We Too May Not Notice It Is God

Acts 5:4
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.”

Can you imagine meeting with God and not noticing that it is God? Can you imagine offending God and not noticing that it is God? Isn’t it dangerous to meet God without knowing it is God?

Can you imagine having a confrontation with God and you don’t know it is God? Can you imagine short-changing God and not knowing that it is God you are short-changing? Can you imagine having an altercation with God and not knowing that it is God you are insulting?

Acts 4:34-37 tells us that in the early church, believers made pledges to sell a property and use the proceeds to support the church and the needy within it. Ananias and his wife Sapphira decided to sell their land and bring proceeds to the church led by Apostle Peter. They were not coerced and they had a choice not to sell.

Ecclesiastes 5:4-6
(4) When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. (5) It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. (6) Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?

The property is yours, but once you vow that when you sell, all the money realized will be given to God, and you can’t change your mind. By the vow you make, every cent you get from that sale will belong to God. Be careful when making vows to God. You can’t undo a vow made to God!

Ananias and Sapphira made a vow that they will give to the church led by Apostle Peter, all the money they get from selling their land. That vow bound them. As long as the land wasn’t sold it belonged to them. The moment the land was sold, all the money belonged to the church.

Ananias and Sapphira had a choice to make when they sold the land. All the money was in their hands. They were not under duress. All they needed was to fulfill their vow. With the money in their hand, they had a choice to fulfill the vow or not to fulfill the vow. They chose NOT to fulfill their vow.

Ananias and Sapphira figured out that Apostle Peter and other church leaders would know the vow they made and how much the land was sold for. They also thought that other church members may never know how much they made from that land sale. They also believed that as husband and wife, they could keep the secret that they had chosen to give some money and keep some of it to themselves. Ananias and Sapphira believed they were dealing with human beings.

Ananias and Sapphira decided they will give but of the money from the land sale to the church and keep some for themselves. They were sure they were dealing with human beings who wouldn’t know what they had secretly done. Unfortunately, they discovered too late that they were dealing with God and not human beings.

They thought they were lying to human beings but they were lying to God. They discovered too late that God had known their secret and had chosen to punish them with death. The ordinary church leaders represented God. The clueless leaders who wouldn’t know anything about land sales represented God. The church members who didn’t deserve all the proceeds of that land sale actually represented God. They discovered too late that they were lying to God. We too may not notice that it is God!

God has assigned ordinary local church leaders to represent Him. The sometimes poorly educated leaders represent Him. The sometimes gullible-like people are His representatives. Ananias and Sapphira did not notice they were dealing with God as they dealt with these fellows. We too may not notice that it is God!

God has chosen the needy and the poor who need our help to represent Him. They receive help on His behalf. Whatever we do to them we are doing it to God. What we give them, or do not give them, we do to God. Ananias and Sapphira didn’t notice that these poor people represented God. We too may think they are lazy people who like free things. We too may not notice that it is God we are dealing with!

God has chosen the church to receive donations on His behalf. God has chosen the church as it is to represent Him. Ananias and Sapphira thought it was a local organization that they could safely breach a contract with, they didn’t notice it is God. We too may not notice that it is God we are dealing with!

May God save us from the grave mistake that Ananias and Sapphira made. May we be sensitive to God’s presence wherever it is, in Jesus’s name, Amen!

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