In the Aftermath of Chastening Part 1 (Acts 5:12-16)

In the Aftermath of Chastening (Acts 5:12-16)

¹² And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. ¹³ Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. ¹⁴ And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, ¹⁵ so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. ¹⁶ Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

Introduction

What does a congregation do after events like the church discipline displayed with Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11)? You could stop everything and get a consultant / counselor to come in and help everyone deal with the grief and fear that comes with (1) lying to the Spirit and (2) the Spirit’s abrupt removal of the liars. You could lose momentum and eventually have to shut things down. (In the denominations that I have served in such a response would involve contacting the district because the assets of the church actually belong to the denomination.) If you were in the Ananias camp you could convene a clandestine committee to replace Peter. (In light of most recent events, Peter is probably going to know. And may the Lord have mercy on you when you come to church.) Here is what the passage promotes:

1) Regard the church community and its individual members as sacred; do not bring into the bride of Christ worldly ways of getting ahead.

2) Acknowledge the anointing and authority of those appointed to lead. In the case of the apostles, their position and power in God’s work makes lying to them tantamount to lying to the Holy Spirit.

But what does a fellowship do after events like those recorded in Acts 5:1-11? In the writing of Luke we see that some things continue without change and one thing does not remain the same.

Questions for Consideration

1. Do you interact with your local congregation as a sacred community or something common?

2. While our local church leaders are not supernaturally able to discern the truth about things on their own, the Spirit can give them insights into things that would not otherwise be known. In your work with your leadership and other Christians are you mindful of the Spirit’s presence?