We live in a world where everything has a price. I’ve had friends who went from being totally satisfied in their home to selling because someone showed up at their door, with a price. In just a few hours they went from satisfied to homeless! Phrases I’ve heard that refer to this attitude are: “money talks,” “name the price,” or “everything has a price.” Is that really true? Are we willing to sell anything for a price? If everyone has a price, what’s yours?
In Acts 4, we find dear Christians seeking the welfare of others over their own. Many sold their possessions and gave the money to the church to distribute to everyone, as they had needs. It must have been a very loving time in the church when the goal was very simple. They were seeking to love God and love others. Just like anything that is good, Satan will challenge it, and someone will seek to pollute it. Chapter 5 begins with a couple named Ananias and Sapphira, who decide to sell a piece of land and donate all the money from the sale to the church. There is no record of anyone encouraging this action, it was all voluntary. They sold the land and received much more than they thought they would get. Still, there is no problem. It was their land, they could do as they wished. Now comes the problem. They brought a certain amount to the church and said it was all that they received, but it was a lie. They conspired with one another to lie about the price and to keep back a part of the price for themselves. This lie to God cost them their lives, and possibly their eternal soul. They may have been Christians, or they may have been imitators in the church, but either way, they had to stand before God as their judge for being a deceiver and liar. They were willing to lie to God over a piece of land!
Act 5:1-5 “But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.”
Act 5:7-10 “And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.”
Judas sold the Son of God, his friend, his master, the one who offered him eternal life, for 30 pieces of silver. Samson sold out, for the lust of the flesh. Lot’s wife sold out for the lust of the eyes.
Over and over in scripture, we find people just like you and me. People who are on the road to serving God, seek to put Him first in their lives, yet, they allow the things of this world to lure them away from truly putting God first. Satan doesn’t approach us and asks us to sell our souls. He starts by luring us away, one “little” thing at a time. Usually, it starts with our time. Everyone seems to need a piece of our time, and the first thing to go is our time with God. It starts one day at a time. Then comes church attendance. Wednesday night seems to be the night the kids have the most homework. It also is the middle of the week, so the tiredness from work sets in. We rationalize that it would be best for the kids to stay home, finish homework, and get to bed. Before you know it, school and rest have topped God. Then comes Sunday night, then Sunday morning, once you start selling out, the price will continue to go up. Satan won’t quit. He will continue to supply your mind with excuses and prices that seem reasonable to you.
Doing the right thing is difficult many times, but the right thing is still putting God first in everything. We need to make up our minds that God comes first in EVERYTHING. No excuses, no fudging, no exceptions! Once you make up your mind, don’t bring it up for review. Sometimes things happen that are beyond our control, and we must miss church or alone time with God, but most of our “skips” are of our own doing, because of the choices we make.
Not yielding to the price of this world will be governed by the amount of trust you have in God. For example, do you trust God to take care of your child when worship comes first? If your child doesn’t have homework done before church, are you willing to get up earlier the next day, or stay up later that night to accommodate their need? Making the right choice won’t always be easy, but teaching your children the things of God come first is so worth it! Nothing in this world should be able to buy your allegiance to God first in everything.
