Acts 4:36-5:11
For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means “Son of Encouragement”). He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus.
But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest. Then Peter said, “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!” As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified. Then some young men got up, wrapped him in a sheet, and took him out and buried him. About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, “Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?” “Yes,” she replied, “that was the price.” And Peter said, “How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too.” Instantly, she fell to the floor and died. When the young men came in and saw that she was dead, they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened.
1. Taking sin seriously is a must for every Christian.
2. Personal integrity affects the unity and witness of the church in the world.
Challenge: Sin is a big deal to God and it should be a big deal to us too. Our daily decisions and actions reveal our character and integrity to others. Regardless of whether or not others see our real motives behind our actions, God does and expects all believers to live with integrity. After all, we may be able to hide our motives from others, but God knows the intentions of our hearts and He will deal with us accordingly. Recognizing God’s standard for holiness and His hatred towards sin should cause us to gain a sense of reverence for God’s holiness and a desire to be holy as He is holy.
Supporting Texts:
