Acts 4:32-5:1-11

Judgment Within the Household of God

Introduction:

We have seen in the previous chapters in Acts how the adversary desires to destroy the church by assaulting the people of God by physical persecution of the world and the religious leaders of the day.

Now Luke takes it a step further to point out how Satan uses different strategies to stop and distort the gospel of grace from within the members of the church.

1. The Sharing of the Saints – 4:32-37

   1. Selfishness was subdued

      1. “One heart and soul” – John 17:20-23

      2. Generosity – v.32 ; II Cor. 9:6-8

2. Testified to the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ – v.33; cf. I Cor. 15:1-8

   1. Not left as orphans – Matt. 18:20; 28:20

   2. The presence of the Holy Spirit – John 14:16-18

2. The Sins of the Saints – 5:1-11

   1. Premature death – Lev. 10:1-3; II Sam. 6:6; Acts 5:1-11

2. Contrastive Point

   1. Barnabas, man of encouragement – 4:36

   2. Destruction of Jerusalem – Matt. 24:15-22

3. No perfect church – Eph. 5:27 (CH Spurgeon)

4. Peter’s Response to Ananias – v.3,4

   1. Ananias right to property – v.4 cf. Eph. 4:28

   2. The sin of pretension and hypocrisy – Josh. 7

5. Satan’s Role –v.3

   1. The corruption of man’s heart – Psa. 51:10 (Martin Lloyd-Jones)

   2. Satan’s role of influencing the believer – I Pet. 5:5-9; Jam. 4:7,8

   3. Our Lord’s response to Satan’s temptation – Deut. 8:3; Psa. 91:11,12; Deut. 6:13,16; 10:20

6. The Nature of Sin

   1. Sin is always against God – v.3,4

   2. Sin has immediate consequences – I John 5:16

   3. Sin brings judgment – I Pet. 4:17

Pastor Nick Iamaio

Reformed Presbyterian Church

207 First Street, Fulton, NY 13069

Web Site fultonrpc.org

8/16/2009