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Category: Acts for a 21st c. Church

Acts of the Apostles + a History of Christ’s Church

Acts of the Apostles 1-28

Acts of the Apostles:
+ The first century Church SHARED Christ while suffering severe persecution.
+ Luke records a historic account of the Church which gives 21c Christians a context to SHARE the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others.

Read more about the Early Church & add your COMMENT on Scripture.

ACT now.

+ SHARE the Gospel history witnessed in the CURRENT chronological SERIES from ACTS of the APOSTLES.

An Apostolic Model: Ministering to a Growing Church
How did Twelve Apostles minister to multitudes of disciples of a growing Church?
- Who would lead change after hearing their murmurings,
  - (And THAT, knowing that some came to Christ from one TRADITION,
  - while others came to the Lord from diverse ethnic standards of community, family and worship of God.)
- How can WE help relieve so many PERSONAL problems for hundreds of families belonging to our growing church?
- WHEN will we ever have time to minister to our church family?
- What must we do for each and every saint of our Lord Christ Jesus?
ACTS of the Apostles and the Jerusalem CHURCH 6:1-7

Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.
ACTS of the Apostles 6:1 ESV

Leading through diverse difficulties of a growing Church

‘.. but we have always done it THIS way?’
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(This isn't going to be so easy, is it?)

Luke reveals the cultural challenge of the church familiar to him, however most of us (in this 21st century) will not understand the root of the problem: 

Mixing gentiles with Jews. Even bringing the traditional challenge of some Jews joining in fellowship with other Jews divides political alliances in the Sanhedrin of Jerusalem.

Therefore I will begin by including a background for our scene in first century Jerusalem, as well as outcomes of church ministry which have occurred over two millennia. - RH
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First let’s clarify some ‘church‘ terms we derive from the Greek language of the New Testament.

Who are Apostles? (and who are Disciples?)
HOW MANY APOSTLES?
TWELVE (our standard answer)
WHO ARE THE APOSTLES?
No need here to recite them by name, but remembering:
ALL Apostles at this point in ACTS are leaders of the Church in Jerusalem.
Matthias has now replaced Judas.
Saul of Tarsus will soon encounter the risen Christ Jesus and join in ministry as Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles.

ἀπόστολος – full definition linked here
Disciples (disciples)

μαθητής

Strictly speaking, disciples are the ones taught; that is, anyone who follows the teachings or traditions of any teacher or rabbi.

The disciple^G3101 is not above his master [didaskalos],
nor the servant [doulos] above his lord [kyrios].
Instruction of Jesus Christ – Matthew 10:24

לִמּוּד

54:13 וְכָל־בָּנַיִךְ לִמּוּדֵי יְהוָה וְרַב שְׁלוֹם בָּנָֽיִךְ׃

And all thy children shall be taught^H3928 of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.
prophesy of the Messiah by Yeshaiya (Isaiah) 54:13

μαθητής mathētḗs, math-ay-tes’; from G3129; a learner, i.e. pupil:—disciple.
- The Twelve were disciples of Jesus who followed their Teacher full-time for three years.
  - You’ve probably noticed that most translations of the Bible capitalize ‘disciple’ to avoid confusion when referring to the Twelve Disciples [Apostles].
- Many others of the multitudes also became disciples and followed Jesus Christ in the early days before his crucifixion and resurrection.
Now, in our scene in Jerusalem after the Lord’s resurrection, the Church in Jerusalem has many disciples – disciples of the Holy Spirit (who of course first receive the Holy Spirit, as we have just read from Luke’s account).

Yet from Jesus’ instruction from the Gospel of the Apostle Matthew, note another distinction of this relationship between rabbi and pupil: that of master (or lord) and servant.

These also apply in Luke’s account describing the model by which the Apostles lead the early Church.

Our NEW Pastors 🙂

(Some call them: ‘ministers‘)
- FIRST: Jesus was the Rabbi. And Jesus was the Master.
- THEN: The APOSTLES became the Rabbis. And the Apostles were then masters of their sheep (students; flocks, servants, community, school, fold, gathering, or whatever you may choose to call this multitude of the Church).
Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.
Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.
Jeremiah 23:1, 50,17 KJV

But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; G1249
Gospel of Matthew 20:26 KJV – Teaching of Jesus to His disciples

The Twelve, led by two of Jesus’ inner circle of Apostles, Simon Peter and John, now lead the New Testament Church as rabbis to a multitude of disciples.

