WEBVTT 00:00:00.119 --> 00:00:02.524 Welcome to DeSoto Hills Baptist Church. 00:00:02.524 --> 00:00:07.113 Our Sunday morning services are weekly at 9 and 10 30 am. 00:00:07.113 --> 00:00:11.208 You're listening to an audio recast of this past week's service. 00:00:11.208 --> 00:00:12.691 We hope you enjoy. 00:00:12.691 --> 00:00:13.932 God bless. 00:00:14.820 --> 00:00:15.522 If you have your Bibles. 00:00:15.522 --> 00:00:18.251 This morning we're going to be in the book of Acts, chapter 5. 00:00:18.251 --> 00:00:21.102 Acts, chapter 5. 00:00:21.102 --> 00:00:48.762 As you turn there, let me ask you if you have kids, if you don't have kids, if you've taught kids, if you've been around kids, have you ever heard a child say, well, my daddy says, or my mama says, and when they say that, you perk up because you want to know what they say, perk up because you want to know what they say? 00:00:48.762 --> 00:00:49.203 You know it was. 00:00:49.203 --> 00:00:57.103 I remember when my kids were in the nursery and we would go pick them up and how my anxiety rose when the teacher said you'll never believe what. 00:00:57.103 --> 00:01:00.552 So, whichever one of them was, you'll never believe what they said. 00:01:00.552 --> 00:01:01.341 Today in class. 00:01:01.341 --> 00:01:03.006 It's like, oh no, what did they say? 00:01:03.006 --> 00:01:10.250 You know, sometimes they, the children, they just have a way to just put all your business out there. 00:01:10.250 --> 00:01:11.111 Here it is. 00:01:12.459 --> 00:01:26.055 You know, as we look at our passage today, as we look in Acts, chapter 5, there are times in Scripture if I'm being honest with you, if I were the one writing, there are some stories that I might have left out. 00:01:26.055 --> 00:01:33.253 You know, and sometimes it's those stories though, that for me and for a lot of people. 00:01:33.253 --> 00:01:43.346 It shows the authenticity of Scripture and God's Word, because it doesn't leave a lot of those stories out, it just lays it out there. 00:01:43.346 --> 00:01:43.947 Here it is. 00:01:43.947 --> 00:01:46.712 Today is one of those passages. 00:01:46.712 --> 00:01:58.534 As we look in Acts chapter 5 today, a guy named Ananias and his wife Sapphira both die because they lie to God. 00:01:58.534 --> 00:02:06.653 They're going to lie to God and they're both going to die, and it's a solemn passage. 00:02:06.653 --> 00:02:15.829 It is a passage that, though that, because it is God's word and because it is in God's word, it is a passage that we need to deal with. 00:02:15.829 --> 00:02:18.109 But how do we deal with that? 00:02:18.109 --> 00:02:20.207 Because what do we do with it? 00:02:20.207 --> 00:02:23.443 If you remember, we're just coming out of Acts, chapter 4. 00:02:23.443 --> 00:02:25.985 If you remember, we're just coming out of Acts chapter 4. 00:02:26.006 --> 00:02:40.626 At the end of Acts, chapter 4, when we talked about how the church was devoted to each other and we talked even last week how the church was devoted to one another and how they were devoted to God's Word and they were devoted to obeying and following God. 00:02:40.626 --> 00:02:50.888 And then we come to the very next chapter and we see this story of oh my stars, what is happening and and what are we supposed to do with this? 00:02:50.888 --> 00:02:53.353 And and I think we, we, we talked about that. 00:02:53.353 --> 00:03:06.493 We've talked about how acts is is about advancing the kingdom of god, and we talked about how the church we are to advance the kingdom of god through our devotion to God's word and devotion to the fellowship to one another. 00:03:06.493 --> 00:03:08.419 And now we hear this story. 00:03:08.560 --> 00:03:34.634 And so for us, I think what we can see from this story is when our devotion to the kingdom is challenged, when our devotion to the kingdom of God is challenged through temptation, through sin, through other things, temptation through sin through other things when that is challenged, what we need to do is we need to be more concerned with listening and obeying and repenting to God than we need to lying to God. 00:03:34.634 --> 00:03:37.487 And if we're honest with ourselves, sometimes we get there. 00:03:37.487 --> 00:03:38.751 Have you ever been in the place? 00:03:38.751 --> 00:03:39.802 I know I have. 00:03:39.802 --> 00:03:50.189 Maybe I shouldn't tell you this, but have you ever been in the place where you've done something where you were so ashamed that, instead of turning and running to God, what he wants us to do? 00:03:50.189 --> 00:03:55.532 So often what we do is try to cover it and hide it and turn away from God. 00:03:55.532 --> 00:03:56.924 And what we need to do? 00:03:56.984 --> 00:04:00.483 I think what this passage is going to teach us, is that, instead of running. 