Acts 5

Acts 5:1

George MacDonald rightly said, “Half the misery in the world is caused by people trying to look rather than trying to be.” Such was the case with Ananias, whose name means “God is gracious,” and his wife Sapphira, whose name means “Beautiful.” Wanting to fit in with the believers who sold their goods and shared their resources with the new believers who were in Jerusalem for Pentecost (Act_4:32-37), Ananias and Sapphira sold a piece of land and brought a portion of the proceeds to the apostles. The problem was not that Ananias held back some money for himself, but that he was trying to appear more religious than he really was. The issue was not selfishness. The issue was hypocrisy.

Acts 5:3

Oliver Wendell Holmes said, “Sin has many tools, but a lie is the handle which fits them all.” As with Ananias, no matter what the area of sin, a lie can always be found at the root.

Acts 5:4

“We didn’t ask you to sell the property,” Peter said to Ananias. “But when you did, you could have done with the money whatever you wished.” In verse Act_5:3 Peter said, “Why have you lied to the Holy Ghost?” In verse Act_5:4 he said, “You have not lied to men, but to God.” Thus, this is an important proof text for the doctrine of the Trinity.

Acts 5:5

Sapphira had no idea about what had happened to Ananias. Why? Because Satan always keeps his victims in the dark. Perhaps there was a time when you were involved in an area of sin, and although others prayed for you, talked to you, and were concerned about you, you remained in the dark until everything came down on top of you. Satan always operates that way. Like Sapphira, his victims are always the last to know of the destruction he has planned for them. We are so easily blinded, and that is why we need one another. How I thank the Lord for the brother or sister who will come to me and say, “Be careful. Beware.”