Lambs of the Apostles’ fold

The Apostle John, who Luke records as standing at Peter’s side on the day of Pentecost, opens our eyes to the resurrected Jesus, where the Lord calls on Peter to restore the foundation of his calling:

“Tend My lambs.” .. “Shepherd My sheep.” .. “Tend My sheep.
The risen Master’s loving command to Simon Peter to minister to His church – Gospel of John 21:15,16,17

These new disciples of the Twelve include NOT ONLY men from traditional Judaism, but also men, women and children accepted into fellowship, tender young lambs of Jesus who could NEVER before have been full members of their community of faith in the Lord God.

“And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice; and they will become one flock, with one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it back.
Jesus teaching the Jews that He will Shepherd the gentiles, as scripture has said. – Gospel of John 10:16-17 NASB20
- And what happens when ANY two groups of differing cultural traditions choose to follow one leader?
- Dissension and murmuring by some unwilling to abide by rules and traditions imposed by others.
Who is the master ministering to these NEW lambs?

“They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

“Go; behold, I am sending you out like lambs in the midst of wolves.
Instruction of the Master Jesus to seventy-two [72] disciples + Gospel of Luke 10:3 NASB20

Master – διδάσκαλος – didaskalos

The KJV translates Strong’s G1320 in the following manner: Master (Jesus) (40x), teacher (10x), master (7x), doctor (1x).

Doctor:
a teacher (from didasko, “to teach”), cp. didaskalia, “teaching, doctrine, instruction,” is translated “doctors,” with reference to the teachers of the Jewish religion, Luk 2:46. Cp. paideutes, “a teacher.”
See MASTER, TEACHER.
Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words 1 Strong’s Number: g1320 Greek: didaskalos – via BlueLetterBible.org

The rabbis of Jerusalem quarreled with each other as they had also challenged the legitimacy that Jesus’ MANY disciples should call the Lord, ‘Master.’ Now that Peter, John and the Apostles have remained in Jerusalem as Jesus commanded, MANY disciples remained faithful to the church gathered under the leadership of the Apostles.

Note from earlier, after Peter preached in the Temple,

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus.
Acts records the reactions of other rabbis

These Apostolic Masters of the Church community now face division and opposition just as Jesus had encountered in Jerusalem prior to His execution and resurrection from the dead.

Lord

We will never understand our role as a servant of the Church until we know the sacrificial love of its servant-Master.
Roger@TalkofJESUS.com
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"lord" occurs 7,790 times in 6,587 verses in the NASB20. Page 1 / 132
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Here too I urge caution and prayerful understanding of terms frequently used and misused by the church. i.e. Lord, Master, servant, slave (even God and ‘love,’ translated from several different Greek and Hebrew words in Scripture).
- LORD – Yᵊhōvâ – יְהֹוָה
  - i.e. So Noah acted in accordance with everything that the LORD^H3068 had commanded him.
- From הָיָה (H1961)
  - i.e. Genesis 27:29 הָוָה
May peoples serve you,
And nations bow down to you;
Be master of your brothers,
And may your mother’s sons bow down to you.
Cursed be those who curse you,
And blessed be those who bless you.”

And God said to Moses, “I AM^H1961 WHO I AM^H1961”; and He said, “This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: ‘I AM^H1961 has sent me to you.’”
Exodus 3:14 NASB20

אָמַרְתְּ לַֽיהוָה אֲדֹנָי אָתָּה טוֹבָתִי בַּל־עָלֶֽיךָ׃
I said to the LORD [Yᵊhōvâ}, “You are my Lord [;ăḏōnāy];
I have nothing good besides You.” – Tehillim (Psalms) 16:2
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For this is what the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said:
“In repentance and rest you will be saved,
In quietness and trust is your strength.”
But you were not willing,
Isaiah 30:15
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κυρίῳ kyrios – Lord
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"lord" occurs 106 times in 100 verses in the book of 'Act' in the NASB20.
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And increasingly believers in the Lord^G2962, large numbers of men and women, were being added to their number,
Acts of the Apostles 5:14 NASB20

ἐκκλησία – ekklēsia – ‘Church‘

Luke has only used the term ‘church’ once at this point in Acts of the Apostles to describe these ‘large numbers of men and women.’ He opens his second account describing the miraculous growth of the church:

Acts of ALL with one accord

Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
- And now HOW has Luke just introduced the Church by name?
A Church Seized by Signs and Wonders

Acts 5:11 KJV And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
- The Church (that is, the early church) lives as a community of love in fear of God, yet joyful of Christ’s anointing Spirit given to His disciples of the Church who will ‘follow Jesus, as their Master.’
- The saints of the Apostolic community serve the Living God and obey the Apostles as their lords and masters.
The disciple^G3101 is not above his master [didaskalos],
nor the servant [doulos] above his lord [kyrios].
Instruction of Jesus Christ – Matthew 10:24

the servant [doulos]

Now that we have defined some of these ‘Christian‘ terms so foundational to understanding Luke’s account of the Acts of the Apostles; NEXT, God-willing, we will examine the role the these servants of the Church.
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ACTS of the Church 6: 
To be continued...
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December 22, 2021
A Church Seized by Signs and Wonders
Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.
ACTS of signs and wonders by the Apostles 5:11 NIV

ACTS of Signs and Wonders

What has just happened?
- Ananias and Saphira – followers of the Apostles struck dead at Peter’s feet!
At this point in Luke’s account of the ACTS of the church we encounter an unexpected sign and wonder which struck great fear into the church.