00:04:00.483 --> 00:04:01.705 Instead of being ashamed. 00:04:01.705 --> 00:04:04.112 What we need to do is we need to turn. 00:04:04.112 --> 00:04:09.965 Turn back to god and repent and live under his grace. 00:04:09.965 --> 00:04:18.504 In essence, what the challenge for us today, then, is going to be this that we must submit to god. 00:04:18.504 --> 00:04:31.016 When things are going, the fellowship is doing well, our lives are going well, submit to God. 00:04:31.016 --> 00:04:42.334 In those moments where temptation overtakes us and sin grabs a hold, we need to submit to God. 00:04:42.334 --> 00:04:50.404 So the question that we want to answer today, as we come to this passage, is this how did they lie? 00:04:50.404 --> 00:04:54.971 We've already talked about how they are going to die because of the lie. 00:04:54.971 --> 00:04:56.064 Well, how did they lie? 00:04:56.064 --> 00:05:00.069 And let me tell you, we're not asking this question so we don't lie. 00:05:00.069 --> 00:05:03.208 The same way, we're asking this question how did they lie? 00:05:03.208 --> 00:05:07.084 So we can see the attitudes behind the sin that they committed. 00:05:07.084 --> 00:05:15.048 So, hopefully, we can learn and we can avoid some of these same attitudes that got Ananias and Sapphira to the place that they were in. 00:05:15.048 --> 00:05:23.713 So it's a solemn passage, but it's God's word, so let's look at it together. 00:05:23.713 --> 00:05:31.632 If you're able, this morning, I invite you to stand with me as we read Acts, chapter 5, and we're going to read the first 11 verses of this passage. 00:05:36.201 --> 00:05:48.331 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property and, with his wife's knowledge, he kept back for himself some of the proceeds proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. 00:05:48.331 --> 00:05:57.122 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? 00:05:57.122 --> 00:06:00.711 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? 00:06:00.711 --> 00:06:02.704 And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? 00:06:02.704 --> 00:06:03.889 Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your own? 00:06:03.889 --> 00:06:04.973 And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? 00:06:04.973 --> 00:06:07.781 Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? 00:06:07.781 --> 00:06:11.829 You have not lied to man, but to God. 00:06:12.951 --> 00:06:19.891 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last, and great fear came upon all who heard of it. 00:06:19.891 --> 00:06:24.362 The young men arose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. 00:06:24.362 --> 00:06:29.564 After an interval of about three hours, his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 00:06:29.564 --> 00:06:33.987 Peter said to her Tell me whether you sold the land for so much. 00:06:33.987 --> 00:06:36.708 And she said yes, for so much. 00:06:36.708 --> 00:06:43.851 So Peter said to her how is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord. 00:06:43.851 --> 00:06:51.074 Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door and they will carry you out Immediately. 00:06:51.074 --> 00:06:54.377 She fell down at his feet and breathed her last. 00:06:54.377 --> 00:07:06.911 When the young men came in, they found her dead and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband, and great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things. 00:07:06.911 --> 00:07:11.223 Let's pray together, god. 00:07:11.223 --> 00:07:12.187 We thank you for today. 00:07:12.187 --> 00:07:18.190 God, we thank you for this very solemn passage. 00:07:18.190 --> 00:07:31.925 God, we pray that now, as we engage with your word, that you will change us because of your word. 00:07:31.925 --> 00:07:32.887 Jesus, it's in your name. 00:07:32.887 --> 00:07:33.267 We pray. 00:07:33.267 --> 00:07:34.571 Amen. 00:07:34.571 --> 00:07:38.564 You may be seated. 00:07:38.584 --> 00:07:48.367 So again, the question that we are seeking to answer this morning is how did they lie to God, how did they lie to the Holy Spirit, how did they lie to the apostles and the church? 00:07:48.367 --> 00:07:53.687 Well, the first thing that we see in this passage is they contrived in their heart. 00:07:53.687 --> 00:08:00.589 If you look down at verse four, it says and while it remained unsold, talking about the land, did it not remain your own? 00:08:00.589 --> 00:08:03.250 And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? 00:08:03.250 --> 00:08:11.370 And then peter asked ask ananias this question why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? 