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BIBLE
STUDY LESSON
For
the week beginning Sunday April 24, 2016
ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA
Acts 5:1-11
Failure in
our honesty, talent, and diligence amounts to sin against GOD. It was the great
violinmaker Antonio Stradivari who said, “If my hands slacked, I would rob
GOD”. In Acts chapter 5, verses 1-10, Luke gives us a vivid example of a couple
who “failed in their honesty”, because “they were driven by their jealousy” of
the respect that had been won by Barnabas and others when they sold their
possessions to make contributions to the poor (Acts 4:32-37).
Scripture tells us that there was a man
named Ananias, who, along with his wife Sapphira, sold some of their property,
with the intention of giving the proceeds to the needy in the church. However,
after selling the property they decided that they would keep some of the
proceeds for themselves. Of course, there is nothing wrong with this type of
action, because the money was theirs to do with as they wished. The problem
came when they decided to deceive the church into thinking that they were
giving the Apostles all of the proceeds they had received from the sale of
their property.
In
this particular passage, we see just one of the many ways we, as professed
Christians, grieve the HOLY SPIRIT. Here we see, even by the New Testament
standard of “grace”, just how our sins toward one another, as harmless as they
may seem to us, will not be taken lightly by GOD. After we accept CHRIST and
receive the gift of the HOLY SPIRIT from our FATHER GOD, each time we contemplate
sin thereafter, we grieve the HOLY SPIRIT within us, as well as offend CHRIST
JESUS WHO died for us, and we also show a lack of reverence for GOD THE FATHER,
WHO created us.
Ananias
and Sapphira weren’t condemned because they failed to give all, but rather,
they were condemned because their deceit re-introduced the hypocrisy that had
corrupted so many in the church that operated under the banner of Judaism.
Christianity, the only religion that is a product of GOD’s mind, was intended
to be “that faith which reflected GOD’s image more clearly to man”, here on
earth.
This
new Christian doctrine was to instill new hope in the hearts and minds of GOD’s
greatest creation, man. It would be a hope that would forever serve as
motivation to make life on earth conform more fully with HIS Word, just as it
was presented to us by JESUS CHRIST, during HIS lifetime here on earth.
In
Acts 5:3-4 Peter says to Ananias, “…why have you let Satan fill your
heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for
yourself. The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you
wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could
you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!” (NLT).
As
soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell dead. Three hours later, his wife
Sapphira came in, not knowing what had happened to her husband. When Peter
asked her, “Was this the price you and your husband received for your land? She
replied, “Yes, that was the price”. Peter then rebuked her, and she, as well,
fell dead.
The
LORD’s response to this situation was intended to put fear in the hearts of
those who might attempt to deceive HIS Church through “the spirit of hypocrisy”,
both then, and, in the future (Acts 5:13). This passage serves to show us that
GOD will not hold blameless, those who attempt to deceive the Church for
personal financial gain, or reasons, nor, will HE hold blameless, those who use
the Church for self-promotion, especially when it is brought on by jealousy, as
Ananias and Sapphira attempted to do.
GOD
never intended for HIS Church to look like, or conform to the World, but
rather, HE intended for the World to transform itself to look like HIS Church,
which is, by the way, supposed to reflect the image of CHRIST JESUS. And when
we try to do it any way, other than GOD’s way, we will always grieve the HOLY
SPIRIT in the process.
THE
APOSTLES HEAL MANY
Acts
5:12-16
At the hands of GOD’s “special messengers” (the
apostles), many signs and wonders were performed among the people of the
assembly of CHRIST JESUS in Jerusalem. They were, perhaps, for the only time in
Church history, truly united in one mind and spirit, and they worshiped and
praised GOD daily under the covered walk of the temple known as “Solomon’s
Porch”.
