Tag Peter

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?

¹ But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. ² And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. ³ But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? ⁴ While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” ⁵ Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. ⁶ And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him. 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.

The But of Acts 5:1 antagonizes the message of Acts 4:32-35. Where Barnabas sold his land and brought the entire proceed to the church for its use, Ananias merely claimed to do this. His sin, with Sapphira his wife, was not in keeping back part of the price of the land. Peter makes it clear that he could have done that (Acts 5:4). There would have been no fault in giving only a portion of the sale to the church. In fact, Ananias could have kept the land in his own possession without there being a problem. His contribution was not compulsory (Acts 5:3-4).

Why did he do it? He and his wife wanted to be counted with the highly committed while still keeping a foot in the world. They wanted a positive nickname too. But, with a discernment that was given to him by the Holy Spirit, Peter explains why the plan would not work:

The Seriousness of Not Seeing the Anointing — Ananias failed to acknowledge the Anointing as he acted out his trespass. Even in the presence of continuous expressions of Heaven’s power (Acts 4:33) he made the mistake of regarding men after the flesh and the fellowship as being no more than what he could see. But the men leading the fellowship were anointed by God and able to do and see things above and beyond what is possible for mere mortals. The fellowship before Ananias and Sapphira is not only with the seen but also with the unseen Spirit of the Lord. The fellowship, treated as common and something to be manipulated, was in fact consecrated. That couple was tragically unholy in dealing with a people made holy by the Spirit of Holiness.

In light of all that Ananias had seen in the way of wonders it is amazing and confounding to Peter that he could have been so dull in thinking that his sin would not be seen. How did Ananias arrive at this point? The answer is that Satan had filled his heart to lie to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3). Satan had been at work trying to ruin the new creation. Just as in the garden, that serpent of old (Genesis 3:1,4; 2 Corinthians 11:3; Revelation 12:9; 20:2) had been working to (1) deceive people in paradise and (2) ruin relationships. After a while the arch nemesis of God was able to convince Ananias to lie to the Spirit. What could have been worse than bringing Satan’s corrupting influence entry into the new fellowship? Ananias had allowed Satan to furnish the rooms of his heart with worldly intentions.

Doors for Demonic Activity — When we fail to take our thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:4-5; Philippians 4:8) and and refuse to rigorously exclude ungodly desires that would take up residence in our hearts we (1) open doors for demonic activity and (2) create conditions conducive to crimes against God and His community (Ephesians 4:25-27; Romans 12:19; James 4:7).

Action Steps — Let us stop lying and speak truth (Zechariah 8:16; Ephesians 4:15, 25; Colossians 3:9).

1. 1. Stop Active Lying – Deceptive statements
   2. Stop Passive Lying – Omissions that mislead

Peter does not punish the man but explains the great foolishness of trying to deceive God; the sin, in this case, is judged by God Himself. Upon hearing these words Ananias dies (Acts 5:5). Sapphira colludes with her husband to mislead the church. But the plan will fail with tragic results. Asked if what she brought was the entire sale price of the land Sapphira, says that it was (Acts 5:8). As in so many Old Testament cases the opportunity to confess was given. Here are ten passages from the Old Testament where God asks a question aimed at prompting confession or self-reflection:

• Genesis 3:9 – After Adam and Eve sinned, God asks Adam, “Where are you?”
• Genesis 4:9 – God asks Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?”
• Genesis 18:13 – “And the Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?'”
• Genesis 21:17 – God asks Hagar, “What ails you, Hagar?”
• Genesis 32:27 – God asks Jacob, “What is your name?”
• Job 38:4 – God asks Job, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?”
• 1 Samuel 15:14 – “But Samuel said, ‘What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?'”
• Jonah 4:4 – “Then the Lord said, ‘Is it right for you to be angry?'”
• Jeremiah 2:5 – God asks Israel, “What injustice have your fathers found in Me, that they have gone far from Me?”

These passages are instances where God’s questions are used to initiate introspection, catalyze confession, or to elicit a response that reveals deeper truths about the individuals involved. Sapphira did not make the most of her opportunity. If she had, mercy would have been shown:

He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)

Instead she took the opportunity to confirm her decision to test the Spirit of the Lord. What was the test?

