Acts: Go & Be Chapters 1-9Sample

What is this passage saying?

Even at what can seem as the most perfect and peaceful time, the enemy is there trying to stop the move of God. What was happening in the church was something that no one had seen before. It was exciting, life giving, and powerful. Those who God was moving through gained respect among the believers. Ananias and Sapphira saw everything that was taking place and wanted in. They wanted all the glory of being extremely generous without having to give all their proceeds. They hid their sin in their generosity to gain favor among men for themselves.

What is this passage teaching?

God expects His church to be holy and upright, and when Peter confronts Ananias and Sapphira with their sin God, strikes them dead. God is not asking you to give everything, just as Peter explained to them. They could have given exactly what they did if they had been honest about, but they lied in order to seem more righteous. This wasn’t just a mistake, but a planned-out action in order to deceive those around. They planned to lie and deceive, and Peter is astounded at their boldness to do so. There was an interval of 3 hours between their deaths. Their stories were the exact same, rehearsed and planned down to the t.

How do I respond?

Be honest and faithful to what The Holy Spirit has called you to do. Do these out of love for the Father, not for the love of man.