Acts Pt. 3: Barnabas or Ananias? - Audio

Hope Fellowship Church Mar 3 – 9, 2019 ========== Acts Part 3: Barnabas or Ananias? The Church... Not a human organization, not a building formed by human hands... But the workmanship of God...This has always been His idea. ========== The early church was persistently devoted to… · Apostles teachings · Fellowship · Communion · Prayer Acts 4:32-35 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There 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 laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Acts 3:13-16 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all. Acts 4:4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. “Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit,” Acts 4:7-12 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, "By what power or by what name did you do this?" Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." The church was “clothed in power from on high,” they had all things in common and they were fiercely committed to one another. Acts 4:36-37 Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. Barnabas Two effects of believing in Jesus: · Our hearts are loosened in our relationships to things. · Our hearts are tightened in our relationships to people. Acts 5:1-11 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God." When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter said to her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much." And she said, "Yes, for so much." But Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out." Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things. 1. Ananias wants to look like Barnabas. In the midst of the commonality of the church we discover hypocrisy. Definition of hypocrisy: Who and what is Ananias? Acts 5:4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God." How do we become hypocrites? a) We forget what the gospel teaches us about who we’ve been, who we are and what responsibility we have to God. Colossians 1:21-22 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, We are in process! Ananias does not ask God to change his heart to one of generosity. Instead, Ananias thinks, “Oh I will just do what Barnabas did.” Acts 5:3-4 But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God." God is not only pleased with the final product of our lives, He is just as pleased with the process of our lives. b) We lack gospel relationships that “out us” in love. The myth of gospel relationships is that our faith is a private faith. Mark 9:23-25 And Jesus said to him, "'If you can'! All things are possible for one who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!" And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again." 2. How do I address the hypocrisy of my life? Acts 5:5, Acts 5:11 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things. · God means for His people to fear hypocrisy. I hate the sin that harms me. · We are to walk daily in what God has said to be true about us. · We come to an understanding that our faith is not a private faith, we need one another. · We should confess to God and each other that we need help. Generosity You can give online by clicking the link below. We thank you so much for all of your generosity! http://www.hopeinanderson.com/generosity [Image] Stay up to date on Hope events! https://imageproxy-cdn.youversionapi.com/640x640/https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mushroom-event-images-prod/27448925-1538745271068.jpg Thanks for Joining Us! Thanks for being with us this week. To find out more about Hope, check out our website. http://www.hopeinanderson.com