Barnabas, Ananias, and the Fear of the Lord

In one paragraph

This message was Pastor Ray's continuation through Acts, picking up at chapter four verse 32 and running through chapter five verse 11. The passage covers three things: a description of the early church's common life, a positive example in Barnabas, and a hard negative example in Ananias and Sapphira. Pastor Ray worked through all of it, application and difficulty included. The recap opened with a...

Read together

1. John 17 Jesus praying for unity among believers, that all of them may be one
2. Acts 2:42 believers devoting themselves to apostles teaching, fellowship, sharing meals and prayer
3. Deuteronomy there should be no poor among you, give generously, the Lord will bless you
4. Romans 12:6-9 different gifts given to each believer for the body of Christ
5. Acts 4:32 - 5:11 the main passage read aloud covering the church's common life, Barnabas, Ananias and Sapphira
6. Acts 11 Barnabas encouraging the church at Antioch to remain true to the Lord
7. John 10 the enemy comes to kill steal and destroy, Jesus came to give abundant life
8. 1 Peter the enemy prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour
9. Ephesians 6 the armor of God to stand firm against the strategies of the enemy
10. Luke 4 Jesus using the word to combat the enemy's attacks during the temptation in the desert
11. Proverbs the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the holy one is understanding

Talk about it

1. The pastor described the early church as being 'one of heart and soul,' and connected that unity to Jesus' prayer in John that believers would be one so that the world would believe. Where have you seen genuine unity in a church community draw people toward Christ, and what do you think threatens that kind of unity most?
2. The sermon pointed to the list from Acts 2 of what the early believers devoted themselves to, and said these are 'the basics we never want to depart from.' Which of those four things, the apostles' teaching, fellowship, sharing meals including the Lord's Supper, and prayer, do you find easiest to stay committed to, and which is hardest for you personally?
3. Barnabas is described as a son of encouragement who used that gift to steady the church in a frightening season and to bring people like Paul and John Mark alongside the community. Romans 12 lists several different gifts. Which gift do you think you have been given, and how are you currently using it to build up the people around you?
4. The pastor said he genuinely does not know why the punishment of Ananias and Sapphira was so severe, but he shared the idea that God acting to preserve the integrity of the community the gospel produced gives us increased confidence in the truthfulness of the message itself. How does that thought sit with you, and what questions does this passage still leave you with?
5. The sermon closed with three application points, to encourage one another, to be alert to the enemy's efforts to bring disunity, and to fear the Lord. The pastor said fearing the Lord is a good thing and that Proverbs calls it the beginning of wisdom. How would you describe the difference between a fear of God that is healthy and one that is not, and how does that distinction show up in your own walk with him?