Acts 5:1-11

Acts 5:1-11

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Review

Acts 4:32-37 describes how the first church that was ever established operated by everyone sharing what they had and giving to those in need. 

Acts 4:34-35 says,

"Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need."

The church lived this way because Jesus commanded them to. In John 13:34-35, Jesus said:

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 13:34-35

Jesus said this to his disciples during the Last Supper on the night he was arrested, therefore the command was given to his disciples who are the church.

Many people seem to think these verses say that Jesus is commanding his disciples to love everyone, but he is actually commanding his disciples to love one another.

When the disciples love one another, the promised result would be that all would know that they are his disciples. 

Their love for one another would identify them as belonging to Jesus. Love is the mark of a Christian.

Different places in the Bible say that those who belong to Jesus are sealed by being given the Holy Spirit, and that God's name is written on their foreheads. 

The word "seal" in the English language has two meanings:

1) a device or substance that is used to join two things together so as to prevent them from coming apart or to prevent anything from passing between them.

2)  a piece of wax, lead, or other material with an individual design stamped into it, attached to a document to show that it has come from the person who claims to have issued it.

Many Christians believe that being sealed with the Holy Spirit means that we will never be separated from God after we trust and believe the gospel, like the first definition would describe.

But what if the writer of these passages intended for " being sealed" to mean the second definition, which would mean that a disciple of Jesus is marked with His symbol of authenticity, and that symbol of authenticity is love?

During the middle ages, kings would use signet rings to stamp legal documents and it's unique markings would confirm the authenticity of any document. The signet ring was the seal of the king.

Like a signet ring, King Jesus places His seal and mark of authenticity on His disciples. This mark signifies to others that they belong to King Jesus.

What if the mark on the foreheads of followers of Jesus that is mentioned in the book of Revelation is not a literal mark, but is the same thing as the seal that is mentioned in 2 Corinthians and Ephesians, and is symbolic of love, because Jesus said in John 13:35 which we have already looked at, "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another"? 

Perhaps the mark on the forehead and the seal given to Christians is love. I can't say this is definitely what these terms mean, but I personally think it's a good possibility.

God is love and therefore love is very powerful and the disciples love for one another would be very powerful.

Their love for one another would demonstrate the power of God and would be a witness of God's love.

Their love for one another would draw many people living in the darkness to God.

Their love for one another would draw many people to God who have never been loved and who do not know love.

It was God's love that motivated the apostles and the early church to go and tell others about Jesus, which caused the church to grow throughout the world.

It was God's love that motivated the apostles and the early church to die for Jesus so that others might know Him.

It was God's love that motivated the apostles and the early church to gather together daily and to share their possessions with one another.

Introduction

Acts 5:1-11 tells the story of Ananias and Sapphira, who sold some land and lied about the amount they sold it for, and therefore they only gave a portion of the money from the sale to the church, and they kept the rest.

In verse 3 Peter said to Ananias: “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?"

It sounds like Ananias was a follower of Jesus, but something happened with him that allowed Satan to fill his heart. 

This is usually caused by sin. Even as believers, sin separates us from God because good and evil cannot co exist.

Ananias and his wife may have been trying to do something good, but the sin in their lives was recognized by Peter. God's seal and mark of love were no longer upon them.

Possibly to demonstrate that He was not going to allow anyone to lie and deceive Him because He is God, and because He wanted to demonstrate His power and authority through His people, the church, God struck both Ananias and Sapphira dead on the spot. 

Their death generated healthy fear of the Lord among the church and among everyone who heard the story of what God did to them. 

This fear of the Lord caused people to have deep reverence and respect for God, even among the people who were not following Jesus.

This kind of fear of the Lord is uncommon among Christians in the American church today, and therefore the church has become powerless causing unbelievers to mock God rather than fear Him. 

The church is a people set apart from the world by God who are marked by love. So because Satan had entered Ananias and Sapphira, and they lied to the Holy Spirit and therefore they had an unrepentant spirit, they were no longer a part of the people who were set apart for God, and they no longer were witnesses to His love.

Since Satan was in him, he had Satan's desires rather than God's, and this would fracture the church and cause division because Satan comes to steal and to kill and to destroy. He wants to kill and destroy the church.

God could not have this happen, so in order to put an immediate end to it and to demonstrate to others that this kind of behavior is unacceptable, He killed them. 

God's vision is for every person, every people, and every place to hear about Jesus, and Ananias and Sapphira and people like them within our churches today thwart His vision and give the impression to the world that God and the church are weak, powerless and irrelevant.

📕 Acts 5

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