Scripture again is taken from the fourth chapter of the book of Acts and we'll begin in verse 32 and read down through chapter 5 verse 11. That's Acts chapter 4 beginning with the 32nd verse. Now the multitude of those who believed 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 and with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all nor was there anyone among them who lacked for 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 one as anyone had need. In Joseph's who was also named Barnabas by the apostles which has translated son of encouragement a Levite of the country of Cyprus having land sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet but a certain man named Ananias and Sapphira his wife sold a possession and he kept back part of the proceeds his wife also being aware of it and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles' feet but Peter said Ananias why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself while it remained was it not your own and after it was sold was it not in your own control why have you conceived this thing 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 hurt these things and the young men arose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him now it was about three hours later when his wife came in not knowing what had happened and Peter answered her tell me whether you sold the land for so much she said yes for so much then Peter said to her how is it that you have agreed together to test the spirit of the Lord look the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door and they will carry you out 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 so great fear came upon all the church and upon all who hurt these things a man a God richly bless the reading and the hearing of this holy word I guess one would be tempted and looking at the final words in verse 11 it says in great fear came upon all of those who hurt these things you could at and continue great fear continues upon all of those who read these words and understand now this is a difficult portion in a sense it deals with the continuing work of the Holy Spirit and the life of the church in fact you notice that in these verses especially with the closing verses in chapter 4 Luke basically repeats what he has already described in chapter 2 verses 44 and verse 45 in chapter 2 verses 44 and 45 Luke says now all who believed were together and so when we read in our text that they were of one heart and of one mind Luke is really only repeating what he has described in chapter 2 where he says all they not only were together but they had all things in common and they sow their possessions and their goods and they divided them among all as anyone had me now both in chapter 2 as well as here in chapter 4 Luke's point is to continue to demonstrate and to to proclaim the dynamics of the spirit at work through the ministry of the word that's what he shows us in chapter 2 and bringing believers together as they embrace the apostles doctrine and they continually and or continue in prayer and in the breaking of bread so so Luke is is is showing us the dynamics of the spirit at work through the ministry of the word what does the work of the spirit look like when he is at when he is at work among the people of God well there they are hearing God's word and and being created in the bonds of Christian fellowship and so certainly that's what Luke is demonstrating here in fact we see it later especially in the in recalling the conversion of Joseph Joseph who was who was a Levite a Levite he comes from that that tribe that would have certainly had a vested interest in the doctrinal teachings of the scribes and the Pharisees because that was the tribe of the priests and so the very fact that we get we go from chapter 2 where where there is an outbreak or there is a response to the the word of God that that that causes the leaders to be concerned and then eventually leading to Peter and John being arrested it was from the religious leaders and and certainly Joseph's would have been of that group he would have been a Levite and certainly he would have been pro he would have been inclined towards the deductions or the theology of the religious leaders but here is the dynamics of the power of the spirit at work through the ministry of the word the ministry of the spirit of the power of the spirit is seen in that he breaks through those bonds and he brings Joseph's into the fame in fact we ought to make a big deal out of Paul's conversion and we should and one of the reasons that this is such a great revelation and and and it shows that this is only the work of the spirit is because Paul who was a Levite who was of the or who was not a Levite but he was a Pharisee in fact he was he was breathing threats against the church and we know how he participated even in holding the coats of those who stole Stephen and God converts him to an enemy or from an enemy and to a child and likewise with Joseph he comes from that rank of Jews where they would have certainly embraced at least the doctrine of the priest that were responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus so the dynamics of the spirit at work through the ministry of the word is that he transforms hearts he brings even those of the elite the religious elite I was listening to my good friend Rod Rosenblout a message that he had given a years ago he says when we get to heaven we'll probably be surprised at those who are there and he talked about the scribes and the Pharisees that would be seen according to the enemies of that day says and and I imagine you'll probably even see some IRS agents