WHAT PRICE WILL YOU PAY?

*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*

*WHAT PRICE WILL YOU PAY?*

*Scripture Treasure.*

Acts 4: 33-37; 5:1-12

v33 *And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.*

v34  *Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,*

v35  *And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.*

v36  *And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,*

v37  *Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.*

v1 *But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,*

v2 *And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.*

v3 *But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?*

v4  *Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.*

v5  *And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.*

v6  *And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.*

v7  *And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.*

v8  *And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.*

v9  *Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.*

v10  *Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.*

v11 "*And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.*

v12  *And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.*

*Insight and Highlight.*

God will not deprive us of what He has freely given us but He can ask for any or some or all of them, not out His need but out of His neccesity for you

*Scripture Commentaries.*

The story of Ananias and Sapphira is a very pathetic and sad story.

The story teaches us several lessons.

First is that what God gives us is ours and for us to enjoy.

Eccl 5:19 *Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.*

Acts 4:32 tells us that those who owned and possessed properties did not see their properties as their own anymore *".....but they had all things common."*

Acts 4: 34a tells us that people who were *".....possessor of of lands or houses sold them,....."*

Second is that people gave willingly to God out of the abundance God gave them.

It teaches us how people gave faithfully to God who was faithful to them

Acts 4:34b says people who possess their own properties *".....sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,*

They, including Joses, sold the lands and properties they owned *".....down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need*,

They *".....brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet."* Acts 4:35-37.

Paul reminded us of this same act of the early church when he wrote in 2 Corinthians 8:12-14

*For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.*

*For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:*

*But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:*

*As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.*

Third, the storyline continues in Acts 5 about the couple; Ananias and Sapphira.

Their story is sad and teaches us that people can die in the abundance of what belongs to them.

Peter asked them in Acts 5:4 highlighting to Ananias that the property belonged to them and it was in their power to sell it

so why have they decided to *"...... to keep back part of the price of the land?* Acts 5:3.

It teaches us how people can steal and cheat out of what belongs to them.

If you keep back out of what belongs to you instead of giving God what belongs to Him you are stealing from yourself and cheating God.

Peter said the acts of the couple was the act of Satan filling their "*......heart to lie to the Holy Ghost,....."* Acts 5:3

Peter said asking Ananias *".....why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God."*, Acts 5:4.

Peter said to the wife, Sapphira who came in three hours later that she and her husband had *".....agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord?...."*, Acts 5:5-10.

Their story teaches as Jesus said the Lk 12:15 *And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.*

The couple saw their possessions greater than God who gave them. They saw their possessions larger than life and God.

Both Ananias and Sapphira died.

Instead of paying the price of sacrifice just like everyone did, they instead paid the price of selfishness and covetousness and they received the wages of an untimely death on what God freely gave them.

It was avoidable, if only they could willingly be faithful to the God who was faithful to them!

David paid the price of sacrifice, 2 Sam 24:18-25. Paul paid the price of sacrifice, 2 Tim 4:7-8, Philippians 3:8-14.

You can be like David and Paul.

What price will you pay?

*Remorse corner.*

Ananias and Sapphira deceived God and died by correction. David sinned against God but lived by correction.

*Call to Word action.*

Ananias and Sapphira lacked nothing but did not give God out of what God gave them. They lacked nothing but died having nothing.

*The Christian clarion duty.*

Ananias and Sapphira received from what others sold out of their possession but did not give back to the people from whom they received.

*Prayer.*

Lord, help me to give You out of the abundance of what You have given me, in Jesus name.

Good morning all and have a blessed day.

God bless you.

Shalom.