Two believers lied to the Holy Spirit, after which each immediately met withthe judgment of God – death.

Don’t miss this:

Peter Replied: Signs Preached from Solomon’s Porch

.. God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”
Acts of the Apostles 3:26 ESV

In addition to the tongues of fire, a lame man made to walk and the Apostles walking out of a locked prison without explanation, EVERYONE begins to see signs of the power of GOD at work though them. When reports of the deaths of two disciples of the Apostles reach the ears of Jerusalem, MANY fear what could happen as these signs and wonders continue.

Acts 5:

12 Now many signs and wonders were done among the people through the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. None of the rest dared to join them, but the people held them in high esteem.

14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.

Signs and Wonders since Pentecost have already caused a stir in Jerusalem

Speaking the Word of God with Boldness

parrēsia -all out-spokenness, i.e. frankness, bluntness, publicity; by implication, assurance:—bold confidence, × freely, × openly, × plainly

Jerusalem’s officials also fear the Apostles, not only because of their own wickedness, but since undeniable signs and wonders already performed in their midst in Herod’s temple threaten their tenuous political leadership of the temple..

Arrested AND Released

from ACTS 5 – AFTER GOD STRUCK DOWN ANANIAS AND SAPHIRA

“Look, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”

[Peter has convicted them of their complicity in Jesus’ Sacrifice on the Cross; however the Apostle had also stated that God the Father had allowed it AND that JESUS had been raised from the grave!]

But Peter and the apostles answered,

“We must obey God rather than men.

Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.
ACTS 4:30 NIV + Prayer of the Apostles

Signs and Wonders from GOD!

And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
ACTS 4:31 NKJV
- ACTS 5:14 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,
  - 15 so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them.
- 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem,
  - bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits,
  - and all of them were healed.
- 17 Then the high priest took action; he and all who were with him (that is, the sect of the Sadducees), being filled with jealousy, arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors, brought them out..
  - Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 As they left the council, they rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.
- 42 And every day in the temple and at home they did not cease to teach and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah.
- ACTS 6: Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number..
- 7 The word of God continued to spread; the number of the disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem,
- and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.
To be continued…
December 15, 2021
That’s Not Fair! Possessions and Community
The Saga of Ananias and Saphira

From a background of my own evangelical christian American thinking I had always squirmed with a certain sense of unfairness that Ananias and Saphira died instantly at Peter’s feet when the Apostle confronted them about a sale of THEIR OWN possessions.

Wasn’t the profit from THEIR MONEY from a SALE of their land one of the most generous GIFTS of CHARITY anyone could have given to the Apostles? They gave most of it to the CHURCH. It was certainly more than a 10% tithe.

So how much should Anaias and Saphira have given to the CHURCH?

Our Offerings to ‘the church’

Here’s MY gentile ALL-AMERICAN take on what Peter and the Apostles should have expected.
- Wouldn’t giving EVERYTHING to the Apostles make the saints of the first century Church COMMUNISTS, or at the very least SOCIALISTS?
The COMMUNITY of the Jerusalem Church seems unlike everything WE THE PEOPLE of the United States have come to expect as a 21st century christian ‘church.’ Yet most of our our preachers love to proclaim such generous gifts of substance from leading contributers like Ananias and Saphira to the church. (We know who they are.)
- How many of US would sell our possessions just to give money to our local church?
- WHY would GOD strike DEAD any believer in Jesus for holding back a few possessions for themselves?
  - It seems ‘un-American, doesn’t it?
  - OUR hearts recoil as our tongues to cry out, ‘THIS IS UNFAIR.’
ACTS of the Church in context
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Most Christians know this story from ACTS 5:1-11 and the generosity of Joseph of Cypress from the preceeding two verses in Acts 4.
 
I have not skipped this story until now to avoid controversial contempory issues, but rather to maintain a storyline of Peter as the first leader of the Church.
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A Chronological context of Acts from a first century perspective

Luke published Acts of the Apostles in about

the year of our Lord, 62,

just prior to empire-wide persecution of the Jews (including the sect of Christ followers) and the Jerusalem War which led to its fall in A.D. 70.

