Sins of the Saints
Notes
Transcript
Last week we started looking at the actions of the early chruch members and saw a beautiful picture of the way we are suppose to act toward each other.
However just like to day the sins of the people start to creep in and allows for the disruption of a good, thing.
Spiritual Pretense (vv 1-2)
Spiritual Pretense (vv 1-2)
Once again we see the start of this chapter begin with a But which means we are about to get the exact opposite story than we just had.
In the last few verses of Acts 4 we see Barnabas sell a piece of land and give the money to the Apostles to give to those in need.
Here in the start of chapter 5 we see Ananias and Sapphira do the same thing.
But they did it not for the good of the congregation but for praise and adulation.
They also held back money to keep for themselves. But the whole time saying that they were giving ALL that they made to the Apostles.
It was not commanded for believers to give everything they owned to the chruch it was a voluntary way to help bless the others of the church as those members had been blessed.
Peter makes this clear in 2 Cor 9:7
7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
The sin of these 2 comes in because they overtly lied about how much they were giving.
It was like they were trying to one up Barnabas and out do him in the eyes of the public while putting money back in their pockets at the same time.
The sin that they were guilty of was hypocrisy.
Hypocrisy is one of the most dangerous sin to commit.
Jesus gave His harshest rebuke to those people who act like hypocrites.
Matt 6:1-6, 16-18.
1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Jesus warned the disciples again in Luke 12:1
1 In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
He even said that Hell would be filled with hypocrites Matt 24:51
51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
No one is more ugly in the sight of God as those who flaunt a spiritual beauty they do not have.
The chruch is hurt more by false and fake people than any other thing in the world today.
Any time someone commits a sin against the body of Christ its like committing that sin against Christ Himself. 1 Cor 8:12
12 Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.
Spiritual Perception (vv 3-4)
Spiritual Perception (vv 3-4)
Here in these verses we see just how much the people were indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
This was not Peter talking on his own accord but the Spirit talking through him.
This whole thing was completely unnecessary.
The land did not need to be sold and even if they wanted to keep some or all of the money all they had to do was not lie about it.
We can never fool the spirit about our motives and intentions.
Even though these were people that had that relationship with Christ, saw Him resurrected, they still fell prey to the Devil.
7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”
Just because you are saved and follow Christ does not mean you wont be temped by the devil.
He does some of his hardest work on those that are closest to Christ.
Even though they were temped by satan it was still their responsablity not to crumble under the pressure.
Peter knew through the Spirit what was going on.
God will always protect His people.
Swift Punishment (5-10)
Swift Punishment (5-10)
The church is made up of imperfect people.
But the Church it self is a prefect institution that God ordained and put into place as the way to spread His message.
He wants His message and His chruch to remain pure.
27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
Often times divine judgement will happen to the members of a chruch to protect the whole body.
Much like it is imperative to remove cancer from our physical bodies, removing the cancer of hypocrisy from the church is very important.
Solemn Purging (v11)
Solemn Purging (v11)
No doubt that a lot of self examination took place that day.
The deaths caused great fear amongst not only the church members but to all those you heard what happened.
This shows just how string Gods desire is to have a pure chruch.
Notice I said pure not perfect.
The actions of the people in the church should be pure even though we are not.
17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
10 For
“Whoever desires to love life
and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking deceit;
Pure motives over results anytime.