A Church’s Sin and God’s Amazing Grace

Today on cement line where you failed when you're one of two things are filled with the spirit filled the spirit characterize what this by contentment and satisfaction, and radical generosity. Double your stock is you only work behind the scenes as you only praise not devastated by criticism. That's one thing or your filled with the love of people, and the love of money and you're always hungry because it comes out of the heart of the satisfaction which one of those more characterizes you another week. Solid light after author and theologian JD Greer. As always, I'm your host Molly minutes Pastor JD is unpacking what it means to live the gospel centered life fueled by the Holy Spirit, and the question we all have is what does it look like it's an exciting and practical message from her series titled sense we've been discussing the birth and the mission of the early church in order to discover our part in the great commission. If you missed any of the previous messages in this series. Listen online@jdgreer.com. Now let's get started as pastor JD picks up in chapter 4 the last five chapters has been incredible and it defied any and all explanation a small group of unqualified people with no money, no armies, no power people in strategic positions of influence that it have newscasters and movie stars and congressmen and women. They just work a bunch of blue-collar workers from a backwards part of the world to absolutely turn the world upside down and change the course of human history forever that only two weapons in their arsenal. One weapon was that they were deeply devoted to the message of the gospel.

They believed they believe all their heart and they rearrange their entire life around it. The other weapon that they had is that they were filled with the Holy Spirit which makes the things that were reading here in the first chapters of acts that much more applicable to us as you think you should read these stories and some cool things that happened 2000 years ago. I believe that this is God's counsel and guidance to us as we experience some of the same things that they were experiencing. This is like God coaching us. These stories are not about them than about us is in excess bubbly country.

This is what I always wanted church to be told you before that church is supposed to be like a huddle in a football game. You know or I mean like you're on the field and in this analogy on the quarterback and you come together and I call play run run play most churches they will operate that way. It's like a huddle is the play so that you all to imagine watching professional football game and belted together the field and Eli Manning would've called to play and golf. It's done all all players get all around like Don was an awesome play call that played all right management here about my neck stood up.

What you call that way was so awesome you in the mail back to sit on the bench and in a way for a few minutes and come back out and I called another way.

You know about the way this analogy is on the quarterback that would make our worship pastor the head cheerleader at top of the head cheerleader, of this of this whole deal. At some point you like hate. The point is not calling play is running the Dwight so what makes this so fun is I feel like every week I'm just I'm showing you what's happening so that you can run the play more effectively in our community to doing that is what makes it so absolutely excited today you see a moment of failure and tragedy in the early church, and I believe in God is warning some of us some of you specifically in the story that you're going to see recorded acts chapter 5 action before the start America back a couple verses and ask for in verse 34 was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and they laid it at the apostles feet and it was distributed from there 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 was a sense of commonness about them, their properties, their possessions, their toothbrushes not getting them should have limits to this, but they just had a sense that that the community people were more important omission was more important than our staff about the way I hear about this. A lot of our church.

This is gotta be one of the most generous places I've never personally been a part of and how you take care of each other how you bear each other's burdens and I share with each other, right just down the gospel have loosened their grip on their styles and tighten their grip on each other because that's what always happens when the gospel is always somebody you're holding your stock solutions in your grip on people tighten, because that's what Jesus did for us right though he was in the form of God, he did not consider equality with God something to be clung to, but he divested himself of this privilege and disposition in this glory, he made himself a servant took upon himself the form of a servant so that he could go to La Crosse and die for our sick though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, so that we through his poverty might become rich. Jesus's hold on his position of glory on his stuff.

You will loosen and his Holderness tighten because he couldn't hold them at the same time, she would gladly let his stuff go so that he could rescue us. That's what happens to them because that's what Jesus had done for them never heard it said it when it comes to generosity that some people are like rocks. The only way for God to get anything out of them yet is yes I hammer them and still he only gets chips and sparks other people more like sponges for God to get something out of them is going to squeeze with them only quit squeezing. They go back to their normal, selfish, self-centered, self other people however like honeycombs biggest drip is sweetness. You can't be around them without getting that sweetness just all over you. The gospel takes people with hearts of stone and it turns them into honeycombs, minus the bees.

That's not part of the analogy, but just turn to be the people who just exude generosity to all who are around the which one of those three are you like a rock, a sponge or Veronica the premier verse 36 thus Joseph was also called by the apostles Barnabas, which means son of encouragement you noticed on the way they love nicknames of the early church had never noticed before. I think it's is great, a Levite, a native of Cyprus sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles feet, not Barnabas has to be one of the coolest figures in acts is name may not; English, but in whatever language it was given and it was a great main and every time you see Barnabas here is why he got that name. He appears six times in the book of acts. The first time you see this here easily different.

One is given away all the stops of the ministry go forward be able to be taken care of second time you see Barnabas to be in acts nine.

Saul is converted later becomes Paul.

When Saul was converted never saw until Christians and so that the early church is like because I do in my small group because you know broad boundaries are crazy and I got a hatchet hacker heads off a worm when I do that Barnabas is the one Anaximander stands and says and I since God doing something in him. I thought we ought to give Paul a chance and I feel like we ought to bring them into our fellowship.

The second time you see 1/3 time you seem is in acts 1120 early church is beginning to diversify the reach out to the Gentiles. Yes, who's leading in diversification. Jesse's befriending and pastoring all the Gentiles Barnabas when it comes time to go on a mission trip, and Paul says I'm called to go. Guess who the first volunteer is to go on that mission trip. It's Barnabas right will later in that mission trip regarding John Mark joins them. John Mark traveled with them for a while and then John Mark gets scared and goes home abandons Paul White will John Mark.

After a few months of home repents and comes back and says I want to rejoin the team and Paul says no way no how we want shame on me for me twice shame on you not rejoining the state and Gothic Paul who I could talk a lot about grace.

We was not very gracious himself at different points and Barnabas was going to know all we need to bring this guy back in and we need to give them a second chance. Paul Keyes gave you a second chance. I give your suggested menus to give John Mark a second chance and Paul rejected that counsel and Paul. Barnabas went separate ways, not in anger but just that would do it so John Martin Barnabas went together Baltics. I was met was the that the expansion of by the way Paul would come around. Later the end of one of his letters and admit the Barnabas was right right so there's a six times you see Barnabas in the book of acts side summarizes life is always laying his money down and picking people up.

That's Barnabas because his hold on his stuff had loosen and his grip on other people had Titans not here to think he's one of the first guys you get to know that's not an apostle.

We were discussing awesomeness of the church we seen apostle Peter and John, now you got just the profile of the gospel transform man with the normal Christian is supposed to look like chapter 5, but but a man named Ananias whose name by the way, means God is merciful and 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 verse three. But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, who is behind us. Satan, by the way, did you know this is the first post cross appearance of Satan. The Bible class.

I was all Satan. He was killing Jesus after she killed Jesus and Jesus resurrected Satan came over the new strategy is not going to work until the church. He is going to work to destroy the church from within his or Satan fills his heart to lie to the Holy Spirit. Peter says and keep back for yourself are the proceeds of the land while it remained unsold did not remain your own after it was sold, was it not at your disposal. Why is it that you have contrived estate in your heart you have not lied to men.

You lied 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. In fact, Peter says that directly you could do whatever you want and when it this is not meant there's no requirements here.

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. The young man rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. These were the interns of the early church because interns always get jobs like this and I write and I use the store with our interns to say.

Do not complain about what we have. You do here.

So you have to do this. Okay first 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. Talk about a tense moment for right was much like should we say some things with us as a motivator, which was she supposed to do right and she just needed wife and just kind that you submit to her husband but ladies only ask you this directly.

What would you have done in the situation you and your husband was his idea but you've agreed together to misrepresent yourself and your asked publicly about this. You have no idea that anybody knows your asked publicly what would you have done.

Submission never means following your husband into sin. It might mean following your husband into a mistake like you think you should move the job and he thinks you think you shouldn't and you think that you go along with that back submission.

But submission never means following him into sin is why make a big deal out of this is to be very candid. It seems to me in my observation that was some ladies get married. They relinquish all responsibility for their lives and just go along with their husbands as if it's all on him now, but what the story shows you is that there is a day coming man when you were to stand before God, all by yourself, like Safari did your husband is not staying with you and Juergen to give an account of the decisions that you made.

Do not let your husband replace the Holy Spirit because your to stand before God by yourself. You have to give an account of your life, you have to give an account of your lifestyle choices of your generosity of how committed you are the Christ of your involvement the church cannot you let your kids to be involved in the church. This is not something that the team approach is just you. She got us a question all by yourself.

Submission never means that you abandon responsibility for your walk with God and your disciples of your children to a husband that he's a deadbeat guys. The flipside of this for you is your sin never affects tissue men maybe this providentially. This is the Sunday. This is the weekend that UK your sin is affecting that woman is affecting your children. In this story of family died release the wife.because of the sins that her husband led. 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. When the young men came and they found her dead. They carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Verse 11 and great fear.

There is again underline came upon the whole church and upon all those who heard of these things will only ask a few questions of this tax, bears first? Why did Ananias and Sophia redo what they did what they do what they did there lie 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, but 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 there, like the opposite of Artemis 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 sins like lying is going to see sins like lying always come from somewhere. These lies went all the way down to the deepest parts of their heart have explain this use analogy things like jealousy, lying, cheating, not being generous. These are all like smoke from a fire that you need to trace back down to see where the fire is coming from and the fire is burning at the altar of whatever you worship. If you got smoke in your house. You don't just fan the smoke out of the house. I got the problem you find the fire when you see these things like lying and jealousy, and coveting and seating don't just try to get rid of those things trace them back down to the source is you'll find they grow out of a heart that loves money in the praise of people or that loves God of explained that for me and you know in high school. I crave the attention of people and that led me to make some disastrously bad decisions in high school will good news. I matured I matured I could make and I quit making some other stupid decisions.

