Acts 5 – When God Is Not to Be Trifled With
When truth steps into the light, what is hidden can no longer pretend to be holy.
Acts 5 opens with a chilling story of pretense before God—Ananias and Sapphira's fatal lie. It’s not that they withheld some money, but that they presented themselves as more generous than they were, seeking approval from others while secretly deceiving the Spirit-indwelt church. Their deaths marked God’s holy displeasure toward self-promotion that disregards His presence.
Following this, the apostles’ ministry surged forward. Miracles abounded, crowds gathered, and faith in Jesus brought people into the church. The stark contrast between divine judgment and divine healing sharpened the awe and reverence for God in the early church.
The high priest and Sadducees, overcome with envy, attempted to suppress this movement by imprisoning the apostles. But God intervened—an angel released them, and they returned immediately to preaching, undeterred. The religious leaders were baffled and incensed, especially when Peter boldly declared their guilt in Jesus’ death and pointed to God’s resurrection power as His vindication.
Though the council was ready to kill them, Gamaliel, a respected Pharisee, urged caution. His counsel to wait and see whether this movement was truly of God diffused the immediate threat. The apostles were beaten and released, but far from being silenced, they rejoiced to suffer for Christ and continued preaching daily. Their fearless obedience to God—even in suffering—proclaims to every generation: when obedience to man conflicts with obedience to God, we must obey God.
🕊 Journal Entry — Written in the Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture:
I dwell in you not as a silent guest but as the very presence of God. I have made you holy, not so that you would pretend before men, but so that you would walk in truth before Me. Ananias and Sapphira desired to impress the church without revering My indwelling. Their hearts chose image over intimacy, applause over authenticity, and they forfeited the joy of real communion with Me.
I am not mocked. I guard My holiness among My people, not out of wrathful reaction, but to preserve the purity of My witness and the reverence that My presence deserves. Yet, My power is not only in judgment—it is in healing, restoring, and multiplying the church. I filled the apostles with courage to speak the word of life. I released them from prison to continue what I started. I stirred their hearts not to shrink back but to rejoice even in lashes, for in their suffering, Christ was glorified.
When you are told to silence My name, remember: I am the One who raised Jesus from the dead. I am the One who filled you with boldness. I am the One who uses even worldly counsel, like Gamaliel’s, to open doors for My purposes. You are not at the mercy of man. You are My witness, and nothing can thwart what I’ve ordained.
So stand in the temple courts of daily life. Speak of Me not just in sacred spaces but in the ordinary rooms of your day. Whether others believe or oppose, My word will not return void, for I am with you.
Verses woven in this entry: Acts 5:3–11, 14–16, 19–21, 29–32, 40–42; Isaiah 55:11; 1 Peter 4:13–14
🙏 Prayer:
Father, I don’t want to live in pretense. You see me, know me, and dwell in me. Let there be no gap between what I present to others and what is true in Your sight. Thank You that I don’t need to impress anyone to belong to You. You have already called me Your own.
I trust You to live Your life through me when I face rejection or opposition. When it becomes costly to speak of You, I remember that even in wounds, Your presence becomes more tangible. I rejoice, not in pain itself, but in knowing that I bear the name of Jesus, and You are glorified through me. Use even my smallest acts of obedience to draw others to the truth that sets them free. Amen.
🪞 Everyday Analogy:
You’ve probably had a moment when you walked into a room expecting something ordinary—only to be caught off guard by someone telling you the whole story changed while you were away. Maybe it was a coworker fired for dishonesty, or a friend who experienced sudden consequences after a hidden truth was revealed. There’s a jarring soberness when what’s secret gets exposed publicly. That’s what happened with Ananias and Sapphira. They staged a gift to appear generous but withheld the truth. In a world full of curated appearances, God doesn’t play along with image management. He looks at the heart. And He calls us to live in the freedom of walking in the light, where nothing needs to be hidden.
Credit: Insights adapted from the Grace and Truth Study Bible, Zondervan Academic.
Photo credit: Image sourced from Unsplash.com.