Series: The Mvmnt 
Message: A Holy Jesus Community
Preacher: Japhet De Oliveira 
Reflection: Alex Bryan
Live Wonder: Zan Long 
Live Adventure: Zan Long 
Live Purpose: Jessyka Albert 
Editor: Becky De Oliveira

Refresh: Begin today in prayer. Ask God for understanding through the Holy Spirit and for God’s character to be revealed.

Read: Acts 4:32–5:16​ in the English Standard Version (ESV). Note 1–3 insights or questions.

Reflect: Focus on Acts 5:1–11. Who says all the rough and tumble stories are in the Old Testament? Here we discover a “blast from the past.” God is in no mood to entertain bad behavior and He deems it so problematic that not one but two human beings experience instantaneous cardiac arrest. So what was the crime?

First, we see that deception is in the air. Ananias and Sapphira lie. I’m not sure we see this “sin” as such a big deal anymore. We talk about facts, alternative facts, new and fake news, two sides to every story, one way of looking at it, shading the truth, saying something and then “walking it back a bit” and on it goes. In our political culture, popular culture, and even church culture, it seems the having an authentic “take” or “opinion” or “perspective” is all that really matters. Being “true to yourself” or “true to your convictions” makes us valued as people of integrity.

But is this really the case? Is sincerity the mark of honesty? Are good intentions a proper substitute for bland, plain-old integrity? Is “calling like it is” really okay when “it” isn’t how you’ve “called” it?

I think Ananias and Sapphira were fully convinced in their mind that they were telling the truth. They had rationalized (logically worked it out in their own heads) that the report they were giving was accurate. They were, in fact, giving “all the proceeds” they intended to give.

The second crime, I think, might even be more problematic than the first. That is, they were damaging the spirit of free-flowing generosity that marked the early church. As we have seen, people viewed everything they had as shared goods to be used in common, owned by God Himself. I suspect the value was so important to the Holy Spirit that this direct violation of it had to be dealt with swiftly and in a way that would get the community’s attention. I can’t explain how and why God acts with lethal force, but I can see here that decisive action was His best wisdom.

And it had the intended impact: people were terrified. I wonder if such fear exists today. 

Recalibrate: What is a situation in your life that you’ve rationalized like Ananias and Sapphira did?

Respond: Pray for a pure heart.

Research: Watch Julia Galef’s TED Talk: “Why You Think You’re Right—Even If You’re Wrong.”

Recharge: Wonder/Adventure/Purpose

Grab a piece of fruit, maybe a banana or an apple, and have a good look at it. How sad is it when we bite into an apple and it’s yukky and rotten inside? Or when the banana is all mushy. The fruit looked so good, but it was yukky on the inside. God calls us to live good from the inside out. Make some fruit salad with your child or  pick some fruit from a tree or from the store. Talk about how God knows us from the inside out and He still loves us.

The story is told of two people who lied to the apostles in Act 5:1–11 They said they were giving everything, but they weren’t really. They had not given all when they said they would. These two got found out and boy, oh, boy, what happened to them makes me always want to tell the truth! How can you give your all today? All your energy. All your words. All your actions.To help the people around you?

Do you think if Ananias and Sapphira told Peter the truth they wouldn’t have died? Jesus knows we all make mistakes and do things that aren’t right, but when we don’t admit that what we did is wrong and keep the power to ourselves, that is a problem. Jesus wants us to live by His life, love, and power. Today when you pray, be honest with Jesus about the mistakes you’ve made this week and ask Him for His power in your life.