Devotion Talk 8/3/08

Tonight I read Acts 5.

^“1But a man named Ananias, with the consent of his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property; ²with his wife’s knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. ³‘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? ⁴While 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!’ ⁵Now when Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard of it.”

This is a fine example of the danger of greed. Ananias had the responsibility to give his profit to the Church. He did not. When he was told of his sin, he was struck down by God. The guilt he felt that was inflincted by God was so powerful, that he died. We cannot be greedy with our faith. We need to be able to willingly share it with others. Also, we cannot be afraid of what said person will say or how said person will react. Even if it is someone you know is strongly follows his or her religion- the one you think is incorrect, you need to willingly approach them.

^“20‘Go, stand in the temple and tell the people the whole message about this life.’ “

A speaker sent by the Lord has sent us our mission. This commandment was not aimed just at the apostles, but all God’s followers. In John 17, Jesus prays: “²⁰‘I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, ²¹that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.’ “

He prays that all the apostles, disciples, elder believers, adult believers, children believers, and teenage believers will be one and that we may be able to fill the world with impassioned believers of the one true God. This is what God calls us to do. To spread the good news!