Great Fear!

Acts 5:1- But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. NKJV

The Book of Acts is loaded! So many things were happening to and through the apostles that it would take me at least a year to cover it all. Therefore, I have to choose things that resonate with me as I progress through the study; and hopefully, you will also be blessed.

As we enter this chapter, the disciples are receiving money to help support others in the church who are in need. Barnabas was led by God to sell his property and give the proceeds to the church:

And Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Acts 4:36-37 NKJV

Luke uses this incident in Barnabas’ life to introduce him to Theophilus and other readers of his letter because later he becomes a familiar person in the narrative of the church. Barnabas was a Levite from Cyprus. Later, we discover that he and Mark are relatives and that like Mark, he was a person of means. As the text shows us, he had land that he decided to sell to be a blessing to others. I have heard evangelists and pastors encourage people to sell personal items to support fundraising in the church. They use this account of Barnabas’ life as a biblical principle for giving. I don’t think this is an accurate way of using this event at all. Barnabas did what was in his heart, not something the apostles came up with to encourage giving. If God doesn’t speak to someone to sell personal items to give to the church, no one else has that right! The apostles were probably so impressed by his giving that they marveled at it. Even if they were not impressed, others were. Like Ananias and Sapphira.

Ananias and Sapphira also had land that they had decided to sell. But for some reason, they kept back part of the funds, and gave the rest to the apostles for ministry; but lied about how much they had received in payment. We are not given much information about Ananias and Sapphira, but Keener wrote that her name indicated that she was from a wealthy family, as was her husband. The fact that they even had land to sell supports this theory. But when Ananias gave the money to the apostles, Peter was there. And instead of being delighted to receive their offering, Peter had a rebuke for Ananias:

 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”

Acts 5:3 NKJV

Peter immediately addressed the situation and called it for what it was. He told Ananias that Satan was responsible for filling his heart with the lie. Satan is still responsible for filling our hearts with lies. But Satan didn’t make him lie. Ananias decided that the lie was a good thing and went along with it. Peter wanted Ananias to see that while he had the land it was his to handle as he pleased. When he sold the land, the money was his to do with as he pleased. But when he told Peter that he sold it for one amount when in actuality he had sold it for another, Ananias chose to lie to God!

This is the pattern of temptation and sin. When the sin is presented to us, it is the devil. When we agree to do it, the temptation becomes sin, and in its fulfillment, we sin against God!

Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things.  And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.

Acts 5:5-6 NKJV

Judgment begins in the house of God! Literally and spiritually! Ananias dropped dead at the apostle’s feet. No one mourned his death or tried to come up with a natural cause of death. As a matter of fact, there was only one reason possible for his immediate death. The judgment of God! And as a result of what happened, all who witnessed it experienced a sense of great fear. I’m sure that fear was not only reverential fear but a genuine fear of sinning before God! We talk about sinning in the church! We talk about grace! But we don’t talk enough about the judgment of God. And whether we speak about it or not, whether we even believe or not, matters very little. Since God don’t never change, I believe it happens more than we are aware of it!

Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?” She said, “Yes, for so much.”

Acts 5:7-8 NKJV

In small towns and communities, news travels fast; but for some reason, Sapphira hadn’t heard the news of what happened to her husband. She arrived at the place where the disciples were and Peter asked her if they sold the land for the price that the husband had shared with him. She told him yes!

Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”

Acts 5:9 NKJV

Peter asked the question for one reason, to ascertain if she was involved in the lie. When she responded yes, Peter told her that her agreement with Ananias to lie about the money was in essence a lie to the Spirit of God. He told her she was about to die! That was more than he told Ananias. Then she died!

Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.

Acts 5:10-11 NKJV

Again, Luke wrote about the great fear that came upon the church. I don’t know about you, but I am absolutely delighted that this didn’t happen regularly in the early church! At least we don’t have a record of it! And I am very grateful that it doesn’t happen regularly in the church today! But because of the kindness and love of God, we get to experience His great grace!

I am however wondering whether we are capable of experiencing fear of any magnitude for God. We say anything, do anything, and practice anything we want to, all in the name of the Lord. There are times when I wonder “What Jesus are they serving” or “What Bible are they reading”? It seems to be a free-for-all to do it all! God have mercy on Your people!

I think it is wonderful that we don’t experience the immediate judgment of God for our sins. I think His grace is as abundant and great as the Word declares it to be. But I don’t think that gives us the liberty to ignore the fact that we serve a HOLY God who requires us to live holy. I just pray that what happened to Ananias and Sapphira doesn’t have to start happening in our churches to cause us to have great fear of the Lord. It’s time for our hearts to start to shudder at the thought of sinning. We’ve become too complacent with the grace theology, not realizing that God is still a righteous God and an even more righteous Judge. I’m just saying! Wonderful Jesus!