Tag: ananias

Acts 5:1-2 “Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostle’s feet.”

Ananias and Sapphira wanted to have their cake and eat it too.  The Believers of the early Church shared their possessions readily and it tells us in Acts 4:34 that “there was no needy persons among them.”  That’s because from time to time owners of property or homes would sell them and give the money to the apostles to benefit everyone.  So Ananias decided he would do the same…but secretly held back a portion.  He wanted the honor and accolades for giving a large gift, but he also wanted the money.  So in a way he and his wife were stealing from God and were dumb enough to think they could get by with it.  Needless to say it didn’t turn out well for them.  You can read the entire story in Acts 5:1-11.

Acts 9:15 ” But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go! This man is My chosen instrument…”

The Believers in Damascus had heard about Saul and his murderous threats against them.  Ananias also knew Saul had traveled there with the authority from the Chief Priests to arrest them all.  So you can imagine that Ananias had many excuses as to why he shouldn’t go and lay hands on this man…but God said, “Go!”  And Ananias went.  But somewhere between his house and the house where Saul was staying Ananias had a major heart adjustment.  For when he greeted Saul,  he called him Brother Saul.  Brother meaning Saul had been accepted  into  the community of brothers and sisters in the Lord.