As servants of the Savior and creatures of the Sovereign, the worse mistake we can make is To Play With God Our Maker and Judge. For we are reminded from the initial Genesis to the final Revelation of God’s Word that HE DOES NOT PLAY! Yet, not taking that revelation seriously, we have conjured up this “Grandfather Image” of God as being a playful and loving old man who has neither the disposition nor strength to raise His voice in anger or punish disobedient children.
And from that conjured up “grandfather image” we have erroneously deduced since we were created in the image and likeness of God that in many ways God is like us even to the point of believing God Is Playful and sometimes Insincere. But we must be mindful of the fact that ALL EFFECTS DO NOT RESEMBLE THEIR CAUSES. Broken glass does not resemble the hammer that breaks it. Mosquitoes cause malaria but does not resemble malaria. Hot water causes eggs to harden, but water itself is not necessarily hard. All effects do not resemble their causes, and all men are not like God in their being. There is a distinct difference between God and us. So much so that in Psalms 50:21 God said: “You thought that I was altogether such an one as yourself; but I will reprove you, and set things in order before your eyes.” God is NOT like us in His essential being; He is holy and in Him is no darkness at all, He dwells in light which no man can approach. For even the erring and money-hungry prophet Balaam concluded in Numbers 23:19 that, “God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man that he should repent.”
GOD DOES NOT PALY! For James in James 1:13 wrote: “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempts He any man.”
GOES DOES NOT PLAY! For in Galatians 6:7 Paul wrote: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked (played with, made fun of): for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” And to warn us that he is not a Playing God, in Ezekiel 18:4 the Lord God said: “the soul (the person) that sinneth, it shall die.” And I’m persuaded that Physical Death is shu-nuf proof that God Does Not Play!
Yet, we are still prone to Play With God, trying to out wit Him by offering Partial Surrender and expecting to find Total Blessings. And in defence of my argument, I offer our Text as a case in point. For in Verses 1-10 of Acts 5 we are confronted by a husband and wife who learned the hard way that God Does Not Play!
For in the first two introductory verse of chapter 5, we are challenged to come to grips with the fact that a Husband and Wife Had Joined Themselves in Church Membership to a Local Church, but were Not Added by the Lord because they were Not Saved!
And that is significant, because in my study of the context surrounding the text and the text itself, it was revealed to me by the Spirit of Truth that Ananias and Sapphira Never Had A Saving and Life-Changing Experience with the God of all grace. No where is it stated nor even hinted at that these two were members of the household of faith and partakers of our common salvation. All that we are told is that they were of the number of those who came publicly to the house of worship in order to lay part of the money from the sell of a piece of land at the apostles’ feet. But that act does not prove the fact of salvation; it only underscores that Act of Compliance.
Think of a young boy whose mother tells him to take out the trash. He could do the job in about 60 seconds. However, when he hears “take out the trash” a look of sadness and sluggishness comes over him. Somehow he manages to stretch the task into a 15 minute job. And when the mother looks outside, she finds he has left a trail of garbage from the house to the dumpster. He is acting out of Compliance-merely going thru the motions.
When compliance motivates me, I will go to church and sit in the pew when I am supposed to. I will pay my “dues” when I am supposed to. I will act the way I am supposed to. I do these things because I am supposed to. I do not act from a deep and abiding faith relationship with Jesus my Lord, but out of compliance.
You see, when you act out of compliance, you do not think thru the issues involved in your spiritual life. In fact, in acting out of compliance, you lie to yourself about your inner motives and drives. For Ananias did not think things thru; for if he had, he would have realized that he was not trying to fool men but God! He would have realized that Satan takes Compliance and turns it into Disobedience, Deceit and Apostasy.
And so the mere fact that you have joined a local church and bring a half-hearted offering every now and then is no evidence of a saving relationship with Christ Jesus. For I have found at least Two Clear and Compelling Reasons which suggest these Two were Not Saved but were Jest Simply Church Members.
The First Clear and Compelling Reason which suggests these two were Not Saved but were Just Simply Church Members is found in 4:32. That Thirty-Second Verse of Acts 4 says: “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul.” Which leads me to believe that when the church assembled for doctrine, fellowship and prayer in Solomon’s Porch in the Temple compound that other Jews joined them. For verse 13 of chapter 5 seems to suggest that before Ananias and Sapphira fell dead there that many had joined the church; but verse 13 says that after this incident in Solomon’s Porch that “of the rest dared no man join himself to them.” Some joined them purely out of curiosity; some congregated just to spy on them; some united for respectability and business reasons; and others who were truly seeking meaning and purpose for their lives. But by no means were all who congregated there real; only “the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul.” The whole multitude believed. No one in that number was unbelieving. The multitude was now well over 8,000. Luke has lost count because the Lord was constantly, daily adding to the church so that now the church is conceived of as a Fulness, a Magnitude of Believing Ones. What held them together was their one faith; those who believed and confessed Jesus as Lord and Christ.
One heart and one soul describes the church’s character and disposition. Luke presents the fact that this great outward body of the congregation had one living personality. This church’s whole active life was one in thought, feeling and will. They all wanted the same thing-to be saved eternally. They all thought onethought-only to be faithful to the Lord Jesus. They all experienced one thing-the comfort of the Holy Spirit. This means that despite the great number no divisions, no factions, no contentions existed: there was agreement of heart and soul. That, my friends, is a church. They all believed the same thing and had one living personality as a body!
I submit that Ananias and Sapphira were never One with those who believed, because #1, verse 32b of chapter 4 says, “neither said any of them that any of the things he possessed was his own.” But Ananias, by his act of keeping back part of the price, was saying in effect “the part which I am keeping belongs to me.” That act revealed his selfishness and greed, while on the other hand, the believers denied self and cared for the common good over personal comfort.
Ananias and Sapphira were never one with those who believed because #2, verses 34 & 35 of Acts 4 says: “Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the price of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles’ feet.” Yet, Ananias kept back part of the price and laid a certain part at the apostles’ feet! Thus, they were Never One With the Believers in Mission and Ministry. “But” contradictory to none of them who said any of the things which he possessed was his own; “But” in opposition to as many as were possessors of lands or houses who sold them; “But” contrary to Barnabas who had only one piece of property who nevertheless sold it and brought all of the money and deposited it at the apostles’ feet: “a certain man names Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold only one of many possessions-a possession-and kept back part of the price, and brought not all but only a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” That Contrasting “But” says that Ananias and Sapphira were Different From, Disunited From, Disconnected From even in Opposition To those who were Saved, and were, therefore, JUST MERE CHURCH MEMBERS!
And thus, as a consequence of not being one in heart and soul with the multitude of those who believed, Verse 2 of Acts 5 says that they “Kept back Part of the Price…”
I, therefore, submit that Ananias and Sapphira “Kept Back Part of the Price” because they had Not Yielded Their All to the Lord on the Altar of Sacrifice! They handed the Lord their Bodies but Kept Back their Souls; they gave Him their Emotions but Kept Back their Minds and Wills. THEY KEPT BACK PART OF THEMSELVES FOR THEMSELVES! They were Not TOTALLY COMMITTED, FULLY YIELDED, therefore, NOT SAVED!!!!
The Call to Surrender confronts you with the issue of CONTROL. Surrendering your life to God and retaining the right to control every aspect of your life do not go together. For the often repeated phrase “and laid it at the apostles’ feet” was used of those who surrendered something of value to another person’s control and care. Giving someone else control feels frightening. The Call to Surrender raises the issue of Trust. But you are challenged here to make a decision to Lt Go and Surrender to God.
DON’T KEEP BACK PART OF … your heart, your mind, your emotions and desires, your will, your hope, your faith, your love, your allegiance, your trust. Lay it all at the Master’s Feet!
Need I remind you that we live in a Throw-a-way World. If something breaks, we toss it out and buy a new one. When a relationship even a life is broken, we may too quickly assume that it is beyond repair or that fixing it would be too costly. BUT BROKEN LIVES CAN BE FIXED! BROKEN RELATIONSHIPS CAN BE HEALED! The power for those repairs must come from God. Your role is surrendering your will and your life to Him. Lay all your cares, burdens, problems and sins at the Master’s Feet and Keep Back None For Yourself. Keep Back No Part of Yourself, Your Time, Possessions, Money or Family for Yourself. Lay it ALL at the Master’s Feet. Give God permission to be God in your life; give God control of the things that control you. Let go. Give back to God what He has given you, and experience the Power and Honor of Defeat at God’s Hands.