00:08:11.370 --> 00:08:13.922 Why have you come up with this lie? 00:08:13.922 --> 00:08:15.869 Why have you decided to do this? 00:08:15.869 --> 00:08:18.680 Why have you, why have you done this together with your wife? 00:08:18.680 --> 00:08:20.403 Why have you made this plan? 00:08:20.403 --> 00:08:28.124 And and we don't know, we we can assume, we can assume some things, we could assume that that they wanted to be like Barnabas. 00:08:28.444 --> 00:08:33.625 At the end of chapter four, remember, at the end of chapter four, it tells us almost the same story. 00:08:33.625 --> 00:08:46.481 This thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas, which means son of encouragement, a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. 00:08:46.481 --> 00:09:02.140 And Barnabas is given to us as a good example of hey, this is something that we talked about last week, how the congregation, they shared what they had with one another because they understood that what was given to them was a gift from God, and so they were willing to share it. 00:09:02.140 --> 00:09:06.110 And Barnabas sold this piece of land and he came and brought, brought the proceeds. 00:09:06.110 --> 00:09:10.600 Maybe Ananias and Sapphira liked the way that Barnabas received. 00:09:10.600 --> 00:09:16.961 Maybe they they wanted the adulation that Barnabas had gotten, so so they came and came up with this plan? 00:09:16.961 --> 00:09:19.205 Maybe, maybe they were. 00:09:19.385 --> 00:09:27.302 They were in financial need and they said if we sell this land, we can benefit from it and the church can benefit from it. 00:09:27.302 --> 00:09:30.309 It's not that they sold the land and did this. 00:09:30.309 --> 00:09:31.312 Here's the problem. 00:09:31.312 --> 00:09:34.402 And we don't know their motivation. 00:09:34.402 --> 00:09:36.083 We do know this. 00:09:36.083 --> 00:09:43.072 We do know this, that they lied to the Spirit and why. 00:09:43.072 --> 00:09:55.089 All that Scripture tells us it doesn't give any motivation, other than he says why have you allowed Satan to fill your heart? 00:09:55.089 --> 00:10:07.383 He says in verse 3, but Peter said, ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of this land? 00:10:08.585 --> 00:10:13.221 You know, I remember as a kid one of the first devotional books that my brother and I got. 00:10:13.221 --> 00:10:13.982 There were two books. 00:10:13.982 --> 00:10:20.092 He got a book and I got a book and I remember us getting those I think we got them from Christmas and unwrapping and mine. 00:10:20.092 --> 00:10:30.855 It made a huge impact because I don't remember the name of it or anything that it said, but my brothers, my brothers, I still to this day remember the title of it. 00:10:30.855 --> 00:10:43.051 The title of the devotion he got was this If the devil made you do it, you blew it and I don't know why that has stuck with me for all these years. 00:10:43.051 --> 00:10:44.692 Maybe it's just a catchy title, maybe there is so much truth in the simplicity of it. 00:10:44.692 --> 00:10:44.965 Don't know why that has stuck with me for all these years. 00:10:44.965 --> 00:10:48.070 Maybe it's just a catchy title, maybe there there is so much truth in the simplicity of it. 00:10:48.070 --> 00:10:49.275 But, but, but there is. 00:10:49.275 --> 00:10:52.985 There was something about if the devil made you do it, you blew it. 00:10:54.609 --> 00:11:04.442 And so as we come to this passage here and he talks about how, how satan has filled your heart, what, what ananias and what peter's saying is, why did you let the devil make you do it? 00:11:04.442 --> 00:11:08.352 Satan has filled your heart, and so we need to unpack that. 00:11:08.352 --> 00:11:12.101 What does that mean? 00:11:12.101 --> 00:11:18.011 When he says Satan has filled your heart, does it mean that Ananias and Sapphira were unbelievers and a demon or Satan possessed them? 00:11:18.011 --> 00:11:19.033 I don't know. 00:11:19.033 --> 00:11:23.431 Scripture doesn't tell us if they were believers or unbelievers. 00:11:23.431 --> 00:11:27.390 Honestly, I have no reason to believe they were unbelievers. 00:11:27.390 --> 00:11:31.068 They were members of the first century church. 00:11:31.068 --> 00:11:36.086 They had seen the miracles, they had seen all that had happened. 00:11:36.086 --> 00:11:39.221 They were here in the beginning and they were. 00:11:39.221 --> 00:11:42.510 I have no reason to think that they were unbelievers. 00:11:42.510 --> 00:11:44.727 So what does it mean that Satan filled their heart. 00:11:44.727 --> 00:11:46.466 Does it mean that he came and possessed them? 00:11:46.466 --> 00:11:48.043 I don't know that. 00:11:48.043 --> 00:11:49.629 That, necessarily, is what it means. 