This time of year, around Halloween, many grim stories are told on TV and around campfires. It is appropriate therefore that we spend this morning exploring one of the grimmest stories in the Bible—the story of Ananias and Sapphira.
We may be surprised to learn that this is the first story in Acts in which Luke uses the word translated “church.” Acts 5:11 is the first time the word “church” is used by Luke. This is the story Luke decided to use to introduce “church” to us.
This grim story of Ananias and Sapphira seems like an odd one for Luke to use as his first illustration of “church.” What is Luke trying to tell us?
I think Luke has several things to teach us about church and Spirit with this story. First, Luke is suggesting that churches/ Christians are filled either with the Spirit or with Satan. It’s important for us to understand that the story of Ananias and Sapphira actually runs from Acts 4:32 – 5:11. All of that is Luke’s telling of this one story. And that story is immediately preceded by one which ends with these words: 431 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. Scholars believe that line about the church being filled with the Spirit is not only the conclusion to the story that ends in Acts 4:31. But it’s also a way of introducing the story that begins in Acts 4:32. In other words, the story which begins in Acts 4:32 is meant by Luke to further his discussion about what it looks like to be filled with the Spirit. Churches/Christians who are filled with the Spirit speak the word of God with boldness—that’s the end of the story concluding in Acts 4:31. And churches/Christians filled with the Spirit also give in ways that are remarkable and sacrificial—that’s the story beginning in Acts 4:32. Luke is showing us that it’s possible for a church/ Christians to be filled with the Spirit.
But he’s also showing us that it’s possible for Christians to be filled with Satan: 53 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? Ananias and Sapphira engage in their grim behavior because Satan has filled their heart. This is a story about Christians filled with the Spirit or filled with Satan.
Thus, this story which introduces the word “church” suggests that you are either filled with the Holy Spirit or you are filled with Satan. There’s no in-between here. Every member of this church was either filled with the Holy Spirit—like Barnabas or filled with Satan—like Ananias and Sapphira.
If you’ve been baptized, you received the gift of the Spirit at your baptism. Luke makes that clear in Acts 2. But you have to make a choice every day to be filled with that Spirit, to live under the leadership of that Spirit. And everything you do will either lead to you being more filled with the Spirit or more filled with Satan. Everything Highland does will lead to Highland being more filled with the Spirit or more filled with Satan. In Luke’s introduction to church, there is no other choice. And the question is this: Which one are you? Are you doing things which lead you to be filled with the Spirit? Or are you doing things which lead you to be filled with Satan? You are either one or the other. Highland is either one or the other.
Second, when churches/ Christians are filled with the Spirit, the result is radical discipleship. Luke shows that when the church is filled with the Spirit, the result is bold preaching about Jesus. Even at the risk of their lives, these Spirit-filled followers proclaimed Jesus. And Luke shows us that when the church is filled with the Spirit, the result is sacrificial giving. People sold fields and homes and placed the money at the disposal of the apostles who, in turn, used it to help the poor. This kind of radical discipleship is what happens when churches/ Christians are filled with the Spirit.
And because Luke uses this story of radical Spirit-filled discipleship to introduce the concept of church, it’s safe to say that this radical discipleship was considered by Luke to be normal. When we think of church, Luke wants us to think of this level of discipleship.
I remember when we launched the Ask and Imagine campaign to fund the building of our new facility on Houston Levee Road. There were stories of Highlanders who sold jewelry, cashed in savings accounts, and put off vacations in order to give to the campaign. I remember those stories because they were unusual. They were outside the norm. Yet Luke seems to be saying that when a church is filled with the Spirit, the unusual becomes usual. The normal for Christians and a church filled with the Spirit is this kind of radical discipleship.
In his book Radical David Platt has written about how American Christians have gotten used to a way of life far removed from Luke’s normal. Platt writes that we Americans have a “nice, middle-class, American Jesus. A Jesus who doesn’t mind materialism and who would never call us to give away everything we have. A Jesus who would not expect us to forsake our closest relationships so that he receives all our affection. A Jesus who is fine with nominal devotion that does not infringe on our comforts, because, after all, he loves us just the way we are. A Jesus who wants us to be balanced, who wants us to avoid dangerous extremes, and who, for that matter, wants us to avoid danger altogether. A Jesus who brings comfort and prosperity as we live out our Christian spin on the American dream.”[1]
Yet as Luke introduces church, he introduces something far more challenging. A Spirit who does mind materialism. A discipleship that does call us to give away everything. A way of life that would expect us to forsake our closest relationships. A Spirit who detests nominal devotion. A discipleship that is unbalanced and dangers. A way of life that doesn’t bring comfort and prosperity.
And the question for us is this: Are we willing to be that kind of community? Am I willing to participate in that kind of community? Am I willing for this be my new normal? Because when the Spirit gets hold of churches and Christians, that’s what happens.
Third, when churches/ Christians are filled with Satan, the result is hypocrisy. It’s easy to paint Ananias and Sapphira as monsters. It’s easy to villainize them so that there’s no way we could ever be guilty of their sin. We like to think that being filled with Satan results in sensational sins like murdering puppies and embezzling millions. But here in Acts, being filled with Satan results in subtle sins. When Satan fills churches or Christians the result is something that looks holy.
The sin of Ananias and Sapphira wasn’t that they withheld money. Peter, in his speech to Ananias, makes it clear that they had full rights over their property and they were free to do whatever they wanted to with it. The sin wasn’t that they withheld money. The sin was that they withheld some money, but pretended to give all the money. The sin was that they wanted the look of radical discipleship without the loss. In a word, they were guilty of “hypocrisy.” We don’t know why they did it. Luke doesn’t tell us. What we do know is that when Satan fills a church or Christians, the result is not always some epic sin. The result may be this this elusive sin called hypocrisy.
The word “hypocrisy” refers to someone who plays a part. Many children play a part at Halloween. They put a mask and costume on and play the part of a clown, or a super hero, or a firefighter. They aren’t actually those things. But they pretend as if they are. This is what Ananias and Sapphira do. They pretend to be generous. They play as if they are devoted. But in reality, they are not. They are only concerned with externals.
Yet the Holy Spirit is concerned with internals. Listen to what Peter says: 53 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart?… 9 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? To “test the Spirit” means to see how much you can get away with, how much you can pull the wool over the Spirit’s eyes. Ananias and Sapphira were trying to get away with an external discipleship. They were trying to get away with an appearance of devotion. But the Spirit would not permit it. The Spirit was not satisfied with this. Why? Because, as Peter says, the Spirit is concerned with what’s in the heart. The primary focus of the Spirit is the heart. What the Spirit wants is a devotion rooted in your heart.
This is why Jesus was so against hypocrisy. The strongest words Jesus ever spoke were not directed at child molesters or corrupt politicians. The strongest words Jesus ever spoke were directed at religious people who were scrupulous about attending worship and doing Bible things in Bible ways—but who were all just putting on a show. Jesus’ most powerful warnings were issued to hypocrites. We don’t have time to read those words, but they are found in Matt. 23. There Matthew provides a blistering speech from Jesus about hypocrisy.
What matters most to the Spirit and to Jesus is your heart. What they are after is your heart. The question for you is this: does Jesus your heart? Is your heart truly open to the Spirit? Or are you satisfied with trying to be on the outside something you really aren’t on the inside?
Finally, the Spirit acts forcefully to rid churches/ Christians of hypocrisy. Luke’s introduction to church shows that church is a dangerous place. We are not called to make church a safe place where everyone feels comfortable. We are not called to make a church a safe place where no one walks away unhappy. If church is that kind of place, it’s not church according to Luke. According to Luke, church is the most dangerous place on earth.
It’s ironic isn’t it? We spent millions providing safe classrooms and bathrooms and playground equipment for the children of this church. We hired guards to control traffic on Sundays and Wednesdays in order to keep drivers safe at this church. We installed fire alarms to keep us safe at this church. And yet Luke’s church is a place where people die. Luke’s church is a place where something like hypocrisy is rooted out so aggressively by the Spirit that the youth ministry was kept busy moving the bodies.
We don’t like this last point. But it stands as a stern warning. The Spirit will do whatever it takes to root hypocrisy out of a church or out of a Christian. The Spirit will do extreme things in order to protect a church or a Christian from hypocrisy.
Let’s end on some good news (we could use a little couldn’t we?). Here’s the good news of this grim story: because of the work of the Holy Spirit, the church is capable of being a unique and world-changing community. We need to recall what was happening before Ananias and Sapphira. What was happening before this story is inspiring. And because of what the Spirit did with Ananias and Sapphira, that inspiring work continued. Listen once more to the moments before Ananias and Sapphira: 432 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. .
This is what can happen in a church when that church is filled with the Spirit. Ananias and Sapphira threatened this Spirit-filled work. And that’s why the Spirit dealt so aggressively with them. The Spirit is willing to do whatever it takes to ensure that we get to experience and participate in a community like this. There’s no other community like it. There’s no other community in which people from diverse backgrounds can be of one heart and soul. There’s no other community in which people share what they own and testify with great power about the Lord Jesus. There’s no other community in which we can experience the great grace of God. That’s what the Spirit creates. That’s what the Spirit protects. And the good news is that’s what you and I can have if we truly open our lives up to the Spirit’s work in this church.
Are you being filled with the Spirit or with Satan? Are you willing to embrace this level of Spirit-filled discipleship? Are you just playing the part of someone devoted or does Jesus truly have your heart? Are you ready for what the Spirit may do to root hypocrisy out of your life? These are difficult questions. We’d like to pray with you this morning if you are troubled. We want you to ultimately leave here know the great grace of God. A God who loves you and gives you this Spirit so you can enjoy the best he has to offer.
