We continue looking at the book of Acts – last week, the 5x5x5 Reading Plan had us in Acts 5 – 9. As we would expect in any story that starts with a bang, successes at every turn, when is the “uh-oh” coming? And we’re not disappointed. It starts with deception in the ranks:

But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife’s knowledge, he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. (Acts 5.1, 2, ESV)

But the central message of Acts 5 is more POWER. It starts with what some would call today “a word of knowledge.”

But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?” (Acts 5.3, ESV)

You can read the whole story here, which ends, after the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira, with this understatement:

And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things. (Acts 5.11, ESV)

A friend of mine was reading this chapter with someone who had never read it before, and that new believer exclaimed, “Well I guess!”

First problem solved, and we’re right back into POWER:

Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles…And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed. (Acts 5.12 – 16, ESV)

More success, followed by a continuation of the Acts 4 persecution. Details to follow.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1.8, ESV)