Blood problems was his even though I matured I never really dealt with the root problem which was been addicted to the praise of people and so as an adult I just learned to manifest itself in new mature ways like always being obsessed with what other people thought about me overworking to obtain people's approval and be devastated by criticism. Being addicted to people's praise be willing to lie or exaggerate to make myself look better for try to downplay my weaknesses, the people would think that I was was a hero. The void in my heart is what drove me and that void in my heart is the problem and that void was created by the absence of the love of God. So what I needed was not to be told. Quit lie quit being jealous, quit working I needed to have the boy taken care of and that happened when I was filled with the spirit because when I was filled with the spirit was filled with the love of God, because that's what that means to be filled. The spirit refill the love of God, your fuel fill the love of God quit needing to use people so much what you need is not just a quit lying.

You need to be filled with the love of God, you'll need to just fan away the smoke.

You need to put out the fire to your one of two things are filled with the spirit and if you're filled the spirit your characterize what this by contentment and satisfaction, and radical generosity to double your stock is, you'll need it you work behind the scenes is you only praise you not devastated by criticism. That's one thing or you're filled with a lot of people and the love of money and you're always hungry you're always hungry you find yourself lying, exaggerating and cheating and being jealous because it comes out of a heart of dissatisfaction which one of those more characterizes you as it shows you what you're filled with thick.

My second question why God strike them dead by God, strike them dead as everyone who lies in church gets red dead 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 thing like the temple in the temple or the presence of God was. Every blemish was magnified. These people are in the presence of the mighty movement of the spirit of God and that magnifies things like lying to the Holy Spirit in rebellion is what I told you the meaning of the name to me a significant Ananias God is merciful. These people had seen firsthand the unbelievable mercy of God. It is likely that they had been eyewitnesses to the cross itself.

When you are in the presence of God's incredible grace, the responsibility that you have to that great responsibility that presents but more importantly, the reason that God killed them. Is this dear member 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 and 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. Everything in these first chapters of acts.

Listen, this is very important.

Everything is magnified so that like one my favorite stories coming up after this in verse 12 to 16 were Peter says that he walked to Jerusalem and his shadow feels people that is never happened to me. I'm a church leader, like Peter was never like walking on the beach and have some a spring up off, there is no doubt I just got a deal. You know I have her hair was bald. I have never had a habit is magnified 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 the 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 been a number three. What is God for the third question, what is God teaching us through the side what's 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 trying to show us in the church are two different kinds of people we have Ananias, it's a virus, and we got Barnabas's blue eyes at Barna by I and is nearly impossible to distinguish them from the outside. Ananias and Sapphire will decide Barnabas told either or both will involve the church. The rose praise Lord brother. They put their hands up and worship the generous, but underneath their confessions is a world of distinction underneath their confessions is in Ananias and samara love of money, the love of the praise of people is never been repented of and is there controlling being a Christian cultural Christian times are hard to hear my hide from God, listening to Senate life with pastor Jeannie Greer wearing a series called saints and pastor Jeannie is helping us explore some pretty weighty topics. If you join us late or if you'd like to download the free unedited message transcript business@jeanniegreer.com he sat down with pastor JD to talk about her journey through the book of acts and the birth of the church specifically asked him about the event that began all of Pentecost. And when the Holy Spirit came and filled the disciples Molly.

I can say that of all the sermon series that I've done I think the studies of the book of acts might've been the most personally fulfilling what you see in acts is that acts are supposed to be the continuation of Jesus ministry on the key verses.

Acts 11 tells you that there was a previous book that Lou is the author of acts that he wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach began means that he's what he started. In Luke is to continue and ask but now through his spirit as he works to the church and so just like Jesus empowered his apostles when he was here on earth to do miracles. And just like Jesus was, was the power of God at work in the world. That's what happens now. So when it comes to fighting sin in our lives when it comes to sharing the gospel when it comes to raising children when it comes to overcoming addictions.

It is the spirit of God in the spirit of God alone the gives us strength to do that.

Jesus said jump at the bottom part for me you can do anything and that the meeting in that sentence that that you that whose power you depend on. We experience that to the Holy Spirit. My prayer is that this series into the workbook that we've created to accompany this help take you deeper into fixtures to be encouraged to be encouraged to tap into the Spirit's power, both for your life and the ways in which God wants to use you can visit us online Greer.com when you get to you are feeling and helping people across the country.

Pastor Jeannie getting in the way today when you give the gift of $25 or more. Study guide title is the max volume 13 356-6524 given request study guide online Jeannie Greer and Molly that events much for joining us today… His day. The problem was.

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