After
seeing what happened to Ananias and Sapphira, no one else (“ton loipon oudeis”
– which means, in the Greek “none of the rest”) tried to enter the church under
false pretenses. Only those who were absolutely sincere about the LORD dared
tried to join the established Christian Church assembly now operating in
Jerusalem under the watchful eye of the apostles and the ever-present HOLY
SPIRIT.
Over
time, more and more men and women, who were sincere about their belief in
CHRIST JESUS, were added to the body of CHRIST, and served with all of their
minds, bodies, and, strength. Many sick, diseased, and demonically possessed
people were brought out into the streets from various towns and hamlets around
Jerusalem on beds and mats so that even Peter’s shadow might fall across them
as he passed by, and scripture tells us that, they were all healed.
THE
APOSTLES MEET OPPOSITION
Acts
5:17-42
Taking up at verse 17 we see how more of the
problems of “violent jealousy” begin to rise up in the Church, this time,
coming from the ranks of the high priest and his friends, the Sadducees.
Jealous of the popularity of the apostles in the Church, they decided to arrest
them, and throw them in jail. However, an angel of the LORD came down that same
night and miraculously released the men from their incarceration, opening the
gates, without alarming the guards, and then leading them away from the jail.
The guards remained unaware that the
apostles were even gone until it was discovered the next morning. In verse 20 we
see that, instead of directing the apostles to go and hide themselves somewhere,
the angel directed them to go to the temple and teach GOD’s message to the
people concerning the doctrine of eternal life through CHRIST JESUS (Vs.
19-20).
The apostles
went into the temple around daybreak and begin to preach the message that had
been taught to them by JESUS during HIS life personal time with them here on
earth. Soon the Church hierarchy (the Sanhedrin) arrived and called their
council together, and sent summons that the guards bring the apostles over to
them from their prison cell for a hearing.
When
the guards arrived at the jail they saw no signs of the apostles, and were
perplexed as to how they could have escaped with the doors to their cells still
being securely locked, and two guards still standing watch just outside the
doors. Just then someone came up and told the captain of the guards that the
apostles were over at the temple teaching the people.
When
the captain of the guards received word that the apostles were over in the
temple teaching, he and his men went over and non-violently re-arrested them
and brought them before the council of the high priest and elders of Israel for
trial. During the trial, the apostles defiance toward the council, and their
continued preaching and bold testimony about CHRIST, even in their presence,
infuriated and offended the council greatly.
Peter
and the other apostles were very bold in their defense of JESUS, even while
under threat and duress from the religious hierarchy. They boldly stated to the
council that, “We must obey GOD rather than human authority. The GOD of our
ancestors raised JESUS from the dead after you killed HIM by crucifying HIM.
Then GOD put HIM in the place of honor at HIS right hand as PRINCE and SAVIOR.
HE did this to give the people of Israel an opportunity to turn from their sins
and turn to GOD so their sins would be forgiven. We are witnesses of these
things and so is the HOLY SPIRIT, WHO is given by GOD to those who obey HIM”
(Vs.29-32).
It
is at this point, that the council was ready to make a decision to kill all of
the apostles; however, in verse 34, we are introduced to a Pharisee named
Gamaliel, a very popular teacher of religious law in Israel in those days. In
fact, Gamaliel was the mentor of Saul (otherwise known as the “Apostle Paul”),
while he attended seminary training at the School of Hillel, where Gamaliel
served as an instructor. Gamaliel’s
words of wisdom (Vs.35-39) calmed the angry council down, and they received his
advice to them, not kill the apostles, but rather, let their actions play out,
and let GOD decide whether they are HIS legit representatives or not (Vs.
35-39).
Even
still, the angry council ordered the men to be flogged, and gave them another
stern warning not to speak in the powerful name of JESUS anymore (v. 40). The
apostles, nevertheless, left the trial rejoicing that GOD had counted them
worthy to suffer dishonor by taking a beating for the name of JESUS. And every
day forward, in the temple, and in their homes, they continued to preach this
message: “The MESSIAH you are looking for is JESUS” (Vs. 41-42). Amen.
A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website
