GETTING STARTED
I love family reunions. No, really, I do. I truly enjoy talking to relatively complete strangers about holidays traditions, secret family recipes, and how quickly little Johnny has grown up. But one of my favorite family reunion pastimes is trying to make sense of the branches of our large family tree. During that process, I cannot even count how many times I’ve heard uttered the phrase, “Now, whose child are you?” And I always hope, as I answer that question, that my words and actions throughout the weekend have reflected well on my parents.
- How do our words and actions as Christians give clues about whose children we are?
READ THE WORD: ACTS 5:1-11 (ESV)
5:1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” 5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.
7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.8 And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.
English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
DIGGING DEEPER
- As Acts 4 closed, we learned that first century Christ followers were of one accord, selling their belongings and distributing funds to the needy. In verses 1-2 of chapter 5, what did Ananias and Sapphira do to seemingly join in with that? How was it different?
- It is tempting to say that Ananias and Sapphira’s sin was their greed, but what do verses 3 and 4 imply about that? What was their sin?
- Considering that the book of Acts provides a history of how God grew the early church, what does this story suggest about how God feels about deception and the church? What does this tell us about the relationship between deception and being an effective representative of Jesus?
- Does deception hinder church growth today? Why or why not?
- Do you struggle with lying or with “contriving [deceptive] deeds” in your heart? How does this impact your ability to be an effective witness for Jesus in your home and workplace?
RESPOND TO GOD
From the Old Testament to the New, God makes his thoughts about deception very clear. Why does God take such a hard line on lying? Because our tongues, and the heart attitudes behind our words, reveal whose children we really are. Satan is “a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44); Jesus is “the truth and the life” (John 14:6). When we lie—when we contrive, manipulate, and deceive—we are behaving more like children of Satan than children of God. When we lie, God’s reputation is on the line. There was no place for deception in the first century church, and there is no place for it in the twenty-first century church if it is going to grow and reach the world for Jesus.
- Ask God to forgive you for the times you have had a deceptive heart or lying tongue.
- Pray that God would give you the willingness and strength to tell the truth so that you can look and act like a child of God.
