Do We Really Think We Can Lie To The Holy Spirit And Get Away With It?
Good Morning Friends,
Not being a lying hypocrite is important for the members of the early church and the church of today. People smell the difference. For it is a slippery slope if we lie about our sins thinking we must show a face of perfection to be saved. Most of us have tried to stop sinning but have found it impossible to achieve. Some have given up realizing that they will always fall short. And some think that if they can get a pass with people it is good enough for God too. And therein lies the problem. Sure, we cannot walk on water unless it is frozen, an organizational framework is needed to deal with the challenge of society, but a bureaucracy can kill us too. Subsidiarity is the best approach. Sure, there needs to be a balance of the Mary and Martha in each of us. We need to be moved individually and collectively by the power of God. So, if we listen to Jesus and not neglect the Word, as we serve, hopefully we will not be so fearful and hopefully a little more upright and not undermine what God is doing. Do We Really Think We Can Lie To The Holy Spirit And Get Away With It?
Scripture: But a man named Ananias, with the consent of his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property; with his wife’s knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. “Ananias,” Peter asked, “why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You did not lie to us but to God!” Now when Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard of it. The young men came and wrapped up his body, then carried him out and buried him. After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you and your husband sold the land for such and such a price.” And she said, “Yes, that was the price.” Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Look, 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 died. When the young men came in they found her dead, so they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. And great fear seized the whole church and all who heard of these things.
Acts 5:1-11 (NRSV)
Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.” What they said pleased the whole community, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. The word of God continued to spread; the number of the disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.
Acts 6:1-7 (NRSV)
When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.
John 6:16-21 (NRSV)
Message: Telling the truth all the time is a rather frightening prospect. But today’s message is not really about that as much as the problem of lying to God. You see God wants us to see who is walking on the water and who is really in charge. The problem is when we try to control things it can get messy. It is sad that, after all the church has come through, the devil is so often able to wreak havoc through internal divisions. Where persecution has failed, and moral subversion has been prevented, there is so often a clash of personalities or of interests. But if we stick to God’s plan good things can happen. The early church members expressed love for one another in acts of sacrificial giving which have rarely been equaled. People sold their goods to help meet the needs of others. Without giving up their right to private property, they shared everything they had. From time to time they would sell lands or houses, and bring the proceeds to the Apostles for distribution to those with more immediate needs. There was no compulsion. The whole transaction was both occasional, and voluntary. But some gave for the wrong reasons as a lie to the Holy Spirit. Their motivation was more of fear than of love. Friends, there is no love without giving, but we have to be loving the right things.
Pray we expect a miracle. Pray we recognize the work of Jesus in the world. Pray we not be bullied into unfaithfulness. Pray we not be bewitched into insincerity. Pray we not be beguiled into disunity. Pray we not be waylaid by external persecution. Pray we not fall to internal hypocrisy. Pray we not be distracted from God’s work of forming relationships with God. Pray we face our fears and especially our fear of the unknown. Pray we not let fear rob us of the joy of life. Pray we have faith enough not to lie. Pray we learn to love joining with the Holy Spirit to share what is most needed. Pray we realize that we are not perfect. Pray we make our time with God the most important part of the day. Pray we feed our mind the spiritual truth so we might be transformed.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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