A Scary Story

“How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” Acts 5:9

Yikes! That’s what I always think when I read this story. Personally, I would just as soon skip it, but since Luke was led to record it, the plot must hold some points worth pondering. The event is set in the midst of the church’s genuine generosity. “No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had…From time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need”(Acts 4:32-35). In the subsequent verses, two contrasting examples remind us that when it comes to giving, our motive means more than the method.

Bighearted Barnabas comes first. In humility and honesty, he sold a field and offered the entire profit to those in need. Ananias and Sapphira follow next. They also sold some land but decided that if they worked the system, they could get full accolade for only a partial contribution. “With his wife’s full knowledge Ananias kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet”(Acts 5:3) pretending it was the full selling price, but God let Peter in on the dirty, little secret, and he called Ananias’ bluff. “How?” Peter asked. “How is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit?”(Acts 5:3). And “What?” “What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.”(Acts 5:4) And just then, just like that, Ananias fell down dead.

Three hours later, his wife, Sapphira, unaware of the preceding events, showed up to visit the apostles. “Tell me,” Peter asked her, “Is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”(Acts 5:8). Her deceitful confirmation was her death sentence. “How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?” Peter demanded. “Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also. At that moment she fell down at his feet and died”( Acts 5:9).

“Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events”(Acts 5:11). You think?? I’m scared just reading about it! Kind of makes you nervous about next Sunday’s offering! But it doesn’t have to, and here’s why: God isn’t saying we should sell all we have and give all we’ve got or else we’re goners. He simply wants our motive to match our method. The problem was not what they did but why they did it. Peter told Ananias, “Look, the land, and then the loot, was both at your disposal. You could have done with it whatever you wanted, but you just can’t lie to God about it.” If Ananias had walked in and honestly stated that his offering was one-third or one-half of the profit of the sale, all would have been well—and all would have stayed alive. The gift wasn’t compulsory, but the truth was required.

This story shouldn’t scare us, but it should sober us and cause us to consider why we do what we do. Don’t ever try to live a lie.
Share generously. Give honestly. And do both for God’s glory.