Acts Chapter 5:1-10

It wasn't that Ananias didn't sell the land.

It wasn't that that he can't back a portion after he sold the land. The problem is that Ananias misrepresented what he had done it, misrepresented or widen what the what he had presented and noticed what went Peter says uses why has Satan filled your heart because we do have a spiritual enemy very real thing. If you believe in God you believe in Jesus and Jesus spoke that we have a very real spiritual enemy welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina, one of the pressing issues is how to avoid hypocrisy and sometimes it happens in the church said today we have studio DA Brown was one of David Mickey's associate pastors in DA some ideas on this about one of the things it could create hypocrisy in our life is us not being real with God nor allowing God to be real with us today for the sit back and listen allow pastor David teach directly from the word of God allow God to speak to a student teaching. This could radically change everyone's life sounds good. So here's David McGee with his teaching.

Ananias and Sophia. So, in acts chapter 5 verse one and just as a point of review.

We've got early church reimburse a lot of glorious things happen. We were introduced last chapter, the Barnabas, the son of encouragement.

We talked about encouraging one another. Last week, and we see that Barnabas in a very sacrificial act sold his land and gave all the money to the apostles. Note verse 37 of the previous chapter closes and says and laid it at the apostles feet. Phyllis open up with acts chapter 5 verse one and a certain man named Ananias was to fire his wife sold a possession and he kept back part of the proceeds. His wife also being aware of it and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles feet. But Peter said Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to live to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself. Now what you notice something it wasn't that Ananias didn't sell the land. It wasn't that that he can't back a portion after he had sold the land. The problem is that Ananias misrepresented what he had done did misrepresented or widen what they and what he had presented and notice what Peter says uses why has Satan filled your heart. And as we do have a spiritual enemy very real thing. If you believe in God. If you believe in Jesus then Jesus spoke that we have a very real spiritual enemy somebody that wants us to fall to fail so I want us to give up my wants us to give up wise about what I wanted. I include that in because in Proverbs it says a righteous man that we fall will get up seven times since my just the stumbling everybody stumble everybody to fail at some point is that giving up that discouragement that the enemy will come to you with. I thought you know Darth Vader and in the Star Wars movies. That was a very impactful thing here because Darth Vader would always come up to Luke and go get into the dark side give into your anger.

Give into your fear and give up and join our side that was very effective at probably closer to the truth and were comfortable with.

Now and it will let me say this. While I enjoyed the message of redemption. The Darth Vader ended up on the good side, that's not what happens in the end of the book, so I need to be clear that it was good to get say that notice something to there was an attack one on one outside of the church.

But notice where this attack is coming from Cy coming from outside the church is coming from inside the church. Life lesson here off the bat enemy usually attacks the church from within our enemy usually attacks the church from within. It it was one thing for the early church, the kind of stand up to the Sanhedrin. This counsel that was standing against them and throw them in jail and beat him up and all these things.

It was a much more sinister thing that one of the people here took it upon themselves to live.

Now here's the thing, as believers, I think we can be. We can be very vigilant, maybe too vigilant about attacks coming from outside the church, but we should maintain the same vigilance towards the inside attacks in a while will sit and watch the news ago you know that's bad the world. Look how evil the world is once really no surprise. But will we maintain that same billet vigilance as we listen to some I complain about leadership complain about the church or complain about the pastor. We need to be vigilant in those attacks now.

Again, notice the phrase in verse 37 and laid it at the apostles feet. It's interesting to look at verse two of chapter 5 and laid it at the apostles feet think Ananias and Sapphire think Ananias saw what Barnabas did and all I want to do that. I want to do that very likely God had not told him to do that or there would've been a freedom to do it. He would up. I think it would've followed the but he saw Barnabas and said I want to do that.

Listen family.

Be careful that be careful look at some other person and think all I want to do that.

I want to do that snow got. I want you to use me in this way, I want you to use me in that way. Be careful because that's where a lot of trouble starts. You know at this point it's interesting to me now begins a male think that they they will buy job and and and they don't really know what it is I do work and that's a dangerous thing. It's a dangerous thing because the look at somebody else's ministry or look at smiles life and I want to do that will number one at your breathing discontent in your really inviting disaster and it's a pitfall. It's a pitfall that you can fall and it's hard to get out and part of this pitfall to him in serving the Lord and maybe Ananias was serving a really total lot about them, but perhaps it was serving the Lord seat. Here is the thing. I think this is counter to its theories or label this under conjecture. I think that when Barnabas did this. A lot of people like all part of his way to go.

Last thing we heard you sold this land and what an awesome thing and Ananias thought. I want some of that on people to thank me. I want them to appreciate me. That's a dangerous thing for Christian. Now we should be appreciative of the people like the people that serve your people show up early and clean up the church and make the coffee and all these different things. I really appreciate. I really appreciate, but these people aren't here for me to say thank you to try to do that on a regular basis. Even right now. Thank you thank you if you're doing it but they're not doing it weight on my thank you and if they are when their motivation is wrong and if you step out to serve God.

