Inside the Huddle

Wealthy people existed in the early church. The Bible does not say there were no rich people among the first Christians; rather, we read that “there was not a needy person” among them. Luke isn’t describing communism here. He is talking about a group of generous people who are sensitive to the needs of others. No one went to bed hungry because they could prevent it; no one slept on the street; no one went without clothes. The members took care of one another, and the wealthy even sold property in order to ensure this reality.

If you are wealthy, you need to see it as both blessing and responsibility. God has gifted you, but you’re accountable for what you do with the resources entrusted to you. Scripture doesn’t teach that you should necessarily sell it all (unless Jesus tells you to!), but you must take passages like 1 Timothy 6:17-19 to heart:

Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do what is good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and willing to share, storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of what is truly life.

The wealthy people mentioned in Acts 4 provide a wonderful example of what it looks like to embrace and apply this text.

At this point in the chapter, we’re introduced to one of Luke’s heroes: Joseph. He gets mentioned twenty-three times in Acts! Religiously speaking, the man was a Levite. Nationally, he was a foreigner from “Cyprus.” And his nickname, Barnabas, means “son of encouragement” or “son of exhortation.” This nickname embodied his life and ministry remarkably well. Azurdia says, “His ministry became his moniker” (“The Simplicity of Unity”).

If mature believers were to look at your life and give you a nickname based on their impressions, what would it be? For what are you known?

Later in Acts we read more about Barnabas. He invested in the lives of younger believers (9:26-30). He had a good eye and a glad heart (11:19-23). He encouraged believers to remain faithful to the Lord (11:23). He was humble and trustworthy (11:25-30; 13:1–14:28). He was patient with the imperfections of others (15:36-41; cf. Col 4:10; 2 Tim 4). But here in this passage, Barnabas’s generosity is emphasized.

Barnabas, like the others, didn’t have to sell a field and bring the proceeds to the apostles, but he chose to do just that. This act of generosity demonstrated how he loved Jesus and people more than stuff. The fact that he “laid it at the apostles’ feet” displays submission, humility, and trust. He trusted the apostles to distribute it. He didn’t want credit for how it was used. He wasn’t interested in self-glorification but in God’s glory.

Luke introduces him here because he stands in stark contrast to Ananias and Sapphira. In doing this, Luke is saying, Be like Barnabas, not like Ananias and his wife.

Churches couldn’t make it without generous heroes like Barnabas. The church has been sustained, enriched, and blessed by unsung heroes throughout her history, by those who have given generously to kingdom causes. We need to honor such servants. And we need to encourage people to see the extraordinary impact of a faithful personal giving ministry. Just as some Christians have a lifetime of teaching ministry ahead of them, others are positioned to spend their lifetimes blessing others through financial giving.

May we be a people who look for ways to give generously, sacrificially, and gladly. May the truth of the resurrection and a deeper grasp of Christ’s grace make us Barnabas-like servants. May such generosity lead to a wonderful experience of unity.

Acts 5:1-11

We must respect Luke as a historian. He doesn’t ignore the faults of the early church. He’s not writing a fairy tale about the figurative body of Christ. In Acts 5 we find the sad story that follows the previous beautiful one. This is a reminder that even in the most Spirit-filled congregations, the evil one is at work. Every gospel-preaching church will face opposition from the outside (4:1-31), and this story teaches how sinful actions create opposition on the inside, too.

While I could point out many lessons in this passage, Azurdia expresses its overarching idea succinctly: “A dangerous holiness is God’s response to a determined hypocrisy” (“The Simplicity of Unity”). Indeed, here we read about the duplicity of Ananias, the complicity of Sapphira, and God’s resulting, terrifying holiness.

Jesus called out Pharisees for their hypocrisy. They wanted to be known and praised for their righteous acts. Ananias and Sapphira exemplified that same spirit.

They were spiritual posers (vv. 1-2). Theirs was a sham holiness, a fake piety. Ananias and Sapphira were forced neither to sell a field nor to give all of the proceeds once property was sold. Doing either was totally voluntary. So what was the problem? Ananias apparently pretended to give more than he actually gave. They kept some of the proceeds, claiming to give it all.

They were praise seekers (vv. 1-2). These two wanted a reputation like Barnabas without having the compassion of Barnabas. Perhaps Ananias wanted a nickname too, a phrase that would make him sound important and that just might increase his popularity. Unfortunately, this same quest for the praise of people still infects the church today. Many live for the applause of the powerful. Others want to be on the inside with the leaders. Still others want admiration from members.

They were liars (vv. 3-4). The couple lied about their charity! And they did it together! The ease with which one can lie without considering the damaging ramifications on self and others demonstrates the sinful nature of humanity. Paul says that a symptom of one’s sin nature is lying (e.g., Rom 3:13). This contrasts with God’s nature, for it is impossible for God to lie (Titus 1:2). And God calls his people to be a people of integrity. He despises lying (Prov 6:16-18).