and even a lawyer or two and maybe even a pastor or theologian you see we we have unusual expectations and and and so many people are would have written off as a group the the Levites oh they they can't hear and and so the dynamics of the spirit is seen and that he brings this Levite to saving faith in Jesus Christ the brothers and sisters the dynamics of the spirit is seen not only in the conversion of this former enemy this this one who was on the outside looking in who had a vested interest in the theology of the temple of Jerusalem which had rejected Jesus but we see the dynamics of the spirit at work through the ministry of the word in the creation of fellowship within the hearts of believers this fellowship is expressed not only in the fact that this Levite is brought in among these other lay people but this dynamic of fellowship is seen as it's created by the spirit it's it's seen in the expression that Luke uses when he says they were of one heart and one soul in other words and and not only and because of they were of one heart and one soul because of that they see their own possessions they see their various levels of prosperity in a different light and they see the needs of their neighbors in a different light in essence basically what we see in the demonstration or the discussion that follows because Luke goes on to tell us that they were of one heart and of one mind and then those who had possessions in fact notice what it says because it doesn't mean every one but it says that anyone among them who lacked we see that was true that all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them it doesn't mean that every individual who was a land owner sold their land it simply is describing and will show that in just a moment but it shows it it's simply describing the widespread power of the Holy Spirit upon the hearts of the believers as they see their possessions and they see their brothers and sisters in a different light and so how it manifests itself is that those who were possessors of land and other things they sold their possessions freely so that they could meet the needs of those within the fellowship and Joseph's is included in that group we are told that he's a Levite and and usually Levites weren't even land owners so that shows some either something unusual in his circumstances or great corruption within the Levitical Tribe but in any event here's what we see God has created a community that is that exhibits a bond of fellowship that cannot be experienced anywhere else in essence in other words the spirit has created within these believers the essence of the second table of the law the second table of the law which Jesus himself summarizes as this that you love your neighbor as yourself he illustrates that that that dynamic or that aspect of the second table of the law he illustrates it with the story of the good Samaritan and the good Samaritan put himself at risk for the good of his neighbor and so really what the spirit is creating individually and corporately among these early believers is really the dynamic of the second table of the law which Jesus fulfilled for us and what is illustrated in the crafting of this community that the spirit is freely not the disciples commanding but the spirit is creating a bond of fellowship that even as we read it we cannot fathom it and don't try we can't we can't imagine having disposable income that is devoted solely to someone else who I don't even know what his motives are we can't do that and in fact we'll demonstrate that's the point of the passage you see see now if the apostle the apostle Paul is an example what is it that produces this sort of the sort of commitment to the needs of my neighbor and if the apostle Paul is an example then it's not that the apostles taught that if you don't do this if you don't give if you don't support then you must not be a believer that's not what they taught if Paul is an example and we see his words as was part of our responsive reading taken from if Philippians chapter two and even though I would highlight verse five where he says let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus I did monitor you to read the first four verses in Philippians chapter two where Paul is it monitoring believers to look at their neighbors and their brothers in a different way but the means by which he does it he doesn't do it with the threat of the law what he does is he causes us he challenges his readers to examine Christ now look at your neighbor don't look at the threats of the law but look at what Christ has done for you the same thing that he does in second Corinthians eight verses eight and nine and he reminds us that Jesus was rich yet for our sakes he became poor so what is it that caused the hearts of these believers to be so knit to their brothers and sisters that they were willing to freely give up their own personal property for the good and the well-being of people and say well you know he squandered every job he had but no that's not the way they saw it they simply saw a need and they saw in their possession opportunity and they allowed their opportunity to meet the needs of their brothers and sisters this is not something that has been gendered through the threatening of the law it's not even been it hasn't been nurtured because the apostles promised that if you do it God will bless you no I think that what has prompted these believers here's the dynamics of the spirit at work the dynamics of the spirit at work in this congregation is that that that the spirit has moved upon the hearts of the people through the knowledge of God's free gift of grace in Jesus and to