Unity and Holiness: Lessons from Ananias and Sapphira
Summary
### Summary
Today, we delved into the story of Ananias and Sapphira from Acts chapter 5, a narrative that often gets simplified into a cautionary tale about lying. However, this story is much deeper, emphasizing the importance of understanding God's holiness and the unity within the church. Ananias and Sapphira sold a piece of land and deceitfully claimed to donate all the proceeds to the church, but they kept part of it for themselves. When confronted by the Apostle Peter, both fell dead after lying about their actions, instilling great fear among the early Christians.
This story is not merely about the consequences of lying but serves as a profound lesson on the sanctity of God's holiness and the necessity of unity within the church. Holiness and unity are intertwined; one cannot exist without the other. Generosity fosters unity, while hypocrisy and deceit can tear it apart. The early church's generosity, as seen in Acts 4, built up unity, whereas the deceit of Ananias and Sapphira threatened to destroy it.
We also explored the broader biblical context, comparing this story to the Old Testament account of Achan in Joshua 6-7, who similarly faced divine judgment for taking what was consecrated to God. This comparison underscores that God's nature remains consistent across both Testaments—He is a God of both judgment and grace.
Understanding this story helps us grasp the gravity of sin against God and the community. It calls us to live in a way that reflects the gospel, fostering unity and holiness in our relationships with God and each other. This passage challenges us to be quick to repent and to take seriously our role in maintaining the purity and unity of the church.
### Key Takeaways
1. Holiness and Unity are Interconnected: The story of Ananias and Sapphira teaches us that holiness and unity within the church are deeply connected. One cannot exist without the other. Generosity builds unity, while deceit and hypocrisy destroy it. This calls us to live in a way that reflects the gospel, fostering both holiness and unity in our relationships with God and each other. [12:15]
2. God's Consistent Nature: The comparison between Ananias and Sapphira and the story of Achan in Joshua 6-7 highlights that God's nature is consistent across both the Old and New Testaments. He is a God of both judgment and grace. This understanding helps us see the unity within all of Scripture and reminds us that God's standards of holiness and justice remain unchanged. [21:30]
3. The Importance of Repentance: The story underscores the importance of quick repentance. We don't know how much time we have, and delaying repentance can be dangerous. This passage reminds us to walk in humility and be quick to repent when we sin against God and others, fostering a community that values holiness and unity. [27:20]
4. Generosity as a Reflection of Gratitude: Generosity is closely tied to gratitude. When we are grateful for what God has given us, it becomes easier to be generous with our time, resources, and skills. Resentment, on the other hand, hinders generosity. Reflecting on our blessings and being grateful can lead us to live more generously, building up the church community. [45:33]
5. Defending the Purity of the Church: We all have a responsibility to defend the purity and unity of the church. This involves confronting sin and hypocrisy when necessary, as Peter did with Ananias and Sapphira. However, we must also trust that God ultimately protects His church. Our role is to foster meaningful conversations and actions that build up the church, rather than tearing it down. [32:07]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[02:25] - Introduction and Personal Anecdote
[04:28] - Event Planning and Community Activities
[07:50] - Setting Up the Story of Ananias and Sapphira
[09:01] - The Consequences of Lying
[10:21] - Misinterpretations of the Story
[10:56] - True Takeaways: Holiness and Unity
[12:15] - Generosity Builds Unity
[14:27] - The Harshness of the Passage
[16:28] - Contextual Understanding
[18:08] - Low-Hanging Fruit vs. Deeper Insights
[20:12] - Comparison with Old Testament Stories
[22:41] - Consistency of God's Nature
[24:31] - God's Judgment and Grace
[27:20] - Importance of Quick Repentance
[29:20] - Role of the Church in Defending Purity
[32:07] - Peter's Confrontation and Our Responsibility
[33:49] - Modern Examples of Defending the Church
[35:33] - Unity and Sin Against God
[37:32] - Sin Against God vs. Sin Against People
[39:30] - Building Unity Through Repentance
[40:46] - Active Pursuit of Unity
[42:08] - Encouragement to Build Each Other Up
[44:34] - Gratefulness vs. Resentfulness
[45:33] - Generosity as a Reflection of Gratitude
[47:42] - Generosity in Friendships
[50:01] - Conclusion and Next Week's Preview
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Acts 5:1-11 - The story of Ananias and Sapphira
2. Joshua 7:1-26 - The story of Achan
3. Psalm 51:4 - David's repentance
### Observation Questions
1. What actions did Ananias and Sapphira take that led to their downfall? ([07:50])
2. How did the early church respond to the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira? ([09:01])
3. What was the consequence for Achan's sin in Joshua 7, and how does it compare to the story of Ananias and Sapphira? ([20:12])
