But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. Acts 5:1
Why does the Holy Spirit record the sad account of Ananias and Sapphira in the Word of God? What profit is there for us in this story? It is there for a reason, we know. And across the centuries, there is a lesson that applies to us today, if we will seek it.
This couple had seen Barnabas bring a large amount of money and present it to the apostles, indicating that it was the proceeds of the sale of his land in the Jerusalem area. Such a large gift had caught the attention of everyone, and Barnabas had no doubt received a fair amount of praise for his generosity. The praise did not go to Barnabas’ head; after all, he was just doing what everyone else was doing, on a somewhat larger scale, and he was glad to be able to contribute what he had. But others were watching Barnabas, and wanted some of the praise that he had received. So they cooked up a little scheme to sell their land and to give some of the money to the apostles, pretending that it was the entire amount of the sale. Theirs would be the attention and the pat on the back, they assumed. But that’s not the kind of people who God can use in His Assembly. So they died.
When I look in a mirror, do I see an Ananias or Sapphira looking back at me? What are my motives for all that I do relative to God’s Assembly? Are the efforts and the money I contribute given with a desire to please the Lord or to receive a pat on the back? How sincere am I in all that I say and do for the Assembly and for the Lord’s people? When we consider how serious it was that Ananias and Sapphira were hypocrites about their contribution, we had better be certain that our motives are what they ought to be.
Ananias and Sapphira never did get the pat on the back. Their hypocritical act was dealt with severely and instantly, providing a lesson for us as to how seriously God considers lying to the Holy Spirit. But as far as we know, there has been no repeat of the drastic action taken in their case. But that doesn’t mean there have not been such cases afterwards, and even today. No, their case serves as a stern warning, and God has been patient and merciful. But that doesn’t mean God no longer considers it important. We need to keep that in mind when we seek to serve Him. If our desire is to please Him, it won’t matter what others think about us or what we do. Yes, it’s nice to get a word of thanks for our efforts, but if it doesn’t come (and we all know it doesn’t always come), it won’t matter to us, because we know that the Lord appreciates what we do for Him. -Jim MacIntosh