Thinking people are going to appreciate you and you're getting it lots warm fuzzy stuff. Let me line you. It'll happen every now and again you can't live on. You can't as if I would if I was living for the thank youse adequate a long time ago.

Now I so appreciate people to send emails and send cards and sing like him got a lot lately and need more encouragement about.

I really appreciate that, but I can't survive on that. I'm getting really love those boots go to your molars that you got a little bit longer now. I mean I can't get you can't you can't do. See what Peter says in verse four.

While it remained natural and after was sold was not your control while you can see this thing in your heart is not lied to men but the God to Peter say no is your land, you could have done what you wanted to with you when it was in your possession, but notice he says you not lied to men but to God through the Holy Spirit is called God. Here in the previous verse it says lot to the Holy Spirit in verse four it says Lotta Godson. We can see, not the rockets us just plain logic.

We can see that the Holy Spirit is described as God. Holy Spirit has divine attributes he not it.

Not yet.

The Holy Spirit is not it. It's that he is never referred to isn't it in Scripture it's never a good thing with my refers to you is in the right usually bad thing. Okay, we refer the Holy Spirit as he is. He now he has such godlike attributes as number one. All power is in Luke chapter 1 verse 35 says and the angel answered and said to her Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the highest will overshadow you therefore also that holy one who is to be born will be called the son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative is also conceived a son in her old age and this is now the six month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible to says this happens in the Holy Spirit minutes is with God nothing is impossible, attributing impossible things to the power of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit is everywhere. Psalm 139 verse seven says where can I go from your spirit or can I flee from your presence by send an avenue.

Are there make my bed and held the hold you are there Holy Spirit is everywhere, are omnipresent as the theological term we use in the Holy Spirit has all knowledge. First Corinthians 2 verse 1011 says, but God has revealed them to us through his Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things is the deep things of God for what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God and then we have that the spirit is eternal. Hebrews chapter number 14 says how much more shall the blood of Christ and through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve. Serve the living God through the eternal Spirit so Holy Spirit is God is part of the doctrine of what we call the Trinity. Now I know in some of civil Trinity is not in the Bible what that word particular is not the Bible but neither cars and we drop right so there certain words that describe certain things and we see a beautiful illustration of the of the Trinity went at the baptism of Jesus.

John baptizes Jesus the class that the Spirit ascends like and and then there's a voice from heaven, the father, saying, behold, my son, in whom I am well pleased. So we see the Trinity. So what is is like God schizophrenic or we a polytheist. We believe in more one God or or what is the deal. We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons is what we believe now how can you say that you believe in one God, but he is eternally existent in three persons, because one plus one plus one equals three. How can you say that sounds like you believe in three God's well.

We believe in one God, represented in those three persons were personalities of you will.

We look at things like water you may have heard that analogy unit water takes three forms. It's water is a liquid when you turn into ice. It's a solid or be heated to the point that it's theme, it's now a vapor it's the same thing expressed in three different ways will be right back with more from David McGee on cross the bridge right now there's a word from associate pastor DA Brown hey guys want to take just a minute to pray for some cities in our listening audience.

Specifically, Ashland Oregon and Baker city Brookings Canyon Ville Cave Junction, Cloverdale, and Colton, Louis, thank you for the cities and everyone listening. We pray that you would pour out your spirit on these broadcast audiences.

Father we pray that pastors would have wisdom in the cities and how to love their communities load up. Pray that people would put their trust in you gotta pray that you would give the governmental leaders wisdom and discernment that you would protect the city's father there be peace in the cities and Lord, that your word would be high and lifted up in Jesus name, amen, amen.

Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse verse five then at alas hearing these words fell down in Brenda's last, so great fear came upon all those who heard these things now understand Peter didn't do this.

Peter did not do this. I think Peter at this point was as surprised as anybody.

I think Peter said you know what you're doing is bad. This is not good. There was mop and perhaps some sense of foreboding or rule unit and he said let you that you did a bad thing, but I think he was really shocked when Ananias fell over dead. So this is something that God did Morgan talk about this is a difficult passage, but understand what we don't have all the details here.

I mean this is this is obviously something that's in-depth there's more to the story but we have about 11 verses that we can look at.

We can learn from. We can glean from you. I wondered as I was studying this passage and Ananias have previous warnings that you did. I bet she did. I look back on my life and slip in a really stupid things that blew up in my face you know there was that feeling right before you did it, and perhaps you, you can connect with us in a right before it is all what I really probably shouldn't do this, you know. But then you did it anyway and then bad things happen. Maybe it's never happened with you sympathize with me, if you will for a moment you know there is I think Ananias probably hand but he proceeded anyway. Can you imagine God act like this every time we did this mean Ananias said hey I gave all he did give all people would be dropping like flies impairment.