00:11:53.303 --> 00:12:02.613 Here's what I think he's telling us that we are in a battle with forces that are unseen. 00:12:02.613 --> 00:12:18.830 Paul tells us in Ephesians, chapter 6, verse 10, he says Finally, be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might, put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 00:12:18.830 --> 00:12:20.594 Here, verse 12. 00:12:20.594 --> 00:12:35.193 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places. 00:12:35.193 --> 00:12:45.327 Listen, paul is telling us in Ephesians that we are in spiritual warfare, that we are in a battle with forces that we do not see. 00:12:45.327 --> 00:12:52.187 Listen, if you think that the war that is going on is between people, you are mistaken. 00:12:52.187 --> 00:12:56.905 The war is a spiritual battle that's going on Now. 00:12:56.905 --> 00:13:03.482 Listen, I'm not saying that we need to look for a demon and we need to look for Satan behind every tree and under every rock. 00:13:03.482 --> 00:13:17.653 I think when we do that, we're not doing justice to God and His power and His sovereignty, but I do think we need to understand the reality that we are in a battle. 00:13:18.681 --> 00:13:30.292 We are in a battle with spiritual forces and if we are going to be able to stand, as Paul says in Ephesians, we have to understand the nature of this. 00:13:30.292 --> 00:13:37.933 Battle is a spiritual battle and we need to depend on the one who can give us the strength to overcome. 00:13:37.933 --> 00:13:40.746 Who can give us the strength to stand? 00:13:40.746 --> 00:13:45.846 Hear me, we need to be devoted to God's Word. 00:13:45.846 --> 00:13:53.808 This is how we stand against Satan and against the spiritual forces that we are at war. 00:13:53.808 --> 00:13:56.240 We need to know God's Word. 00:13:56.240 --> 00:13:59.927 Listen, we need to be devoted to one another. 00:13:59.927 --> 00:14:02.678 We need to be devoted to the fellowship. 00:14:02.678 --> 00:14:06.179 We need to be devoted to holding each other accountable. 00:14:06.179 --> 00:14:09.129 We need to be devoted to encouraging each other. 00:14:09.129 --> 00:14:13.221 We need to be devoted to lifting one another up in prayer. 00:14:13.221 --> 00:14:32.429 And as we do these things, as we devote ourselves to Scripture, as we devote ourselves to God's Word, as we devote ourselves to one another, as we devote ourselves to the kingdom of God, god gives us exactly what we need to stand against the forces in whom we battle. 00:14:32.429 --> 00:14:39.844 And all we have to do is stand because, hear me, he has already overcome. 00:14:39.844 --> 00:14:44.179 We don't have to overcome, he's done that. 00:14:44.179 --> 00:14:46.817 We must stand. 00:14:48.490 --> 00:14:54.363 So we see that they contrived in their heart because they allowed Satan to fill their heart. 00:14:54.363 --> 00:15:01.504 They allowed Satan to tempt them and they didn't have the tools that they needed to fight against this temptation. 00:15:01.504 --> 00:15:14.208 But the second thing we see here is not only did they allow Satan to fill their heart, they lied about something which they didn't have to lie about, he tells us in verse 4. 00:15:14.208 --> 00:15:19.215 He says while the land remained unsold, was it not yours? 00:15:19.215 --> 00:15:23.554 And after you sold it, was it not at your disposal? 00:15:23.554 --> 00:15:25.301 It was yours. 00:15:25.301 --> 00:15:26.164 You could have kept the land. 00:15:26.164 --> 00:15:26.679 You didn't have to sell it. 00:15:26.679 --> 00:15:27.307 When you sold it, was it not at your disposal? 00:15:27.307 --> 00:15:27.476 It was yours. 00:15:27.476 --> 00:15:27.851 You could have kept the land. 00:15:27.851 --> 00:15:28.206 You didn't have to sell it. 00:15:28.206 --> 00:15:33.101 When you sold it, you didn't have to bring the proceeds to the apostles' feet. 00:15:33.101 --> 00:15:36.038 I mean, there's also this insinuation. 00:15:36.038 --> 00:15:39.655 He says you didn't lie against man, you lied against God. 00:15:39.655 --> 00:15:49.143 I would say they didn't even have to bring the whole amount if they would have just said hey, listen, we needed a little bit of this to help us. 00:15:49.143 --> 00:15:50.605 But here's the rest of it. 00:15:50.605 --> 00:15:51.851 We're giving you this. 00:15:51.851 --> 00:15:54.417 The problem is they have lied against God. 00:15:56.220 --> 00:16:07.749 The word here, that that we see in verse 2 when he says and he and with his wife's knowledge, he, kept back for himself some of the proceeds, that word for kept back that new testament word, the proceeds, that word for kept back that New Testament word. 00:16:07.749 --> 00:16:13.121 There it's a word that we get this English word from embezzle. 