Great grace…great fear
Acts 4:32-5:11
I. Prologue: 4:32-35
Great grace…great fear
Acts 4:32-5:11
I. Prologue: 4:32-35
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The unity of the early church.
o In purpose.
o In doctrine (cf. 2:42).
o Mutual concern/sharing.
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The unity of the early church.
o In purpose.
o In doctrine (cf. 2:42).
o Mutual concern/sharing.
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The ministry of the early church.
o Proclaiming the resurrected Christ.
o Meeting the needs of believers.
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The ministry of the early church.
o Proclaiming the resurrected Christ.
o Meeting the needs of believers.
II. Conflict and resolution: 4:36 – 5:10
II. Conflict and resolution: 4:36 – 5:10
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Barnabas makes his contribution. 4:36-37
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Barnabas makes his contribution. 4:36-37
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Ananias and Sapphira make their contribution. 5:1-2
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Ananias and Sapphira make their contribution. 5:1-2
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Peter’s confronts Ananias and Sapphira. 5:3-10
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Peter’s confronts Ananias and Sapphira. 5:3-10
o Peter confronts Ananias – Ananias dies. 5:3-6
o Peter confronts Sapphiara – Sapphira dies. 5:7-10
III. Epilogue: 5:11
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Great fear came upon the church.
Great fear came upon everyone that heard about this event.
IV. Theology and Application:
o Peter confronts Ananias – Ananias dies. 5:3-6
o Peter confronts Sapphiara – Sapphira dies. 5:7-10
III. Epilogue: 5:11
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Great fear came upon the church.
Great fear came upon everyone that heard about this event.
IV. Theology and Application:
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It is very clear that God is working with this new group called
the Church.
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It is very clear that God is working with this new group called
the Church.
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We should resist the temptation of over idealizing the early
church. They had problems too.
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We should resist the temptation of over idealizing the early
church. They had problems too.
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God’s posture towards sin has not changed now that the
Church Age is in place.
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God’s posture towards sin has not changed now that the
Church Age is in place.
“The story of Ananias is to the book of Acts
what the story of Achan is to the book of
Joshua. In both narratives an act of deceit
interrupts the victorious progress of the
people of God.”1
1
“The story of Ananias is to the book of Acts
what the story of Achan is to the book of
Joshua. In both narratives an act of deceit
interrupts the victorious progress of the
people of God.”2
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The ultimate issue is that the progress of the church was
temporarily interrupted by sin, and before things could go on,
that sin must be dealt with.
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The ultimate issue is that the progress of the church was
temporarily interrupted by sin, and before things could go on,
that sin must be dealt with.
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Notice that the Holy Spirit is not some mystical force, He is a
Person and that Person is a member of the Godhead.
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Notice that the Holy Spirit is not some mystical force, He is a
Person and that Person is a member of the Godhead.
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True believers are capable of lying to God Himself!
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True believers are capable of lying to God Himself!
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God knows whether or not we are men and women who speak
the truth. Are there times that you try to give a certain
impression that is not true to reality?
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God knows whether or not we are men and women who speak
the truth. Are there times that you try to give a certain
impression that is not true to reality?
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We should never adopt a self-righteous attitude towards
Annanias and Saphira. We are all guilty of sometimes doing
“good” things in order to impress other Christians.
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We should never adopt a self-righteous attitude towards
Annanias and Saphira. We are all guilty of sometimes doing
“good” things in order to impress other Christians.
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When someone presumes upon God’s grace they could be in
danger of putting Him to the test.
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When someone presumes upon God’s grace they could be in
danger of putting Him to the test.
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We all tend to rationalize or justify sin, but God knows our
hearts.
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We all tend to rationalize or justify sin, but God knows our
hearts.
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Sometimes God gives people a chance to repent; other times it
is too late.
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Sometimes God gives people a chance to repent; other times it
is too late.
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Resistance to the gospel comes from without and from within.
We need discernment to recognize issues that need to be dealt
with.
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Resistance to the gospel comes from without and from within.
We need discernment to recognize issues that need to be dealt
with.
F.F. Bruce, NICNTT The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans,
1988), 102.
2
F.F. Bruce, NICNTT The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans,
1988), 102.