Acts 1:8, …You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses…

I Peter 1:16, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

Big idea: Our influence is only as strong as our integrity.

Acts 5:1,2, But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet.

Acts 5:3,4, But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.”

Acts 5:5, When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it.

Acts 5:6-10, The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.
7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.

Acts 5:11, And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

Acts 5:13,14, None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women…

1) Time and truth go hand in hand.

I Timothy 5:24,25, The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. 25 So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.

2) We can fool others and even ourselves, but God sees the heart.

I Samuel 16:7, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

3) Trying to live in both worlds is a dangerous game.

Matthew 15:8,9, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

4) Living with integrity paves the way for powerful witness.

Acts 5:38,39, “So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!”

“Your right to speak is guaranteed--but you must earn the right to be listened to. It depends solely on your integrity. Integrity is the prerequisite to acceptance.”
“If you expect to be paid attention to, back it up with your life. Let your walk correspond to your talk.
This is fundamental to your witness for Christ. Many so-called Christians listen too little, talk too much, and live lives that contradict what they say. Their "witness" betrays Christ-and alienates those to whom they speak.”
- Richard C. Halverson