Jump Start # 1325

Acts 5:3 “But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land?”

  Our passage today is taken from the sad decision by Ananias and his wife Sapphira to lie to Peter, the church and especially to God. The early church was growing. Things were looking good. There had been a few bumps, particularly the conflicts with Jerusalem officials and the apostles. Peter had been in an out of jail for preaching, but he was courageous and the church continued to grow. The fourth chapter ends with many wealthy disciples selling property to give money to the poorer disciples. They were united in heart and committed to each other. What they had was a special fellowship in the Lord.

The fifth chapter of Acts opens with this thought continuing. Another couple sold a piece of property and gave money to the apostles. Another generous heart. More good being done. However, in this good, this one couple, Ananias and Sapphira, lied. They didn’t have to sell their property. They didn’t have to give all the proceeds to the apostles. When they claimed that they did, but they didn’t, that is when trouble entered. They lied. They lied to God. They wanted to look better then what they were. They wanted to look like the others who were giving. They said one thing and did something else.

God’s reaction was swift. Peter confronted the dishonest Ananias and in an instant he dropped dead. Shortly afterwards the same thing happened to his wife. Together in this scheme, together in this lie, and now together in death, punished by God. This seems to be the first Christians killed. It wasn’t by the hand of persecutors as Stephen and James would receive later in this book, but it was in punishment for lying to God. This would send a chill through the church. God would not tolerate false pretenses. Lying was wrong. Lying to make yourself look better than what you are is worse. Lying propelled by pride is the death of a soul.

What they were seeking, they got, but it was not in the manner that they were expecting. They were wanting people to know them. Other than Barnabas in the last chapter, all the other disciples that gave are not known to us. This couple would have been among them. They would have done a good deed but a generation or two later, it would have been forgotten except by Heaven. Now, because of their lie, they are known through all generations by those who read the Bible. Yes, people today know their names. However, it isn’t good. What is known is that they lied to God and their lives were taken because of it.

Peter asks a question that needs to be asked, sadly, almost every day. He asked, “Why has Satan filled your heart to lie?” Why? Lying has become so common that we expect it. We’ve become pretty good at lying. It gets us out of trouble. It keeps us from doing what we don’t want to do. It is easy and pretty comfortable. There is a cost to lying. Ananias found that out. Lying destroys trust. The teenager who lies to his parents will find his freedom clipped. Couples that lie to each other, become suspicious. Lying at work can cost you your job. Lying on taxes can lead to an audit. Lying to God can make us believe that we are better than what we really are. It can lead to us thinking all is fine, when it is not.

In the parable of the sower, the seed which really grew and produced a crop was planted in a heart that was honest and good. It was honest. The prodigal came to his senses when the fog of sin and lies was lifted and he saw what he had truly done. Honest to God. Honest with others. Honest with yourself.

When we are not honest with ourselves we will not seek the help that we often need. We will not change as we often should. We will stay put when we should be on our knees asking God to help us and forgive us. The hymn, “I need Thee every hour,’ comes from an honest heart. Such a heart needs God as much on a Monday as it does on a Sunday. It knows the difficulties of the day and it knows the weakness of the heart. God is needed. God is needed for guidance and decisions. God is needed for forgiveness. God is needed for fellowship.

Ananias, was rich, but he was actually poor. He is like one of the churches in Revelation that thought they had a name but were actually dead. He never got it. Jesus said that the greatest in the kingdom would be the servant. It’s not through bragging, pride that one becomes known, it’s through humbleness and helping others. Some folks like to talk about themselves. Their favorite song is, “I did it my way.” Their pride keeps them from shinning. They have to tell others what they did. They have to drop little hints about how great they are. Why? They have the Ananias syndrome. They want to be some one without being a servant. They want their name praised. They want others to notice. They want honor. Why?

There can be no other reason than Satan filled their heart. Satan filled Peter and he messed up. Satan filled Judas and he messed up. And when Satan fills our hearts, we say dumb things, we do wrong things and we trip and stumble. It happens every time.

The answer is obvious. Have the heart like Jesus. Be a servant. Heaven knows. You don’t need to toot your horn. Praise the Lord in all you do. See to it that the honor and glory goes to God, not you. Fill your heart with the Love of the Lord and then there will be no room for Satan to get in there.

Lying Christians—it’s like calling someone an honest thief. Those words simply do not go well together.

Be honest. Be truthful. Be a servant. That’s the answer.

Roger