Sermon Idea: God’s new covenant people are a Spirit-filled community characterized by unity, love, and truth.
Introduction: A key characteristic that identifies true disciples of Jesus is their love for one another. After washing the disciples’ feet in John 13, Jesus goes on to say, By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (Jn 13:35)
Love for one another identifies faithful followers of Jesus because Jesus Christ is the embodiment of love who gave himself as a sacrifice for our salvation. We love one another because Christ first loved us.
When love for believers is absent, especially those in your own community, then that indicates that the love of God does not abide in that person. Listen to how 1 John connects the love of Christ to the church’s love for one another.
16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. (1 Jn 3:16–18)
The disciples in Acts 4:32-37 do not love one another with mere words, but in deed and in truth. They do so because they have been saved through faith in Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit. You can rest assured that where the love of Christ is present among his people, it is because of the powerful work of the Holy Spirit through them.
It is not insignificant in my mind that when Paul lists the fruits of the Spirit, the first that he mentions is love, “…But the fruit of the Spirit is love (Ga 5:22)
Why is this important? What we see described in Acts 4:32-37 is not an account of self-made, morally upright people who live sacrificially together. It is an account of the community that God creates in Christ Jesus by the power of his Holy Spirit. It is the fulfillment of God’s new covenant promises in Christ and the sending of the Holy Spirit that creates these people who are characterized by unity, love, and truth.
This point is particularly brought home to us when we recall that Acts 4:32-37 is the second summary of the early life of the church. The first is Acts 2:42-47, which Aaron preached a few weeks ago. Both of these summaries come after a dramatic work of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:42-47 follows the great sending of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and Acts 4:32-37 follows the disciples being filled with the Spirit in response to their prayer.
And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. (Ac 4:31)
God’s new covenant people are a Spirit-filled community characterized by unity, love, and truth.
All of this is crucial for understanding the story of Ananias and Sapphira wisely. We are given two accounts of community life. One created by the work of the Holy Spirit through followers of Jesus and the other by the work of Satan through greedy and deceitful people.
This morning, we will take note of the characteristics that define a Spirit-filled community and a community influenced by Satan. As we do so, we’ll also see that God does not take lightly any attempt to tarnish the holiness and purity of his people.
I.) The characteristics of a Spirit-filled community (Acts 4:32-37)
The early church is first described as being characterized by unity. The language that is used highlights that the church is a body.
32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. (Ac 4:32)
The Spirit creates a community in which each member treats the other member as they would their own body, because in Christ, they are all members of one another. In this community, there are no second-class members; everyone’s individual needs are considered to be the needs of the community.
When God promised a new covenant, he promised that his new covenant people would be of one heart and soul.
39 I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. (Je 32:39)
This oneness results in them having “everything in common.”
As we think about passages like this, and several other passages in Acts, for that matter, it is essential to remember the difference between description and prescription.
The Bible describes many activities, but not all of them are prescribed for us to obey today. It is often the case, however, that both are true in different ways, and that is the case here.
Acts describes the early church in Jerusalem as living so closely that they mutually share money and possessions, so that “no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own.” (Acts 4:32)
This mutual sharing of money and possessions is what is described, and we don’t have to live in this particular way to be a unified community. That said, there is something prescribed here. We are to be a people transformed by the grace of God and our salvation, so that we generously and sacrificially care for each other. We are to live together for the love of God and the love of neighbor.
God’s Spirit-filled community is characterized by unity. It is also characterized by truth.
33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. (Ac 4:33)
As they are living together, they experience the grace of God through the ministry of the Word. The cross and resurrection of Jesus are at the center of this community’s life. It is God’s grace and the gospel that motivate these saints to live sacrificially and generously.
If we want to be a people who love, sacrifice, and give our lives to one another, we must do more than focus on money, time, and possessions. We must adore more and more the great grace we’ve received in Christ Jesus and the rich gift of our salvation.
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich (2 Co 8:9)
7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Co 9:7)
God’s Spirit-filled community is characterized by unity and truth, but they are also characterized by love, which is evident in its support of the poor.
34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. (Ac 4:34–35)
We know from the rest of Acts that private property and home ownership are the norm for many Christians. The church would have met in homes. There may have been people who sold all the property they had, but it’s also likely that some sold out of an abundance of resources. Either way, what we need to take away from this is that they are living as Jesus taught them to live.
