Acts 5

Chapter 4 ended by introducing Barnabas, the "Son of Encouragement" to us. Luke tels us that Barney sold a field that he owned and gave the proceeds to the disciples for distribution. Chapter 5 begins by introducing Annanias and Sapphira to us. Annanias and Sapphira are the anti-heros of the story. They also sell a field, but conspire together to keep some of the proceeds, but tell everyone that they are giving the entire sum of the sale.

The story that follows is an example of the discipline and power in the early church. Annanias is confronted by Peter and drops dead. The young men carry the body out and bury him and before they can get back Sapphira meets the same end.

The sin of Annanias and Sapphire is not that they kept part of the money, but that they conspired together to lie about their generosity. We must take seriously the story even though it may offend our sensibilities. We might ask ourselves where we are deceiving others about our spirituality. Where are we living a religious lie, and for what end?

The authority and credibility of the Apostles grows daily and eventually the High Priest takes action and arrests them and puts them in jail under guard! That night, miraculously, the Apostles are released from prison by an angel of the Lord, and instructed to go and preach the Word! The next day when the religious leaders return to get the disciples from the prison they find the prison still locked but empty. they confront the disciples whom they find preaching in the temple and order them to stop their preaching. Again, the disciples say they must obey God and not people.

Here we find another famous quote - this time by Gamaliel, a famous teacher of the Jews and Saul of Tarsus (later called the Apostle Paul). Gamaliel cautions the angry leaders with this wisdom, "Fellow Israelites, consider carefully what you propose to do to these men. For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him; but he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and disappeared. After him Judas the Galilean rose up at the time of the census and got people to follow him; he also perished, and all who followed him were scattered. So in the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them--in that case you may even be found fighting against God!" Acts 5:35-39 NRSV.

The council takes Gamaliel's advice, but before they release the disciples they have them flogged as a warning. Imagine the scene following the flogging - as the disciples leave they rejoice that they were considered worthy to suffer for the Lord! What courage and what a great example for us!