Posted by Chester Morton / Thursday 25 February 2016 / No comments
The death of Ananias and Sapphira
Earlier, a man called Joses or
Barnabas sold a piece of land and gave the money to the Apostles. This nice
gesture by Barnabas prompted Ananias and Sapphira his wife to also sell a piece
of land they had. They did not bring all the proceeds of the sale to the
Apostles, they brought only part.
Ananias came with the money and
laid it before the Apostles. Peter asked Ananias why he allowed Satan to lure
him to lie to the Holy Spirit by keeping part of the proceeds of the sale of
the land. Peter told Ananias that while the land was unsold it was his and when
it was finally sold, it was still his. Peter said Ananias had not lied to men
but rather to the Holy Spirit. When Ananias heard this, he collapsed and died.
The young men carried him and went to bury him.
After three hours, the wife of
Ananias also came. Peter asked her whether that was the amount they got from
the sale of the land. Sapphira answered yes. Peter confronted her too, asking
her why she had agreed with her husband to lie to the Holy Spirit. When she realized
that she had been exposed, she also fell down and died. The young men who
buried her husband took her also and buried by the side of her husband.
Fear gripped all church members and
anybody who had heard about this incident.
LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FORM THE
INCIDENT
1. One cannot serve both mammon
and God at the same time; Ananias and Sapphira thought they could do so.
2. God reads the hearts of men.
We can deceive men but we cannot deceive God.
3. The church was established by
God and therefore controlled by the Holy Spirit.
4. Members of the church must according to the
dictates of the Holy Spirit.
5. God punishes the sin of
disobedience.
6. One should live in sincerity
and honesty.
SAMPLE QUESTION
1. a. Trace the circumstances
that led to the death of Ananias and Sapphira.
b. Indicate two lessons that can be learned
from this incident.
