Lesson 63

Ananias and Sapphira OUR GUIDE is published by the Protestant Reformed Sunday School Association. The Scripture Lesson :23 - 5:11 man Ananias is.” And Ananias expected that the apostles would think and say the same. must have hoped that the threats of the But they did not. The had already Sanhedrin would frighten the apostles so that told Peter that Ananias was lying. So Peter they would not dare anymore to preach in the looked at him and asked, “Why hath Satan filled name of . But, as we saw last time, that did thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost? Thou hast not not work. He decided therefore to try something lied unto men but unto God.” As soon as Ananias else. In our lesson for this week we will see how heard those words he fell dead at Peter’s feet. Satan tried to bring wickedness into the Several of the young men came forward, carried through its own members. him out, and buried him. Ananias and his wife Sapphira had watched About three hours later his wife came in, not when other members of the church sold posses- knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, sions and brought the money to the apostles. too, if they had sold the land for the amount of They saw that everybody else would praise these money that they had given. And she answered people for doing that. Now, Ananias and Sapphira right away that that was true. Peter then told her wished that people would praise them. But they that they had really tempted the Holy Spirit, and did not really want to part with so much of their that the young men who had buried her husband hard-earned money. So they decided to sell a would likewise carry her out. And immediately piece of their property, keep back some of the she also fell dead. money for themselves, bring the rest to the That was terrible punishment for Ananias and apostles, and pretend that it was not part but all Sapphira. Do you know why the Lord did that? of the money from the sale. They were sure that, He did it first of all to keep out the wickedness if they were careful, no one would ever learn the that Satan was trying to get into the young church. truth. They would fool everybody. But He did it also to remind us that God sees the So one day Ananias came with a bag of money heart, and that He hates lying and hypocrisy. to where the were gathered. He pre- The death of Ananias and Sapphira caused sented his gift to the apostles. The people were great fear to fall upon all who heard about it. But probably already thinking, “What a wonderful it was the kind of fear that was good for the Lesson 63 2 Ananias and Sapphira/Suffering for ’s Sake

church. For it kept out of the church those who hearing a thing. were not true believers. Once again Satan had The next day the Sanhedrin came together failed in his attempt to destroy Christ’s church. and sent for the apostles. Imagine their surprise when the temple police returned and reported Suffering for Christ’s Sake that, though the doors of the jail were still locked, :12-42 nobody was inside. And while the Sanhedrin was You remember that, when Peter and John wondering about this, a messenger came and said were brought before the Sanhedrin, they were that the apostles were back in the temple, preach- warned that they must never again do anything in ing as usual. The Sanhedrin should have known the name of Jesus. Peter told them that the that this was a work of God. But they went right apostles had been appointed by God to be wit- ahead with their plan to punish the apostles. They nesses of Christ, so they must witness, no matter sent the temple police to go and get them. what men might say. When the apostles finally stood before the Peter and John were true to their word. They, Sanhedrin, demanded to know why and the other disciples with them, went right back they had disobeyed the command not to preach in to their preaching about Jesus — not in secret, but Jesus’ name. Peter answered again, “We ought to in the temple itself. Not only did they preach, obey God rather than men.” He reminded the they also did miracles — many of them. Some Sanhedrin that they had killed Jesus, but God sick people were even put on little beds and laid raised Him up. And God was now working on the streets ahead of Peter, and when he walked through the apostles, and giving the Holy Spirit to by that way they were healed as his shadow those who were joined to the church of Christ. passed over them. The Sanhedrin, when they heard these things, This made the people think of Jesus, for Jesus were furious. They wished they could kill all the also had great power to do miracles. They be- apostles. But they still feared the people. So they lieved therefore that it must be true, as the apostles decided again to let the apostles go. But first they said, that Jesus had risen and was now working beat them, and warned them one more time not to through His disciples. The miracles helped them preach in Jesus’ name. to believe. The beating was very painful for the apostles. All of this made the Sanhedrin very angry. But they went away rejoicing. They rejoiced that They were angry that the apostles had disobeyed Christ had counted them worthy to suffer shame their command. And they were afraid that if the for His name. They had learned well what we people would believe that Jesus was raised by should also learn, namely, that when God is God from the dead, then they would think that the pleased to keep His people from suffering, He can Sanhedrin was guilty of murdering the Messiah. easily do that. But when suffering is good for the Finally the Sanhedrin could stand it no longer. church, He sends that too. The enemies of the They ordered the temple police to round up all the church can do nothing apart from His will. apostles and put them in prison. The next day they would call a meeting, make the apostles MEMORY WORK stand before them, and decide how to stop them Group A once and for all. Acts 5:41 “And they departed from the That was their plan. They thought they could presence of the council, rejoicing that they were do with the apostles just as they pleased. But the counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.” church belongs to God, and men can do to it only Group B what God pleases. God sent an who un- Acts 5:4b “Thou has not lied unto men but locked the door in the middle of the night and led unto God.” the apostles out, without the guards seeing or 3