Acts 5:8

The church went from “great grace and great power” in Act_4:33 to “great fear” in Act_5:11. Hypocrisy Kills A Topical Study of Act_5:1-11 Things are not always what they appear to be, particularly in the realm of spirituality. Some years ago, a painting was auctioned for many thousands of dollars. It portrayed a monk sitting at a table with a prayer book before him, his hands folded in the posture of prayer. Upon closer inspection, however, the buyer discovered that the prayer book on the table was not a prayer book at all, but a shallow pan. And the hands folded together seemingly in prayer actually held a lemon. Thus, the picture portrayed not a monk praying, but a man squeezing lemons. So, too, oftentimes, we think, My, that person is spiritual. But upon closer examination, it proves to be a bitter, sour story when we see the real picture. This is precisely what happened in our text concerning the story of Ananias and Sapphira. At this point, the church was experiencing great grace (Act_4:33). Jews had come from all over the world to celebrate the Jewish festival of Pentecost. During the Feast of Pentecost, thousands were converted to Christ. Apparently not wanting their new brothers and sisters to return to their homes without being instructed and grounded in the Word, the Jerusalem believers pooled their resources and shared with one another in order that the new believers could remain in Jerusalem where they could grow together. Ananias and Sapphira, apparently wanting to fit in and seem spiritual, sold their property but secretly kept a chunk for themselves. As they brought their money to the apostles, Peter asked, “Is this the total amount of the land?” “Certainly,” replied Ananias. And he fell down dead. Three hours later, his wife Sapphira came in. “Tell me, Sapphira,” said Peter, “when you and your husband sold your property, did you bring all the money?” “Yes,” she answered. And like her husband, Sapphira was history. “I don’t understand,” you say. “The Christians were flourishing, and a couple brought some money to the apostles to share with their brothers and sisters. Wasn’t it a little severe to strike them dead because they didn’t give it all? Wasn’t death a rather extreme penalty for fibbing?” The answer to that question lies in the principle of precedence that says: God will make a strong statement at one point in time to be remembered and applied to all points in time. An example of this is seen in Joshua 6. After wandering in the wilderness for forty years, the children of Israel were at last ready to enter the Promised Land. With great rejoicing and anticipation, they crossed the Jordan River only to find the powerful and seemingly impenetrable city of Jericho looming large before them. But the Lord miraculously delivered the city of Jericho into their hands as the walls came tumbling down. Then He said, “Don’t take anything from Jericho. Other cities you can spoil, but let this city be a sacrifice to Me” (see Jos_6:18-19). All except one of the Israelites obeyed the Lord’s command. His name was Achan. Seeing the glimmer of gold, the shining of silver, and some Babylonian garments that were the hot threads of the day, Achan thought, What would it matter if I borrowed a bit of gold, took a sliver of silver, and lifted a garment or two? So, he grabbed the goods and hid them under the floor of his tent. The next battle found the Israelites at war with a little town called Ai. It should have been an easy fight, but they got whipped. “What’s going on, Lord?” Joshua cried. “We conquered Jericho in Your Name, but at Ai, we were soundly defeated. Why?” God informed Joshua that sin in the camp had defeated the countryand the one who sinned was to be put to death (Jos_7:15). “Isn’t that a bit severe?” you ask. No, because in this new country, the Lord wanted to reveal from the very outset how deadly serious He was about sin. Why? Because sin would kill them. Not just Achan, the one who committed the sin, but his whole family as well. Precious people, when you and I sin, other people are bruised and beaten and end up in the pit along with us. That’s why, among other reasons, sin stinks. God made that point very clear in those first days in the new land. “Listen,” He said. “Sin brings pain. It’ll hurt you. It’ll affect your family and others who are linked to you. You’ll end up in the pit.” Now we’re in another new country here in Actsnot a new country physically, but a new country spiritually. The church has been formed as an entirely new entity. And just as sin had to be dealt with severely and pointedly in the Old Testament, so, too, a powerful point is being made in the New Testament. I’m so glad we can study this chapter and see what God thinks and how He feels about sin, because if we were dealt with in the same way that Ananias and Sapphira were, our church would be very small. Certainly, you wouldn’t have a pastorat least not this one! Think about it: What if, like Ananias and Sapphira, we were struck down for the same sin for which they were struck downthe sin of hypocrisy? Whenever we stood up and sang, “All to Jesus, I surrender; all to Him I freely give…I surrender all, I sur…” Boom! Down we’d go! If we were treated in the same manner as Ananias and Sapphira were, the church would be thinned out real fast! And so God is saying, “I’m going to make a severe point at this point in time in order that you might get the point for all time. Learn the lesson: Hypocrisy kills.” Hypocrisy was the one sin that riled our Lord Jesus. He loved to eat with the sinners. He hung out with the publicans. The tax collectors and prostitutes felt comfortable with Him. But when He said, “Woe unto you…” it was always directed at those who wanted to be thought of as more spiritual than they really were. The word “hypocrite” comes from the Greek word hupokrites, which means “one who is wearing a mask.” It refers to actors who wore large masks on stage in order to be seen by those in the back row. Hupokrites, then, were those who had two faces: one for the stage and one for the street. I am told there is a restaurant in New York City whose business is thriving because of hypocrisy… A couple is seated, and the maitre d’ hands them menus. Both contain the same items, but because the prices listed on the woman’s menu are three times higher than the prices on the man’s menu, when the man says, “Order whatever you want,” the woman is highly impressed. Hypocrisy may be good for the restaurant business, but it is grievous to the heart of God. Psa_103:14 says the Father knows our frames, He remembers we are but dust. Paul writes in 2Co_4:7 that we have this treasure, Christ Jesus, in earthen vessels. In other words, God knows we have frailties and earthiness, but it doesn’t bother Him. Jesus loved to be around real people. It was the hupokritesthe religious folks and the play-actorswho were a problem to Him because hypocrisy truly kills. What does it kill? Hypocrisy Kills Your Witness. How many people say, “I’m not going to go to church. I took my car to a mechanic who had a fish in the yellow pages. And man, I got ripped off. He charged high prices and did lousy work, and yet he has a Bible on his desk and his radio tuned to the Christian station”? Or how many make a business deal with one who claims to be a believer and they find out later they were charged exorbitant prices? If you say, “I’m not going to become a believer because of hypocrites,” you will spend eternity in hell with the very hypocrites you hate. So if you don’t like them, get saved, get to church, and get right. Otherwise, you’ll be with them forever. Whenever people say to me, “There are hypocrites in church,” I say, “You’re right. That’s why you will fit right in! We freely acknowledge that we are not even close to perfection.” When people say, “I’m not going to go to church or get saved because of hypocrites,” they’re wrong. Nonetheless, the fact remains that people use that excuse more than any other for not going to church or seeking the Lord. Hypocrisy kills your witness. Hypocrisy Kills Your Joy. Just as Ananias and Sapphira were struck down, so, too, is your joy whenever you’re hypocritical. You become sour. You become analytical. In order to justify your own hypocrisy, you begin to analyze others and see how hypocritical they are that you might feel better about your own hypocrisy. You become a sour, dour believer, soaking in the lemon juice of bitterness. You lose the joy of just being real before the Lord. Hypocrisy Kills Your Peace. Living in hypocrisy, one must always keep his mask on and his guard up. Fearing that someday someone will see the real him, he becomes tense, uptight, and unstable. Therefore, as it did with the early church, great fear should come upon usthe fear of hypocrisy. While such fear could potentially freak us out, in reality it should free us up. You see, when we finally get the picture of Acts 5, we understand that the Lord is asking us just to be who we are. Paul put it this way: “By the grace of God I am what I am…” (1Co_15:10) Hypocrisy works from the outside in and says, “I’m going to try to be this way, and maybe it’ll sink in a bit.” It’s imitation. Christianity works from the inside out as Jesus says, “I’m going to work within you to do and to will of My good pleasure” (see Php_2:13). It’s impartation. How I need to understand that the Lord delights in me just the way I am. Those areas that need to be changed, He will changenot by my imitation of spiritual people, but rather by His impartation of the Holy Spirit. I don’t have to play a game. I don’t have to learn the phrases. I don’t have to wear a tie. I can just be who I am, because the Lord looks at me and says, “I know what you are, and I love you. I’ll work within you regarding the areas of your life that need changing. Don’t try to pretend to be something you’re not. Don’t put on airs. Don’t be a church personlearning the phrases and going through the motions.” When this begins to sink in, am I ever free! “You mean, Lord, You love me just as I am, and You want me to be just the way I am, with my humor or lack thereof, with my style or lack thereof? You just love me? You want me to be how You made me? This earthen vessel?” “Yes,” answers the Lord. “I not only love you, I enjoy youexcept when you put on an act, pretend to be something you’re not, or try to impress people with a spirituality that isn’t really there.” Hypocrisy will kill your witness as others see the masks you wear and the act you put on. Hypocrisy will kill your joy as you analyze and criticize others in order to justify your own deceit. Hypocrisy will kill your peace as you live in fear that someone will someday see the real you. Put it away. Give it up. Be free! In Jesus’ Name.

