Purity Fuels Power | Acts 5:1-16

How does God protect the credibility of his gospel witness in the midst of successful growth?

When the church experiences successful growth, God protects the credibility of the gospel by…

I. Faithfully providing for the ministry’s needs through the integrity and generous sacrifice of committed disciple-makers (Acts 4:32-37, 2 Cor. 9).
     a. Authenticity (4:32-34)
     b. Credibility (4:35)
     c. Generosity (4:36-37, 2 Cor. 9, Rom. 12:13).

II. Disciplining destructive behaviors of selfish hypocrisy (Acts 5:1-11).
     a. Duplicity 5:2 (ἐνοσφίσατο, cf. Josh 7:1)
     b. Deceit 5:3 (ἐπλήρωσεν = fill, control one’s thoughts and actions cf. Eph 5:18)
     c. Death 5:4-11, Heb. 12:5-7, Rev. 2:18-29

God exposes and disciplines a reputation built on lies.
It is better to be honest about our brokenness
than faking hypocritical holiness.
Keep it real before the Lord
And he will take care of your reputation before men.

1. God invites us all to be part of his mission through sharing in the joy of worshipping him through sacrificial generosity. If you already faithfully, generously, and sacrificially give of your time, talents, and treasures at DFBC, you are one of the “children of encouragement” God is using to further his work through DFBC. Keep up the good work and may the Lord fulfill 2 Cor. 9:8 in your life!
2. Because God sees not just our external actions but the motivations of our hearts, and he disciplines whom he loves (Heb. 12:6), is there anything you need to confess today to be in fellowship with him? Unrepentant sin whether is public or private will come to light and elicit God’s discipline. The area of stewardship and generosity is one that reveals the temperature of our heart; look at Luke 14:33 and see what Jesus thinks about financial unfaithfulness.