Day 269: Acts 5-8

I probably heard Bob Stacy relate the story of Ananias and Sapphira about a million times. He told in a way that got the congregation (and me) laughing hysterically. He painted a hilarious picture of a typical modern-day church where this extraordinary event occurred. I've used his version myself several times...I could tell it today from memory. But the laughter always stopped when he hit us with the question: "What if everyone here who says their doing all they can for God...and weren't...dropped dead?" It's a good question. It gets at the heart of what this event teaches. It's not about how much A & S gave...it's about pretending to be something you're not...

Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”  When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. (Acts 5:3-5)

I think that last sentence might be an understatement.

I find these next verses a little confusing...

The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. (Acts 5:12-14)

If no one dared join them how did more and more men and women believe and become added to their number? I'm not sure of the answer, but I am sure that the people of the community looked at the church quite a bit differently than people in most 21st century communities look at the church. I wonder if that's because the world has changed it's view or the church has lost something? I wonder, if in our quest to be a welcoming place, we've lost a little of the power of being different. The church was a scary thing to the people...but it had something they were lacking.