Acts 5:12

People held the early church in high esteem, but they didn’t rush to join. After hearing about the penalty for Ananias’ lie, can you blame them?

Acts 5:14

Although the church was no longer the “in” place to hang out for anyone and everyone, those who had truly been touched by the Lord said, “This is where I need to be: in the place of power and purity. Even if it’s painful, even if I’m smitten, and even if I’m uncomfortable from time to time, this is where I’ll stay.” The Book of Acts illustrates how intimately purity and power are linked together. Many times, we sing, “More love, more power…” when in reality our need is less sin and less carnality. A wise and loving Father, knowing the results of the misuse of power, will not give it to those who are not pure.

Acts 5:15

Peter’s shadow was not powerful in and of itself. It was simply a point of contact and a place of release for people who were prepared to receive healing. As a child, I suffered from intense asthma. My mom told me that many nights, after I stopped breathing and started turning blue, she would rush me into the bathroom and turn on the hot water so the steam could open my breathing passages. She also told me recently that during those long nights, she would listen to the radio, while a certain preacher would often instruct people to pray for healing by placing their hands on their radios. Many were the nights, Mom said, she would hold me on her lap, lay her hand on the radio, and pray for my healing. Now, there was nothing magical or mystical about the radio, but like Peter’s shadow, like anointing with oil, like the laying on of hands, like agreeing together with a verbal amen, it was simply a contact point for the release of faith, blessing, and eventual healing.

Acts 5:17

Vehemently opposed to anything having to do with the supernatural, it is no wonder that, after observing the multitude of healings, the Sadducees were filled with indignation.

Acts 5:18

Although the Sadducees were a numerical minority, they were the ones who held the purse strings as well as the political power.

Acts 5:19

“All the words of this life"I like that phrase! You see, we’re not just talking about future life, afterlife, or eternal life. Jesus said, “I have come that you might have life now and have it more abundantly” (see Joh_10:10). Life is what the Bible is all about. I don’t understand those who say, “Well, the Bible’s great and it’s a good starting point, but we have more to add. We have some innovative techniques, some educational tools, and some resources that were unavailable to those who penned the Bible that can help heal people psychologically and emotionally.” Peter would later write that God has given us everything that pertains to life and godliness (2Pe_1:3). It’s all in the Word.

Acts 5:21

“They entered into the temple early in the morning.” I like that! It doesn’t say, “They went into the temple the first chance they had,” or “They waited until noon.” No, following their release from prison the night before, the apostles headed straight for the temple early the next morning. The largest nation in the world today is procrasti-nation. No doubt about it! Our tendency is to say, “Thank You, Lord. You freed me from prison. You freed me from eternal damnation, from meaningless existence, and from emotional depression. You opened the door for Me, Lord, and I’m going to share Your gospel with others real soonmaybe at noon, maybe tomorrow night. I know You told me to go and share the Word with everyone. And I’ll get right on it, Lordpretty soon.” Procrastination is a real problem in spiritual life and spiritual discipline. When the Lord speaks to your heart, be it in Bible study, in devotions, through a book you read, or through a sister or brother, learn to respond immediately. I read of one very wealthy inventor who said, “Without exception, after I have invented something and patented it, at least ten men come to me and say, “I thought of that a long time ago.” But the difference between their poverty and my wealth is that they thought about it, and I did it.” The same thing is true spiritually. There are those who think, You know, I really should share my faith, or I really should intercede, or I really should get involved. They think and they think and they think, while they remain poor spiritually. The ones who are used by the Lord are those who hear and do. These officials were greatly disturbed. “What next?” they wondered. “Where’s this thing going to go? Where’s it going to stop?” Good question!

