Have you ever tried building something with LEGOs without the instructions? You have all the pieces, but without a vision or design, it’s just a pile of bricks. But when you do have the instructions—when the pieces start connecting with a shared purpose—something amazing takes shape.
That’s what happened when the Holy Spirit showed up. God took individual lives—each one unique—and began to form something greater: the Church, a connected, Spirit-shaped community where every part mattered.
Ever since the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost, a new and vibrant community of believers began to take root in Jerusalem. These followers were so in love with God that they shared everything they had with one another, and it came from the profound unity seen in Acts 4:32:
32 All the believers were one in heart and mind.
John Wesley described this unity as: “Their loves, their hopes, their passions joined.”
In verse 33, we see this unity powerfully lived out:
33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
A recurring theme throughout the New Testament is the unity of God’s people. They lived in one spirit, giving generously to one another, and pursuing God together as one body.
Notice that it says, “For from time to time...” in verse 34. This implies that this was happening regularly. It wasn’t required—no one had to hand over the deeds to their property, but it was a natural result of their unity and love for God and for one another.
What about us—does our faith shape every part of our lives?
Luke next gives us two contrasting examples of people who sold property and gave the proceeds to the Church. In verse 36, we see that:
36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
Barnabas is an example of someone whose generosity flowed from a Spirit-led life. He freely gave from the heart—not for recognition, but because he belonged to this Spirit-filled community.
When the Holy Spirit came, He didn’t only give the disciples power to preach—He made everyone a different kind of people—people who would be honest, unified, generous, and most importantly—Spirit-led. The Holy Spirit gave the whole Church the power to love radically and live truthfully. But when that truth was compromised, the Spirit doesn’t look the other way.
And that brings us to the sobering story of Ananias and Sapphira—a reminder that the Holy Spirit is not someone to be lied to or messed with.
In Acts 5:1-11, we read:
Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. 3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 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.”
Peter was saying, “Look, the money is yours; nobody said you have to do this. Why are you pretending the amount of your gift is beyond what it is?” Ananias and Sapphira tried to manipulate their image so people would think they were like Barnabas. Their sin wasn’t in the amount they gave, but in their desire to falsify their reputation.
And if we’re honest, we can identify with that. Maybe we manipulate our appearance on social media to try to portray idealistic versions of who we are. Maybe we put way too much emphasis on other people’s opinions of us. Sometimes we lie or hide who we are in malicious ways, and we try to build up who we are in the eyes of others around us.
Picking up with verse 5:
5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6 Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him. 7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.” 9 Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” 10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.”
One pattern we see in Scripture is that when a new movement begins, God sometimes responds with immediate judgment to clearly reveal His heart on the matter. Some of the strongest reactions we see from God in Scripture are to people abusing worship. This doesn’t mean that everyone who lies in church or doesn’t take worship seriously will be struck dead, but it communicates the seriousness of it. Worship is meant to be an expression of love. When that is corrupted, God is not pleased.
This is a hard story to accept, but it’s not one without hope. It reminds us that the Holy Spirit calls us to live with integrity and openness in every area of life. God isn’t after a performance or a specific amount of giving; He’s after our hearts.
Ananias and Sapphira’s sin was about image. They wanted praise without price and reputation without sacrifice. They were dishonest and spiritually deceptive. They were wearing spiritual masks.
Lies are exhausting. Even small exaggerations weigh on us. Now imagine carrying that burden in your spiritual life—pretending to be more generous, more devoted, or holier than you really are. When we do this, we wear spiritual masks, which drains us and grieves the Holy Spirit.
The Apostle Paul warns against grieving the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 4:30:
“Don’t grieve God. Don’t break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don’t take such a gift for granted.” – Ephesians 4:30 (MSG)
The Holy Spirit’s response to Ananias and Sapphira reminds us just how seriously God takes truth and integrity in His people. This wasn’t about God being cruel—it was about clarity. God was protecting the Church at its foundation. He loves the Church too much to let lies take hold—and He loves us too much to let us live divided, saying one thing but doing another.
How are we worshiping God? How are we interacting with each other? When we put on a show, try to look like we’ve got it all together, and focus more on our image than our worship, people look at us and think we’re fake or judgmental. But the truth is, we’re just people who are broken and imperfect.
Are we giving, serving, and worshiping because we feel guilt or pressure to have this perfect image or are we doing them because we love God?
The story of Ananias and Sapphira is not about giving, it's about being honest with God and with His church.
The Spirit Changes Everything
The good news is that the Holy Spirit changes everything—including us. We don’t have to pretend to be more spiritual. We don’t have to fake generosity or hide parts of our hearts. The Spirit invites us to come clean and be real—not under shame, but under grace.
Only when we’re real with God and with each other can we be fully alive in Jesus. The early Church wasn’t perfect, but the Spirit was present, and people were learning to live in truth. When the Spirit is present, we become a community that’s deep with truth, generous in love, and honest in our living.
The same Spirit who exposed the lie in Ananias and Sapphira now empowers truth in us. He doesn’t just call us out—He calls us in. Into freedom. Into honesty. Into a community where masks come off, hearts open wide, and grace runs deep.
This story reminds us that the Holy Spirit is powerful, personal, and not to be taken lightly. Because of Him, the Church isn’t just a gathering—it’s a place where God dwells. A Spirit-filled family marked by truth, generosity, and reverence.
So what about you? Where are you tempted to wear a spiritual mask? What would it look like to take it off—to stop performing and start surrendering?
The Spirit doesn’t want a Church that only looks alive, He wants one that actually is alive—Alive in truth, alive in grace, alive in Him.
Let’s be that Church.