4. According to Psalm 51:4, who does David acknowledge he has ultimately sinned against?
### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the story of Ananias and Sapphira illustrate the connection between holiness and unity within the church? ([10:56])
2. Why is it important to understand God's consistent nature of judgment and grace across both the Old and New Testaments? ([21:30])
3. How does the concept of quick repentance play a role in maintaining the purity and unity of the church? ([27:20])
4. In what ways does generosity reflect gratitude, and how can resentment hinder this generosity? ([45:33])
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you witnessed or experienced deceit within a community. How did it affect the unity and holiness of that group? How can you apply the lessons from Ananias and Sapphira to prevent such situations in your church? ([10:56])
2. How can you actively foster unity and holiness in your church community? What specific actions can you take this week to build up rather than tear down? ([12:15])
3. Think about a recent situation where you delayed repentance. What were the consequences, and how can you be quicker to repent in the future? ([27:20])
4. Identify an area in your life where you struggle with generosity. How can you cultivate a heart of gratitude to overcome this struggle? ([45:33])
5. How can you confront sin and hypocrisy in a loving and constructive manner within your church community? What steps can you take to ensure that your actions build up the church rather than cause division? ([32:07])
6. Reflect on your current friendships within the church. Are you being generous with your time and resources? What changes can you make to be a more supportive and present friend? ([47:42])
7. How can you defend the purity of the church in your daily interactions, both online and offline? What practical steps can you take to ensure that your actions align with God's standards of holiness and unity? ([33:49])
Devotional
### 5-Day Devotional
#### Day 1: Holiness and Unity in the Church
Description: The story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of holiness and unity within the church. Their deceit threatened the unity that was being built through the generosity of the early Christians. Holiness and unity are not separate; they are deeply intertwined. Generosity fosters unity, while deceit and hypocrisy can tear it apart. As believers, we are called to live in a way that reflects the gospel, fostering both holiness and unity in our relationships with God and each other. [12:15]
Bible Passage: "But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'" (1 Peter 1:15-16, ESV)
Reflection: Think about a recent situation where you had the opportunity to be generous. How did your actions impact the unity within your community or church? What steps can you take to ensure that your generosity continues to foster unity and holiness?
#### Day 2: God's Consistent Nature
Description: The comparison between the story of Ananias and Sapphira and the Old Testament account of Achan in Joshua 6-7 highlights the consistency of God's nature across both Testaments. God is a God of both judgment and grace. This understanding helps us see the unity within all of Scripture and reminds us that God's standards of holiness and justice remain unchanged. Recognizing this consistency can deepen our reverence for God and our commitment to living according to His standards. [21:30]
Bible Passage: "For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed." (Malachi 3:6, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you experienced God's grace and judgment in your life. How does understanding God's consistent nature across the Bible influence your view of His character and your relationship with Him?
#### Day 3: The Importance of Quick Repentance
Description: The story of Ananias and Sapphira underscores the importance of quick repentance. We don't know how much time we have, and delaying repentance can be dangerous. This passage reminds us to walk in humility and be quick to repent when we sin against God and others, fostering a community that values holiness and unity. Quick repentance not only restores our relationship with God but also helps maintain the purity and unity of the church. [27:20]
Bible Passage: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9, ESV)
Reflection: Is there a sin or wrongdoing in your life that you have been hesitant to confess and repent of? Take a moment to bring it before God and ask for His forgiveness and strength to turn away from it.
#### Day 4: Generosity as a Reflection of Gratitude
Description: Generosity is closely tied to gratitude. When we are grateful for what God has given us, it becomes easier to be generous with our time, resources, and skills. Resentment, on the other hand, hinders generosity. Reflecting on our blessings and being grateful can lead us to live more generously, building up the church community. Generosity is not just about giving; it's about recognizing God's provision and responding with a thankful heart. [45:33]
Bible Passage: "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7, ESV)
Reflection: Take a moment to list the blessings in your life for which you are grateful. How can you express your gratitude through acts of generosity this week? Consider specific ways you can share your time, resources, or skills with others.
