Read: Acts 5:1-16
Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. (v. 12)
Today’s Bible reading clearly shows us the best and worst of the early days of the church. The followers of Jesus experienced together the Holy Spirit fire released from heaven, astounding great numbers of people converted at a single time, and a sweet, generous communion that left no one in need. What a time to be alive. But there was a flipside that cannot be ignored. Acts 5 shows this in grim detail. Ananias and Sapphira profited from sale of property and told no one about it. But God knew because he can see in the dark, even into the murky darkness of the human heart.
This sad scene is a kind of living commentary on a conviction that the apostle Paul later makes crystal clear: “I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing” (Rom. 7:19 NIV). Honesty demands that we admit we are no better. So what do we do?
For centuries believers in Jesus have had the courage to be honest enough before God and one another to confess their sins. John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, shows us the way: “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins” (1 John 1:8-9).
As you pray, ask God to give you courage to be honest, and then confess any sin that you have been holding back.
Dr. Timothy Brown is the Henry Bast Professor of Preaching and President Emeritus at Western Theological Seminary where he served from 1995-2021. Tim continues to actively coach and encourage former students and pastors who seek help in their preaching life and he has become a certified public school substitute teacher so that he can continue investing in the lives of young people. He is married to Nancy and together they have three children and ten grandchildren.