I mean think about every time we surrender our unit we sing that song pastor and I will be following over. Gotta get no you didn't praise God he praised God he doesn't see this is the thing again. It's not that he didn't give the land, it's that he was not to be looking about looking at an end. Maybe you're looking to just go wow this is really cold. This is really cool when three verse six and the young men arose and wrapped them up, carried them out and buried, they you you needed to be buried within 24 hours history to this day and Judaism that you need to be buried in 24 hours and last there's some sort of exception of your gotta be buried at the Mount of olives is a guy get your body over there and so the let you be buried more than 24 hours with so they buried him right away but see here's the thing guys your life was given the it was given the unit go out and earn your life you were given your life who was your life given to you by God I got yes he used your mom and your dad, but it was God who was responsible for that miracle of birth our life lesson here. Our life is all loan from God our life is on loan from God. We act like our life is arose my life will know it's not really. I mean, did you go get your life at Walmart or Target or Best Buy or something. Now it was a gift to give a gift from God. See this is important understand you don't own your life, your steward of your steward of your life and at some point you stand before God and you give an account you give an account of the things you didn't think you didn't do yesterday but that's if you're not saved.

None on Scriptures are clear, everybody does everybody stand before God and gives account for their life. Since important understand this concept of stewardship that you are a steward of your life. Your life is on loan me look at your walking on his earth, your breathing is there your living off the plants he invented the controls your heart be your breathing all those things. Your life is indeed on one verse seven that was about three hours later when his wife came in not knowing what it happened. Peter answered her tell me whether you sold the land for so much you suggest for so much man. If there's any time a wife could say, you really should have told me this is, but he didn't have opportunity to. She takes part two verse nine then Peter said to her, how is it that you have agreed together to test the spirit of the Lord. Look at the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door and they will carry you out. Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last in the young men came in and found her dead carrying her out, buried her by her husband, so why, I don't think Peter knew what was going happen to Ananias, we see that he didn't know what was going to happen. The supplier and he actually told her your your gear to fall down dead just a moment here. This is a very intense passage very intense passage know what was going on. Well, one thing that was going on was God was purifying the church he was purifying the church and again we can stay in office spectators and think will guide you really should have done that to Ananias and Sapphire. We don't know all the details and what we didn't create Ananias and so far, their lives were not on loan from us.

They were on loan from God. God is God and God sometimes purifies the work God doesn't does that here you realize that God does that. Here I unit not not liking this fashion who hear about that was on the website but it would not think visitors would not way way down the church but God does verify the work occasionally. Be honest. Occasionally I will look at somebody and I will say to them you know what think you ought to go to church somewhere else I do that I may think in pastor that's wrong you if you do, that the church won't grow well have been doing that since we started the fellowship. See because there are some people in and different situation to have people that run around being really divisive and said that he got, you can't do that can't keep doing that and then they keep doing that and I sit with him to should go to church somewhere, because see at that moment what they've shown me is another pastor they may go to church here, but I'm not the pastor, and I'm not the pastor, they should go to church or and and so we see that God purifies the work. God does that. Now just breezed there last breezed her last. This is interesting to understand life is fragile. We don't treat her like is fragile, but let me promise you it, it is fragile and one thing that of seen as a pastors how fragile it is because you know whether you're in the hospital and you're watching a woman in her 60s or 70s died of cancer. John trying to breathe or you you perform in the funeral of a 21-year-old died from a drug overdose. And what I do realize that life is fragile, but we don't think it is we don't treat it like it's fragile. See in your breath.

You realize your your breath is a gift from God. The fact that you breathe is a gift from God that breath that you just took is a gift from God. It's interesting when you start to study the Bob Stark study the body. There's two muscle groups are involuntary, and there's a volunteer voluntary are the muscles that you control another words you know a lot to say, well, you know my brains is my hand and I want you to wave out over people, and hopefully you know of days and those like right that's involuntary muscle involuntary muscles. Your liver, your kidneys, your heart, your lungs, you don't control this the call involuntary muscles, the breath you just took you took it without thinking about your heart beating right now is beating without you thinking about losing control of that or just know God is in control. God is in control of the important things.

And if you can trust them with your heartbeat and you contrasting with your lungs. Guess what you can trust him with everything else that's interesting that God set it up like you because you think about it in spiritual terms. And guess what God is responsible for salvation which is responsible for accepting either accepting or rejecting once you accepted it is a work of God. There's nothing he did add to it.

So the important thing spiritually is something again that God has not done it for our benefit because we couldn't save ourselves any more than you can make your heart be in this whole brass thing you remember that God breathed life into you gave Adam his breath same way he gives you your and with every breath that we we recognize that we have been given her life from God friend you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Jenna short, simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. God want you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you.

Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things.

Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen it friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. So congratulations bring you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life you're the Bible tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.

But it does cost for us to come and bring that message to you and to others in your neighborhood through radio through the Internet and through the mobile technologies that God has gifted us to be able to use so if you like to support this ministry. Please go to cross the bridge.com. Click on the donate button and ask God how much you would have you give either on a one-time basis or continuing basis each month to help ensure that the teaching of God's word continues to go out to cross the bridge. Thank you so much ODA before we go. What are some ways that we can bless our listeners each day.

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