Great Fear Came Upon the Whole Church (Acts 5:11)

Introduction

As advertised, you do notice that we put out the titles and a verse to go with them these days. If you look at the Facebook page or the bulletin that Mary produces, I suggested Acts 5 and verse 11, etch this verse in your thoughts for the next 30 minutes. And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard these things. There’s the goal. A sound, healthy church, needs to possess that quality. The Decorporary Church needs to possess that. Do we? Will we? What is this? Fear.

But it is also being respectful, sobered by his wrath upon ungodliness. I want to set the context of this statement in the book of Acts. We’re talking about a time where we have the first few thousand adherents to Jesus the way, whom we’re going to sing about at the end of our lesson. The early church of our Lord was dynamic. It was thriving and it was growing. And shortly after the day of Pentecost, from which Aaron read in Acts chapter 2, despite staunch opposition from the Jewish leaders, the euphoria surrounding a resurrected Jesus and his loyal band of disciples continued, and the apostles spoke with great boldness, even to those who were in opposition. We must not stop speaking what we have seen and what we have heard.

So they took their stand. And they were even punished, persecuted for the stand that they took. But further, we see the sharing of believers as it solves the problem of destitution in regard to material things. The congregation was of one heart and soul. In a very crafty way, Luke then introduces a key character or a key figure in the book of Acts at the end of chapter 4. One who also was concerned about sharing with other believers. In fact, he sold a tract of land and brought it and laid it at the apostles’ feet, as others were doing.

The church is thriving, the church is growing. We’re introduced to this character, Barnabas, who’s going to be a wonderful character in this book. And the congregation is of one heart and one soul. But, and that’s the word that begins chapter 5. But that’s an ominous word in Luke’s telling of the story of the early church. What about counterfeits? What about those who might be numbered among the saved but have ill motives? Hypocrisy within the ranks would prove to be a very huge early obstacle. Let’s read the text beginning in verse 1. And I want you to notice we’re introduced to some young men in Acts chapter 5, not by name, but just as a group, young men, and they are very busy young men, unfortunately, in the story.

What is this story about? Two characters whom we know as Ananias and Sapphira. But a certain man named Ananias with his wife, Sapphira, sold a piece of property. Now, if you took the chapter division out, between chapter 4 and chapter 5, we have a Barnabas like action without the spirit and heart of Barnabas. We have a gift, but it is a gift with a lie attached. They kept back some of the price. Ananias did for himself. With his wife’s full knowledge, underscore that in verse 2. And bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet, as Barnabas and others had done. But, again, the ominous word, Peter said, Ananias. Did he realize that he was being a pawn of Satan? Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land?

Well, it remained unsold. Did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God. And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last. And the first time we are introduced to this concept. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. And the young men arose and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him. Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours. Three hours later, Sapphira comes in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter responded to her Tell me whether you sold the lamb for such and such a price. And she said, that was a lie.

Yes, that was the price. Then Peter said to her, why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they shall carry you out as well. And she fell immediately at his feet and brings her last. And the young men, the busy young men, came in and found her dead. And they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things. Yes, a familiar story to most of us. But I’d like to make a few observations that I think might be helpful to us as we strive to possess that quality that the early church possessed.

1. Complicit in Their Deception of Others

Number one, I think it should be observed about Ananias and Sapphira, that the issue before God was that these two were complicit in their deception of others. Luke makes it clear in his telling of the story that Sapphira possessed full knowledge of what Ananias was doing. In fact, Peter gives her the opportunity to set the record straight. Did you see that? Peter’s objection. And again, Luke makes it clear. He doesn’t want this to be misunderstood. Peter makes it clear that the problem was not that they did not give it all and lay it at the apostles’ feet. In fact, he seems to suggest that they did not have to do this at all, that they did not have, nobody was forcing them to sell the land.

He says, while it remained unsold, was it not your own? It was your property. And even further in Acts chapter 5, he says, what? In Acts chapter 5, in verse 4. He says, and after it was sold, was it not under your control? I mean, before you sold it was yours. After it was sold, it was under your control. So it wasn’t that they only gave a portion of the price at the apostles’ feet, but the implication is that they were giving the impression that they had given it all just as others had done. Notice the word conceived is used. They had hatched. They had schemed. And for what? That’s what’s troubling to me about the story. For what? A few moments of glory.

For others to look at them and to think lofty things about them because of such a sacrifice? Because someone acknowledged their sacrifice and patted them on the back for the good that they have done.

Are we content with pats on the back and attaboys? You’re doing such a great job. You’re such a fine young man or young woman. Obviously, no one relishes the thought of being thought of less than they really are. Or be misunderstood. No one likes to be thought of. You’re a worthless scoundrel. You’re a loser with the big L stamped upon your forehead. Nobody likes that perception of themselves. Now, if it’s true, it’s true. But especially if it’s not true, you don’t want to be regarded in that way. But we must likewise be concerned about desiring others to see us in an inflated way that misses the harsh reality of our weakness, our failings. And that we are only what we are by the grace of God.

