Sometimes Hard Choices Require the Ultimate Answer

(Read Acts 5)

There are times when we need to make decisions about who we should listen to. Who we should obey. When we obey people or things, we should beware of the traps that come with the brief satisfaction and temporary glory they provide. In the book of Acts, the apostles faced imprisonment, torture, and execution from the Pharisees and Sadducees. They didn’t turn to violence. For the most part, they were respectful of their governing leaders, but when it came to choosing between their faith or their lives, they stayed on their mission pointing to Jesus Christ. In Acts 5, the apostles showed perfect examples of their allegiance to His divine truth.

The early church relied exclusively on donations and giving to survive. People would offer their food, land, livestock, or money. When it was discovered that Ananias and his wife Sapphira were skimming from the church, Peter confronted them.

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? 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.”
Acts 5:3-4

Both Ananias and Sapphira had sold their property and given a cut, not the full amount of the profits, to the church. They both wanted to get attention for their great generosity, but they didn’t necessarily want to give generously. They had probably promised a different amount than what they ended up donating to the church. In any event, there was deliberate deception going on.

Their lies were symptomatic of a much deeper problem. Clearly, they demonstrated a love of money and praise but they didn’t have the hearts to actually give generously. This can happen to believers of all kinds. We can be God’s people and enjoy all his blessings but still sin deliberately.

When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died…
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.”
Acts 5:5;9

They died as a direct result from this sin. Peter did not pronounce a death sentence on Ananias and Sapphira. He simply confronted them with their sin. It was too much for them to face.

“Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.” In modern terms, this was a true come to Jesus moment. Peter accused them of lying directly to the Holy Spirit. Casual commitment and loose promises would yield some disastrous consequences. Despite the overreaching fear of confrontation other followers might have had, the church continued to grow in numbers. The apostles were doing amazing things for the people in Jerusalem. They were healing a multitude of needy people. The streets were filled with the sick and tormented, hoping even for a glimpse of shadow from Peter.

Any time Jesus or his apostles would publicly do wondrous things in numbers, it drew attention. The paranoid and insecure Jewish elite paid extra attention.

The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”
Acts 5:27-28

Needless to say, the Jewish officials were infuriated with the apostles and their refusal to stop preaching about Jesus. They thought that some flogging, threats, and prison time would quell these troublesome Christians. They thought their position of power levied over the apostles would put an end to the outpouring of support and promotion of the message of Jesus Christ. In response, the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than human beings.”

Peter and the apostles’ response to the council was not a defensive one. It wasn’t a plea for mercy. Their response was an open declaration of their action. In a few places in the New Testament, we are reminded that we should submit those who have authority over us. But we should never choose mankind over the God. Submission to humans should never be considered absolute. It should never be considered more important than submission to God.

The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
Acts 5: 30-32

Faced with more beatings and jail time, the apostles countered with this. Wow. It’s one thing to stand up to authority in the face of danger. We need to consider this self-assured response when we’re faced with choices between God and man. As the Bible states, we should obey rulers, except when they contradict God. The apostles had a mandate to grow Christ’s church, to share the good news, and to Baptize in His name. They would not be derailed from their mission. Charles Spurgeon commented that the takeaway from this is that we should, “Fear not; be brave for Christ. Live bravely for him who died lovingly for you.”

The high Priests and council of the Sanhedrin wanted death for them. In their insecure delusion, the Christians were shaking the pillars of their leadership, of their domination, their status. While discussing plans for ending this group, Gamaliel, a well-connected grandson of Hillel, founder of Israel’s most powerful school of religion, made an argument for a different approach to the Jesus followers. He was a Pharisee and while they were not as powerful as the Sadducees, it was considered politically foolish to ask for executions of the apostles without support from both parties. While most commentators don’t believe that Gamaliel had any love for the apostles or the Christian cause, he just felt a need for a more moderate way of dealing with them.

The apostles faced yet another flogging and were set free. They stood their ground. In their trials, they submitted to only God — following His way, His will. They did not stir up an anti-government rebellion. They did not denounce their accusers or their Roman leaders. They did however, follow God.

The Apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.
Acts 5:41-42

Applications:

When faced with hard, potentially life-changing choices, what will you do? Here’s what three people did in their lives.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
A few days after Adolf Hitler became chancellor of Germany, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, lecturer at Berlin University and Lutheran Pastor, denounced the Nazi Fuhrerprinzip (Fuhrer and leadership) over the radio. He pointed out that the Nazi leadership was merely a synonym for dictatorship.

Bonhoeffer’s continued vocal objections to Nazi policies resulted in his losing his freedom to lecture and publish. Eventually, he joined the German resistance movement. Shortly after becoming engaged to be married, Bonhoeffer was arrested by the Gestapo.

Bonhoeffer is most notable for speaking out against overwhelming oppression, speaking the truth, and being Christ-like. On April 9, 1945, Lutheran pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer was hanged just days before the American liberation of the POW camp. His last words were “This is the end—for me, the beginning of life.”

Samaru Madkami
Samaru Madkami was a teenager from a poor community in India. His mother died when he was a young and his father had to bring him up alone with his two sisters.

While still a boy, Samaru started running Sunday services at his church, after militants threatened the pastor. Samaru strongly believed in his faith and in his church. Threats would not deter him.

Soon after, militants turned their threats on him. On June 4, 2020, while his father was away, militants stormed into his house and seized Samaru and two other church members.

Samaru was stoned. His body was eventually found partially buried, crushed by stones and cut to pieces.

Sister Leonella Sgorbati
Sister Leonella Sgorbati, was an Italian missionary working in Somalia. She knew the inherent dangers of her mission.

“I know there is a bullet with my name on it. I don’t know when it will arrive, but as long as it does not arrive, I will stay.”

She believed that her mission gave a chance to the young people in that society to have something different to turn to, rather than weapons. Her mission focused on nursing and educating prospective nurses while lending aid to children in a children’s hospital.

On Sept. 17, 2006, while leaving the nursing school, gunmen shot Sgorbati and her bodyguard several times. Lying on the ground and bleeding to death, she exclaimed, “I forgive, I forgive, I forgive.”

Acts 5 teaches us about honesty, sincerity, and authenticity of being a Christ follower. Jesus never told us to be martyrs. He didn’t ask us to sacrifice ourselves for him. There’s no need for that, he already paid the price. But, we are asked to obey him, to follow him, to live like him, and to treat others as he did.

• Look at your next serious choice carefully.
• How can you choose God in your life?
• How can your decisions glorify God? Consider this when faced with hard choices.

Where else in your life can you live out the teachings of Christ? Look for next week’s Devotion.