ACTIVITIES

This paper has been prepared in the hope that it will be used by students of all ages. The activities are designed so that the oldest will be challenged, and the youngest will find some of it within reach. Parents should encourage their children to attempt only what they can handle without frustration. For some that will be much, for others little.

DO YOU AGREE? ___ 11. Far from being frightened or discour- If you do, write Yes; if you do not, write No. aged, the apostles actually rejoiced that they were ___ 1. Ananias and Sapphira saw how the counted worthy to suffer for Jesus’ sake. people admired for his generosity, and they conspired together how they might also get the praise of men.

___ 2. After selling a piece of property, QUESTIONS FOR YOUNGER READERS Ananias brought part of the money from the sale 1. Why does Satan want to destroy the and laid it at the apostles’ feet. church? ___ 3. Ananias however died instantly because 2. Why did Ananias and Sapphira want to he did not give all of his money to the church. lay a large gift of money at Peter’s feet? ___ 4. When Sapphira learned of God’s ter- 3. How were Ananias and Sapphira pun- rible judgment on her husband, she repented of ished for their hypocrisy and lying? her sin of hypocrisy and lying. 4. All who heard about Ananias and Sapphira ___ 5. The apostles continued meanwhile to were afraid. Do you know how that fear was good preach and to work miracles, so that people even for the church? brought their sick into the streets hoping that 5. Where did the apostles preach — after the Peter’s shadow would pass over them. Sanhedrin told them not to speak anymore in the ___ 6. Peter and John had been warned not to name of Jesus? preach in Jesus’ name, so the Sanhedrin ordered 6. How were some sick people healed by the temple police to arrest just those two apostles. Peter? What good did all these miracles do? ___ 7. When an angel of the Lord came dur- 7. The leaders of the Jews were worried ing the night and let the apostles out of prison, the about how fast the church of Christ was growing. guards were terrified and they hurried to report What did they decide to do about it? the matter to the chief priests. 8. What did God show the Sanhedrin by ___ 8. When the Sanhedrin learned that the taking the apostles out of their prison? apostles were once more preaching in the temple, they commanded that all of the apostles be brought 9. When the apostles stood again before the immediately before them. Sanhedrin, what answer did Peter give to Caiaphas? ___ 9. After Peter’s speech before them, the Sanhedrists were furious and began to talk at 10. What did the Sanhedrin think should be once about killing all of the apostles. done to the apostles? What advice did give? ___ 10. At the advice of Gamaliel, however, the Sanhedrin released the apostles, after giving 11. What happened to the apostles before they them a beating and a warning. were released? Why did they rejoice about that? Ananias and Sapphira/Suffering for Christ’s Sake4 Lesson 63

