Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for July 14, 2024

Drop-Dead Serious

Acts 4:32-5:1-11

1. Context 32-37

• thriving in the midst of external opposition
• essence of the church: harmony, boldness, favor and sacrificial generosity
• example of Barnabas
• shift from external to internal opposition

2. Crisis Inside the Church (1-11)

• contrast indicated between Barnabas (son of encouragement) and Ananias/Sapphira
• complete hypocrisy: sold property…kept back…
• confronted by Peter: …lie…contrived…lied
• consequences repeated: sudden death and great fear

3. So What?

• Because Scripture records God’s holy fervor for the holiness of His people, serve Him with reverential fear.
• There is too little “trembling” today. (Phil. 2:12). Contempt for the severity of judgment often reveals a sub-biblical view of sin.
• “Every sin strikes at the honor of God, the being of God, the glory of God, the heart of Christ, the joy of the Spirit and the peace of a man’s conscience.” (Thomas Boston)
• “The fundamental problem in the evangelical world today is that God rests too inconsequentially upon the Church. His truth is too distant, His grace is too ordinary, His judgment is too benign, His gospel is too easy and His Christ is too common.” (David Wells)
• “Twas grace that taught my heart to fear…” (John Newton)