me as a Barnabas; a man of integrity.
9. Sacrificial giving is a matter of integrity.
#5. Sacrificial giving is a matter of eternity.
Acts 4:32, All the believers were one in heart…
Matthew 6:19-21, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
1. Sacrificial giving reveals where our heart is.
2. Giving our time, talent, and treasure to God shows God that our heart is in heaven.
3. Giving to God shows God that our treasure is in heaven.
4. Giving earthly treasures to God shows God that our treasures are not on earth.
5. Giving our time and talent to the church shows God that we are interested in the eternity of men and women and boys and girls.
6. Sacrificial giving helps us store up our treasures in heaven.
7. When we withhold our time, talent, and treasure it shows that we value the things of this world more than we value the things of heaven and eternity.
8. Sacrificial giving is a matter of eternity.
#6. Sacrificial giving is a matter of vitality.
Matthew 6:22-23, "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
1. What do we have our eyes on?
2. What are the things that we value?
3. You can tell what you value by what your check book says you spend your money on.
4. You can tell what you value by what you daily planner says you spend your time doing.
5. What do you have your eyes on?
6. What are you letting into your mind and body through your eyes?
7. In giving sacrificially to God, we are allowing light to come into our minds and bodies.
8. Whereas what are the other things that we spend our money and energies putting into our minds and lives?
9. What are those things doing for us?
10. Are they providing life and light and vitality to us?
11. Sacrificial giving to God will do those things for us.
12. Sacrificial giving will bring light and life and joy to our lives.
13. Sacrificial giving is a matter of vitality.
#7. Sacrificial giving is a matter of piety.
Matthew 6:24-26, "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. 25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
1. Jesus said that we can’t serve two masters.
2. And He nailed it when He said it came down to a choice between money and Him.
3. We all struggle with putting our faith in our checkbook or our God.
4. Jesus is asking us to trust Him and not our checkbook to put clothes on our back and food on our tables.
5. Jesus said that God takes care of the birds of the air and you are far more important to God than they are! God loves you! God wants to take care of you.
6. God wants us to devote ourselves to Him and Him alone.
Conclusion:
A. [Isn’t it Strange?, unknown author, submitted by Jerry Pearcy]
Isn’t it strange how a 20 dollar bill seems like such a large amount when you donate it to church, but such a small amount when you go shopping?
Isn’t it strange how endless an hour seems when we are serving God, but how short it is when we watch a basketball game for 60 minutes?
Isn’t it strange how 2 hours seem so long when you’re at church, and how short they seem when you’re watching a good movie?
Isn’t it strange that you can’t find a word to say when you’re praying, but you have no trouble thinking what to talk about with a friend?
Isn’t it strange how difficult and boring it is to read one chapter of the Bible, but how easy it is to read 100 pages of a popular novel?
Isn’t it strange how everyone wants front-row-tickets to concerts or games, but they do whatever is possible to sit at the last row in Church?
Isn’t it strange how we need to know about an event for Church 2-3 weeks before the day so we can include it in our agenda, but we can adjust it for other events in the last minute?
Isn’t it strange how difficult it is to learn a fact about God to share it with others, but how easy it is to learn, understand, extend and repeat gossip?
Isn’t it strange how we believe everything that magazines and newspapers but we question the words in the Bible?
Isn’t it strange how everyone wants a place in heaven, but they don’t want to believe, do, or say anything to get there?
Isn’t it strange how we send jokes in e-mails and they are forwarded right away, but when we are going to send messages about God, we think about it twice before we share it with others? IT’S STRANGE ISN’T IT?
B. [Toys Never Satisfy, Citation: Timothy Dwight in a sermon, "The Sovereignty of God," quoted in Spiritual Awakening. Christianity Today, Vol. 33, no. 2.]
Men are merely taller children.
Honor, wealth, and splendor are the toys for which grown children pine; but which, however accumulated, leave them still disappointed and unhappy.
God never designed that intelligent beings should be satisfied with these enjoyments.
By His wisdom and goodness they were formed to derive their happiness and virtue from Him alone.
C. In light of all that God has and is doing and will do for us, why would we be afraid to give Him any less than our best?