#### Day 5: Defending the Purity of the Church
Description: We all have a responsibility to defend the purity and unity of the church. This involves confronting sin and hypocrisy when necessary, as Peter did with Ananias and Sapphira. However, we must also trust that God ultimately protects His church. Our role is to foster meaningful conversations and actions that build up the church, rather than tearing it down. By addressing issues with love and truth, we contribute to a community that honors God and upholds His standards. [32:07]
Bible Passage: "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted." (Galatians 6:1, ESV)
Reflection: Is there someone in your church or community who may need gentle correction or encouragement to walk in holiness? Pray for wisdom and courage to approach them in love, aiming to restore and build up the unity and purity of the church.
Quotes
1. "Instead, the big takeaway I wanted to explain was that this passage is here to help us understand how we're to take seriously the holiness of God and our call to unity in the church. And both these things go together in the story because it's difficult to be holy without unity. And it's difficult to have unity without holiness. And that goes both in terms of our relationship with God and our relationship with others. We actually need to pursue both as the community of God." [11:20] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Through all this, we actually need to allow the gospel to be, we not just receive it, but we apply it to our lives. We actually need the good news of Jesus to actually change us. And this is going to change how we live in relationship with God and how we live in relationship with others." [13:20] (11 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "It's important to just always remember, like, though there, if you learned these stories when you're younger, often it's not that someone was necessarily taught wrong. Or anything like that. It's just that when you're younger, there's things that you're just not going to see. You're not at the point where you can really grasp all of that. So, sometimes there's more of that, we might call that low-hanging fruit. Like, some of the more immediate takeaways from this." [17:00] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "We never want to undermine the foundation for many people of how they grew up in church. So, that's one of the hard parts of that, of like, hey, like, your sweet Sunday school teacher, you know, 20, 30 years ago, didn't, like, mislead you. No, no. But taught you at the level that you were at. And that is true, while we can continue going back to the Word of God over and over again, because it's actually a living word. It's something that continues to change and grow. It's something that continues to grow with us as we mature. So, you never outgrow the need for the Word." [19:00] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "We don't know what the future holds for us. And so in all of that, that we should always walk in humility and we should always, be repentant. When we do encounter instances where we have sinned against God, we should be, we should be quick to that repentance. We shouldn't hold off thinking, oh, well, you know, I have time and passages like this remind us of, we don't know how much time, we have. We really don't. And so it's important to, have that posture of, to repent quickly." [28:00] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Ultimately there will be judgment at some point and the difference there in a follower of Christ and someone who isn't a follower is that if you're a follower of Christ, you can then lean on Christ in that moment of judgment. And he's the one who declares us sinless it's because of what he has done. And so at some point that is going to happen and, Ananias and Sapphira, it happened in this moment. And part of it was. God did this to build up the unity of the church, that he wouldn't allow this hypocrisy to continue, for the purity of his church, he allowed that, or he made that judgment to happen instantaneously in that moment." [29:20] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "I think we all have that responsibility, to defend the church and to uphold, its purity. And so you see that in Peter's reaction, he, he didn't let it slide. He didn't say, oh, I think these, I don't think this couple is telling the truth. I'll come back to them a month from now. Yeah. I'll, you know, we'll set up like he, he, he, we'll pray for them all, but he, he confronts them right in that moment. He's defending the purity of the church saying, Hey, look, you are lying. This is going to destroy the unity. This is going to, pull everything down, destroy the movement of what God is doing, but through your actions." [32:07] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "We should be finding common ground and, and being able to, find unity with each other. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It is interesting that, that Peter says to them, Hey, you, you haven't sinned against people, but to God. He says that in verse four. And in many ways, that's an echo of what we see in Psalm 51 where David is writing. Really, this is a Psalm of repentance, after he had a sin against Bathsheba, of taking advantage of her, and really this, this horrendous scene in, in, in David's life. And, and he, he writes the Psalm of repentance and he says, against writing to God saying against you." [36:30] (88 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "We can sin against one another, but, but our ultimate sin is actually against God. That's the thing that we should be the most concerned about is when we sin against him. And so this is what Peter is calling them to saying, Hey, like, you're not, you're not just lying to people. It, it, in comparison to that sin towards people versus the sin against God, it's almost as though, almost as though that sin never happened. It's the sin against God. That's the most important. But in reality, both have happened." [37:32] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "We need to take unity in the church. So, seriously because it is not just a sin against one another. For some people, I think disunity is just a, just a squabble between people. But you can still be good with God. Actually saying here, like, no, no, a squabble between people is, is actually an issue in your relationship with your heavenly father. This is, this is actually a serious matter that we need to be aware of. And, and so I think like all of that, we need to keep in mind when we think of sinning. And so in this, what it leads us to is repentance towards God." [39:30] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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