understand that Jesus is the keeping of the law so they're not giving so they could avoid hell we're not giving so that they could get a blessing they're not giving to unleash or unlock they are giving because in their neighbor they see themselves and in their possessions they see God and therefore they see an opportunity to reach out and minister to the goods of their neighbors and so therefore the Holy Spirit through the dynamics of the ministry of the word causes these individuals to freely freely give freely give and they go to extremes they don't it seems like they're not even worried about about what's left then they're not concerned about getting receipts they're not they're not trying to prove write this off as a tax donation some people at the end of the year they try to get as much stuff as they can away so they're not looking for any of that these people were moved upon by the spirit to really demonstrate the fulfillment and the essence the fulfillment of the law in Christ and the essence of the law in the second table of the law to actually have a heart for their neighbors loop is simply describing it and then we get to this curious story of Ananias and Sophia we see the dynamics of the work of the Spirit because it is a result of the ministry of the word that the Spirit has created this within the hearts of believers that he has brought them together heart and soul so they are literally like one body and as as brother Singleton always says so that when one part of the body hurts the other part says out so they they see their excess as an opportunity to meet what is lacking and they don't care whether they get credit then we get Ananias and Sophia so why are they here why is it presented to us here and I think the reason is is is to show us something about the tendency of man you see we've seen the the fruit of the Spirit on display but now let's look at the fruit of the flesh in fact as we look at Ananias and Sophia we can't do it without considering Paul's words in Philippians in Philippians 5 verses 17 and 18 Paul says this he says for the flesh lust against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these he says are contrary to one another so that you do not do the things that you wish but if you are led by the Spirit he says you are not under the law I believe the story of Ananias and Sophia is given to us to show a clear contrast between the Spirit and the flesh and the continuing struggle that even we as believers have with the desires of the flesh now you notice before we just kind of briefly cover the narrative here you notice that in the the book of Acts there are three examples of individuals lusting against the Spirit three examples three examples of individuals seeing a an obvious manifestation of the work of the Spirit and lusting after it not in a not in the kind of way when we think of lust but in a desiring of it in a way that that is contrary to the ways of God three examples the first one Ananias and Sophia are the first one but the second one is recorded in the eighth chapter of Acts in the eighth chapter of Acts we have the story of Simon the magician and when Peter comes from Jerusalem to confirm the ministry of the word that has taken place among the Samaritan believers or in Samaria that that when he comes he lays hands on individuals and they receive the Spirit and we're not told the details of what that looked like but it was of such noticeable consequence that Simon wanted to pay for it notice Peter's words there he's not he's not oh man you get out of here no he says no you go to hell you and the money with you burn in hell he considers it a grave insult against the Spirit a second example where the third example was actually in the 19 chapter of Acts and in the 19 chapter of Acts we are told of of the ministry of Paul among the Ephesian believers and and and when he ministers there we are told the power of the Spirit as manifest manifest through through Paul's ministry and then we're told about these itinerant Jewish actresses who witness the power of the Spirit through the apostles and they get up there and they want to kind of jump in on the momentum very much like Simon and very much like Ananias and Sophia they want to jump in on the momentum and get in and be a part of this and so they start they they take up their mantle and they say in the name that of Jesus that is preached by Paul notice the way Luke records that he says and they took it upon themselves to use the name of Jesus name of Jesus that has been defended and Peter says we can't help but preach and teach in his name and so they want to take up the name of Jesus telling us that anyone can articulate the name of Jesus that doesn't mean you've been authorized to use the name of Jesus and so here we see these itinerant Jewish actresses who use the name of Jesus and they they say oh and the name of Jesus preached by Paul we tell you to come out why because the crowd was moved probably and they wanted to get in on it and so they proclaim and then the demon say look we know Jesus and we know Paul you on the other hand you just get out of here and they chased him out naked so here's what we see that's taken place and it's interesting that also not only do we see these three examples of lusting against the manifestation of the power of the spirit recorded in the book of Acts it's interesting also to see the handful of people that God just strikes dead it's not that many there's a few in the Old Testament there are a few are I won't touch on all of them but in the ones that stand out in particular one would be the sons of Aaron they dab in a bio they were because the