Great Power and Fear

Well, good morning. It's good to see all of you.

For those of you who don't know, I'm Pastor Andrew. I'm the lead pastor here.

It's good to have all of you with us today.

Those of you who've been around for the past several weeks will know that we're in the book of Acts.

Those of you who have been with us since the beginning of this year will know that we have kind of been in the book of Acts ever since January.

But here we are in chapter 5, the very beginning of chapter 5.

I would encourage you, if you have your Bibles this morning, to turn with me to Acts chapter 5.

Acts 5 · chapter mention

It's on page 913 if you're using our pew Bible.

We're not told how much time has elapsed, but we know that this is a burgeoning church movement.

This is the beginning of God's work among a group of individuals who He's leading to salvation.

He's drawing out from among His people and setting His affection on them.

And because of His work, the work of the Spirit among them, it's creating this movement of individuals.

It's clear that they are devoted to Christ.

We find in chapter 2, verses 42 to 47, they're devoted to the apostles' teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of the bread, and to prayers.

That this is a church where everything has changed for them.

And it's so abundantly clear.

The Holy Spirit is shaping them and transforming them and making them a new kind of people.

It's not unlike moving back to the beginning of Israel's history.

Another movement that was taking place.

And Israel is there in Exodus.

And they've been in the land of Egypt.

They've been kind of captives there.

God has called them out.

And for 40 years, they have waited.

They've waited for a fulfillment of the promise.

And just as they're about to enter the land, something significant begins to happen.

God consecrates His people.

A generation of individuals, a generation of those who were part of the covenant community have died.

They have died off.

Their children are now in place.

They are there at Gilgal.

They've just crossed the Jordan River.

They've celebrated the Passover.

The men have circumcised themselves to set themselves apart.

And now they're looking at their first objective.

The objective of Jericho.

They need God's power.

They need God's word.

They need God's help.

The evidence of God's working among them.

Everything is new.

A new generation.

A new leader.

A new land.

A new beginning.

And here they are in Jericho.

Called to be devoted to the Lord.

God gives them some instructions.

He tells this group of individuals as they're about to take Jericho.

This is the city for me.

You are to devote this city to me.

So everything that was in the city belonged to God.

Devoted to Him.

This seemingly impregnable city was then destroyed.

And God allowed them to destroy the city by simply walking around the city.

It was an evidence of God's incredible power.

After 40 years in the wilderness.

They had now experienced the taste of God's work among them.

And imagine how they must have felt.

Having experienced.

God is here.

God is working.

God's power is evident.

It's just demonstrated that He can take care of these obstacles.

And so the people.

Now seeing the next obstacle.

A small city named Ai.

Decide.

You know what?

We've got this handled.

I think we can take care of business.

So they just send 3,000 men.

And in confidence they go to try to defeat Ai.

And yet.

You know the story.

What happens?

They turn and run.

It wasn't Jericho.

And there was something that has happened now.

Joshua is devastated at the destruction that's happening among his people.

He's devastated at the fact that they got conquered.

That 36 of these men had died.

He praised the Lord.

He tears his robe.

And God says to him.

Get up Joshua.

He tells Joshua that Israel has sinned.

Someone has taken what belonged to God.

Someone has stolen.

Somebody has lied.

Someone has taken these consecrated things.

That were devoted to destruction.

And taken them to himself.

A search is made.

Eventually the search narrows in on a man named Achan and his family.

Achan finally admits what he has done.

He had seen a beautiful cloak from Shinar.

He wanted it.

He had seen 200 shekels of silver.

He had seen a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels.

He wanted it.

He took it.

He buried it.

Nobody saw what Achan did.

But God saw.

And the judgment that followed.

The judgment that followed Achan and his family was severe.

Not only on Achan and his wife.

But his sons.

His daughters.

His property.

His possessions.

His livestock.

Were all taken out to the valley of Achor.

And judgment fell.

A heap of stones.

A place of lasting reminder.

And I think God was making something unmistakably clear.

If you will be a people who experience and enjoy the power of God.

You must be a people who are holy to God.

A people holy to God.

So here we come to Acts chapter 5.

Acts 5 · chapter mention

Another beginning of another great movement.

And another great message of God's holiness.

The message is embedded in our story.

It's clear.

What seems to be severe.

Is God seeking to establish.

