Everything
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Acts 5:1-5, 11-16
1. But a man named Ananias with his wife Sapphira sold a piece of property, 2. and with his wife's knowledge he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a 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 to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? 4. While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God." 5. When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 12. Now many signs and wonders were done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico. 13. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high honor. 14. And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women, 15. so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and pallets, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16. The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
My NIV translation placed a little different emphasis on verse 13, it states, “No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people.” Those who dared not join the faithful at Solomon’s Portico were those whose hearts were not pure--who offered less than perfect gifts. It wasn’t that they didn’t give enough, it was that they made offerings either to “look good” or because “it was the thing to do.” They didn’t offer what they did because they wanted to express their deep gratitude for being healed/saved.
God knows what is in our hearts! We may be able to fool man, but never God. The death of Ananias and his wife serve as a reminder to us about how we are to present ourselves before God. He wants all of us and everything. Really . . . EVERYTHING. All our longings and desires. All our wants and all our plans. All our hurts and suffering. All of our rejoicing and celebration. Every one of our deepest, darkest fears, and each of our bright, shining dreams. Every breath. Every heartbeat. He wants what Jesus gave him -- from each of us.
I, for one, don’t want to wait until I’m in a situation like the residents of Louisiana. I don’t want to lose everything I have and any evidence of my former life, before I go to God with my future and even with my next day, next hour. Ananias and Sapphira had an opportunity to be blessed beyond their wildest imagining! But they held back part of their wealth for themselves--just in case. It sounds like a pretty sound financial decision, doesn’t it?! But God directs us to look to Jesus. What did he leave behind? What is the legacy of Jesus Christ? No money, no fine houses, no children. Only his complete and absolute obedience.
When one of my covenant sisters challenges me to go to a deeper level of spirituality in a particular area of my life, I half-jokingly tell them, “Hmm, that’s too hard!” They know me well enough to know, though, that I’ll be the first one to dive in and turn things over and offer up more and more of myself to God. They also know that I will be convicted and repent with abject humility. And then they will share their own revelations about their self-examination with me. God places us in community so that we will have support and comfort, admonition and guidance on our spiritual journey. That’s why all the believers gathered together each day--to lift each other up and to be present as they were healed.
And God wants us to believe in him and trust in his provision for us, just like those standing in the shadow of Peter, we are to believe that we will be whole through our faith in Jesus Christ.
My hope today is that you will offer up your life to God. And that you will look to Jesus as the answer to the question, “Everything?”
Mary