00:16:13.121 --> 00:16:17.297 It's a pretty rare word. 00:16:17.297 --> 00:16:25.904 There's one other time that we see this word in Greek, but it's not in the New Testament, in the Old Testament translation from Hebrew into Greek, but it's not in the New Testament. 00:16:25.904 --> 00:16:31.057 In the Old Testament translation from Hebrew into Greek, we find this word in Joshua, chapter 7. 00:16:31.057 --> 00:16:44.096 Here's what's happening In Joshua chapter 6, we see the Israelites, joshua and the Israelites, march around Jericho once a day for seven days and on the seventh day they march around around seven times. 00:16:44.437 --> 00:16:47.831 They blow their trumpets and shout and guess what happens? 00:16:47.831 --> 00:16:54.643 The walls come tumbling down and they defeated Jericho. 00:16:54.643 --> 00:16:57.816 But there's a key that we need to understand in this. 00:16:57.816 --> 00:17:06.061 In the in in Joshua chapter 6, god told Joshua and the people of Israel that Jericho had been devoted to destruction. 00:17:06.061 --> 00:17:12.480 Here's what he meant by that they weren't to keep anything from the city. 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:18.262 There were no spoils of war that were supposed to come out of Jericho. 00:17:18.262 --> 00:17:20.309 Everything was to be destroyed. 00:17:20.309 --> 00:17:24.402 It was devoted to God for destruction. 00:17:26.090 --> 00:17:31.502 But in Joshua, chapter 7, an interesting thing happens in verse 1. 00:17:31.502 --> 00:17:38.021 It says this but the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things. 00:17:38.021 --> 00:17:50.845 For Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zareph of the tribe of Judah, carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zareph of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things, and the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel. 00:17:50.845 --> 00:18:00.320 So Achan took, he held back, he embezzled some of the things that had been devoted for destruction. 00:18:00.320 --> 00:18:10.983 The anger of the Lord burned against Israel and here's what happens they go to the next city, which is not nearly as big or as fortified as Jericho. 00:18:10.983 --> 00:18:13.377 They go to this city, ai, and what happens? 00:18:13.377 --> 00:18:14.615 They get defeated. 00:18:14.615 --> 00:18:20.455 They come back to the camp and Joshua cries out to God and he says God, why have you done this to us? 00:18:20.455 --> 00:18:21.579 What is happening? 00:18:21.579 --> 00:18:23.758 God says listen, joshua, it's not my fault. 00:18:23.758 --> 00:18:25.135 There's sin in the camp. 00:18:25.135 --> 00:18:30.238 Buddy, somebody has taken some of the devoted things. 00:18:30.238 --> 00:18:31.260 They're lying. 00:18:31.260 --> 00:18:51.938 So, joshua and Israel, they go through this method of singling out the person and they finally single out Achan, and here's what happens to him they take him outside of the camp and stone him Because he has lied, because he has embezzled against God. 00:18:54.411 --> 00:18:57.618 And you may say, grant, that's Old Testament, not New Testament. 00:18:57.618 --> 00:19:02.038 Yeah, but Ananias and Sapphira are New Testament. 00:19:02.038 --> 00:19:05.635 They're New Testament. 00:19:05.635 --> 00:19:08.416 So what does that mean? 00:19:08.416 --> 00:19:11.153 Don't we live under grace now? 00:19:11.153 --> 00:19:17.796 Yes, we live under grace, but hear me, god is still very serious about our sins. 00:19:17.796 --> 00:19:25.684 If you read the Sermon on the Mount, he may be even more serious in the New Testament, while we're living under grace, than he was in the Old Testament. 00:19:25.684 --> 00:19:25.926 You remember the Sermon on the mount. 00:19:25.926 --> 00:19:27.585 He may be even more serious in the new testament, while we're living under grace, than he was in the old testament. 00:19:27.585 --> 00:19:29.445 You remember the sermon on the mount? 00:19:29.787 --> 00:19:33.217 You have heard it said you should, you should not murder your brother. 00:19:33.217 --> 00:19:38.813 But I say if you hate your brother, you've committed murder in your heart already. 00:19:38.813 --> 00:19:41.259 You've heard it said you should not commit adultery. 00:19:41.259 --> 00:19:45.549 But I say if you look at a woman with less than your heart, you committed adultery already. 00:19:45.549 --> 00:19:55.888 Listen, god, our sins and our infractions against God are a serious thing and we take them so lightly. 00:19:55.888 --> 00:20:03.400 This is a reminder to us that we cannot do that. 00:20:03.400 --> 00:20:17.780 May we understand the nature of this battle that we fight, that this war with temptation that we fight is not a war against other people. 