reason for this is because oftentimes when we look at these things we we say well they must not have been a believer but we don't know if they were or not because that's not the point and they dab in a bio who the sons of Aaron when God initiates temple worship and sacrifice then the spirit fills the place and the people are overcome with the spirit and they cry and they they give and they they recognize the grace of God through the sacrifice and they got stirred by this and the scripture says they offer to strange fire what was the strange fire it's not that they created their own brand of sacrifice but you see the first and the authorized sacrifice was initiated by God this one starts with them you know what I kind of like it when the people are riled up like that so let me do it again and then God struck them dead the second place that we see God striking someone dead and an unusual sort of way is Aza when it came to the transporting of the Ark of the Covenant and the Ark fell off was falling off the back of the cart and Aza meaning well wanted to keep it from hitting the ground and he reached out and grabbed it and God struck him dead I like what R.C. Sproul says about that he says Aza was trying to keep it from the dirt so it wouldn't get dirty he says but what he doesn't know is that the hand the clean hands of sinful men is dirtier than dirt see the dirt won't contaminate it but the hands of sinful men will and so God strikes he strikes Nate Avenue by who dead because they offered strange fire he strikes he strikes Aza dead because he dared violate God's law and touched the Ark which represented the presence of God and the New Testament Paul tells us tells the Corinthians that some of them are dead he says some of the funerals you've attended recently is because that there has been a violation of the Lord's table he says some are sick and some are dead so God takes certain things seriously and here again is another strange example of God issuing judgment we don't know if it means that they were not unbelievers we don't know that to about Nate Avenue by who we have to assume that that they were believers we'd have to assume that there was that that the priesthood of us was was accepted before God and we have to believe that that possibly there were even among among the Corinthians those who got struck because of their violation of the Lord's table doesn't mean that they were unbelievers simply means they violated something very very significant to God they they brought upon themselves the swift chastening hand of the Lord in an unusual way and so it is with Ananias and Sapphira the power of the spirits is on display and that he has taken people from unusual quarters and brought them into the family and he's made that family one well Ananias and Sapphira here's what we know about them we know in the first place that they were moved they were generally moved by the generosity that they saw in others they were they were moved by that now we don't know if it was for legitimate reasons or not but they were moved but we know they were moved because they tried to emulate what they see others doing they they were moved they they saw it they they maybe heard the report and some have speculated that perhaps the the disciples were made a great deal about Joseph's and his generosity because he was a converted Levitan I don't know but in any of it we know that they saw that that that those who had great possessions used their possessions to minister to the needs of others they were moved by that and that's a good thing also we know that they made a commitment we know that they they were moved because they wanted to do what others were doing we don't we don't want to speculate as to what actually prompted them but we know they saw good being done and they wanted to be a part of the good we hope but here's something else we know we know that they made a commitment now here's what we don't know with the commitment was verbalized to the apostles we know that the that God gave the the apostles special abilities so maybe they didn't tell the apostles maybe they prayed maybe they they thought they were caught up in the spirit and they made a promise to God in their personal devotion and God revealed it to the apostle I don't know but in some sense they must have made a commitment and here's the reason we know they must have made a commitment because Peter says you lied to the Holy Spirit now here's what I let me pause and say this I know I know Acts chapter 5 is a good proof text to to make the point that the Holy Spirit is not a power but a person amen that's that's we let's just mark that put it in margin you know that to be the case now that's not the point of the passage yeah yeah Paul Peter says that you've not lied to God you've not lied to men why have you lied to the Holy Spirit and then he comes right back and he says you have not lied to men but you've lied to God can't see a saying that the Holy Spirit is God therefore the Holy Spirit is a person and not a power now we make that point but that's not the point of this passage the point of this passage is that something laid within the breast of anionis and survivor that caused them to try to mimic and duplicate that which only the spirit can give you see they they have the opportunity and and so they they have somehow they they've seen it done they've they've seen others moved on by the spirit who have taken their properties and they've sold it and made sure that they laid it at the feet and maybe that's what it was maybe they saw these people laying money at the feet of the apostles not because they were preaching but for the expressed