Burning For You

¹⁸Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. ¹⁹A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.

Acts 19:18-19 (NIV)

Paul was in Ephesus and many people were coming to faith in Christ. They weren't just simple "Ok, I'm a Christian. Now what?" conversions. No, the people were renouncing their old lives. Confessing the evil that they used to do. Taking the tangible signs of their old lives and burning them. Think about those books they burned. A drachma was about a days wages. Based on the 2008 average salary (as reported on the Social Security Admistration website) that translates to over 5.6 million dollars! Can you imagine a group of people coming to faith in Christ and destroying 5.6 million dollars worth of stuff just because it was an evil influence in the sinful life they used to lead? Honestly, comfortable materialistic American that I am, I can't imagine it. Why not? Why should such a radical conversion seem so strange to me? What from my sinful life would I be willing - and even eager - to burn to show the difference Christ has made in my life?

You've Got A Friend In Me

²⁶ When he [Saul] came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. ²⁷But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.

Acts 9:26-27 (NIV)

You really can't blame the disciples. If the story took place today, they would have been watching CNN and seeing how this Saul fellow was going around and locking up their fellow believers. Let him come in and meet us? I don't think so! It's a trap, I know it, it's a trap! But Barnabas believed in the work God was doing through Saul. He supported Saul and brought him to the apostles. Because they knew Barnabas to be a man of good character, they were willing to trust him. I wonder if there's anyone I need to be Barnabas to. Is there anyone I know who might not be welcome into the local fellowship that I've seen what God is doing in their lives? Is there anyone that I can support and help them establish their foundation in a family of faith? I need to be on the lookout for a Saul I can be Barnabas to.

But God, I really don't want to...

¹³"Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. ¹⁴And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name."

¹⁵But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.

Acts 9:13-15 (NIV)

Ananias was sent to Saul to heal him. He didn't particularly want to go. Saul had a bad reputation with those following Christ. Of course, God had other plans. How many times have I protested to God? How many times have I said "God I don't want to." Far too many. Ananais obeyed, the Church grew and the world was blessed. I should obey too...

The Wages of Sin

When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened.

Acts 5:5 (NIV)

We don't usually get to see death as a direct result of sin, but it does happen. Death first entered the world because of original sin. Scripture has many examples of immediate death as a result of sin. Ananias and Sapphira is one such example. Ananias realized he had been caught in his sin and fell down and died. Scripture doesn't mention what was going through his head in between when he gave the money and when Peter called him his misrepresentation of how much he was giving. Was he smug in thinking that he got away with it? When Peter started to speak was Ananias thinking "Oh rats, he figured it out"? Was he cocky? Was he fearful? Did he even realize that he had been found out before he dropped dead?

The weight of carrying sin around can be heavy. The fear of being found out can be paralyzing. Rather than fearing being found out, it is far better to remember 1 John 1:9.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9 (NIV)