Acts 5:25

“Ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine.” What a wonderful indictment! The first time my life was threatened in ministry was when a fellow knocked on my door, looked me in the eye, and said, “You have ruined Applegate Valley. I suggest you leave, or I can’t guarantee you’ll be alive a year from now.” He went on to explain that before Applegate Christian Fellowship started, there were some wonderful parties in the area. But when some of the best party-ers got saved, the party was over. Hadn’t the crowd said to Pontius Pilate, “Let His blood be upon us and our children” (see Mat_27:25)? Yet here they are complaining because they’re being made to feel guilty and responsible for the death of Jesus.

Acts 5:29

“We must obey God,” declared Peter. “Even though you have legislative and political authority, the fact remains that there is a higher authority than you: God. He has told us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. We have no other recourse than to obey Him.” God has set men in positions of authority in order to maintain peace (Romans 13). But if the authorities the Lord has ordained act contrary to Him, we must submit to Him rather than them. Consequently, should there come a time when those in authority say, “We’re not going to allow witnessing on the streets or in public places because it violates the separation of Church and State,” we must not submit to that kind of law. We answer to a higher Authority who has commanded us to share the Word wherever we go (Mat_28:19). Civil disobedience is not uncommon in the Scriptures. The midwives in Egypt were told to destroy all of the Jewish male children. They refused, and God honored them (Exo_1:17, Exo_1:21). Rahab the harlot hid the spies who were sent in to scope out the Land, and she withstood the questioning of civil authorities. God blessed her and put her in the line of Messiah (Jos_2:4; Mat_1:5). Against the king’s command, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego did not bow their knees to the image of Nebuchadnezzar. God blessed them and stood with them in the fiery furnace (Dan_3:18, Dan_3:25). Daniel refused to cease from praying three times a day, even though doing so was in direct violation of the law. God honored him and saved him in the lions’ den (Dan_6:10, Dan_6:21-22). However, regarding biblical civil disobedience, there are two important requirements to keep in mind. Civil Disobedience Must Be Carried Out with Scriptural Authority The angel of the Lord said to the apostles, “Go speak in the temple” (see Act_5:20). In addition, Jesus had already commissioned them, saying, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel” (see Mat_28:19). Thus, the disciples weren’t following a nebulous feeling; they were following the Word of God. You see, one cannot simply say, “God told me I can go seventy-five miles per hour in this thirty-five-mile-per-hour zone,” or “I’m not going to obey my parents because I just don’t feel right about what they’re saying.” If you are going to disobey your parents, oppose the leading of your husband, or contradict the laws of the land, it must be by the authority of Scripture. Civil Disobedience Must Be Carried Out with Humility Peter and the apostles willingly took their lumps. In every case throughout Scripture, those who said, “We can’t do this because we have a higher authority,” did so without hostility, bitterness, or violence.

Acts 5:30

“You allowed Jesus Christ to be crucified and hung on a tree, but God has exalted Him,” declared Peter. “We’re not going to back down from this message.”

Acts 5:33

Due to his knowledge of the law and because he walked with great integrity in his attempt to keep the law, Gamaliel was called “The Beauty of the Law” by his contemporaries. A brilliant thinker and one of the most influential teachers in all of Jewish history, Gamaliel was Paul’s teacher. Jewish historians tell us that Gamaliel’s one criticism of Paul was that it was impossible to find enough reading material for him. This is not surprising, since those who study Greek tell us that Paul’s vocabulary and sentence structure is the most sophisticated of any Greek writer. The guy was brilliant.

Acts 5:35

Gamaliel wisely said, “If what these guys are doing is through human energy, it will come to nothing. But if what they’re doing is of God, you’ll be fighting against God, and you won’t have a prayer. So back off. Let them go. Don’t forget what happened to Theudas,” continued Gamaliel. “Men gathered around him, and when they were slaughtered, the movement died as well. And what about Judas of Galilee? When he launched an insurrection, his followers also perished in the process.” Theudas came on the scene claiming to possess deep spirituality. He claimed to be a Messiah who would lead Israel into spiritual illumination. Judas of Galilee launched a political reformation based upon less taxation. He claimed to be a Messiah who would free Israel from Roman bondage. Both were phonies. It’s easy for you and me to spot a false Messiah, a false teacher, or a false leader. He will do the same two things that Gamaliel said Theudas and Judas of Galilee did: Like Theudas, he will “boast himself to be somebody,” claiming to have supernatural or special powers. Or like Judas, he will “draw away much people after him,” saying, “Follow me, and I’ll set you free.”

Acts 5:40

Winston Churchill once defined a fanatic as someone who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject. That’s what these guys did. They wouldn’t change their minds, and they didn’t change the subject. Knowing Jesus is Lord, they kept talking about Him wherever they went.