Acts chapter five challenges me and is a profound reminder of the continuity of the Jesus' church from those early days right up to today.
Chapter five is a set of three snapshots showing the character of the new community that had formed, of its new leaders, and of the reluctant culture into which it was born.
The story of Ananias and Sapphira tells in horrific detail how they lied to the Holy Spirit, not to men, when they tried to withhold some of the money they raised for the community by selling their house. It seems to echo the time Adam and Eve challenged the Lord in the Garden of Eden by lying to him. Both stories led to death. Both stories convict my heart. We're told there is no secret from God, but we pretend anyway! Remembering that we all avoid the light, as we considered here last week, we should remain aware that sin is our nature and as a result we are called to be humble and to repent.
Lord, thank you for the sobering message of this chapter. Let me see my own inner self as you see it, accepting the goodness and admitting the faults. Thank you for your Holy Spirit in me. Let me make a home for you that is acceptable and welcoming.
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