Laying our All at the Master’s feet is vitally important because by Keeping Back Part of Ourselves, Our Time, Talents, Possessions, Money and Family We Expose Ourselves to Danger, Injury, Loss, Death and even Demon Possession; for Verse 3 of Acts 5 says implicitly that SATA FILLED ANANIAS’ HEART. Peter says, “Ananias, it is a fact that Satan has filled your heart. But the question I have is WHY? Why has Satan filled your heart…?” And so, I argue the point that:
I. One Peril of Playing With God Is EXPOSURE TO SATANIC POSSESSION.
For the phrase “Satan hath filled your heart” in verse 3 means “to fill up in the sense of taking possession and control of the mind.” To control the mind is to control the thoughts, desires, passions, affections, purposes and actions; for the mind, the brain, controls the body! Satan is the Adversary who opposes God in purpose and act by seducing and enticing us away from God and to sin. And so, we need to know why
Satan can take possession and control of a mind? The answer can be found in the question of Verse 4: “Why hath thou conceived this thing in thine heart? You see, Ananias had proposed to himself the idea of deceiving what he perceived to be as foolish men by giving the false impression that he was giving the full amount of money. His intent was just to lie unto men and get away with deceit. So, he conceives this thing. He thought it up. He purposed it to himself as a means of being tagged and targeted for praise just as Barnabas had gained. That was his Conceived Consequence. But he did not know that that act of conceiving this in his heart opened the door for Satan to come in and take full control of his life. In James 1:14-15 James put it this way: “But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death.”
Ananias’ intent was just to fool men; but Satan had a greater aim. He wanted to try to deceive God and infiltrate the church. And so after Ananias’ lust had conceived this sin of deception, Satan entered and took control. Ananias could not go back home and get the part he kept back, because Satan was now in control. He could not turn his feet around and go back home and repent, because Satan was in charge. He could not change his mind or alter his plans because Satan now controlled his mind. So on he came, committed his act of sin, not knowing that Satan had entered his heart and was in control.
Ananias thought he had gotten away with it; and unexpectedly he was confronted by that Awful But of Peter in verse 3. Except for the fact that “But Peter said!” Said Peter: “it was Satan’s intention to use you to attempt to deceive the Holy Ghost by telling a lie. You have not lied to men. The reality of the fact is Ananias, you have tried to deceive God.”
Oh, beware of Your Lusts Conceiving Plans and Plots in Your Heart; for to act them out is to EXPOSE YOURSELF TO SATANIC INFLUENCE AND CONTROL! For Satan is a thief. And Jesus said, “the thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill and to destroy.” Satan stole Ananias’ mind, killed his conscience and sensitivity to God and caused his soul to be destroyed. SATAN WILL STEAL YOUR MIND, that’s why we are exhorted to take the helmet of salvation in Ephesians 6:17; to be transformed by the renewing of your mind in Romans 12:2. “let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus,” says Philippians 2:5. To think on things true, honest, just, pure, lovely, good report, virtuous and praiseworthy in Philippians 4:8; and the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds thru Christ Jesus in Philippians 4:7.
Because if Satan takes possession of your mind in using you to lie to the Holy Ghost, I submit to you that YOU ARE IN PERIL OF SUDDEN DEATH.
II. Playing With God Ultimately Results IN SUDDEN DEATH!
For Acts 5:5 says: “Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost.” You need to understand that the genitive participle of present action translated as “hearing” denotes while or as Ananias was hearing with understanding what those words means. Which means that he understood too late that Satan had taken control of him, and that he was in the presence of the Holy God who is not to be lied to, deceived, Played With or Made Fun Of. Therefore he understood too late that no liar can tarry in His presence and sinners cannot stand in the congregation of the righteous. So, He Fell Down and Gave Up The Ghost! He Breathed His Last Breath! He Breathed Out His Life!