purpose of of distributing I don't know where we get this idea is that as a man preaches you you you throw money at his feet just pain you don't have to throw money at his feet just that's all you know I don't know where we get these ideas from but but but here's what what we we do see they they laid maybe they saw publicly that the people were laying money at the feet and they might say might have said well where did they get that money from well they said well they said they had some property they saw some poor people that that's some people that were in need and and maybe that's what happened and so they say they they saw Josie's perhaps or maybe there was a banner up that thank Josie's for his I don't know but something within them struck struck a court so that they wanted to be in on this thing and they had property and at some point they made a commitment to the spirit that all that we gain from selling this piece of property we will give here's a point that Peter makes he makes it twice he says while the property was yours you could do with it what you want don't get caught up in the way of what the spirit is working in other people you don't have to do this you don't have to do it you didn't have to do this brothers and sisters listen you see people being generous in the spirit you see people doing great things for God maybe the spirit is moving on them the apostle Paul does tell us that one of the gifts of the spirit is generosity is giving and so maybe people have that gift and it's manifest in a particular way among this congregation to show the dynamics of the spirit on moving on the heart of people but here's the point that Peter makes when the property was yours it was yours now I know what somebody's gonna say no the book of the Psalm says the earth is the Lord's and yes the earth is Lord's book and Peter doesn't even quibble so why should we Peter says this it was yours yes this your stewardship all of it belongs to God and don't lose the point in trying to make that one that none of it belongs to us anyway that's the illuminating work of the spirit and if you can't see that you won't and so here's what what what what they said when the property was yours it was yours to do as you want it and you know what when you sold it the money that you got was yours to do what you wanted you didn't have to give one penny of that it was yours it was yours for the spirit to convict or to lead to in whatever way he chose but it was yours he says why then that he lied why did they lie brothers and sisters I think they lied for the same reason that many people are unwittingly lying even today they were trying to demonstrate from themselves what only the spirit can create they were trying to show themselves to be something that only the spirit can create we try you see here's my point I I think I think I think Adonis and Safari would have been better served if they had simply when they saw the generosity of the of the people because of the ministry of the spirit and meeting the needs of others one thing they could have done is they could have looked and said wow I'm so glad brother and sister so and so is finally getting that need met they could have said that I'm so glad that that brother so and so you know he hasn't been working for years and I'm glad that the church stepped in and met his needs they could have prayed and thank God that the needs of their brothers and their sisters were being met they could have prayed and they could have said thank you Lord for bringing within our midst brothers and sisters whose hearts have been enlarged by your spirit they could have thank God for the those who actually did sell land they could have done that they could have said Lord I I don't have it to give but I thank you that you have put it in the hearts of these brothers and sisters that they have ministered in this way so that my dear brother and sister could have their needs met it could have done that nothing him to them from thanking God for the needs of their brothers and sisters being met they couldn't nothing him to them from thanking God for generous hearts no that wasn't enough because the flesh won't create it the flesh wants to get it on the they could have confessed they could have said thank you God that the needs of the that body are being met by hearts that you have opened and they could have said Lord I don't see it that way they could have prayed they could have prayed and confessed Lord I see Joseph had property and he sowed it I've got property and what is it about me that doesn't allow me to want to sell my property but Lord I love you they could have done that there's nothing wrong with it because there's no law that requires Christians to be that generous it is only a spirit only the spirit of God can move upon the hearts of the people of God to see their brothers and sisters in that way and only the spirit of God can open up the hearts of people to see their possessions in such a way that I have an opportunity to fix my brother's problem they didn't have to join in they could have just prayed it was nothing wrong with that pray and and if you see a defect in your love just pray no no no the flesh wants to be seen the flesh wants to show that that I'm in on this and we get guilty of it we see it in our church that's one of the reasons I don't I don't like going to churches where people tell me how to praise God you don't tell me to clap my hands the spirit leads me to clap my hands I'll need you to tell me that I'll need you to tell me to hold up my hand no the spirit will cause me to hold up my hand and if he doesn't I'll keep it down thank you and it says