Right out of the beginning.

Right out of the gate.

A people who will enjoy.

The benefits of God's power.

His grace among them.

The health of a church.

That is flourishing.

And growing.

Is a church that must be.

First holy.

You see if a people.

Are going to enjoy the benefits.

Benefits.

Of God's power among them.

God's holiness among them.

They must be a holy people.

As we find from 1 Peter.

It says.

Be holy.

For I am holy.

That's what God has called us to.

And so.

And so this morning.

As we.

As we talk.

About Acts chapter 5.

Acts 5 · chapter mention

It's a sobering passage.

In some respects.

There is a bit of a measure of.

Fear and trembling.

Even for me.

As I.

As I'm sharing this with you.

Because.

As we consider our lives.

As we examine ourselves.

We know.

That there are areas of our life.

That are out of bounds.

Out of step.

With what God has called us to.

But we also know that God is.

Full of grace.

God is full of mercy.

God delights.

In forgiveness.

As Paul will say.

Where sin abounds there.

Grace abounds.

Grace abounds.

All the more.

The super.

Abounding grace.

Of God.

God doesn't write us off.

When we sin.

God.

Allows us.

To enjoy.

Mercy.

But sometimes.

Even in mercy.

There are severe consequences.

And that.

By the way.

Is also a mercy.

A mercy.

To Ananias.

And Sapphira.

A mercy.

On the church.

And a mercy.

Because it continues.

To help advance.

Not only the cause.

But helps to exalt.

And continue to exalt.

The majesty.

And the glory.

Of God.

We come to our story.

In a man named Ananias.

And his wife Sapphira.

And here they are.

At the beginning.

Of this church movement.

Having experienced.

This incredible work.

Of the Lord.

Among his people.

There are two.

Phrases that we looked at.

Last week.

From Acts chapter 4.

Acts 4 · chapter mention

Verse 33.

Great power.

We saw.

And great grace.

You remember that?

It says in chapter 4.

Verse 33.

With great power.

The apostles were giving.

Their testimony.

To the resurrection.

Of the Lord Jesus.

And great grace.

Was upon them all.

You want to experience.

And enjoy.

The great power of God.

And the great grace of God.

The evidence.

Of God's.

Of God's.

Hand upon your life.

His favor.

On your life.

Great grace.

And great power.

Come through.

The Holy Spirit.

And they come to a people.

Who are.

Not only recipients.

Of God's grace.

But seek.

To dwell.

And live within.

That grace.

By advancing.

The grace of God.

Around them.

God.

But while this great grace.

Was evident.

The work of the spirit.

Was clear.

Now we see here.

At the very beginning.

Of this church movement.

The enemy.

Who tries to come.

And corrupt.

This movement.

To destroy.

This movement.

From within.

And Peter names it.

In our passage.

In chapter 5.

Verse 3.

He says this.

Ananias.

Why has Satan.

Filled.

Your heart.

To lie.

To the Holy Spirit.

God's response.

To Ananias.

Will seem.

Very extreme.

But it underscores.

The seriousness.

Of holiness.

Among God's people.

It highlights.

The issue.

That threatens.

Every church.

Movement.

Every church.

That desires.

To be healthy.

Church.

That desires.

To grow.

A church.

That desires.

To be unified.

Is a church.

That must.

Be holy.

If there's any act.

That gets.

To the heart.

Of grace.

That demonstrates.

The grace of God.

In.

In excess.

Perhaps.

It is the.

The.

The.

Grace.

Of giving.

And I just want to.

At the very beginning.

Of this message.

Let you see this.

From.

From 2nd Corinthians.

You don't have to turn there.

I'm going to put it on the screen.

I want you to see.

How connected.

Grace is.

To giving.

2nd Corinthians chapter 8.

Beginning in verse 1.

It says this.

We want you to know brothers.

About the grace of God.

That has been given.

Among the churches of Macedonia.

For they gave.

According to their means.

And beyond their means.

Begging us earnestly.

For the favor.

Which is.

The same word grace.

Of taking part.

In the relief of the saints.

Accordingly.

We urge Titus.

That as he had.

Started.

So he should complete.

Among you.

This act.

Of grace.

But as you excel.

In everything.

In faith.

In speech.

In knowledge.

In all seriousness.

And in our love for you.

