Acts 5

Acts 5:1-11 – The Deception

There were problems in the early church just as there are problems in our churches today.  There was sin, legalism and persecution.  Some sins we are told about are that of Ananias and his wife Sapphira.  They sold a piece of property and decided to donate a portion of the money, but they lied to the apostles telling them they gave all of the profit.  It’s not uncommon for some to try to look holy for personal gain.  Ananias and Sapphira certainly wanted to look holy.  They were hypocrites.  They should have been honest about the sale.  Peter was given supernatural knowledge of what they had done.  He told them they lied to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3).  They lied not to men, but to God (Acts 5:4).  When Ananias heard this, he fell dead.  Later Sapphira also lied and she fell dead.  They paid the price of their lies with their death. 

Their greed was based on pride, deceit, and selfishness.  Death is the consequence of sin.  This shows me that the Holy Spirit knows all and we cannot hide anything from God.  Also it teaches God does not tolerate sin.  This may appear to be a harsh judgment, but they could not live in the atmosphere of purity that marked the church at that time.  They may have been in such shock that their sin was exposed that they had heart attacks.  It’s impossible to say that they did or did not go to heaven.  Only God knows.  We do know true Christians don’t lose their salvation by sinning, because we all sin daily.  The difference is we don’t let sin rule our lives.

We learn from this passage that there are two kinds of people in the church and it’s sometimes impossible to tell them from the outside.  We may be able to get away with sin for a while, but it will catch up with us.  We learn that we can hide nothing from God.  He knows all even the secrets of our hearts.  We learn that sin is a deadly serious matter to God.

Many Christians’ fear in not the sinning itself, but in being found out.  When we as Christians act this way, it may cost someone else their salvation.  It can turn them away from Christ - not toward Him.  Note:  In verse 11 the word church is used for the first time.

How does your life demonstrate pride, deceit or selfishness?

Principle:  Nothing can be hidden from God.

Acts 5:12-16 – The Healings

The apostles continued performing many signs and wonders and the church began to grow.  All the believers met together in Solomon’s Colonnade.  (Solomon’s Colonnade was also known as Solomon’s Porch.  It was located on the eastern side of the Temple’s Outer Court in Jerusalem.)  Some of the people were too afraid to meet with them, but more and more people believed and were saved.  People brought their sick and those tormented by evil spirits and all of them were healed.

Acts 5:17-42 – The Consequences

The high priest and his associates were filled with jealousy and the apostles were persecuted for their teachings and healings.  They were arrested and put in jail, but during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out.  They again went to the temple and preached to the people.  They were questioned by the Sanhedrin and gave strict orders not to preach.  Peter and the other apostles said, “We must obey God rather than men!” – Acts 5:29.  This infuriated the religious leaders and they wanted to put the apostles to death, but a Pharisee named Gamaliel convinced them not to take such drastic measures.  So the apostles were flogged and ordered again not to speak in the name of Jesus.

The religious leaders ignored the clear signs of the power of God.  They ignored that jail doors were locked.  They ignored the teachings of the apostles.  They ignored the apostles as eye witnesses.  The persecution didn’t stop the apostles.  If anything, it made them bolder and more courageous to spread the gospel.

There was persecution of Christians in the early church and it is the same today.  Christians are persecuted all around the world for their faith.  This persecution added to the perseverance of the church, because the church belongs to God and He will let nothing destroy it.

The apostles continued teaching in the temple and going from house to house.  They never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

Do you obey God or do you worry about what others will think of you?

What’s keeping you from sharing the gospel?

Principles:  We must obey God rather than men.

 

Join me here next week for our next study in the book of Acts.  --  I encourage you to trust in Jesus.

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