Acts 5

Acts 5:1-11 ESV But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, [2] 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. [3] 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? [4] 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." [5] When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. [6] The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. [7] After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. [8] And Peter said to her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much." And she said, "Yes, for so much." [9] 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." [10] Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. [11] And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things. A few years ago I received a phone call from the wife of a deacon at the church I was pastoring. She was distressed because her husband had apparently accidentally knocked a car in a round about while driving the work truck. He was so distressed, she said, that she thought he was going to commit suicide. She asked if I could give them $3000 immediately or he would commit suicide. Unfortunately my bank had put a $2000 per month withdrawal cap on my account. I rang the very wealthy chairman of session of the church and he agreed to donate half. I had already withdrawn $1500 for my wife’s anniversary present. I rang the wife of the deacon to arrange the drop off of the $1500 to her husband. She responded that he was too proud to accept money from anyone and if I approached him or her with money he may commit suicide. She asked if I could drive to their house and put the money in their letterbox and just drive off. I drove to their house. I put the money in their letterbox and rang her to tell her I had done as she requested, and could she immediately come out of the house to get it. She saw me drive off. I spoke to the chairman of the church who affirmed he had given them $1500 too. A year later after my dismissal I asked the chairman if he had been repaid for the debt. He said he had given it as a gift (with the unspoken implication that if I requested the money back I was not a Christian). He then spread the rumour that I left the church over money. 6 months before I had offered to reduced my pay from three days per week to one day per week so that the church could hire a youth pastor for two days per week. I did not leave the church over money. I left that church over dishonesty of the session members and those session members particularly. They have not only lied to me, they have lied to the rest of session and they have lied to that church and to that denomination at the state level. Why do I reveal this information today and not when it happened? The Lord has placed it on my heart today that whereas I believed the deacon’s wife was innocent in this matter I am lead to believe that no longer. She actively participated in a scam with her husband to defraud. And to defend that dishonest act she and he have acted in a way that is a direct lie against the Holy Spirit. Why do I announce this today? I believe the Lord may intend to act not only against this couple but also against the session of this church today who condoned the lie.