A Church’s Sin and God’s Amazing Grace, Part 2

Janie is a deadly serious matter to God, to be honest with each other. If we are offended by the swift judgment of God describe here. It simply reveals our ignorance of God's our sinfulness and the seriousness of our sin in relation we should not ask the question why did they die. We should wonder why many of us remain alive is to focus on ourselves as we try to look good on the outside subject today on Summit life as pastor Jeannie Greer reminds that appearances can be deceiving instead of making things better thinking only about ourselves can result in some pretty serious consequences were continuing our series in the book of acts titled sense. If you missed any of the previous messages.

Again, free of charge. Janie clear.com Pastor Katie titled today's message church said God today you see a moment of failure and tragedy in the early church that I believe God is warning some of some of you specifically in the story that you're going to see recorded at chapter 5 before start America back a couple verses about 434 was not an easy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and elated at the apostles feet and it was distributed from bear to each as any had need. These were the most generous people on earth. Nobody was like hey that's my car. Hey, that's my house everything they had a sense of commonness about them, their properties, their possessions refreshes not getting the limits to this, the premier verse 36 thus Joseph was also called by the apostles Barnabas, a Levite, I may have of Cyprus sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles Barnabas has to be one of the coolest figures in acts is always laying his money down and picking people up. That's Barnabas because his hold on his staff had loosened his grip on other people had Titans chapter 5, but but a man named Ananias whose name by the way, means God is merciful.

I say if you manage why think a significant with his wife Sophia Ira sold a piece of property, and with his wife's knowledge together. He kept back for himself. Some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles feet first three but Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit. Peter says and keep back for yourself are the proceeds of the land. Why is it that you have contrived estate in your heart you have not lied to men you like to God what was wrong with what they did was it that they Not part of the proceeds of the land for themselves, not at all. The problem was that Ananias presented the gifts as if it was the full amount. When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear underline that word great fear came upon all who heard of it. Verse seven.

After an interval of about three hours his wife came in not knowing what happened. Peter said to her, tell me whether you sold the land for so much or not. She said yes we sold it for so much.

But Peter said to her, how is it that you have agreed together to test the spirit of the Lord all the feet of those who buried your husband are at the door.

They will carry you out. Immediately she fell down at his feet, and she breathed her last will only ask a few questions of this tax, heirs first? Why did Ananias and Sophia redo what they did there. Why was symptomatic here this much deeper problem. They love money and they love the praise of people and they knew they could not get the praise of people unless they in their minds gave away all their money. They want to give away all their money because they love money so they lied about giving away all the money so they could keep the praise of people have both of those things, like the opposite of Barnabas right Barnabas is filled with the spirit and gave away his stuff to bless people there, filled with the love of money and the love of the praise of people. They lie about their generosity to obtain praise from people sin is like lying going to see. Sounds like lying always come from somewhere. These lies went all the way down to the deepest parts of their heart. My second question why God strike him dead as everyone who lives in search of straw bed you're here I'm here is a couple reasons.

The first is that these people have been really close to the activity of God whenever you're close to the activity of God.

The seriousness of sin increases but more importantly, the reason that God killed them. Is this your member the concept of sign we talk about a couple weeks ago assignment is a temporary manifestation of something that God will one day do with everyone. We applied it to healing. Remember feeling God does not heal everyone now in the church of every disease they have.

One day he will do that and so every once in a while he do this a lot. It actually still doesn't today to every once a while he will break in a miraculous heal, to give us a glimpse of what one day you will do with everyone when the same way.

What you see in Ananias and Sapphire is a glimpse of what what God will one day do with everyone who has a heart of Ananias and Sapphire just because it doesn't happen all the time now. Do not think that this is not a picture to you and a warning to you of what one day will be the reality for all of us, which was number three. What is God for the third question, what is God teaching us through the side what God signify what is he trying to teach us to be a handful of things.

One, in the church. There are two kinds of people and it's nearly impossible to distinguish them from the outside.