And we are God-dependent for all that we are and ever hope to be.

2. Behavior Ultimately Stands or Falls Before God

Oh, a good name. It’s important. The wise writer says that in Proverbs chapter 22 and verse 1. Favor is better than silver and gold, he would say. Reputation can be a good thing and quite influential in the lives of others. But we must always be more concerned. Not with what others may think about us or regard us or how they might rate us in comparison to others. Perish the thought. But we must always be more concerned about God’s assessment of us. Ananias and Sapphira. Learn the hard way. And so I make this point. Behavior ultimately stands or falls before God. Not men. Men have to make determinations. Men have to make decisions, for example, in regard to local church fellowship about how we regard a certain individual.

Are they making a sincere, diligent attempt to serve the Lord? But there could well be counterfeits among us. And yet some will feel contented and secure and well because they are numbered among the right group of people. That’s not safe in and of itself. Men do not know what God knows. And if it were not for the fact that Peter had the goods on them by revelation of the Holy Spirit, there are several things here that suggest Peter didn’t come up with this on his own. In fact, he knows the young man are about to take Sapphira out as they’ve just taken Ananias. He speaks confidently about that. You’re about to die just like Ananias did.

But without such knowledge, how could we know? We may not. Ultimately, your assessment of me, and I like to talk about that a lot, because preachers get assessed. Ultimately, your assessment of me, or my assessment of you, matters very little. I didn’t say it doesn’t matter at all. I said it matters very little. What is ultimate is God’s assessment of us. He is intimately acquainted with all our ways, Psalm 139. He even knows thoughts in our hearts before they ever reach our tongue, the psalmist says. And such knowledge is too wonderful for me. All things are open and laid bare before the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 13. I’ve not quoted this verse in a while, and Kyle quoted it, John 12 and verse 48.

He that rejects me and does not receive my words has one that judges him. The word that I have spoken the same shall judge him on the last day. John chapter 12 and verse 48. That’s the standard. It’s God’s knowledge of my conduct in relation to his word. That’s what you need to be concerned about. And this what we do is important. Don’t ever diminish it. What we do is important, but please get this. Why we do it is even more important.

3. Failing Disciples Do Not Change the Validity of God's Message

Motives can be conflicting. But here’s one of the reasons why I’m preaching the sermon. The other points I think are all valid, good and helpful, but here’s one thing I wanted to emphasize about the Ananias and Sapphira story. Failing disciples do not change the validity of God’s message or the practice of truth by other believers. Notice, because of Ananias and fire, well, let’s just close up shop. This whole church thing, it’s messed up. It’s never going to work anymore. It’s not the real thing. It’s a counterfeit. Look at these people, these hypocrites. We might as well shut it down. In fact, because of God’s actions on this occasion, the immediate consequences meted out to Ananias and Sapphira. The Lord’s church is actually strengthened and grows as a result of this.

So often. People get discouraged. Some even throw away their faith. Over other people who have disappointed them in some way. Perhaps there’s been some egregious form of conduct. This person, this person who has been preaching and teaching and been not, I can’t believe they would do something like that. And they get so discouraged and throw it all away because someone has disappointed them and done some very egregious thing. But we generally acknowledge that we all struggle with some occasional sin in some fashion, even if it’s just some mental failure, such as an ungodly attitude, selfishness, lust, greed, pride, perhaps gossip or murmuring. Very few are struggle free perpetually. Now, if you’re one of those people, I’m happy for you. You need to be teaching more classes.

If you are struggle-free, I haven’t sinned in three or four years. If you can say that about your conduct, and that’s true, then again, you need to be teaching more classes. Because the rest of us might need some more instruction. We all acknowledge that we struggle. It’s so very easy to be appalled at what someone else has done and give us a pass for what we’ve done. Have you been watching the news? Well, I hope not. Al Franken. The revelations, all these revelations are coming out about all these public figures who are having problems with their treatment of women. Al Franken is another. And of all the people to weigh in publicly, we have President Trump on Twitter weighing in, of course.

I think there were. Even worse, Roy Moore is weighing in publicly about Al Franken. It’s like you might just be not common. On that publicly. Considering allegations against you in the past, same behavior. Or worse. But it’s I mention it, not because I want to run any of those guys down. They had problems in their past, but I mention it because that’s what we do. We look at the behavior of other people and we get all up in arms. Can’t believe they did that. What were they thinking? What were you thinking? What was I thinking? We want to give ourselves a pass. Look, Simon the sorcerer, when he wanted to have the power to lay on of hands like the apostles did, Peter says, you have neither part nor lot in this matter.

He says, you are in the gall of bitterness and the bondage of iniquity. Oh, wow, Simon, I guess your conversion wasn’t legitimate. That’s not what he says. He didn’t say you need to be baptized again. It obviously didn’t work the first time. That’s not what Peter said. He said, repent and praise of the Father. Wait a minute. Gaul of bitterness and bondage of iniquity? Oh no, you’re done. You should have been struck dead like Ananias and Sapphira. I don’t know if their hearts were vastly different. Maybe God knew if he hadn’t struck them dead, then it wouldn’t have ended well anyway. I don’t know why. But I do know Simon was in the goal of bitterness. That’s bad. That sounds really bad. The goal of bitterness and the bondage of iniquity, and that didn’t mean that none of this was legitimate.

