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7 Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?” She said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. 11 So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things. ~ Acts 5:7-11
Today, we return to our study of Acts 5 where a man named Ananias and his wife Sapphire has pretended to be something they were not. In context, the people in the early church responded to the great power and grace of God with unbelievable generosity. It is the grace of God that perfects our freedom in Christ by helping us to overcome the restricting power of the flesh, the one true obstacle to our freedom. God's grace both amazes and offends. It amazes the part of us where hopelessness has set in, the place of brokenness. It offends the part of us that is religious, the part where we can't bring ourselves to believe in the total freedom Christ earned for us on His cross.
When Ananias and Sapphire sold some land, they made it appear that they gave all of the money from the sale to the Apostles which is not what happened. This was the first case of dealing with sin in the early church. Just after Ananias presented the money to the Apostles, Peter confronted him and then all of a sudden he died. The word "great" is used three times in Acts 5 describing God's, great power, His great grace, and the people's great fear.
In v.7 of today's passage we read, "Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened."
The wife of Ananias had not been present with her husband when he presented their gift to the Apostles. In fact, three hours after her husband died she returned to discover that he had already been buried. When she returned, she had a conversation with the one who had denied knowing the Lord Jesus just two months before, Peter. This object of the grace of God engaged Sapphire in a conversation in hopes that she would embrace the brokenness that awaited her.
What we do with our brokenness is the key to our existence. When we dig in our heels and protect at all cost the deceit that is the root cause of our gifted brokenness, we prevent an incredible work from being done in our souls. God's grace is most amazing, it is a grace that is indiscriminately compassionate. It works without asking anything of us. It's not cheap but it's free! God's grace is sufficient even though we try with all our might to find someone that it cannot cover, even ourselves.
In v.8 of today's passage we read, "And Peter answered her, 'Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?' She said, 'Yes, for so much.'"
The wife of Ananias was complicit in the lie concerning the money obtained from the sale of their land. The issue was they pretended to give all of the money to the Apostles for the sale of their property. The money was still there where it had been left as a witness to the deceit of Ananias. The arrival of Sapphira was like its own discourse to open the matter up for a resolution. As such, Peter answered by asking his question. The evidence was either openly present, or the amount was asked by Peter. Either way, the amount was made known and Peter inquired why they lied. The question from Peter was not, "Is this the amount you and your husband decided to present to us?" Rather, it was whether the land was sold for the amount presented. As such, her answer was deceitful. Sapphire's deceit sealed her from the work of God through her brokenness.
In v.9 of today's passage we read, "Then Peter said to her, 'How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.'"
The words "agreed together" can be translated "symphony." This one Greek word originally described a harmony of voices. Peter questioned why Sapphire and Ananias had together in harmony tested the Spirit of the Lord. When we resist God's definition of our lives we actively give ourselves to the father of lies. Peter knew of which he had spoken. He had given himself to the devil himself when he denied knowing the Lord Jesus three times. His failure had served him well. In 1 Peter 4:17 we read, "Judgment must begin at the house of God." This is where judgment must begin if we are to have an effective testimony for the Lord. This is crucial because the eternal destiny of many depends upon it.
In v.10-11 of today's passage we read, "10 Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. 11 So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things."
The very place where the money had been left by Ananias, at the apostles’ feet was the very same place where Sapphire collapsed. The spot where the money testified against her was the same spot where she laid dead. Sapphire became an immediate object lesson to any who would dare to be deceitful. Oh, we will never be sinless this side of heaven, but deceit is in a category all by itself. In this tragic story of Ananias and Sapphire, they had neglected to respond to the Lord out of their brokenness. It appears they never embraced their brokenness. It appears they never embraced God. They were pretenders.
As a result, Ananias and Sapphire provided a stern example of what feeding the flesh renders in our lives. Although their example was not the norm, we do well to learn that the enemy is out to kill, steal and destroy us. Our Father in heaven sent His Son to this world not to condemn us. No, He sent Him to save us from our sin which had already broken and condemned us. Those who do not believe in the Lord Jesus as their Savior have already been judged guilty, because they have not believed in the One and Only Begotten Son of God. That which we truly believe in at the end of the day will define us. Once we believe in Him, we are declared by Him as co-heirs with Him.