As we try to show us in the church are two different kinds of people we have. Ananias is a virus and we got Barnabas's will is barred by I and it's nearly impossible to distinguish them from the outside. Ananias is a virologist I Barnabas told either or both will involve the church. The rose praise Lord brother. They put their hands up and worship generous, but underneath their confessions is a world of distinction underneath their confessions is in Ananias and Safari love of money and a lot of the praise of people is never been repented of and is there controlling thing was reading this week of the letters of John. John did write amazing grace said this thing is really scared me old but honestly never got my attention. He said you know we become great imitators, and so a lot of people grow up in church and I learned to imitate the language of people who had genuine experiences with God when he says it is, as the tragedy is that they think that talking about these experiences is the same thing as having adverse experiences and they just pulled himself into thinking that because they use the language because they go along. They've actually had an experience of God's glory and how to experience God's grace is not to say what you got in the church. You got some people genuinely altered by the grace and glory of God.

We got others who have learned imitate.

So how do I know which one I am you look underneath you look at the lives of Ananias and Sapphire had one confession with her mouth that may have some secrets in her heart that they had not revealed they knew they were inconsistent.

They knew they were hypocrites and others are parallel to the story in the Old Testament.

This is almost always true in acts so when God was bring the children of Israel out of out of Egypt to the promised land. The first battle that they have the promise land. What is Georgia J. Ross Errico, the battle of Jericho. That's right.

So they go to Jericho, God, mighty victory.

Multiple down okay is awesome is the most powerful city in the promised land is obliterated right battles with little town called AR which is Podunk down and think you really need to like you know which is another JV squad on this one is like imagining like you conquered Washington DC battles Roxborough right so you like your whatever so that is walk in there and they just get there there there there were rings get right and so on. So Joshua leader, the Army goes God is a God, but we will God says is because there's a guy the Army who has sin, and so I God says Joshua says who is it got to separate the Army of the 12 tribes that are nothing drop Judah bring them front center will drop Judah comes up in the Army is not separate the clan. Which of the family group so-and-so now separate out of that clamp this family group is responsible now separate out of his extended family taken now if you look at his tent made on his tan and the pull back the floor. There is all this stuff that he had stolen that God had forgiven and they got a Jericho.

Some of the idols of the things that achiness stolen and hidden in his tent. Here's the thing with from the outside you could not distinguish taken from any other soldier but their stuff buried in his tent, but nobody else could see what's hidden in your tent what's hidden in your tent.

You know what I can see it, just like I can't see like Peter Saul this day in Ananias and Sapphire Jeannie – yourself the question, what about the confession you make with your mouth Jesus as Lord is backed up by life. It says that Jesus is Lord because of what Jamal says different. What your wife says what your wife says is a better testimony. What you believe in anything that comes out of your mouth. Which leads me to number two. We cannot hide from God. We cannot hide from God is what the story shows us the Holy Spirit know your thoughts as if they were being displayed on a screen or playful loudspeaker. How would you like that is attached to the side of your head with little monitor that everything that my ears got displayed. How would you like that.

How would you like with every thought was voiced and known by somebody else.

My friend you ever stop to think about that.

That's what it is under the eye of God.

There is not a thing that's hidden there is not a secret.

It is all noticed plainly we are naked and open in his psyche before says I know you know that what you really think about that because Ananias is a pirated very serious way.

Do you understand that there is nothing that is hidden from his site that one day he said everything that is hidden in the closet will be shouted from the rooftop. I know that you know that they watch this lesson.

They were so consumed with the praise of people that they never stop to reflect on whether or not they were actually right with God number one thing that keeps people in the church of heaven, you're so consumed with what other people think about you, but you never stop and think about whether or not you actually right with God when you actually know God. Forgetting that one day it's all gonna be naked and open and the only question is not what people thought about you. Number three, the closer we are to grace the greater the offensive sent some again I will be overly dramatic on this, but God has made us privy to some unusual movies of his spirit great grace comes great responsibility. I'm not talking to those of you right now listen who are guests in our church. You're here to somebody invited you and maybe are just beginning to investigate Christianity. I'm not talking to you I'm talking to those people who were here are because you think that this is the most entertaining church that you can find its way to go to church about you last little you think great songs and music so awesome and so this is your preferred TV program of church I'm talking about what it means to be in the presence in a place for God's spirit is moving for you to just play that's what I'm talking about. I'm saying that with this great outpouring of grace comes great responsibility. And when you were privy to what you see it with your eyes and you sit in the background. In the distance and you do nothing, the greater the experience of grace, the greater the offensive sent number four. Fear is a part of worship. Fear is a part of worship.

Now that might be an unusual idea for you as you notice how much the word fear repeated itself. In this passage verse five great fear came upon all who heard of it. Verse 11 great fear came upon the whole church and all who heard these things, was a result of that fear. Verse 14 more more people believe in the Lord God is infinite, and love. Yes, listen, but you can only know that love as you know, the magnificence of his glory and the might of God's power, the love of God. Listen, the true love of God grows out of fear of God. Hope turns in terms fear into a trembling and peaceful. Wonder, and fear takes everything trivial out of hope and makes it earnest and profound. Many of you have never really learned to love God because you never learn to fear God because it is the fear of God that makes the love and the pleasures of God, intense the terrors of God make the pleasures of his people intensive the fireside fellowship is all the sweeter when the storm is howling outside the cottage. My favorite definition of the fear, all mixed with intimacy. It's all the glory and majesty of the magnificence of God mixed with intimacy that comes from the fact that the Almighty has called me side. The comfort of the Holy Spirit came out of the fear of God and window sheathing to present us with a church begins to grow to one of the reasons or church the morning's call me when will reasons under more community to the fear of God is absent God's first work is to help you see the magnificence of who he is.

John again, this grace that taught my heart to fear you think about that phrase is grace that taught my heart to fear, then grace my fears relieved how precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed by the gracious, precious because the fear was real amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me is kind of a movement in Christian endeavor in music to change that phrase of seeing several versions of every written at first verse amazing grace, how sweet the sound.

I don't like the phrase wretch like me because are positive you can do it you got potential, culture, and the opera Dr. Phil been like that you will starting work only by a wretch to say something if you don't see yourself as a wretch. God's grace will never be amazing to know why.

Amazing grace doesn't have a sweet sound to you wonder why your eyes have not wept since in Islam, maybe never over the cross. He wonder why because you have no fear of God because you have no fear of the storm is grace that teaches your heart fear and then grace your fears relieved number five sin is a deadly serious matter to God as a deadly serious matter. God can we be honest with each other for minute many of us find God's actions in the story offensive.

Do we not God. Try doing the best little mistake, you should cantankerous was if we are offended by the swift judgment of God describe here. It simply reveals our ignorance of God's holiness.

Our sinfulness and the seriousness of our sin in relation to his holiness.

We should not ask the question why did they die.

We should wonder why many of us remain alive.

Listen, God is indeed long-suffering patient and slow to anger. In fact, he is so slow to anger them in his anger does erupt were shocked and offended by. We forget rather quickly to God's patience is designed to lead us to repentance, to give us time to be redeemed, but instead of taking advantage of this patient's by coming humbly to him for forgiveness. We use this grace as opportunity to become more bold in our sin, we delude ourselves into thinking that either God didn't care about it that he is powerless to punish us, the supreme folly is that we think we will get away with our revolt. As you not understand that the season that we are random people die for their sin is designed by God in his patients to give you space to repent. That's all it therefore but instead you and I use that forbearance of God as a way to forget about the judgment of God to forget that he sees everything and go on sinning with impunity like it's never come back to us. Do you not understand that if what God did to Jesus is true. If God took his perfect son and put them on the cross and put nails in his hands and his feet and allowed his perfect son Mott humiliated strip naked scorning from the eyes of the whole world allowed Roman soldiers spit in his perfect face to rip out his beard and lacerated his body with West because of your sin do not understand how serious he is about it. I met this season that there is forbearance and see if an patient is not using impunity for you to come home to God and think God for his grace and receive it. While there is still time because this moment of Ananias and Sapphire is coming for you and every hidden thing is going to be exposed for all to be brought to light.

You may have for me and everybody else around me all our lie.

We may never know what's in your tent that is exposed as a deadly serious matter to God. My last question are you lying to the Holy Spirit lying to the Holy Spirit, pretending to be more spiritual than you are you a hypocrite. I know that college students come in here for whatever reason we cannot measure when they come, maybe feel guilty. Maybe you do lose touch of God by your college maybe you just destroy erase your confess later that Jesus is Lord, but how you live the other nights of this week do not confess Jesus is Lord, maybe you're not a college student so your sins are really lasciviousness or party or whatever. Jim Elliott the missionary to Ecuador, said this about this passage is this passage in acts five. Reminds me of the thousands of Christians who sing, I surrender all, but if given an unyielding note to God about giving their lives and their sons and their daughters to go to the mission field. In the words they say I surrender all, Jesus is Lord, knowing full well there are multiple parts of their lives that they will not allow God to touch. I have had so-called Christian parents who look me in the face and say I ventured all our lives. Yes, I will never let my son or daughter grown go follow Jesus to the mission field.

I just refuse it, confessing with their mouth that Jesus is Lord blaspheming the Holy Spirit with their lives by safe note to God and then Jim Elliott said this Christians don't tell lies.

Christians sing them because the confession they make in church is not backed about her life what Harry will you not surrender to God, you might look for an ISA survivor started the love of money love the praise of people. Maybe you won't stand up for Jesus and the places you need to. Maybe will share Christ as your word about your reputation. Maybe that's a non-surrendered area.

Maybe it has to do with money like there's maybe maybe I Jesus is Lord, but he's not touching that I'm not obeying God when it comes to how I should be John not doing that what you say with your life what you say with your pocketbook. What you say with every part of your life is more significant to God and what you say with your lips treating Jesus flippantly between the Holy Spirit, literally your person feels like. For example, when Denice and Sapphire are all grace.we know that God is gracious and they presumed upon the spirit of grace are you kind of person so that trust in Jesus as my Savior all my sins are forgiven like heavenly Visa card. I can run anytime I sin finished, they got to love Emily does right now. You taken that message of the gospel and then use it as a license to sin you. Somebody walks the church thinking about this more about your lower than God's like an ISA Safari becoming the church and what you're concerned with is how people think about you, not what people think about got this would get me going to walk as I stand up every week and I tremble to think how may times. I stand up. You're more concerned with what you think about me than what you think about God. You come into this place. Think more about your reputation.

God's glory. Ultranationalist what's underneath.

I can hear the confession your mouth that you know what's in your tent.

Now imagine at this point some of you may maybe overwhelm with despair. How can any of us ever hope to stand before God which of us is not Ananias is a fire right which of us is not Ananias is a fire, where will for someone. Nine if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If you expose your sin, you will forgive you hide your sin even though we are still underlined. Never let perfection in order to get his grace we can experience the same blessing.

The early church dead as long as we confess where we fail him and trust him to restore ass we are so grateful for your partnership and as our way of saying things with you and exclusive resource we created just for you to study guide title the book of acts, volume 1, you can use this book in your own personal quiet time for some hundred discussion first eight chapters of acts get your copy. Since the book of acts, volume 1. When you donate today. I 5220 866-335-5224. If it's more convenient to get any request for the online business@katiegreer.com Molly of intervention. I'm so glad you were with us today is Wednesday. We will hear about one man took the risk of crossing cultural barriers for the sake of unity Wednesday on Senate life changing