The Forgotten Saga of The Way

Christians reading Luke’s historical account of events some thirty years earler (in ~A.D. 30’s) would already have suffered persecution, loss of their possessions and lands, and even deaths of family and other saints of their church as most fled with little left to places of reletive safety.

This sect of The Way, along with Jerusalem’s former ruling classes, would no longer have enough possessions to sustain daily life in Jerusalem, some even without food to eat.

Why DO the nations rage?

We looked at a few of these AD 1st century events earlier

Short list of a few more historical events impacting AD 1st century readers of ACTS;

source
- 28 AD John the Baptist is executed by Herod Antipas, son of King Herod in Judaea.
- 32 – 36 AD Estimated date of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
- 44 AD Judaea is annexed as a Roman province after the death of Herod Agrippa.
- 49 AD Claudius passes an edict expelling all Jews from Rome.
- 64 AD The Great Fire of Rome speculated to have been started by Nero to make room for his palace. Christians Persecuted as scapegoats. Nero begins construction of the domus aurea (the Golden House).
- 67 AD The future Emperor Vespasian is sent to Judaea to put down a Jewish revolt.
  - Death of Paul the Apostle.
Some believe Luke wrote Acts after the fall of Jerusalem (A.D. 70; his death was probably in the mid-eighties).
It is more likely, however, that he wrote much earlier, before the end of Paul’s first Roman imprisonment (ca. A.D. 60–62).
John MacArthur :: Bible Introductions – Acts

Early examples of faith

Who should these new disciples of the Apostles ACT like during these desparate times of yet another jewish diaspora due to persecution?

Certainly the daily lives of every saint of the early church read like an unseen saga of suffering known to early readers of the GOSPELS, ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, the EPISTLES and THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST to John.
Roger@TalkofJESUS.com

Possessions of the Church + Banking on the Risen Lord
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We return now to Luke's second account ACTS of the Apostles in about AD 32-36, as we have learned, and a fledgling gathering of saints in Jerusalem who increasingly must depend on the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the cohesion of love binding their community to each other.
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ACTS of the saints of the CHURCH 4:

The Apostolic Community of 1st Century Jerusalem

Luke reveals their agreement or community compact:

For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each to the extent that any had need.
ACTS of the Jerusalem church 4:34-35 NASB – AD 30’s

This NEW community in the Spirit of The Way in Jerusalem applied Christ’s love for each other AND IT WORKED.

Luke tells later saints of the church how the Apostles gave us this example.

Luke begins with a positive example.

Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus by birth, the one the apostles called Barnabas, (translated Son of Encouragement) sold a field he owned..

Joseph, from the priestly Levitical line, is a faithful Jew who traveled to Jerusalem for its major festivals. Then after the Holy Spirit fills the community of faith on Pentecost, Barnabas (Joseph) fully commits to this new community of The Way led by the Apostles.

Joseph of Cypress (Barnabas) sold a field he owned, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
ACTS 4:37 CSB

Luke encourages the poor and needy commuinties of Christ who will read of their sacrificial generocity years later while many saints suffer severe persecution.

32 Now the multitude of those who believe were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
.. all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.
ACTS 4:33,35b-36 NKJV of the Jerusalem Chruch after Pentrecost

Luke continues with a negative example

Are these really YOUR possessions?

ACTS 5 of Ananias & Saphira

Lying to the Holy Spirit

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession.

Unlike Joseph of Cypress, Luke does not give us much detail about this couple, but his name, Ananias, would have been familiar in their community of fellow Jews.

Ἁνανίας – Ananías, an-an-ee’-as; of Hebrew origin (H2608); Ananias, the name of three Israelites:—Ananias.
1. a certain Christian [at Jerusalem], the husband of Sapphira: Acts 5:1-6.
2. a Christian of Damascus: Acts 9:10-18; Acts 22:12
3. a son of Nedebaeus, and high priest of the Jews circa A.D. 47-59.
Ananias = “whom Jehovah has graciously given”

(Luke the gentile Physician likely understands this irony as will the Apostles.)

The Hebrew root of Ananias also points to a familiar Scriptural example from Daniel: חֲנַנְיָה
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Hananiah = "God has favoured"

the godly friend of Daniel whom Nebuchadnezzar renamed Shadrach; one of the three friends who with Daniel refused to make themselves unclean by eating food from the king's table which went against the dietary laws which God had given the Jews; also one of the three who were thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing to bow down to a graven image of Nebuchadnezzar and who were saved by the angel of the Lord.

source: BlueLetterBible.org Lexicon :: Strong's H2608 - ḥănanyâ
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Ananias is a leading man of means among these five hundred or so followers of the Apostles. And he has sold some of his possessions for the church to graciously give to others in need of his charity.

