Ananias and Sapphira, ever hear of them? If you haven't, their story is found in the Bible book of Acts of the Apostles. They played a role in church history that nobody really wanted to take. It was a role that they chose, however.
They gave money to the church and paid for it with their lives. How was that? What? Come again?
It went like this. Just after Pentecost and the arrival of the Holy Spirit, God was doing miraculous things to kickoff what became the church. There were miracles, signs and wonders and, what Peter called, fulfilled prophecy (Joel). Tongues, or other languages were used to spread the word of the Gospel. It was a time like no other and the church was growing exponentially.
Persecution began to happen with the jailing of Peter and John. They were accused of filling Jerusalem with their doctrine. Of course that is exactly what they were doing! Their doctrine was the Gospel, that Jesus was the Christ, the Savior of the world.
So what was with this couple, Ananias and his wife Sapphira? What part did they play?
At that time, in Jerusalem, there were so many people coming to a saving knowledge of Christ, there was a need for helping these new converts with daily food and necessities. There were thousands that needed a place to stay, meals and other essentials. Many of the converts were from other parts of the world and had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. As the believers, who were residents of the city, saw the growing needs they began to give of their means to help.
Some went to drastic and amazing lengths by selling properties to give to the cause. Barnabas is introduced into the narrative here as "son of encouragement" when he sold a piece of land to give the proceeds to the needy.
Enter Ananias and his wife Sapphira. They too sold a piece of property and gave money to the poor. However, there was a twist to their side of the story. A twist that nobody knew about. Nobody but the Holy Spirit that is.
As Ananias laid his bag of money at the Apostle's feet, no doubt with a look of pride, no sooner had the jingle of the jingle hitting the floor subsided when a very serious dialog came from Peter's lips. Here is how author Luke puts it in Acts chapter 5:3, 4, Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God."
What happened next left the entire church in total fear. Ananias dropped dead. He and his wife had conspired together to look good with their "sacrificial" gift.
A few minutes later Sapphira came into the gathering, not knowing what had happened to her husband. Peter asked her if they had sold the land for "such and such". When she said "Yes, that was the price." Peter came back with this, "How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also." With that, she too dropped dead.
Why did this happen then and why doesn't it happen today? It seems that the likelihood of people cheating on their charitable contributions is much greater today than way back then. Doesn't it?
Here is the reason why the consequences were seemingly greater back then. The church was in its formative stages. This whole concept was new. It was God's New Covenant being put into action. Jesus said that the gates of Hell would not be able to resist its advance. With this couple's spectacular death God was making another statement, "Don't mess with the plan. This church thing is serious business".
Here we are nearly 2000 years later and the message is still the same. Church is serious business. Don't mess with the plan. I wonder at times how many of our Sunday membership would drop dead if God still did what he did to Ananias and Sapphira? Would you be on the floor?
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