33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Lk 12:33–34)
Barnabas serves as a specific godly example to contrast the sinful actions of Ananias and Sapphira. This is Barnabas, who would later become a traveling companion to Paul on his missionary journeys to the Gentiles.
God’s new covenant community is characterized by unity, truth, and love. This type of community is what Mark Dever and Jamie Dunlop refer to as a compelling community. There is an attractive power in a community that loves well. By loving one another well, we draw people to Jesus Christ, who is the example and the source of our love.
There is an old saying in my ministry circles that I am sure could be qualified and nuanced, but is generally true. “What you win them with is what you win them to,” or similarly, “what you win them with is what you have to keep them with.
I want to win people to Jesus Christ and the communion of the saints. We can and should strive to do all things with excellence, but I want the draw to be Christ and his people. If we adopt the ‘field of dreams’ philosophy of ministry, then we’ll have to keep people engaged in the programs, ministries, and opportunities that attracted them.
If we win them to Christ and his people, they’ll stay through the changing circumstances that every church goes through.
Unity, truth, and love. This is what we want to characterize the saints of Waldo Baptist Church. Let’s view our membership here as part of a larger body to which we belong. It should be meaningful, so that when one of us hurts, we all hurt, and when one of us rejoices, we all rejoice. Let’s love the truth, and not settle for superficial TED talks that sprinkle in a verse here and there. Lastly, let’s love well. Let us love one another as Christ has loved us.
How about we get more specific?
Do you view yourself as a member of the body?
Do you care about the people around you in such a way that their needs are your concern?
Do you love the truth? Do you treasure the doctrine that unites us as a church?
Do you give? Are you present and consuming ministry without contributing to the body’s ability to do ministry?
The people of the new covenant are a Spirit-filled community. That doesn’t mean there won’t, from time to time, be unbelievers who try to make their way into the fold. This is what Satan attempts to do through the greed and deception of Ananias and Saphira.
II.) The characteristics of a Satan-filled community (Acts 5:1-11)
The contrast between Barnabas, Anania, and Sapphira is felt by the “but” in 5:1.
But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. (Ac 5:1–2)
Notice the distinct type of unity between Ananias and Sapphira. They are united in greed and deception. They want to be recognized as sacrificial members of this community as if they had given all they had. They think they are deceiving the church, but what Peter says is that they lied to the Holy Spirit.
3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself 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? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God (Ac 5:3–4)
Ananias and Sapphira were under no obligation to sell their land. This is not coercion. They wanted to make money while appearing sacrificial. Scripture warns us of the great trap that greed and love for money is.
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. (1 Ti 6:9–10)
They have lied to God and loved money more than their neighbor. The judgment for this is swift and fatal.
5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. (Ac 5:5–6)
When Sapphira tells the same lie, her judgment is the same.
10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things (Ac 5:10–11)
It is not uncommon for some to recoil at this judgment, and that is understandable to a degree. We recoil, though not because God has acted unjustly, but because we think too much of sinners, too little of God’s holiness, and not enough about the purity of Christ’s church.
The text provides us with the necessary indicators to interpret this passage wisely. This is not a story about faithful Christians who stumbled and faced judgment before having the chance to repent. The text says they were filled with Satan. They sought to harm the unity of the church with greed and deception. These are not stumbling saints; they are servants of Satan’s war on the church.
Brian Vickers explains this very well.
“These are not believers punished for lying, but unbelievers filled with Satan and bringing wickedness into the covenant setting as a satanic attack. The contrast between the Spirit and Satan leads to the conclusion that Anania and Sapphira are not lapsed believers, nor do they lose their salvation. They are like Judas, deceived by Satan and in rebellion against God. And like Judas, they meet a decisive, fatal end.”
There are several vital truths to take away from the judgment of Ananias and Sapphira.
- God cannot be tricked, nor can we hide our sinful motives, thoughts, and actions from His righteous sight. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Heb 4:13)
- God protects the purity and holiness of his church. In this case, he judges a threat attempting to get in. Other times God will judge ungodly members, spoiling the church’s purity from within.
17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Pe 4:17)
3. God may not judge now, but he will in the future. All who want to escape God’s judgment should turn and place their faith in Christ, who is the Savior from the wrath to come.
how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. (1 Th 1:9–10)
Nathaniel R. Martin 