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Aug 07, 2024 06:00am

Guarding the Bride

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Driving far distances by myself, going for a run in the evening, going into rough areas or neighborhoods – one thing is for sure, my husband wants to protect me.

I am his bride. His love. And when I am threatened, abused, mistreated or at risk, he’s serious about protecting me.

Just as God did with the early church.

Acts 5:1-11
“Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.
2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.
3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?
4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”
5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened.
6 Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”
9 Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”
10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.”

I know, I know. You’re reading this and thinking, my goodness! What on earth? Maybe it’s the first time you’ve read this passage or maybe you forgot about this being a part of the early church. Many will say “I thought God was all about love and forgiveness?” And He is, but we cannot forget that He is also righteous and just.

And the church is His bride.

The sin of Ananias and Sapphira wasn’t that they only gave part of their profit to the church. They could do anything they want to with it. It was their land. But it was their lies.

First, they decided together to sell the land and keep part of the profit for themselves. They chose to lie to the church, to the Holy Spirit within them, and to the Lord.

But why? Why even do that?

Selfishness. Pride. They wanted to look good in front of the church. They wanted to seem as though they were giving all when they weren’t. They were making a mockery of those that had given all they had.

And God wouldn’t stand for it.

What could or would have happened if this had been left unpunished? Others would have found out about this. There would be more and more people who thought this was okay. Pride, selfishness, lies, deceit, and covetousness would infiltrate the church.

The Bride of Christ.

And the Groom will do what’s necessary to protect His Bride.

God is serious about sin. Even though the Holy Spirit had come, it didn’t make them immune to temptation and sin. They still had to choose to do what was right. And when they chose sin, God intervened.

I will not say that I understand everything about God or even this particular event. I trust that God, sovereign, just, holy, whose thoughts are far above mine, knows what He’s doing.

And when I look at my own sin, I recognize the seriousness of it. Even if I think it’s only a little sin, I know that’s not how God sees it. But I’m even more grateful for His mercy. Because any one of us could be Ananias or Sapphira. And we would be just as deserving of death as they were.

What should we do then? What do we do with this sin in our lives?

Confess it to the Lord. Pray and confess your sins to Him and make the decision to turn from it. That is repentance. Let God lead you in the right direction. No matter the cost.

Even if it means losing a job.

Even if it means you’ll lose a friendship or relationship.

Even if it means your family will have to move.

Even if it means your whole life will change.

God is serious about sin and we should be, too.

If you want to know more about following Christ, go to follow.lifeword.org. And join me on Tuesdays at 7:00 PM for FOLLOW: Conversations at facebook.com/lifeword.