The reason the judgment on these two people seems so outrageous to some is simple. Few understand how serious lying really is. Peter says the pair lied to God (implying the deity of the Holy Spirit). That concept is terrifying! It suggests that God takes the untruths we tell as personal offenses. When people don’t value the holiness of God, they minimize sin. And when they do that, they devalue the cross, where Jesus traded places with liars.

They were greedy (v. 3). Peter says that Ananias and Sapphira “kept back” part of the proceeds. The verb used here means “to pilfer” or “to embezzle.” The same rare verb occurs in the Greek version of Joshua 7:1-26, in the story of Achan, which Luke would have known. The stories of Achan and Ananias are similar in multiple ways, including in the fact that the progress of the mission central to each story gets interrupted because of sin inside the camp. The stories of Achan, Ananias, Judas, the rich young ruler, and millions more testify to the devastating nature of greed. It must have no place within the church.

They were deceivers (v. 4). These two planned what they did. How foolish to think that no one knows about sinful plotting. God always knows what is done and said in secret; we can’t hide anything from him.

They were Satan’s instruments (v.3). Whatever we make of Peter’s question about Satan filling Ananias’s heart, we must affirm the real influence of Satan. The devil destroys through love of money, falsehood, and hypocrisy. He tempts people to act unwisely and godlessly. He tempts people to think that sin is no big deal. But make no mistake: his ultimate goal in all of this is to destroy people and the church. Jesus told Peter, “Simon, Simon, look out. Satan has asked to sift you like wheat” (Luke 22:31).

They were Spirit grievers (vv. 3-4). Ananias and his wife lied to the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is not a force but a person who can be grieved. One grieves the Spirit when he or she lies, deceives, steals, and participates in anything that is contrary to his holy nature.

As a consequence of this couple’s massive offense, judgment fell. It came from God, not Peter. In this scene Peter simply does what brothers and sisters do: he holds these professing believers accountable. Some argue that they died of heart attacks or some other common cause, but in any case the resulting spirit of fear that came upon everyone as well as the unceremonious burial they were given indicate that the people recognized what happened to these two as divine judgment.

But wasn’t this instantaneous judgment extreme? Only if you minimize the offense by minimizing the One against whom the sin was committed. God had been belittled by the actions of these two, and his church was facing a satanic assault made apparent by their deeds. God takes these things seriously. Paul spoke about God’s terrifying judgment as people took the Lord’s Supper impurely (1 Cor 11:28-30). That account wasn’t as dramatic as this one, but what happened in that case was real and serious, too.

This story should make us repent and say, “God have mercy on us! Make us like Barnabas, not like Ananias.” And, “Thank you Lord for your amazing patience with us. Grant us grace to avoid hypocrisy and to pursue integrity.”

In verses 7-10 Peter approaches Sapphira about her own involvement in the matter. The results of that meeting were the same. She shared in her husband’s conspiracy and would share in her husband’s fate. Sometimes it’s sinful for a wife to submit to her husband; her loyalty first belongs to God. She should not have gone along with Ananias’s devilish plan.

Obviously, Ananias and Sapphira needed a healthy fear of the Lord. The God of all the earth demands respect. So, as we consider this passage, we shouldn’t think, God would never do that to me. Rather, we need to remember that “God is not mocked” (Gal 6:7). Just ask Uzzah, Nadab and Abihu, King Uzziah, the exodus generation, and the powerful people in Revelation who want the rocks to fall on them because their fear of the King’s judgment is so extreme. Proverbs teaches us that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom (Prov 1:7). If you don’t stand in awe of God, you are unwise. Destruction will come eventually.

Sapphira and Ananias also needed the application of the gospel. They either didn’t understand the gospel or had not allowed it to work down deep in their hearts. The gospel frees us from addictions to self and stuff. It frees us from pretending. It frees us from wanting praise from people. It frees us from wanting to lie, steal, and deceive. It makes us honest and generous. It sets our minds on the glory that is to be revealed. Let this story remind you of how badly you need to understand the gospel of grace and your identity in Christ.

Finally, this couple needed to livein repentance. We must learn from their mistake. When we are aware of personal sins, we must repent of them. In truth we are all guilty of hypocrisy, but as soon as we recognize it, we must repent. This couple had been living in known rebellion and sin. It appears they were OK with their hypocrisy.

This story calls the church to repent while there’s time. God does extend grace. The next story, in fact, shows how the church continued to increase and multiply in spite of this scene. God purified his church for the good of others who would believe, offering even more grace along the way. This truth teaches believers to repent and go and sin no more by the grace of God. It’s calling us to pursue the kind of existence outlined in 4:32-37 instead of 5:1-11.

May God make us a people known for gospel-saturated generosity, not evil hypocrisy.