As we have been looking at the early church in the book of Acts we have seen that the secret to their success was an open sharing of resources among the members.  Those who had gave to those in need and there were no needy among them.  Everything was built around a shared experience and a common enemy.  Each time a situation arose the church members rallied together and the Lord added to their numbers.

Chapter 5 is the first time that dissension arises in the church.  Here is were the church today needs to take heed to the warning of scripture.  This chapter begins with the story of Ananias and Sapphira.  This couple was a part of the early church community.  They were witnesses to all that was being done by the church and the blessings that were being poured out upon the church by God.  Like many today these two wanted to reap the blessings with out paying the price.  They wanted to be insiders in the church without the commitment of their resources to the needs of those around them.

The couple had a piece of land that they sold.  The land was their”s to do with as they pleased.  Having sold the land they brought some of the proceeds of the sale and laid it at the feet of the apostles; they brought it to the church for use in the ministry.  All of this was fine and they could have gone on with out a problem.  The only glitch was that they led the apostles and the entire church to believe that their offering was the entire sum of the sale of their property.  Whether they out right lied at first or tried to deceive the church by implication we don’t know.  What we do know was that the deception was deliberate.  They wanted to look spiritual and important in the eyes of their fellow believers, but still remain in control of their money.

How often do people put on a show of spirituality when in the company of other believers?  They come to church looking all pious and spiritual.  They brag about all that they are doing for the Lord when in fact its all a sham.  Ananias and Sapphira wanted the reputation with out earning it.  They wanted to look the part rather than live it.  To make a long story short they dropped dead when their secret was brought into the light of day.

Peter told them that they were not lying to the church but to the Holy Spirit.  What we do is seen by God.  We can deceive one another but we can’t deceive God.  The result was that fear came upon the whole church.  People saw that God was not playing and they took seriously their walk with him.

The church that fails to share its resources with those in need yet deceive themselves into thinking all is well stand in the place of Ananias and Sapphira.  The prosperity doctrine that so many hold on to plays against all that the early church stood for.  Those preaches who rake in all the money offered to them and fail to distribute it as needed walk a dangerous path.  We forget that God is serious about the church coming together as a community and taking care of each others needs.  What we have been given has been given to us for the good of others.  “No one thought that what they had belonged to them.”  What we have is a gift from God to share with others.  Freely we have received, freely we are to give.

God shows no partiality and neither should we.  The church is set back every time it leans on its own understanding and it’s own resources.  We are to trust God in everything and joyously give, not out of our abundance, but like the Macedonians, out of our need.  Equality comes when each group brings their gifts to the table and all is shared for the good of the whole.

My experience is that when people empowered give to those in need without recoprocity the needy walk away feeling like second class citizens.  When each freely give, and everyone has something to give, we become dependant upon each other for our survival and God is exalted and he adds to the numbers of believers those who he is saving daily.