The Ultimate Peril of Playing With God Is SUDDEN DEATH. Proverbs 6:12-15 says: “A naughty person, a wicked man, walks with a forward mouth. He winks with his eyes, he speaks with his feet, he teaches with his fingers; Frowardness is in his heart, he devises mischief continually; he sows discord. Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.” Proverbs 29:1 says: “He, that being often reproved hardens his heart, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”
SUDDENLY, WITHOUT REMEDY! NO CHANCE TO REPENT! NO TIME TO ASK FOR FORGIVENESS. NO SECOND CHANCE. NO MERRCY OR GRACE. NO CORRECTION, NO RECOVERY, NO CURE, NO RESTORATION, NO ANTIDOTE, NO HEALING. JUST SUDDENLY DESTROYED WITHOUT REMEDY!!!
Oh, while we are still breathing and the blood is still running warm in your body, even now you ought to come to Jesus and lay your all at His feet and beg Him to Save You! DON’T KEEP BACK ANY PART OF YOU. TOTALLY YIELD HIM ALL. SURRENDER ALL TO JESUS JUST NOW.
The Holy Spirit says, “to day if you will hear His voice, Harden not your hearts.” “The Spirit and the bride says, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”
It is quite evident from the behavior and words of many church folk in our local churches that they don’t know that the Lord Jesus is their Judge. We commit all manner of evil to one another, believe what we want to believe, do what we want to do in His church, come to worship when it pleases us; and the vast majority of us think God will not call us into judgment. But every now and then God Executes Judgment in one church to bring about a personal, practical knowledge of Him as Judge. So He Judges an Ananais and Sapphira to Death to reveal the Knowledge of Who He Is.
The Lord is searching our hearts right now and all day long. With His piercing Knowledge, He penetrates to examine intimately our thoughts, desires, emotions and wills to either vindicate or punish us.
He knows precisely the reason why you came this morning; whether to see someone, judge someone, to get away from someone or to worship Him.
He knows the sacrifice you made to come here; the struggle you face while coming. He knows of your enthusiasm or lack of in rising early this morning making preparations to assemble here on time. He knows the thoughts you had when you entered the door; whether or not you purposed and performed to enter into His gates with praise and enter His courts with thanksgiving.
He knows why you haven’t attended church school and morning worship. He knows whether or not you really came to hear and obey His Word as a servant or as a critic to judge His messenger. He knows your intent upon after having heard the Word whether or not it will sink into your heart to bring forth fruit. He knows whom you have listened to, whether the voice of a stranger or to His Holy Spirit. He knows the secret plots and schemes of your private thoughts. He knows the sincerity or insincerity of your heart regarding His work.
He knows whether or not you are Just Playing Church or Striving to be the church. He knows the motive behind the giving of your tithes and offerings and why you keep back part of it or withhold it altogether. He knows whether you give to Him and His work or whether to yourselves and your plans.
He knows why you have absented yourself from His assembly. He knows your top priority on Sundays. He knows of your excuses, your lies and your truthfulness. He even knows of your reaction and attitude in hearing of what He knows about you! He knows of your anger, your resentment, of your resolve not to hear.
He is God and He Knows. He searches the reins and the heart. Even when you don’t want Him to, He Searches! When you aren’t aware of it, He Searches! When you try to hide your feelings, thoughts and motives, God Searches! For “the eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.”
If then I were you, I would STOP PLAYING WITH GOD! I would take advantage of repentance and the forgiveness of sins that are available in Christ Jesus. I would stop right now and turn around, because this may be the termination of your space and time for repentance.
Jesus did not endure the cross, despise the shame, suffer agony, shed His precious blood and give up His life just so you and I could Play With Him! He didn’t die as our Substitute for you and I to choose to serve Him whenever its convenient for us. He didn’t give is life a ransom for you and I to believe what we will and practice what we please. He didn’t give His life for the church to let you, me or anyone else to run it according to our wishes!!!
NO, NO, NO, NO! HE’LL JUST TAKE HIS BREATH BACK!!!