COMPLETING SENTENCES 4. Satan was not at all pleased at the rapid 1. On being threatened with dire consequences growth and the remarkable holiness of the church if they continued to speak in the name of Jesus, of Jesus Christ. Having failed in his attempt to Peter and John had informed the Sanhedrin that cripple the church by threats of punishment from they must obey God rather than men. How hard outside the church, the devil decided now to that must have been for the apostles! — not only attack the church from within. The two who because they were risking their very lives, but became his willing instruments were also because their faithfulness to Jesus required ______and his wife ______. This that they defy those who were the spiritual lead- couple must have noticed how much the church ers of Israel. Immediately after their release, appreciated the generosity of people like Barnabas. therefore, Peter and John went to their own They coveted that praise of men, and decided to ______, and reported all that the try to get it for themselves ... while keeping as chief priests and ______had said to much money as possible for themselves. They them. And then they all lifted up their voice to therefore sold a ______, kept ______with one ______. They part of the price, and brought only a certain prayed to the Lord who, “by the mouth of thy ______and laid it at the apostles’ servant ______hast said, Why did the ______(Acts 5:1, 2). heathen ______, and the people imagine ______things.” They prayed that the Lord 5. Ananias must have presented his gift in such would behold their (the Sanhedrin’s) a way that he clearly implied that it was the entire ______, and grant the apostles sale price of the possession sold — a barefaced that with all ______they may speak lie, spoken as if he had to do only with men. But God’s ______(Acts 4:23-30). such was not the case; for God knows, and the Holy Spirit revealed to Peter the scheming of 2. God heard this selfless prayer of the company Ananias and Sapphira. Peter therefore immedi- of Jesus’ disciples, and He gave to it His imme- ately asked, “Why hath ______filled thine diate seal of approval. For, as soon as they had ______to lie against the ______prayed, the place was ______where they ______, and to keep back ______were ______together. And they of the price of the land?” Peter then explained to were all ______with the Holy Ghost, and Ananias, before the whole assembly, that he was they spoke the Word of God with ______under no obligation to sell the possession, and (Acts 4:31). that, once he did sell it, he could have done as he 3. Counting only the men, the church numbered pleased with the money. But to give some of the already ______(Acts 4:4). Yet, money, pretending that it was all, was to lie, not amazingly, the ______of them that unto ______, but unto ______(Acts 5:3, 4). believed were of ______heart. That is, 6. Deceit and hypocrisy like that of Ananias and there was no strife or division among them. And Sapphira are an abomination to God. And the the blessed unity that prevailed among them punishment that befell them is a powerful illus- showed itself in their attitude toward their pos- tration of the judgment that will come upon all sessions. They helped each other, so that there such reprobate hypocrites. Ananias, on was not any among them that ______. A ______the words of Peter, fell down notable example of such generosity was a man by and gave up the ______. And the young the name of ______surnamed men arose, ______him up, and carried him ______, who sold some of his prop- ______, and ______him (Acts 5:5, 6). erty and brought the money and ______it at the ______feet (Acts 4:32-37). 7. About the space of ______hours af- ter, Sapphira, not ______what was Lesson 63 5 Ananias and Sapphira/Suffering for Christ’s Sake done, came in, in order to receive her share of the they ordered the temple police to seize all of the people’s admiration. When Peter said to her, apostles and put them in the common “Tell me whether ye ______the land for ______(Acts 5:17, 18). _____ much,” Sapphira answered quickly, “______, for so much.” After asking 11. Sometime during the night, however, an Sapphira why they had agreed together to ______of the Lord ______the ______the Spirit, Peter declared that those prison doors and, after bringing them out, told who had ______her husband were at them to speak again in the ______to the the ______, and would ______her out. people all the words of this life. Thus it was that, And Sapphira fell down ______at his feet while the keepers continued to stand guard before and yielded up the ______(Acts 5:7-10). an empty jail, the apostles spent the night at home and then entered the temple ______in the 8. Great ______came upon all the ______, morning and ______(Acts 5:19-21). and upon as many as ______these things. Such deliverance must have served to assure the Once more Satan had failed in his designs. God disciples that the enemies of Christ could do had so turned the wickedness of Ananias and nothing to them apart from the will of God. Sapphira that it served to keep the young church pure. For while believers were the more 12. Unaware of the escape, the high priest called ______to the Lord, of the rest ______the ______together and all the no man join himself to them (Acts 5:11-14). ______of the children of Israel, and sent 9. Meanwhile, the apostles not only continued to the ______to have the apostles to preach in the name of Jesus, but did so right in brought. But when the officers found them not, the temple, on Solomon’s ______, where large they returned and said, “The prison truly found numbers of people who were present for the we ______with all ______, and regular temple services could gather also and the ______standing without ______hear the preaching of the apostles. The people the doors; but when we had opened, we found were attracted by the preaching, and also by the ______man within” (Acts 5:21-23). many signs and ______wrought by the 13. Then one came and told them that, Behold, apostles. In fact, they brought the ______into the men who were put in prison are ______the streets, and laid them on the ______in the ______and ______the in order that at least the ______of Peter people. Faced thus with clear evidence that there passing by might fall on them. This included not had been divine intervention on behalf of the only people of , but also a disciples of Jesus, the Sanhedrin remained never- ______out of the cities round about theless determined to do whatever was necessary Jerusalem, bringing ______folks. And to silence them. The captain and the they were ______every one (Acts 5:12- ______therefore went immedi- 16). ately to the temple to arrest the apostles a second time — but without ______, for they 10. The result of all this (the apostles’ preaching, ______the people lest they be ______. confirmed by the signs and wonders) was that the The people they fear; God they defy (Acts 5:25, people ______them (Acts 5:13), and there 26). was added to the church ______both of men and of women (Acts 5:14). The high priest 14. The apostles went along peacefully and were and the sect of the ______were set directly before the ______. Had the filled with ______. Restrained for high priest not been convinced that their escape awhile, perhaps, by their fear of the people, they from prison was by the hand of God, he would were at last unable to contain themselves, and surely have examined them on this matter. But he Lesson 63 6 Ananias and Sapphira/Suffering for Christ’s Sake didn’t. Instead he proceeded at once to accuse 2. What does Luke mean when he says that the them of defying the authority of the Sanhedrin by believers “were of one heart and of one soul” (4:32)? filling Jerusalem with their ______, in- 3. Acts 5:3 shows that Satan was behind the decep- tending thereby to bring this man’s ______tion of Ananias and Sapphira. What was Satan’s pur- upon the leaders (Acts 5:27, 28). pose in tempting Ananias and Sapphira to this sin?