The Test of Ananias and Saphira — Can we get away with lying about our giving in order to get a better status in our church community? Will God know?

She also dies and was carried away to be buried with her husband. Although this is bad, consider with me the consequences. Luke says that the result of this rebuke was that great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things (Acts 5:11). The loss of earthly life has produced in the church a profound reverence for the presence of Christ and the position of the apostles. Christ in our midst at communion is serious; by treating it lightly we bring upon ourselves judgement. Christ at work through the leadership of the apostles is serious; by treating them as mere men the meaning of the miracles is missed and the Presence at work in them is disrespected.

Figure 1 – Signs and their Significance in the Opening of Acts

The immediate deaths of this deceptive couple were a sign indicating a spiritual reality – God does not want or tolerate lying in his church. Just as the signs of Pentecost and the fellowship prayer were not going to be repeated, the immediate deaths of liars in the church is not happening today. But the spiritual reality indicated in the narrative is that with God there is a deep displeasure associated with people in the church lying to one another and to Him. Former is unloving. The latter is dumb; He knows all. Today is the day to stop lying and start telling the truth. We should do this out of reverence for the Holy Spirit in our midst, out of caring for concern for the people that are our brother and sisters in the faith, and with the goal of protecting the quality of our witness. The whole idea of lying is from Satan the father of lies; it is what he had done from the beginning (Genesis 3:1-4). The notion should be arrested and rejected. When we fail to do that the suggestion eventually looks reasonable and becomes sin (Genesis 3:6).

Questions for Community Discussion

1. In the verses of Acts 4:32-37 we are given a general description of the character of the new community. How does Luke give us an example of that character?
2. Would you be willing to part ways with your stuff to ensure that the needs of other believers in our fellowship are met? What encouragement did they have (Acts 4:33)?
3. What explains their ability to show this level of generosity (Ephesians 4:17-21; Romans 5:5; 1 John 5:1)?
4. What was the difference between the gift of Barnabas and the gift of Ananias (Acts 4:36-37; 5:1-4)?
5. Is your giving about gratitude toward God and worship or is it about garnering praise, creating a perception of piety, and generating an image of generosity.
6. Does it matter if your presentation of an offering does not line up with the truth (John 4:24)?

7. Do you think that Ananias was saved? Consider the words of 1 Corinthians 5:5 as you formulate an answer.

1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.

3:1 We have seen these two men together in the past. When the Lord is transformed on the mountain Peter and John are there with James (Matthew 16:27-17:2; Mark 9:1-2; Luke 9:27-29). They are together with Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-38; Mark 14:32-33). We see them running together to the tomb of Jesus when the women say that the body is missing (John 20:1-4). And they are together in a boat when Jesus appears to them on the shore after His resurrection (John 21:6-7). Finally, when Jesus would talk with Peter alone, these two men are not entirely separated; the disciple whom Jesus loved was compelled to walk nearby (John 21:20-22). And so there is continuity from the other gospel narratives and the prior volume when we see Peter and John frequently together in the early parts of The Acts of the Apostles (Acts 3:1, 3, 11; 4:13, 19; 8:14).

They are a dynamic duo. Peter tends to be the speaker but John is always there, also with power, supporting the actions and words of his friend and fellow apostle. Their pairing may have been merely the outworking of their friendship. More likely it was also their commitment to the earlier commands and ministry conventions of Christ; He sent them by twos (Luke 10:1; Mark 6:7). It is by twos that they are going to pray… and to preach if given an opportunity. It is by twos that Peter and John, Jewish men, are still practicing Judaism. They are going together to the second and last offering of the day. It would have been about 3:00 PM.