See that you excel.

In this act.

Of grace.

Also.

For you know.

That the grace.

Of our Lord Jesus Christ.

That though he was rich.

Yet for your sake.

He became poor.

So that you.

By his poverty.

Might become rich.

As it is written.

Whoever gathered much.

Had nothing left over.

Whoever gathered little.

Had no lack.

And then in chapter 9.

And God is able.

To make all grace.

Abound to you.

So that having all sufficiency.

And all things.

At all times.

You may abound.

In every good work.

For the ministry.

Of this service.

Is not only supplying.

The needs of the saints.

But is overflowing.

In many.

Thanksgivings to God.

Because.

Of the surpassing grace.

That is upon you.

Thanks.

Which is also.

The same word.

Grace.

Grace.

Be to God.

For this.

His.

Indescribable.

Gift.

As recipients.

Of God's grace.

We have the joy.

Of distributing.

Grace.

To those around us.

And it happens.

Largely.

Through.

The extension.

Of grace.

And gifts.

That come.

Through the body.

As God.

Lavishes.

Grace.

On us.

His extravagant.

Grace.

Though he was rich.

Yet.

For your sake.

He may.

He became poor.

So that you.

Through his poverty.

Might become.

Become rich.

And so.

When we experience.

The abundant.

Amazing.

Grace.

Of God.

That's all we can do.

To share.

And distribute.

That grace.

With others.

And we see.

An example.

An example.

Of grace.

Among this church.

Which great grace.

Was upon.

Them all.

Ananias.

And Sapphira.

Were recipients.

Of great grace.

And we're going to see.

In our passage today.

There are things.

About their giving.

That are good.

And commendable.

And I want to just.

Put them.

In the forefront.

As we're working through.

I want us to take note.

Of some good things.

That we see.

God's work.

In the hearts.

And lives.

Of these two.

First.

We find.

That they give generously.

They gave generously.

Look at this.

In chapter 5.

Verse 1.

But Ananias.

Excuse me.

But a man named Ananias.

With his wife Sapphira.

Sold.

A piece.

Of property.

And with his wife's knowledge.

He kept back.

For himself.

Some of the proceeds.

And brought only a part of it.

And laid it.

At the apostles feet.

But Peter said.

Ananias.

Why has Satan.

Filled your heart.

To lie.

To the Holy Spirit.

And to keep back.

For yourself.

Part of the proceeds.

Of the land.

While it remained.

Unsold.

Did it not remain.

In your own.

And after it was sold.

Was it not.

At your disposal.

Why is it.

That you have contrived.

This deed.

In your heart.

You have not lied.

To man.

But to God.

When Ananias.

Heard these words.

He fell down.

And breathed his last.

In great fear.

Came upon.

All who heard of it.

The young man rose.

And wrapped him up.

And carried him.

Out.

And buried him.

Last week.

Like I said.

We saw this extravagant work.

Of the grace of God.

Among his people.

And one key example.

That we saw.

Was Joseph.

There at the end.

Of chapter 4.

Verses 36.

And 37.

Joseph.

Who is also called.

By the apostles.

Barnabas.

Which means.

Son of encouragement.

A Levite.

A native of Cyprus.

Sold a field.

That belonged to him.

And brought the money.

And laid it at the apostles feet.

But then we come to.

Chapter 5.

Verse 1.

What is the first word you read?

But.

But.

Just for the sake of.

You as.

Bible students.

Take notice.

Of contrastive words.

This is a way for us.

To understand.

What we can anticipate.

What's coming next.

Take note.

Of words.

Especially.

Contrastive words.

The word.

But.

Is here.

For a reason.

It's a contrastive word.

There's something.

That's going to be different.

But in many ways.

Several things.

That are the same.

Ananias.

They sold a possession.

This is a word.

For land.

It's a land.

It's a word.

For property.

We find that.

Throughout this.

This.

This book.

Already.

In Acts chapter 2.

Acts 2 · chapter mention

Verse 45.

They're selling their possessions.

And goods.

In chapter 4.

Verse 34.

As many as were owners of lands or houses.

Sold them.

We've mentioned.

Briefly.

Last week.

That selling property was a big deal.

Especially for those who were growing up in Israel.

Because.

They had inherited this property.

It was.

It was land rights.

It.

