Sermon Tone Analysis

Obedience to the Spirit interrupted

The outflow of a Spirit Filled people

Luke’s first book follows the ministry of Christ and all that he did

In the book of Acts, it is the ministry of the Holy spirit

Christ’s people filled with the Holy Spirit

The book of Luke ends with the promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit

Acts begins with the giving of the Holy Spirit

When the people are filled with the Spirit we see amazing things happen

Miracles, which is the least of it

Cowards made bold

People of many backgrounds united in the Spirit

Generosity

Trust

Thankfulness

These are all summarized at the end of Ch.4 lets read

Acts 4:31-

How were they able to speak the word of God with Boldness?

31 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.

They Had Everything in Common

32 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.

36

How where people of many backgrounds that often disliked one another very much able to be “of one heart and soul”?

How were the owners of houses and land able to sell everything they had and trust God that they would be provided for?

They were all filled with the Holy Spirit

And so we see amazing things happening among God’s people as they live by the Spirit of God

But Ch. 5 starts with a But

The but introduces an interruption to the amazing work of the Spirit in the Church

It introduces disobedience to the Holy Spirit by Ananias and His wife Sapphira

Their sin is “lying to the Holy Spirit” for which they both instantly die.

but to understand this story properly we first need to step back and look at the big picture

In acts 3:

According to Peter Jesus is the prophet who is “like Moses”

Moses

God’s vessel to Free Israel from slavery in Egypt

Introduced Israel to covenant relationship to God based upon the Law

He himself dies having failed to meet God’s standard

Joshua

After receiving the covenant through Moses Israel is led into Canaan armed with God’s Law

Their obedience leads to a massive miraculous victory over the city of Jericho

Their success is interrupted by the sin of 1 man

Achan

He transgresses the law and violates God’s covenant

Jos 7:

Does anyone remember how Achan’s sin is dealt with?

He is put to death

Acts 13:

An example to show the seriousness of violating God’s covenant

Even though future sins like his are not dealt with in the same manner it is not because it is undeserved.

Jesus

Lives and Dies having fully accomplished the Law’s requirements

His death frees us from sin and it’s penalty

He inaugurates a NEW covenant

Based upon the Spirit

He inaugurates a NEW covenant

Based upon the Spirit

Romans 7:

freed

Ro

The New covenant is obeyed when we are living according to the Holy Spirit which God has given us

R

This is roughly what it means to be “Filled with the Holy Spirit”

Up to this point the whole early church is remaining faithful to this covenant by being filled by the Holy Spirit

They are not given specific commands to follow like the Israelites entering Canaan

Instead they are being filled with the Holy Spirit and satisfying the desires of the Spirit and not the desires of their own flesh

Why did they speak the word of God with Boldness?

It caused them to be persecuted and beaten

Why did people of many backgrounds that may have formally hated one another be “of one heart and soul”?

Why did owners of houses and land sell everything they had and trust God that they would be provided for?

It was what the Holy Spirit wanted them to do

And since they were full of the Holy Spirit the Spirit’s desires became their desires

They wanted to do what the spirit wanted them to do

Alright, that was my introduction and now we are ready to take a look at our passage today.

Open up to

Why did Ananias and Sapphira die?

Wha

What does Peter say to Ananias?

Lied to the Holy Spirit

Lets remember the story of Achan

God specifically commanded the people to take nothing from the City of Jericho

Achan takes some of it anyway and God says that Israel has violated His covenant having stolen and lied

But in the case of Ananias and Sapphira did God verbally command them

But nonetheless this story pictures their violation to be of a similar type to Achan

The Deed Conceived

The evident crime is that they brought part of the money from the sale, and when giving it to the apostles claimed that it was all of the sale.

They did this to satisfy their own desires rather than the desire of the Spirit

Had they been following the desires of the Spirit they would have

Loved others more than self

Trusted God for provision

To have their gift accepted by God, Not gain the acclaim of men

But they were not filled with the Holy Spirit

Instead, as Peter exclaims, it is Satan that they are filled with

And so their desires are those of flesh

love self above others

Trust self and their schemes to provide

To look good before men and gain their approval

That they lied to the apostles is not important

The lie was to the Holy Spirit

Because the believers had the Holy Spirit, lying to the church is lying to the Holy Spirit that dwells among it.

This is most likely