Did it not belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How could you conceive such a deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God!”While you kept it, didn’t it remain your own? After it was sold, wasn’t it in your power? How is it that you have conceived this thing in your heart? You haven’t lied to men, but to God.”Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.While it remained, did it not remain thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thy power? How is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thy heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
3 sermons cite this verse
… said Ananias why is Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back yourself part of the proceeds of the land while it remained unsold did it not remain your own 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 and I want to make something abundantly clear at the beginning of this passage the point of this passage is not to say hey you need to sell everything and give it to the church you can exhale this morning. You're gonna be okay. The heart of this is not simply a generosity problem. It's an honesty problem. Ananias came and presented like he was giving all of the proceeds, but behind closed doors, he kept back some for himself. So the sin here is not that he didn't give enough. The sin here is that he wanted others and God to believe that he was something that he wasn't. He wanted the level of recognition that Barnabas got, but he wasn't willing to give the same amount of surrender that Barnabas gave. And that's very helpful and important for us to understand this morning because Ananias and Sapphira looked the part and they played the part well. But how many of us know that the goal of Christianity is not to play a part? The goal of Christianity is to follow Jesus Christ humbly and honestly. Jesus did not die for you to give a …
What is that about? Luke doesn't include every single story about the early church. Why did he choose to include this one? If there was any one that you were going to leave out, this would be the one not to include. Therefore, preachers 2,000 years ago wouldn't have to deal with it. Why would Luke include this? He's already shown struggles in the church, struggles from persecution outside the church, and he's shown how the victory has been given to the church. In Acts chapter 4, you actually come to the end of that and they've experienced persecution and they're having victory over that persecution. It's a triumphant moment. Why do we come to Acts chapter 5? Here's why I think Luke included this passage. The greatest hindrance to the advancement of the gospel will never be opposition from outside the church. The greatest hindrance to the advancement of the gospel will always be sin inside the church. And so Luke highlights this story for us to show us why we must guard against the impurity of the world and the church. …
This practice has also very much of the nature of the sin of Ananias and Sapphira. What they offered was by way of contribution for charitable uses. The brethren sold what they had, and brought it into a common stock, and put all under the care of deacons, that the poor might every one be supplied. Ananias and Sapphira brought a part of their possessions, and put it into the common stock; and their sin was, that they put it in for more than it really was. It was but a part of what they had, and they put it in, and would have it accepted, as if it had been all. So those among us, of whom I am speaking, put off what they put into the charitable stock, for more than it is. For they put it in, under the notion that it is something of some value; they intend it shall be so taken by the church that sees them go to the contribution, when indeed they put in nothing at all. Ananias and Sapphira were charged with lying to God, and doing an act of fraud towards God himself, in what they did: Acts v. 4. “Whilst it remained, was it not thine own? And after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.” So those who knowingly put bad money for good into a contribution for a charitable use, as much as in them lies commit an act of fraud and deceit towards God. For the deacons who receive what is contributed, receive it not in their own names, but as Christ’s receivers. I hope these things may be sufficient to deter every reader from ever daring to do such a thing for the future. …