It had an inheritance in view.

There were.

There was security.

That was bound up in property.

There was name.

There was reputation.

To sell lands.

Was to divest something significant.

It was a good thing.

It was commendable.

It led to.

Many thanksgivings to God.

And I think they wanted to experience.

The same.

The same joy.

That they saw.

Happening around them.

They saw.

How this distributing.

And giving of gifts.

And selling property.

Helped to.

Increase the joy.

And thanksgivings.

Of all of those.

Who are around them.

They're like.

We want a taste of that.

That looks amazing.

How can we take part in that?

They've been impacted.

By the message.

They.

They.

They.

They were.

They were one heart and soul.

We saw that in chapter four.

The spirit of God.

Was.

Was working in them.

And I think they wanted to leave their mark.

I think they were inspired by good things.

And.

Just want to pause for a moment.

To.

To let you know.

It is good to follow.

The example of others.

It's good.

To be inspired to good things.

It's good to.

To see what God is doing.

And how he's working.

In the lives of others.

And say.

You know what?

What a great idea.

I think.

I want to follow.

That example.

You see.

They were being generous.

They were extravagant.

They were sacrificial.

They sold a property.

I think.

It's even safe to say.

They were filled with faith.

They were faith filled.

In this giving.

Divesting property.

Releasing a measure.

Of that security.

Extending mercy.

It was good.

For them.

To give.

They gave generously.

Next.

We see.

They gave properly.

And I would say.

They gave in the proper way.

And I'm pointing.

To chapter 4.

Verse 35.

Notice.

They laid it at the apostles feet.

These are the believers there.

In Jerusalem.

Chapter 4.

Verse 35.

Notice what Barnabas does.

In chapter 4.

Verse 37.

It says.

He laid it at the apostles feet.

The church had determined to express.

Their grace giving.

Their consecration.

Dedicating the things.

That were gifts.

To the fellowship.

They were going to.

Dedicate it to the Lord.

By laying.

This gift.

At the apostles feet.

And notice.

Chapter 5.

Verse 2.

Ananias.

Laid it.

At the apostles feet.

From the outside.

Looking in.

Everything was perfect.

This word.

Laid.

Is the same word.

That's been used.

Now three times in a row.

It's the same tense.

It's the same everything.

Of the believers.

Of Barnabas.

And now for Ananias.

Ananias.

Is working through the right process.

He's following.

The right procedure.

He gave generously.

He gave properly.

But then we get to verse 3.

He gave corruptly.

He gave corruptly.

So many good things.

Are corrupted.

By one.

Wrong.

Act.

Verse 3.

Peter says.

Ananias.

Why has Satan.

Filled your heart.

To lie.

To the Holy Spirit.

And to keep back for yourself.

Part of the proceeds of the land.

While it remained unsold.

Did it not remain your own?

And after it was sold.

Was it not at your disposal?

Why is it that you have contrived.

This deed in your heart?

You have not lied to man.

But to God.

Oh how sin pollutes.

The best of actions.

You know the verse from James chapter 2.

James 2 · chapter mention

Verse.

James 2.

10.

It says.

Whoever shall keep the whole law.

And yet stumble in one point.

He is.

Guilty of all.

But I did this.

And I did this.

And I did this.

And I did this.

And I did this.

But.

It gives me.

Some ability to do that.

I got all of this.

Over here.

Look at all of this.

This is good stuff.

But.

It's just this little that.

It's okay.

Right?

No.

It's not okay.

It's corrupting.

It's polluting.

It.

Misrepresented.

The work of the Holy Spirit.

You're lying.

Not to man.

You're lying.

You're lying.

To God.

How could you do such a thing?

Now recount.

All of these things together with me.

They.

Ananias.

And Sapphira.

They became part of this fellowship.

Which means.

They were believers.

They had placed their faith.

And trust.

In Jesus Christ.

Alone for salvation.

They believed in his death.

They believed in his resurrection.

They had placed their faith in him.

As their Lord and Savior.

That was important.

They were of one heart.

And one soul.

We saw that from chapter 4.

They were connected.

They were involved.

They were united with God's people.

They saw God's work among the apostles.

And they were devoted to the teaching.

They were devoted to the ministry.

They were devoted to the work.

And great grace was upon them.

We've said that a number of times already.

And because of that.

They were determined to take part.

In this ministry.

That God was doing.

In part of this distribution.

So they sold a piece of property.

They brought the gift to the apostles.

They laid that gift.

At the apostles feet.

And then.

They lied.

About.

How much they sold.

The property for.

One.

Act.

Of corruption.

Polluted the whole thing.

One.

Act.

Act.

Of corruption.

Polluted.

The whole thing.

You know.

We can recognize.

Perhaps.

The significance of this.

When we think about.

Drinking water.

The EPA.

Regulates.

Arsenic.

In drinking water.

To 10 parts.

Per.

Billion.

Okay.

10 parts.

Per billion.

And it's.

One part.

For a hundred.

Million.

Okay.

So.

Basically.

What that means.

Is.

You can have.

Ninety nine.

Million.

Nine hundred.

And ninety nine.

Thousand.

Nine hundred.

And ninety nine.

Parts.

Of pure.

Drinking water.

And one part.

Of arsenic.

And it's.

No.

Don't touch.

It's polluted.

It's corrupt.

Ninety nine.

Million.

Nine hundred.

Nine hundred.

That should be fine.

No.

It's not fine.

I think we.

At times.

Give ourselves.

A pass.

Along the same.

Same lines.

We.

See.

All the good.

We think.

That the ledger.

Of.

Of.

Of.

The things.

That we do.

For God.

Are going to count.

But at a whole.

It takes.

Is being guilty.

Of one.

And you're guilty.

Of all.

Guilty.

Of all.

You see.

God.

Was not.

Calculating.

Percentages.

He was not.

Calculating.

Percentages.

Holy.

Not holy.

No neutral.

Territory.

And Ananias.

His lie.

Polluted.

The whole.

Gift.

However great.

The gift was.

Polluted.

Corrupted.

Was it useful?

Sure.

I'm sure it was useful.

But it corrupted.

The giver.

Why.

Did that matter.

So much.

Well.

In a time.

Where the Holy Spirit.

Was working.

Among the people.

To misrepresent.

The work.

Of God.

Was to.

To shame.

Or to.

To pollute.

The glory.

Of God.

In this way.

Sacrificial sharing.

Was going to be confused.

Now with showmanship.

If Ananias.

And Sapphira.

Were not held accountable.

Satan.

Has filled your heart.

To lie to the Holy Spirit.

Who do you think.

You are.

Well.

Chapter 5.

Verse 4.

You have not.

Lied.

To man.

But to.

What church?

To God.

I wonder.

If we could get a hold of that.

Would that would change for us?

If we could recognize.

That every sin.

That we commit.

Is not just a sin.

Towards that other individual.

But is actually.

A sin to God.

What would that change.

For us.

Now.

Don't misunderstand.

God is so full of grace.

He is so.

Abundant.

In mercy.

He delights.

In forgiveness.

That if we confess our sin.

John quoted this earlier.

If we confess our sin.

He is faithful.

And just.

To forgive.

And to cleanse us.

From all.

Unrighteousness.

Because.

He delights.

In mercy.

Delights in mercy.

But he can't let.

An unholy.

Contribution slide.

Especially the kind of contribution.

That was public.

And it was giving testimony.

To the glory of God.

When in fact.

It was.

A human work.

They kept it back.

It's the word.

To embezzle.

Or to steal.

To misappropriate.

Misappropriate.

It's the only time.

In the New Testament.

And I.

Don't want to overstate.

I'm pretty sure.

This is the case.

That it's the only time.

In the New Testament.

This Greek word is used.

And guess what?

The only other time.

It's used.

In the Old Testament.

The Greek.

Old Testament.

Guess where that is?

The story of Achan.

That's not a coincidence.

Because what was devoted to God.

In.

Jericho.

Is devoted to God here.

And Achan thought that he could take some from himself.

He was taking from God.

That which was devoted to the Lord he took for himself.

It came with the same consequences.

Death to Achan.

Death to his family.

He held back.

He pilfered.

He embezzled.

interestingly enough

Ananias' name means

God is gracious

here is a man

who is supposed to embody grace

he is supposed to reflect

the grace of God

who we find

the great grace

was upon this church

and Ananias and Sapphira

being participants in that

and now Ananias

a recipient of grace

is now misrepresenting

God's grace

misrepresenting God's grace

God could not let that go

Ananias caught up in the flow

of satanic thinking

is now serving self

self-promoting

self-congratulating

self-deceiving

Oliver Wendell Holmes says

sin has many tools

but a lie is the handle

which fits them all

yes they gave graciously

yes they gave properly

but they also gave corruptly

and then we find

in verse 7 to 11

they gave collectively

Ananias and Sapphira

were a team

after an interval

of about three hours

his wife came in

not knowing what had happened

and Peter said to her

tell me

whether you sold the land

for so much

and she said

yes for so much

but Peter said to her

how is it

that you have agreed

together

to test the spirit of the Lord

behold the feet of those

who have buried your husband

are at the door

and they will carry you out

immediately she fell down

at his feet

and breathed her last

when the young men came in

they found her dead

just returned

they carried her out

and buried her

beside her husband

and great fear

came upon the whole church

and upon all

who heard

of these things

Peter confronts

Sapphira

you sell the property

for so much

yes for so much

why have you agreed together

Peter says

to test

the spirit

of the Lord

how did you think

you were gonna get away

with that

and that's the truth

the things we think

we're getting away with

God knows

God knows

oh that God would help us

to recognize

the significance

of holiness

to recognize

the significance

of testimony

to embrace

and to love

the glory of God

more than our

personal gratification

they did this together

they were agreed

we find that

in verse 2

sold a property

with his wife's

knowledge

with knowledge

and I find this

especially important

that we understand

the significance

of consent

see

Sapphira

didn't act

in a sense

she didn't

sell the property

she didn't

bring the proceeds

she was just

a consenting

individual

but she was just

as culpable

oh how important

it is for us

to understand

the significance

of consenting

confirming

laughing

scoffing

at people's

wickedness

as if it

didn't matter

and not

confronting

not addressing

not rebuking

just

haha

that's funny

Paul says

in Ephesians

Ephesians 5:7–12

chapter 5

verses 7 to 12

he says this

therefore do not

become partners

with them

for at one time

you were darkness

but now you are

light in the Lord

walk as children

of light

for the fruit

of light

is found

in all that is

good and right

and true

and try to

discern

what is pleasing

to the Lord

and take

no part

in the unfruitful

works of darkness

but instead

expose them

for it is even

shameful

to speak of those

things

that they do

in secret

don't even talk

about what they do

don't

don't make it

the news story

the part of your

news feed

don't delight

in people's sin

confront it

walk

in light

in the severe

judgment

that happens

to Sapphira

excuse me

to Ananias

will happen

to his wife

God is impartial

in his judgment

how must we

learn the significance

I just want to

pause for a moment

how do we

handle sin

within our own

fellowship

what are the ways

in which we are

meant to address

sin

because as we see

here in our

passage today

the significance

of sin

do not allow

sin to be

unaddressed

it will have

massive implications

not just for you

but for

the body

well first

we need to

handle it personally

and I'll go through

these quickly

you know these

verses

Matthew chapter 18

Matthew 18:15–17

verses 15 to 17

says this

if your brother

sins against you

go and tell him

his fault

between you

and him alone

if he listens

to you

you have gained

your brother

if he does not

listen

you take one

or two others

along with you

that every charge

may be established

by the evidence

of two or three

witnesses

take someone

with you

if he doesn't

hear you

directly

one on one

deal with it

personally

one on one

next deal

with it gently

Galatians chapter 6

Galatians 6:1

verses 1 and 2

says brothers

if anyone is caught

in any transgression

you who are spiritual

should restore him

in a spirit

of gentleness

keep watch

on yourself

lest you

too

be tempted

do it gently

do it graciously

and the reason

why we do it

gently

is because of

this

this third thing

we do it

humbly

because we

recognize

that we

too

are just

as guilty

at times

it says

there at the

end of verse 2

keep watch

on yourself

lest you

too

be tempted

bear one

another's burdens

and so fulfill

the law of Christ

for if anyone

thinks him

he is something

