Pastor Brent Lokker looks deeply into this famous story and questions our assumptions about what it means. Given at Blazing Fire Church June 15, 2019 blazingfire.org To listen, go to: https://blazingfire.podbean.com/e/theres-more-to-the-story-—-brent-lokker/

1. ANANIAS & SAPPHIRA
A Great Mystery
There’s
More
to the
Story
ACTS 5:1-11
by Brent Lokker
June 15, 2019

2. Acts 4
34-37
34 There were no needy people among them, because those who
owned land or houses would sell them 35 and bring the money to the
apostles to give to those in need. 36 For instance, there was Joseph,
the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means “Son of
Encouragement”). He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the
island of Cyprus. 37 He sold a field he owned and brought the money
to the apostles.

3. Acts 5
1-4
1 But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife,
Sapphira, sold some property. 2 He brought part of the money to the
apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife’s consent, he
kept the rest. 3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill
your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the
money for yourself. 4 The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you
wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away.
How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to
God!”

4. Acts 5
5-8
5 As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and
died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified. 6 Then some young
men got up, wrapped him in a sheet, and took him out and buried
him. 7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what
had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Was this the price you and your
husband received for your land?”
“Yes,” she replied, “that was the price.”

5. Acts 5
9-11
9 And Peter said, “How could the two of you even think of conspiring
to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried
your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out,
too.” 10 Instantly, she fell to the floor and died. When the young men
came in and saw that she was dead, they carried her out and buried
her beside her husband. 11 Great fear gripped the entire church and
everyone else who heard what had happened.”

6. WE LIED,
GOD’S NOT IN
A GOOD
MOOD

7. SORRY,
YOU CAUGHT
GOD ON A
BAD DAY

8. “I LOVE ALL
MY KIDS
EXCEPT
THOSE TWO”

9. Were Ananias & Sapphira
believers in Jesus?

10. If they were, what do you do with God’s New
Covenant promise that there is no judgment
for sin for those who believe in Jesus?

11. “SINCE WE NOW HAVE A MAGNIFICENT KING-PRIEST TO
WELCOME US INTO GOD’S HOUSE, WE COME CLOSER TO
GOD AND APPROACH HIM WITH AN OPEN HEART, FULLY
CONVINCED BY FAITH THAT NOTHING WILL KEEP US AT A
DISTANCE FROM HIM. FOR OUR HEARTS HAVE BEEN
SPRINKLED WITH BLOOD TO REMOVE IMPURITY AND WE
HAVE BEEN FREED FROM AN ACCUSING CONSCIENCE
AND NOW WE ARE CLEAN, UNSTAINED, AND
PRESENTABLE TO GOD INSIDE AND OUT!”
Hebrews
10:21-22

12. And if they were believers,
why aren’t there corpses
everywhere in church?

13. If they weren’t, why didn’t Peter
tell them about Jesus and
give them a chance to repent?
(as he did for Simon the sorcerer in Acts 8)

14. Did God kill them?

15. Was God protecting this new
community at a very vulnerable
early place in their development?

16. Is there another element to this
story we can look at?

17. Was God’s truest heart
on display by Peter in this story?

18. Why is Peter known as
the Zealot?

19. Why did Peter break out a knife
when Jesus was arrested?

20. What was Jesus’ response
to that?

21. How old was Peter when
this story happened?

22. How old was Peter in the Lord
when this story happened?

23. How old was Peter when he wrote
his two letters in the Bible?

24. “SINCE BY YOUR OBEDIENCE TO THE TRUTH YOU
HAVE PURIFIED YOURSELVES SO THAT YOU CAN
EXPERIENCE THE GENUINE LOVE OF BROTHERS,
LOVE EACH OTHER INTENSELY FROM THE HEART.”
1 Peter 1:22

25. “FINALLY, YOU SHOULD ALL AGREE AMONG
YOURSELVES AND BE SYMPATHETIC; LOVE THE
BROTHERS, HAVE COMPASSION AND BE HUMBLE.
NEVER REPAY ONE WRONG WITH ANOTHER,
OR ONE ABUSIVE WORD WITH ANOTHER;
INSTEAD, REPAY WITH A BLESSING.
THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE CALLED TO DO,
SO THAT YOU INHERIT A BLESSING.”
1 Peter 3:8-9

26. “ABOVE ALL,
PRESERVE AN INTENSE LOVE
FOR EACH OTHER,
SINCE LOVE COVERS OVER
A MULTITUDE OF SIN.”
1 Peter 4:8

27. “EVERYTHING WE COULD EVER NEED FOR LIFE AND
COMPLETE DEVOTION TO GOD HAS ALREADY BEEN
DEPOSITED IN US BY HIS DIVINE POWER. FOR ALL THIS
WAS LAVISHED UPON US THROUGH THE RICH
EXPERIENCE OF KNOWING HIM WHO HAS CALLED US
BY NAME AND INVITED US TO COME TO HIM THROUGH
A GLORIOUS MANIFESTATION OF HIS GOODNESS.”
2 Peter 1:3

28. What if these stories are sometimes
meant to show
how followers of Jesus were
transformed over time?

29. What would be written if the
Bible contained our stories?

30. Where in the Bible do we see the main
character of a story get everything right?

31. How much authority do our words carry?

32. WHEN THINGS
GET CONFUSING,
LOOK AT
JESUS!

34. What did Jesus say to his followers when
they wanted to call down fire on the
Samaritans?

35. YOU DO NOT KNOW
WHAT KIND OF
SPIRIT YOU ARE OF,
FOR THE SON OF
MAN DID NOT COME
TO DESTROY MEN’S
LIVES, BUT TO SAVE
THEM.
Luke 9:55-56

36. What did Jesus say
about our Father?

37. ANYONE WHO
HAS SEEN ME
HAS SEEN THE
FATHER
John 14:9

38. “FOR GOD DID NOT
SEND HIS SON INTO
THE WORLD TO
CONDEMN THE
WORLD, BUT TO
SAVE THE WORLD
THROUGH HIM.”
John 3:17

39. FATHER, THEY WILL
SEE THAT YOU
LOVE EACH ONE OF
THEM WITH THE
SAME PASSIONATE
LOVE THAT YOU
HAVE FOR ME.
John 17:23

40. I AM THE LORD
I CHANGE NOT!

41. I HAVE LOVED
YOU WITH AN
EVERLASTING
LOVE!

42. NOTHING
CAN SEPARATE
YOU FROM
MY LOVE

43. LOOK WHAT GREAT
LOVE THE FATHER
HAS LAVISHED ON
US BY CALLING US
HIS CHILDREN.
AND THAT IS WHAT
WE ARE!
1 JOHN 3:1