This story is not hard to understand, because you and I have felt the same way ... a lie doesn’t matter. It makes us feel important, and no one will ever know. Right? WRONG!
It happened in the days when people gave large amounts of money for the spread of the gospel. In fact, some people sold everything they had, even their houses and land. The risen Saviour meant so much to them that they all ate their meals together, and they were very happy. Some suffered beatings and prison, but that was not half so important as Jesus was.
Then something spoiled it—selfishness! Ananias and Sapphira had a nice piece of land, and they sold it just as others had done. Ananias came and laid some money at the apostles’ feet.
But was it ALL the money? He didn’t have to give it all. In fact, he didn’t have to sell the land, but everybody else in their crowd was doing it, and Ananias wanted to show off how generous he was.
Peter had no way of knowing whether this was the full price or not, but God knew, and He gave Peter the wisdom to see Ananias’s problem. Peter knew very well that Satan hated this group of happy followers of Jesus, and he wanted to spoil their togetherness.
Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the price? asked Peter. It was yours, and you had power to give. Why did you think up this lie in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God!
Those are terrible words! ... Every lie is a lie not to men but to God. What can you and I do? Tears won’t wash a lie away. There it stands, recorded in God’s book. Is there any hope for me, a liar?
Yes, oh yes! Jesus died for sins like that. He took them all, and they were so terrible that God Himself did not comfort Jesus but poured out all His fury against sin onto Jesus on the cross. When He had taken all God’s punishment for sin, He cried out, “It is finished!” (John 19:30).
Where are my sins now? Gone! “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Does this mean your sins are gone? I don’t know. If you don’t care or you don’t believe God’s Word, then your sins are still recorded against you. It only takes one sin to take you to hell.
Do you know what happened to Ananias that day? He immediately fell down dead, and the young men wrapped him in graveclothes, carried him out and buried him.
About three hours later, his wife came in, and she had not heard the news about Ananias. Peter asked her, Tell me whether you sold the land for this amount? She answered, Yes, for that amount. You see, she had the same pride in her heart too, and she told the same lie to cover it up.
Peter had God’s wisdom to see her problem too, and he said, How is it that you both agreed to test the Spirit of the Lord? See, the men who buried your husband are at the door and shall carry you out too. Immediately she fell down dead, and the young men carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
The result of this was great fear. Even the believers all understood that you can’t tell a lie to God. He always knows! If you and I are real Christians, let’s take this to heart too. God hates lying, and He also hates the pride and selfishness that cause us to lie. It took the death of God’s beloved Son, our sinless Saviour, to wash away one lie.
Remember first of all that Jesus loves you. Would you like to be forgiven? The Lord said, “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:34).
You may read this story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11.
MEMORY VERSE: “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Jeremiah 31:34
ML-05/06/2012