Oh, these people are a bunch of fakes. Well, there are some. There could be counterfeits among the real. And if that doesn’t throw you, there’s Peter and the Gentiles in Galatians chapter 2. Oh, this is after the day of Pentecost. This is after the conversion of Coronetus, when because of the people of the circumcision, other Jews, Peter now is not associated with Gentile believers. And Paul has to withstand him to the face, and of all things, even Barnabas is carried away with the problem. That’s right.

Christians make mistakes.

So it shouldn’t shake us to the foundation. If notable believers, whatever that is. If any believer stumbles in their walk with God, because we stumble. We might say they stumbled in a more significant way, but all sin is sin before God.

Well, I don’t.

Well, okay. He should be dead. If God was still doing what he did with Antony’s the fire, right? He could just take him out. He may or may not do that, but he could if he wanted to. So what does that change in regard to my conduct? We must never allow the failings, disappointment, and inadequacies of men to affect how we view the validity and impact of truth. In Revelation chapter 3 and verse 4, church at Sardis, most of the lot was a mess. They only had a few names who had not soiled their garments.

Here’s a local church in Sardis. They had a name that they were alive, but they were dead spiritually by God’s recognition. They only had a few that God could speak approvingly of in the whole group. Failing disciples do not change the validity of the Lord’s cause or message. If I go off the deep end tomorrow, it doesn’t mean that everything I preach for eight and a half years is false.

4. Though Rarely Immediate, Judgment Upon Evildoers Is Sure

And though rarely immediate, judgment upon evildoers is sure. No one has to fall dead today for us to know that ultimately what is done in secret will be shouted from the rooftops. And that hypocrisy and every diatrophies, one who loves the preeminence, every evildoer will be judged and revealed to be what they are before God. It just so happens in this particular instance that God’s judgment was meted out immediately to Ananias and Sapphira. And we can see why, as we see the result that it had upon other believers in this fledgling stage that the Lord’s church was in. Great fear came upon the whole church. I’ve always said about Ananias and the Phira. They were the wrong sinners at the wrong time.

And while people aren’t going to be falling dead for their hypocrisy and lies, most likely, I want to assure you of this. That the God of Acts 5 is no less real today.

Because all continues day after day as it was does not mean that the promise of his coming is not real. 2 Peter chapter 3 and verse 4. And because people aren’t dropping dead over erroneous behavior doesn’t mean that same God of wrath upon ungodliness that he does somehow doesn’t exist. In fact, Psalm 50 points to this long before there was Ananias and Sapphira, when in Psalm 50 it says, But to the wicked, God says, they cast God’s word behind their backs, they associate with adulterers, they’re approving of thieves. And he says, Because I kept silent, you thought I was just like you. Hey, nothing’s happening. Must not be that bad. He said, but I will reprove you. I will straighten this case in order before your eyes.

Conclusion

Judgment is sure. And the God who zapped Ananias and Sapphira is just as real today as he was in those days. Okay, this is where I want you to get it. Okay, I know you can’t remember everything that I said. Here’s what I want you to get. Don’t allow others’ failings to interfere with your faith. Let’s take that one step further. Don’t allow others, period to interfere with your faith. And can we use this story to somehow capture in our times the sobriety of that first century church. And great fear came upon the whole church. I get concerned.

Maybe it’s a concern about myself, and if I’m concerned about myself, perhaps I’m concerned about others in the same vein. I’m concerned that response to that event. Do we have that same kind of healthy fear? Is that demonstrated in the way that we go about our lives as people of devotion and holiness? The way we participate among God’s people. Is there a sense of reverence and respect and fear about what we do in this place? I want to end this morning with Romans chapter 14. Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master, he stands or falls. And this is written in the context of behavior that we may not agree about.

But in this particular matter, he makes an important observation. Ultimately, if we’re unsure about the conduct of another, to his own master, he stands or he falls. Ananias and Sapphira fell. And they fell immediately. But then the verse ends with this. Positively. And stand he will. For the Lord is able to make him stand. By God’s help. We can stand before him.

Ananias and Zephyr are a real eye-opener. It doesn’t matter what everybody else sees. Or what they might think. Or how they may regard you. Isn’t it great to just look at everybody who’s here today? And to think, all these people are ready to go to heaven. If the Lord were to return, all these people are ready to go meet the Lord. But listen, are you? In your heart of hearts, are you ready to meet the Lord? What does he think about your conduct? That’s what really matters. Amen. He who believes and is baptized shall be saved. Have you made that first step that places you in Christ? So that there will be no surprise on the day of judgment. But you’ll be ready and confident when the Lord returns.

Let’s stand and sing.