The time of the apostles’ visit was the “ninth” hour, three in the afternoon, i.e., the hour of prayer. It was also the time of the evening Tamid, one of the two sacrifices held daily in the temple. These had become prescribed times of prayer, and people would come to the temple at the sacrifice times to observe the ceremony and pray. (Polhill, 1992, p. 126)

The apostles continued to live as observant Jews, attending the set services of worship in the Jerusalem temple. The two principal daily services accompanied the offering of the morning and evening sacrifices. One afternoon, as two of the apostles, Peter and John, went up the steps leading from the outer court to the inner courts, in order to be present in the Court of Israel for the service of prayer which accompanied the evening sacrifice (about 3 p.m.), they were arrested by the sight of a [lame man] who lay begging at the “Beautiful Gate.” (Bruce, 1988, p. 77)

Peter is often with John. Paul was often with Barnabas. Before them David, when he could, was with Jonathan. The pairing that was started in Jesus’ ministry continues in Peter and John after their Teacher has ascended. Should it? The principles that make pairing good say that it is the best way to do ministry. Here are five fundamental truths that serve as the foundation for operating in nothing less than pairs:

Mutual Support and Encouragement

• The Principle — The mutual support is essential to effective ministry. When disciples or apostles are sent out in pairs, they can support and encourage each other in times of challenge and difficulty.
• Biblical Basis (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10) — Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.
• Assessment Question — In what ways has my prior ministry experience proven that challenges and difficulties are best faced with a ministry partner?
• Action Steps — Review the passage above and pray for strong resolve to honor this ministry principle. Give thanks for the persons that God has paired you with. If you are operating alone, prayerfully consider the possibility that your ministry is out of order and needs to be corrected immediately.

Witnessing and Testimony

• The Principle — Jesus sending disciples in pairs aligns with the Jewish legal principle that a matter is confirmed on the testimony of two or three witnesses. This ensures that the message of the ones sent is credible and firmly established. Also, the ministry of a single person is especially vulnerable to false accusations from the adversaries of Jesus.
• Biblical Basis (Deuteronomy 19:15) — One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.
• Assessment Question — In what ways has the credibility of my ministry been enhanced or suffered according to either its compliance or deviation from this principle?
• Action Steps — Review the passage above and pray for strong resolve to honor this ministry principle. Important ministry activities should not be executed alone. Even if it means slowing things down, things like mission trips and visiting the sick should be done with someone else — someone with integrity. Calendar activities that are ministry that only involve you should be shared or canceled.

Strength and Protection

• The Principle — Jesus was sending his disciples into places where there were needy people and people who would do them harm. Traveling in pairs provided a level of protection and strength in potentially hostile environments; the disciples were sent as “lambs among wolves.”
• Biblical Basis (Luke 10:1, 3) — After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go… Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.
• Assessment Question — What is the history of hostility in the areas where I am going to serve? In what ways do I show (1) naivete about human nature and (2) delusions about my ability to care for myself in hostile situations.
• Action Steps — Know the history of hostility in an area where you are going to serve. If the area or people have persecuted other ministers, prayerfully choose who goes with you. That person should be capable of keeping their cool in conflict and helping you in hostile situations.

Spiritual Accountability and Discernment

• The Principle — Working in pairs allows for spiritual accountability. Partners can help each other maintain spiritual disciplines (prayer, Bible study, worship), confront sinful tendencies, and enhance discernment through shared insights and prayer.
• Biblical Basis (Proverbs 27:17) — As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
• Assessment Questions — Am I paired up with people that promote growth in me? Do I encourage the person that I serve with in their commitment to Christ? Am I willing to serve with people who will challenge my ideas, disagree with my position, or gently critique my conduct?
• Action Steps — Assess your ministry partners to make sure that you are not choosing people on the basis that they are always agreeable. Recognize the value in working with people that will promote growth even when it means some painful honesty.

Division of Labor and Diverse Gifts

• The Principle — Different individuals bring different spiritual gifts and abilities to ministry. By pairing disciples, these diverse gifts can complement each other, making the ministry more effective and adaptable to various situations and needs.
• Biblical Basis (1 Corinthians 12:4-6) — There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
• Assessment Question — In the group that I “go” with (Matthew 28:18-20), is their a diversity of gifts? What would it look like to pair up with someone whose gifts are not the same as my own?
• Action Steps — Take an inventory of spiritual gifts for yourself and the people that you ministry with. Prayerfully consider recruiting to fill gaps.

Take your ministry to another level by pairing. If you are currently doing it alone, what you do for the Lord could be better with the help of other people that also want to live effectively in the service of Jeus.

In His grip by His grace,
Roderick L. Barnes, Sr.

References

Bruce, F. F. (1988). The Book of the Acts. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Polhill, John B. (1992). The New American Commentary: Acts. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.