Virtual Kollage: The death of Ananias and Sapphira

Posted by / Thursday, 25 February 2016 / No comments

The death of Ananias and Sapphira

Jerusalem, The Wailing Wall, Israel

Earlier, a man called Joses or Barnabas sold a piece of land and gave the money to the Apostles. This nice gesture by Barnabas prompted Ananias and Sapphira his wife to also sell a piece of land they had. They did not bring all the proceeds of the sale to the Apostles, they brought only part.

Ananias came with the money and laid it before the Apostles. Peter asked Ananias why he allowed Satan to lure him to lie to the Holy Spirit by keeping part of the proceeds of the sale of the land. Peter told Ananias that while the land was unsold it was his and when it was finally sold, it was still his. Peter said Ananias had not lied to men but rather to the Holy Spirit. When Ananias heard this, he collapsed and died. The young men carried him and went to bury him. 

After three hours, the wife of Ananias also came. Peter asked her whether that was the amount they got from the sale of the land. Sapphira answered yes. Peter confronted her too, asking her why she had agreed with her husband to lie to the Holy Spirit. When she realized that she had been exposed, she also fell down and died. The young men who buried her husband took her also and buried by the side of her husband.
Fear gripped all church members and anybody who had heard about this incident.

1. One cannot serve both mammon and God at the same time; Ananias and Sapphira thought they could do so.
2. God reads the hearts of men. We can deceive men but we cannot deceive God.
3. The church was established by God and therefore controlled by the Holy Spirit.
4.  Members of the church must according to the dictates of the Holy Spirit.
5. God punishes the sin of disobedience.
6. One should live in sincerity and honesty.

1. a. Trace the circumstances that led to the death of Ananias and Sapphira.
    b. Indicate two lessons that can be learned from this incident.
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