15. Peter, speaking again on behalf of the apostles, 4. Read Peter’s rebuke to Ananias in Acts 5:4. declared forthrightly that Jesus, whom they had Which words of Peter show that Ananias’ sin was not slain and ______on a tree, ______had simply that he had kept back part of the money? raised up. Further, Peter said, God had ______Him to be a Prince and a ______. And 5. Ananias lied to Peter, before all who were in the company. Can you explain how that lie was neverthe- not only were the apostles witnesses of these less, as Peter said, not first of all unto men? things, but so also was the ______, whom God had obviously given only to followers 6. Ananias and Sapphira were hardly the only (or of Jesus. Thus did Peter prove that they were in the worst) hypocrites in the history of the church. truth obeying ______rather than men (Acts Why were they exposed and struck dead, while others 5:29-32). apparently escape undetected?

16. Enraged by this defense, the council did not 7. How did the story of Ananias and Sapphira affect even bother to refute the arguments. They simply the attitude of people towards the church? took counsel at once to ______them all. 8. From Acts 5:12-16 we learn that the apostles However, a certain Pharisee named ______, must have performed miracles of healing by the who had a good ______among all the hundreds. What purpose was served by those signs at people, cautioned his fellow Sanhedrists not to that early stage in the history of the church? act rashly. For, he argued, if this work be of men, it will come to ______anyway, and if it 9. The Sanhedrin was at first restrained by their fear of the people (see Acts 4:21 and Acts 5:26). Do you be of God, the Sanhedrin not only cannot see, from Acts 5:28, how it was this same fear of the ______it, but might be ______people that convinced the Sanhedrin that they must even to ______against God (Acts 5:33-39). act?

17. God uses even the advice of wicked men to 10. What important truth did the deliverance from advance the cause of His church. The counsel prison demonstrate to the disciples at the beginning agreed with Gamaliel. However, before they re- of the church? What was demon- leased apostles, they had them ______, strated to the Sanhedrin? and then commanded them again not to ______11. Escape from prison is a punishable offense. Why in the ______of Jesus (Acts 5:40). did not Caiaphas raise that issue at all in his examina- 18. The apostles departed, ______that tion of the apostles? Do you see how this proves that the Sanhedrin was not acting here in ignorance of the they were counted ______to suffer will of God but out of hatred against God? ______for Jesus’ sake. And they ______not to teach and ______12. Can you show how the advice of Gamaliel, which Jesus Christ (Acts 5:41, 42). God used for the good of the church, was in fact wicked advice? QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT 1. Can you show that the apostles’ prayer (. From Acts 5:41 can you see why the apostles 4:24-30), though it included a request for boldness considered their stripes to be, not marks of shame, but and power, was not first of all a prayer for them- “badges of honor”? selves?