00:20:17.780 --> 00:20:20.771 It is a war against spiritual forces. 00:20:20.771 --> 00:20:47.564 May we also understand our proclivity to sin, that we lean into sin whenever we're capable, and may we, instead of hiding and running and lying and contriving, may we turn to the grace of God and repent and live in obedience. 00:20:49.111 --> 00:20:52.361 The first thing that we see them doing is contriving in their heart. 00:20:52.361 --> 00:20:58.423 The second thing that we see them doing is testing the Holy Spirit. 00:20:58.423 --> 00:21:15.843 If you go, ananias is before Peter and he dies and they carry him out and Sapphira comes in a few hours later, three hours later, can you imagine, just as a side note, having church all day long, so you just come and go? 00:21:15.843 --> 00:21:18.978 That's what it sounds like, what they were doing. 00:21:18.978 --> 00:21:22.578 Three hours later, sapphira comes in. 00:21:22.578 --> 00:21:26.478 Peter says did you sell the land for this much? 00:21:26.478 --> 00:21:27.976 Yeah, we sold it for this much. 00:21:27.976 --> 00:21:29.974 And hear what Peter says. 00:21:29.974 --> 00:21:40.137 But Peter said to her how is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord, to test the Spirit of the Lord? 00:21:40.137 --> 00:21:44.941 What does he mean here that they are testing the Holy Spirit? 00:21:44.941 --> 00:21:50.419 Listen, he's not talking about questioning the Holy Spirit here he's talking about testing the Holy Spirit. 00:21:50.419 --> 00:21:54.381 They are working to see how far the grace of God reaches. 00:21:54.381 --> 00:21:58.477 Listen, here's what they did. 00:21:58.477 --> 00:22:02.300 And how do we know that they're testing God, that they're testing the Holy Spirit? 00:22:02.529 --> 00:22:05.858 Well, the first is, if you go back to that word, hold back, embezzle. 00:22:05.858 --> 00:22:10.570 Listen and I know this, I checked with a lawyer this week you can't embezzle your own money. 00:22:10.570 --> 00:22:15.079 Embezzlement happens when you take somebody else's. 00:22:15.079 --> 00:22:22.356 So what has happened is they are embezzling from God, who owns everything. 00:22:22.356 --> 00:22:25.824 They are lying to God, who owns everything. 00:22:25.824 --> 00:22:29.240 They are holding back from God, who owns everything. 00:22:29.240 --> 00:22:35.521 So we see that the sin initially is against God. 00:22:35.521 --> 00:22:37.438 It's not against the church, it's against God. 00:22:38.131 --> 00:22:43.349 We also see it in the fact that they came and they laid their gifts at the apostles' feet. 00:22:43.349 --> 00:22:48.122 We saw that back last week in verse 34 of chapter 4. 00:22:48.122 --> 00:22:57.896 It says there was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of the land or houses, sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and here verse 35,. 00:22:57.896 --> 00:23:03.397 And laid it at the apostles' feet and it was distributed to each as any had need. 00:23:03.397 --> 00:23:16.338 Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas, which means son of encouragement, a Levi, a native of Cyprus, sold the field that had belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. 00:23:16.338 --> 00:23:20.660 We see Ananias and Sapphira doing the same thing in verse 2. 00:23:20.660 --> 00:23:31.321 And with his wife's knowledge, he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only part of it and laid it at the apostles feet. 00:23:32.305 --> 00:23:37.948 Listen, they're bringing their proceeds, they're bringing what they've sold and they're laying at the apostles feet as an act of submission. 00:23:37.948 --> 00:23:44.602 But now it's not submission to the apostles, it's submission to the ones whom the apostles are serving. 00:23:44.602 --> 00:23:52.952 They're bringing these deeds and they're bringing this forth in submission to Jesus. 00:23:52.952 --> 00:23:58.923 Their gifts were not gifts to the church, their gifts were not gifts to the apostles, their gifts were gifts to Jesus. 00:23:58.923 --> 00:24:07.675 Listen, we've got to understand as we bring our gifts, as we share among us, we're not sharing with the church, we're sharing, we're giving back to God. 00:24:07.675 --> 00:24:10.395 It's his anyway. 00:24:12.190 --> 00:24:17.522 And so they came and they brought it as acts of submission to God. 00:24:17.522 --> 00:24:25.414 So here they are, bringing their gift, about which they are lying and laying it at the feet of Jesus, gift about which they are lying and laying it at the feet of Jesus. 