Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net
-----Original Message-----
From: "Smith, Lynn " <lsmith20@Central.UH.EDU>
Sent: Mon, 21 Apr 2008 06:05:43 -0500
To: "Smith, Lynn " <lsmith20@Central.UH.EDU>
Subject: Morning Manna Apr. 22-BP: Acts 5:1-11; RBTTY: Lk. 17:1-19; II Sam. 14-15
April 22 “The Danger of Grieving the Holy Spirit”
“Then Peter said unto her, ‘How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of them who have buried your husband are at the door and shall carry you out.’ Then fell she down straightway at his feet and yielded up the ghost—and the young men came in and found her dead and carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. And great fear came upon all the Church and upon as many as heard these things.”
Acts 5:9-11
Reverent fear of Who He is will help us daily live with rejoicing faith over what He’s done. It’ll also keep our focus on Him, not ourselves.
The Apostle Paul once wrote, “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” (Rom. 2:4). His hard-hitting words were directed toward his fellow Jews, who continually rejected the reality of Jesus’ Resurrection, preferring instead to cling to their bloodline-connection to Abraham for salvation.
We should never forget God’s Word, which is “sharper than a two-edged sword” (Heb. 4:12) is also two-sided and includes a “dual-declaration:” Faith and Fear. Wooing and Warning. Life and Death. Light and Darkness. Heaven and Hell.
Today’s Manna almost seems out-of-place in light of what happened before and afterwards (Acts 1:1-4:37; 5:12ff). Dr. Luke’s accounts of how God moved in the early Church are both inspiring and instructional; why, then, would such a story as the one in our Manna be inserted right in the midst of it all?
Simply to remind us of the “Danger of Grieving the Holy Spirit.”
God was truly at work in the lives of those early believers. He was moving in most unusual ways, causing them to “speak the Word of God with boldness. . .be of one heart and one soul. . .have all things in common. . .witness of Jesus’ resurrection with great power. . .and to live in great grace” (Acts 4:31-33).
But, then, “Pow!” the tone changes.
Suddenly, we’re reading about a couple named Ananias and Sapphira, who sold some ground for a lot more than they expected and they decided to keep a little bit back for themselves (5:1-2). They knew the Lord was at work and, most likely, had been like everyone else and “considered nothing as their own, but willingly laid it down at the Apostles’ feet” (2:42-47; 4:32-37).
That is, until their land sold for an unbelievable amount.
Instead of cooperating, they connived. Instead of generosity, there was greed. Instead of open delight, there was overt deceit. And, in the midst of it all they thought, “Nobody will know.” But, they forgot that Someone always knows, didn’t they?
Yes, their being struck dead for “lying to God” (v.4) was a clear warning to other members of the emerging Church. And, it still ought to be a sober reminder to us as members of the established Church of the “Danger of Grieving the Holy Spirit.”
Thanks,
Mr. Lynn M. Smith
Department Business Administrator
Department of Economics
204C McElhinney Hall
(713) 743-3802 (office)
(713) 743-3798 (fax)
LSmith20@central.uh.edu (email)
http://www.class.uh.edu/econ/ (department website)
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