when he is nothing

he deceives himself

don't make too much

of yourself

don't think you're

beyond

beyond

the

the same issues

of sin

don't

don't

don't

don't imagine

that you have

grown to such a way

that you can't

also fall

finally

direct

do it directly

as we've just seen

from Ephesians chapter 5

Ephesians 5:11

verse 11

take no part

in the unfruitful

works of darkness

but rather

expose them

that word

expose

is the same

word

translated

rebuke

it's the same

word

we get

rebuke

from 1st

Timothy

chapter 5

it says

ask for

all of those

who persist

in sin

rebuke

or expose

them

in the presence

of all

so the rest

may fear

why

because we

care about

being a holy

church

why

because we

care about

enjoying the

blessings

of God's

grace

among us

why

because

we want

to

participate

in the

work

of God

among this

fellowship

the way

that he

is helping

to establish

relationships

and help

the gospel

to flourish

among us

we do it

because we

want God's

grace

and God's

glory

to be

evident

here

then we

come to

some results

we find

some results

in chapter

5

verse 5

and then

verse 11

it resulted

in healthy

fear

it resulted

in healthy

fear

it says

this

at the end

of verse

5

and great

fear came

upon all

who heard

it

verse 11

and great

fear came

upon the

whole church

and upon

all who

heard of

these things

must be

noted

that this

is the

first time

the word

church

is used

in the

book of

Acts

and so

the first

time

the word

church

is used

in the

book of

Acts

I don't

think

it's any

accident

for us

to see

the severity

of God

taking

seriously

holiness

among his

people

this was a

time of

judgment

a time of

punishment

because this

was a time

of God's

extraordinary

outpouring

of his

spirit

among his

people

God

essentially

says you

will not

misrepresent

the Holy

Spirit

you will

not

pervert

the

spirit's

power

I wonder

how important

it is

for us

to uphold

the holiness

of God

among

our fellowship

in a

previous

church

that I

was at

we

recognized

as a

church

that we

wanted

God

to do

great

things

we

wanted

God

to

grow

our

fellowship

we

want

to

see

this

great

grace

we

were

we

were

also

preaching

through

parts

of the

book of

Acts

and we

came to

this part

we want

to see

great

grace

among us

and so

we did

this

we prayed

for God's

holiness

God

make us

a holy

church

and guess

what God

did

without

soliciting

the people

without

exploring

without

investigating

without

examining

God

allowed

us

to

see

these

things

that

have

been

around

for

decades

begin

to

show

up

in

our

fellowship

I won't

be

I'll be

very

general

there was

a marriage

that was

falling apart

of some

key leaders

in our

church

that became

very clear

there was

a deacon

in our

church

who had

embezzled

around

fifty

thousand

dollars

over the

course of

ten years

there was

another

Christian

leader

in our

church

who had

misappropriated

about

thirty five

thousand

dollars

of money

we prayed

oh God

we want

great grace

to be evident

here

so we know

we need to be

a holy

church

and that's

what God

will do

God answers

that prayer

he delights

in making

a holy

people

it starts

here

by the way

it starts

personally

as God

makes a

holy

person

so that

when

we

collectively

come

together

we're

a holy

church

do this

for yourself

Paul encourages

the church

examine

yourself

test

yourself

whether

you're

in the

faith

whether

your life

is lining

up

to the

standard

that God

has set

that the

Holy Spirit

is working

in your

life

to call

you to

holiness

and by

God's

grace

if that

is your

desire

God

will

reveal

areas

of your

life

that

are

out

of

step

he

will

forgive

your

sin

as you

repent

to him

and turn

away

from that

sin

and he

will help

to make

you a

holy

person

a sanctified

person

a set

apart

kind

of

person

so that

we can

be the

kind

of

church

that

enjoys

the

benefits

of

holy

living

and great

grace

among us

well it

resulted

in a

healthy

fear

but it

also

resulted

in

greater

grace

and I

think

this is

fabulous

greater

grace

now

in

verses

12

to 16

I'm

going to

move

through

these

quickly

so that

we can

see

them

but

I want

to read

this

for us

and I

want

you to

see

the

number

of

ways

in

which

the

grace

of

God

is

just

exploding

among

this

group

of

individuals

it

says

now

many

signs

and

wonders

were

regularly

done

people

by the

hands

of

the

apostles

and

they

were

all

together

in

Solomon's

portico

none

of the

rest

dared

join

them

I like

that

but

the

people

held

them

in

high

esteem

and

more

than

ever

believers

were added

to the

Lord

multitudes

of both

men

and

women

so

they

even

carried

out

the

sick

into