00:24:25.414 --> 00:24:41.673 And we see Peter even call her out, call them out even more pointedly in verse 4, when he says directly you have not lied to man, but to God. 00:24:41.673 --> 00:24:45.803 Oh, may we. 00:24:45.803 --> 00:24:50.458 May we understand this. 00:24:50.458 --> 00:25:00.163 May we understand, and may we not live in a place where we would test the lengths of God's grace. 00:25:00.163 --> 00:25:03.857 Listen, you say Grant, I would never do that. 00:25:03.857 --> 00:25:15.126 I've heard it said, said God will forgive me anyway, it'll be okay, it'll be okay. 00:25:15.126 --> 00:25:20.332 We live by grace now it's fine. 00:25:20.332 --> 00:25:25.988 Please, let's not test the Holy Spirit. 00:25:30.201 --> 00:25:40.387 So we come finally today, not really answering the question of how they lied, but seeing the consequences of it. 00:25:40.387 --> 00:25:45.731 Put it very simply as this they died. 00:25:45.731 --> 00:25:56.794 Now, look, I'm no judgment here, because I'm including myself in this. 00:25:56.794 --> 00:26:07.471 I'm in a room of sinful people, okay, and I would say that there's probably not been a time in your life. 00:26:07.471 --> 00:26:14.039 I know there's been times in my life where I have lied to God and we know that punishment. 00:26:14.039 --> 00:26:20.384 So we know that punishment for all of us lying to God is not always death immediately, because we're sitting here. 00:26:20.384 --> 00:26:23.967 So what do we do with this? 00:26:23.967 --> 00:26:26.625 How do we unpack this? 00:26:26.625 --> 00:26:32.392 Well, I think we need to understand why death happened immediately here in Acts. 00:26:32.392 --> 00:26:35.306 Remember what's going on. 00:26:35.306 --> 00:26:39.931 It is a tremendous work and a tremendous move of the Holy Spirit. 00:26:39.931 --> 00:26:54.887 He is moving and he is doing things through the apostles in the name of Jesus, things that cannot be described by anyone else, and people are living in this great awe of what's going on and they're seeing this great movement. 00:26:54.887 --> 00:27:04.068 But now, now this couple has come and they have lied to the Holy Spirit and see what happens both times when they die. 00:27:06.259 --> 00:27:17.651 It says for Ananias in verse 5, when Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last and hear this and great fear came upon all who heard it. 00:27:17.651 --> 00:27:33.250 Then, when it talks about Sapphira in verse 10, listen, church. 00:27:33.250 --> 00:27:37.855 Great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things. 00:27:37.855 --> 00:27:45.118 Listen, church. 00:27:45.118 --> 00:27:50.695 There needs to be a healthy fear of God among us. 00:27:50.695 --> 00:28:00.145 He is the God of the universe and, as CS Lewis describes Aslan in the Chronicles of Narnia by saying, he is no tame lion. 00:28:00.145 --> 00:28:03.688 Hear me, god is no tame lion. 00:28:05.961 --> 00:28:09.151 Our sins are serious offenses against God. 00:28:09.151 --> 00:28:16.670 There needs to be a healthy fear of who he is. 00:28:16.670 --> 00:28:20.457 There needs to be a healthy fear of who he is. 00:28:20.457 --> 00:28:37.333 There needs to be such a fear that we dare not test the lengths of his grace, that we dare not contrive in our hearts and try to fool him. 00:28:37.333 --> 00:28:38.055 We need to understand this. 00:28:38.055 --> 00:28:45.970 There needs to be a healthy fear and we also need to understand that punishment comes for our sins. 00:28:45.970 --> 00:28:52.928 It may not be an immediate death like we see here, but punishment comes. 00:28:54.900 --> 00:29:01.127 Listen, paul tells us in Galatians 6, verse 7, for God is not mocked. 00:29:01.127 --> 00:29:05.369 What one man sows, so shall he reap. 00:29:05.369 --> 00:29:16.292 Listen, when we sin against God, god punishes that sin and he can do it in any way that he chooses, because he is no tame lion. 00:29:16.292 --> 00:29:32.288 We must recognize that and hear me today, if you have never trusted Christ as your Savior, I can tell you how that punishment is coming. 00:29:32.288 --> 00:29:36.664 It is death Now. 00:29:36.664 --> 00:29:37.920 You may not die immediately. 00:29:38.079 --> 00:29:46.286 I've seen websites where people blaspheme against God and they deny God, the Father, god, the Son, god, the Holy Spirit, and they're not struck down dead. 00:29:46.286 --> 00:29:48.689 They say see, god must not be alive. 00:29:48.689 --> 00:29:53.306 I'm telling you, hear me, he's no tame lion, he doesn't have to do it that way. 00:29:53.306 --> 00:30:02.732 We're not talking about an immediate physical death, but if you've never trusted God as your Savior, you are dead and you are going to live an eternal death. 00:30:02.732 --> 00:30:08.432 I know that sounds crazy when I say live an eternal death. 00:30:08.432 --> 00:30:09.502 But you need to hear. 00:30:09.502 --> 00:30:12.611 You are going to be in an eternal death. 