nothing about me and it says a whole lot about you I'll need the spirit to tell me that I'll need you to tell me and so we often try to play the Holy Spirit here's the problem with Santa and I and Santa fire it's not that they lie people lie they lie but here's the lie that they told that I love my brother as myself and the Holy Spirit said no you don't let me show you some profit some unanticipated profit now how much do you love you think you love your brother as much as yourself well when you put the property up for sale it was a downmarket but now it's an upmarket now what are you going to do with the increase because here's what you said I love my neighbor as myself and all that I receive I'll give to the church until they got the increase you don't love them as much as you think you love them and it's okay to confess that that's not what saves what saves you is not you loving your neighbor as you ought what saves you is you are saved you're loving your neighbor as you ought and here's what he creates within us an opportunity and an ability to demonstrate that love and annihilance and safara they they had property they saw what was taking place they were moved at some level and brothers and sisters they are lusting against the power of the spirit and trying to demonstrate in their flesh the ability to duplicate and emulate the fruit of the spirit man can create a lot of stuff man man is good he creates computers and stuff but he can't create an apple no he can't do that he can try to grow an apple without seeds but he can't create an apple no no he can't do that he can he can grow water melons that have no seed but he can't create the watermelon nest of a watermelon brothers and sisters you can man you you can try all you want you can smile all you want you can't manufacture love only the spirit can produce that and the deception of fallen religious men is that we try to reproduce and manufacture and stir up what only the spirit can produce and so when anionias and safara tried to act holy God killed them killed them they might be in glory they know better now no they can't do it now but their problem was they wanted to act like they wanted to show that they love when they did not love oh brothers and sisters you be better off going to that birth person that you fake smile to every week and say brother sister I'm trying I don't know what it is that's hindering me from loving you the way I want but I don't I love you but I don't love you as I want something is hindering me we're better off doing that than to try to act like we love everybody because the spirit creates what the sun has perfected the holy ghosts in fact not even the god the father takes offense at people trying to act like they can manufacture what he sent his son to bleed for and what he gave his spirit to bring forth had anionias and safara die in the house of the Lord because they were trying to emulate the fruit of the spirit instead of seeing their shortcomings in the proclamation of the law instead of being grateful what God had given in the proclamation of the gospel they set about to establish their own standard here's what they don't know God God is the one God is the one that you are offending and so he killed them he killed them and scripture says quit funeral too in fact no funeral they didn't lay in state they didn't send out invitations in fact they didn't even get a chance to go to each other's funeral they lied they lied because they said God had given them a loving heart rather than them confessing that I don't love enough the spirit the spirit create community and the spirit creates fruit and brothers and sisters the dynamics of the ministry of the spirit is not to teach us how but it's to show us the faithfulness of God I'm not telling you what's going to happen if you don't we we misrepresent that passage if we say if you do no God doesn't have to strike any more folk down who's made his point he's made his point you don't lust against the spirit the spirit shows us something that is not in us we ought to be humble enough to say it ain't in me when the spirit leads we produce we we bear with the spirit produces oh brothers and sisters God so loves even the least of these that he causes even the greatest of these to be connected to their needs God will not have any rival for his love or for his power and just because folk ain't dying in our presence doesn't mean he's not displeased God has given us this narrative to show us that any part of his law first table or second table is only possible through the power of his spirit let us not quench the spirit says Paul but let us not try to create the spirit and certainly let us not lie on the spirit let's pray gracious holy wise God our Father we thank you for your word we thank you for the reminder that you have saved us by yourself and you are having dwelt us by your spirit and it is your spirit in us through the means of your word that you cause us to see ourselves and to see life and others the way we ought to and if somehow we do not see our brothers and our sisters let alone our neighbors if we do not see them as you have required of us we pray that you would not take us back to Sinai where we see the threatening of your law we pray that you would take us afresh to Calvary where we see you pouring out your wrath upon our Savior so that he could love us as himself thank you Father for the demonstration of that grace and we pray that as the more we see it the more we are convicted for our failures and the more we are strengthened to see our neighbors and our brothers and sisters as Jesus has seen us thank you for this grace in Christ name amen