(But is their generous gift to the church truly their own?)

Psalm 104 excerpt
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מָֽה־רַבּוּ מַעֲשֶׂיךָ יְֽהוָה כֻּלָּם בְּחָכְמָה עָשִׂיתָ מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ קִנְיָנֶֽךָ׃

  יִתַּמּוּ חַטָּאִים מִן־הָאָרֶץ וּרְשָׁעִים עוֹד אֵינָם בָּרֲכִי נַפְשִׁי אֶת־יְהוָה הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃
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LORD, how many are Your works!
In wisdom You have made them all;
The earth is full of Your possessions…

May sinners be removed from the earth
And may the wicked be no more.
Bless the LORD, my soul.
Praise the LORD!
Tehillim (Psalms) 104:24,35 :: Westminster Leningrad Codex (WLC), NASB20

His ‘portion’ of the proceeds

ACTS 5:2 However, he kept back part of the proceeds with his wife’s knowledge, and brought a portion of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

WHY?
- Didn’t Luke tell us that ALL brought the proceeds of the things that were sold and laid them at the apostles’ feet?
- AND also, these ACTS of GENEROSITY of ALL sharing ALL of their possessions resulted in
  - the Apostles distributing to each as anyone had need?
The offering of Anaias’ portion of the sale may have exceeded the value of what most could contribute who shared everything they sold. So often leading contributors of the Church receive public accolades for their ‘generosity.’

Yet what had Peter learned from Jesus preaching about our portion of riches?

Gospel of Luke 12:– Lying to the HOLY SPIRIT & GREED

10 “And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him;

but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him.

“Now when they bring you before the synagogues and the officials and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Peter and ALL of those touched by the tongues of fire on Pentecost have already experienced this.

But in this same teaching, Jesus warns again of the danger of riches to those who would cling to their possessions.

“Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one is affluent does his life consist of his possessions.” And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive..
Gospel of Luke 12:15b-16[21] NASB20 – Jesus cautioning against greed

AND IN THE END of Jesus’ parable:
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We know the expression, but hear little of it's context: EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY..

‘And I will say to my [SOUL], “You have many goods stored up for many years to come; relax, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself!”’
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“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is demanded of you; and as for all that you have prepared, who will own it now?’
Gospel of Luke 12:[19-20] NASB20

Why do you lie to the HOLY SPIRIT?

ACTS 5: of their Deceit

3 But Peter said,

“Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control?

Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart?

You have not lied to men, but to God.”

Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last.

So great fear came upon all those who heard these things.

6 And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.
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FAR DIFFERENT from our 21st century receiving of this weeks 'offering' when we are obliged to put something in the basket (or plate) rather anonomously.
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Saphira
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I might easily expound at length on Saphira's role as the wife of Ananias. 

Should she agree with her husband's dishonesty OR tell the truth even when her husband is dishonest? 

Just a Scriptures familiar to her for your own consideration:
All quotes from BlueLetterBible.org 
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- and they shall become one flesh. – Genesis 2:24b
- There certainly was no one like Ahab who gave himself over to do evil in the sight of the LORD, because Jezebel his wife incited him. – 1 Kings 25:25
- His wife said to him, “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.” But Job replied, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” So in all this, Job said nothing wrong. – Job 2:9-10
- An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
  - But she who shames him is like rottenness in his bones. – Proverbs 12:4
“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.
Gospel of Luke 14:26 + a caution of JESUS – v.27 “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

SAPHIRA, one with ANANIAS as his wife had a choice: Yet both also gave their word to the Apostles to remain one with the community of Christ in the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Which choice will SHE make when confronted by truth?

Three Hours Later
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Perhaps she had been window shopping in Jerusalem for some new clothes or possions appropriate to their high status. Maybe she had asked Ananias for some of their new-found profit. (This is just spectulation.)
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ACTS 5: of Saphira

..his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.

8 Peter asked her, “Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?”

“Yes,” she replied, “that was the price.”

9 Then Peter said to her, “Why did you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?

She must have immediately wondered, ‘HOW does he know that Ananias received more? I never thought that Ananias would cave in and tell him.’

Peter continues as she stands before these witnesses in shock at his words and she hears some men approaching the door of their meeting place..

Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.”

Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last.

And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband.

Are your possessions worth your soul?
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ACTS of the Apostles - To be continued...
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December 8, 2021