00:30:12.611 --> 00:30:24.109 But if you are, if you are a believer, punishment for our sins is still coming. 00:30:24.109 --> 00:30:34.380 It is a real thing and I don't know how God so chooses to do that, but he is going to punish our sin. 00:30:34.801 --> 00:30:46.633 And what we need to do, instead of running away, or instead of like an Ananias and Sapphira, lying about a God who sees everything and knows everything and saying God, I didn't do that. 00:30:46.633 --> 00:30:51.229 And instead of doing that, what we need to come to, a place to is God. 00:30:51.229 --> 00:30:53.833 Yes, I did that, I'm sorry. 00:30:53.833 --> 00:31:11.468 We need to come to a place of repentance, which is where we are walking away from God in our sins and we repent and turn towards God in our faith, and we walk towards God now, and it is in that place that we find grace. 00:31:11.468 --> 00:31:22.133 It is in that place that we live in the grace of God, in that place that we live In the grace of God. 00:31:24.988 --> 00:31:30.695 I don't know where you are today If you've never trusted Christ as your savior. 00:31:30.695 --> 00:31:33.541 I pray that today will be the day of salvation for you. 00:31:33.541 --> 00:31:53.525 Instead of facing an eternal death, which you deserve, you can live an eternal life by surrendering and submitting to the one who died in your place and took the punishment that you deserve and took the death that you deserve so that you can find life. 00:31:53.525 --> 00:32:12.420 If you've never trusted him as your savior, I pray that today will be the day of salvation, but if you have, and there is a sin in your life that you need to repent of, listen, I challenge you today to stop lying and submit to God. 00:32:12.420 --> 00:32:19.365 We talked about it last week that you may need to come and you need to kneel at these steps and repent. 00:32:19.365 --> 00:32:21.326 Or you may listen. 00:32:21.527 --> 00:32:27.090 We talked about being devoted to the kingdom of God through the word of God and through the fellowship. 00:32:27.090 --> 00:32:32.715 Listen, if there is someone here today and there is something wrong with your fellowship. 00:32:32.715 --> 00:32:34.757 You need reconciliation. 00:32:34.757 --> 00:32:45.502 Listen, and the sins in your heart may not be that you're lying about how much money that you bring, but you're lying about relationships that you have in the church that need reconciliation. 00:32:45.502 --> 00:32:48.769 And maybe today is the day of reconciliation to you. 00:32:48.769 --> 00:32:53.226 You go and you find those people and you reconcile that relationship. 00:32:53.226 --> 00:32:59.409 Maybe the relationship that needs to be reconciled is yours, as Jesus's, and you need to come, kneel at these steps. 00:33:00.921 --> 00:33:02.688 We're going to enter into a time of invitation. 00:33:02.688 --> 00:33:12.713 I'm going to pray for us and we're going to sing this final song and as we sing, if you've never trusted Christ as your Savior, we'll be here to receive you. 00:33:12.713 --> 00:33:13.865 We would love to pray with you. 00:33:13.865 --> 00:33:17.590 There are counselors who will take you out and share with you how you can trust Christ. 00:33:17.590 --> 00:33:26.488 Or, if you have and there's there's there's business that you need to deal with with sin, you need to confess and repent. 00:33:26.488 --> 00:33:27.589 We will pray with you there. 00:33:27.670 --> 00:33:28.653 These steps are here. 00:33:28.653 --> 00:33:33.132 If you need to reconcile, go and do that. 00:33:33.132 --> 00:33:37.011 However, the spirit is leading you, listen. 00:33:37.011 --> 00:33:43.569 I pray that today you stop lying and you submit to Him. 00:33:43.569 --> 00:33:46.721 Let's pray, god. 00:33:46.721 --> 00:33:47.625 I thank you for today. 00:33:47.625 --> 00:33:54.342 God. 00:33:54.342 --> 00:33:56.229 This passage is a hard passage. 00:33:56.229 --> 00:34:10.487 God, I love to preach passages that are fun and easy, but God, your word brought us this one today. 00:34:10.487 --> 00:34:24.686 So, as you are here among us, god, I pray that you will convict us where we need convicting, that you will draw us close to you. 00:34:24.686 --> 00:34:30.909 Where we need to be drawn close to you For those who need salvation, I pray that you will draw them to you. 00:34:30.909 --> 00:34:34.588 God, work and move as only you can. 00:34:34.588 --> 00:34:39.121 We love you, jesus. 00:34:39.121 --> 00:34:42.931 In your name, we pray, amen. 00:34:44.541 --> 00:34:46.347 Thanks for listening to this week's sermon. 00:34:46.347 --> 00:34:51.943 If you have any questions for our pastor, feel free to reach out at desotohillscom. 00:34:51.943 --> 00:34:52.242 You.