Date: 01-29-2020

Title: The Cover-Up

(S) cripture:
    Acts 5:1-6 (NASB77) But a certain man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back some of the price of the land? 4 “While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God.” 5 And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 And the young men arose and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him.
    

(O) bservation:
    At the end of Chapter four Barnabas sold some land and gave the price to the Apostles to be used to support the needs of the people. Evidently Barnabas was thanked and praised for what he did to support the work of the Apostles. As chapter five begins a couple, Ananias and Sapphira, do the same except they kept some of the sale price. When they presented the gift they claimed to be giving the full price to the Lord and not only a portion. Peter addresses this deception or cover-up of the truth. The problem was not the selling of the property but was the lie trying to cover-up the truth that cost them their lives. They could fool the people, thus the cover-up, but not the Lord. The penalty was death (Sapphira’s punishment in in the next few verses) This seems like such a harsh punishment but as the church is just now beginning to hammer out its existence in a hostile world it could not have any hint of any immorality or deception.
    

(A) pplication:
    I wonder how often we have lied to the Lord by claiming one thing to the people knowing that what we claimed was not true. In this passage we see how seriously God takes lying to Him and the church. We also live in a world hostile to the church. Our witness cannot be tainted with untruth. I want my life to be free of deception and by confession I will walk cleanly by faith with the Lord. I do not want to cover-up my sin to impress others but rather to have the Lord cover my sin with His blood.
    

(P) rayer:
    Lord make me keenly aware when I am not being truthful with you. Let me walk so close to you that any deception will be clearly evident so I can confess it and continue to walk with you in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen