Sermon- May 27 "Perfect Church"
Overview
The Perfect Church?
It is easy to romanticize the early church described in Acts—a community unified in heart and soul, urgently sharing the gospel, freely giving to anyone in need, and growing daily as the Lord added to their numbers. Barnabas embodies this beautifully: a Levite from Cyprus who sold a field and laid the proceeds at the apostles' feet Acts 4:36-37. His generosity flowed from a heart that loved the Lord, loved his neighbor, and recognized that everything he had belonged to God. But the Holy Spirit did not allow Luke to hide what came next, because God's word refuses to whitewash sin in the church.
The Sin of Ananias and Sapphira
Ananias and Sapphira also sold property, but they conspired to keep back part of the proceeds while presenting their gift as the full amount Acts 5:1-2. They were looking for a loophole—the appearance of saintly generosity without the cost. Peter makes clear that no one had compelled them to sell or to give: "While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own?" Acts 5:4. Giving in the church has always been free and joyful, never coerced—as Paul would later remind the Corinthians, "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" 2 Corinthians 9:7.
Their judgment was not for keeping money but for opening their hearts to Satan and lying to the Holy Spirit. They tried to serve two masters—God and greed—which Jesus says is impossible Luke 16:13. The contrast is stark: while believers throughout Acts are repeatedly described as "filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:4; Acts 4:31), Ananias was filled with Satan. Sapphira was even given an opportunity to confess and refused. Like Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10:1-2, their immediate judgment marked a critical moment in the formation of God's holy people. Every sin, as David confessed, is ultimately against God Psalm 51:3-4.
Why God Guards His Church So Fiercely
If the church were merely a social club, Satan would not bother attacking it. But the church is the bride of Christ, founded on Jesus' blood, where the Holy Spirit calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies sinners—daily and richly forgiving sins through the word, baptism, and the Lord's Supper. As Luther confessed in the explanation of the Third Article: "I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel." This is precisely why the devil attacks the church: as the gospel sets sinners free, his dominion crumbles. God is generally slow to anger and patient, "not wishing that any should perish but that all should reach repentance" 2 Peter 3:9—and his fierce protection of the early church demonstrates how seriously he treasures his bride.
Hope for Imperfect People
So is there a perfect church? Not yet—but there will be. John saw it: "the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" Revelation 21:2-3. Until then, God deliberately chooses imperfect people to carry his perfect word. He did it with Saul, transforming a persecutor into the apostle Paul—and he does it with us. Satan tried to inject hypocrisy and greed into the early church to discredit the gospel, but he failed. By exposing sin rather than hiding it, God's word of forgiveness shines all the brighter. We are called into Christ's church not because we are worthy vessels, but so that the Holy Spirit might use us to bring the perfect word of Christ crucified and risen to the lost—drawing them in to dwell with God in his perfect church forever.
Transcript
Today's a look for loop holes. 0s
I remember when I was a kid, 2s
there was a little bit of confession time. 4s
When I was a kid, 6s
I was tasked with changing the, 7s
the litter or the bedding of our rats cage. 10s
We had a pet rat. He was very sweet. 14s
But I was charged with changing the bedding, 16s
and I cleaned my room, 19s
and I just didn't feel like changing the bedding. 21s
I just didn't want to do it. 25s
And so I went to bed. 26s
And in the morning, my parents woke up, 28s
and they said, 30s
you didn't do what you were supposed to do. 31s
You did not change this bedding of this rat's cage. 35s
And I said quickly, 38s
thinking to myself, 40s
there's a loop hole here. 42s
There's a loop hole here. 43s
And I said, you know what? 44s
I was going to, 45s
but I have to use the vacuum. 47s
And you guys were asleep. 49s
So I couldn't. 51s
And I was trying to find that loop hole 53s
of being the good obedient daughter. 54s
And getting away with not doing what I was supposed to do. 59s
And I found that loop hole, 63s
and I got away with it. 64s
So now is my confession. 65s
And I'm sorry to my parents. 67s
And to the Lord. 70s
You know, for the past couple of weeks, 72s
we have really been looking at that early church of acts. 75s
And Luke's reporting of the early church. 80s
We get very whistful for it. 82s
We romanticize the early church. 83s
And there was a lot of really good things. 89s
There was this complete community that was caring for each other. 92s
There was an urgency of sharing the gospel that Jesus died for, 96s
sins, and that he rose again, and he defeated death. 101s
And the early church was growing by the leaps and bounds. 105s
We read that one day, 110s
3,000 souls were added to their numbers. 111s
And day by day, the Lord added to their numbers. 114s
It's just amazing and incredible. 116s
This community of the early church and two weeks ago, 119s
we heard a beautiful sermon about this church 123s
that was unified. 126s
It was unified in heart and soul and belief. 128s
And this unity was expressed through the love of one another 134s
and for the love of the lost. 138s
They shared all that they had in order to care for one another. 141s
And they shared the message of Jesus' resurrection to those 145s
who had not yet heard so that those who were lost 150s
may be found in the love of Jesus and the message 153s
of Christ crucified and risen transformed people 158s
every single day. 163s
And we know it's still transformed, 165s
transforms people. 169s
But those transformed men and women they found themselves 170s
giving, giving, giving, giving to anyone in need. 172s
It really is the picture of what we would consider 178s
the perfect church. 182s
The last part of Acts that we had read was from Acts 4, 185s
verses 46 through 37. 192s
You can find this on page 106 in the New Testament 195s
if you want to open up your Pew Bible or it's Acts 4. 198s
And it says, thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles, 203s
Barnabas, which means Son of encouragement, a Levite, 208s
a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him 211s
and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. 215s
The early church, they loved the Lord and they loved their church 220s
which is his bride. 227s
They were moved to give freely out of this love 228s
because they knew that all they had was God's. 232s
And Barnabas sold his field and he gave it to the church 236s
out of the love for the Lord and love for his church 239s
and love for his neighbor. 243s
Now we don't know to what extent people praised him 246s
for this act of generosity. 250s
Obviously, it made an impression because it's recorded 252s
in Luke's report of the early church. 255s
His generosity is a beautiful, beautiful example 259s
of the shared community and how the Holy Spirit turns us 263s
as transformed people to look outward toward our neighbor. 267s
The Holy Spirit also inspired Luke to include this specific account 272s
of Barnabas's giving because God's word refuses to hide sin. 277s
And the telling of Barnabas in comparison with Anne and I 283s
and Anne and I are in Sapphira which we read today, 288s
highlights the sin that can creep into the church. 292s
We tend to focus on the beauty of the early church wishing 297s
we could be just like that church of Acts, the perfect church. 302s
But the church wasn't perfect. 308s
To weeks ago, we heard about the good side of the church. 314s
But today, our reading is the ugly. 318s
It's the sinful side of the church where we pick up today, 322s
we have the very first sin that was recorded in church history. 326s
We're picking up in verse 1 of chapter 5. 334s
But a man named Anne and Ias with his wife Sapphira sold a piece of property. 338s
And with his wife's knowledge, he kept back for himself, some of the proceeds, 343s
and brought only a part of it and laid it at the Apostles' feet. 349s
So the first thing we really need to take note of here is that Anne and Ias 353s
and Sapphira, they were a part of the community of believers. 356s
This means they had at some point been moved to profess faith, 358s
and they were moved to sell their property. 363s
But was it motivated by love of the Lord and love of the neighbor? 368s
Because this couple found themselves conspiring. 373s
They conspired together to find a loophole that would look like generosity, 376s
but allow them to maintain their wealth. 384s
Perhaps they wanted that same honor that Barnabas received, 386s
but not at great personal loss. 390s
They were greedy. 394s
They thought they had found that loophole. 396s
They wanted the glory of saintly actions, but they didn't want to lose their money. 399s
They were trying to serve two masters, God and greed, but as God's word tells us, 405s
you can't do that. 410s
It can't happen. 411s
In Luke 16, it says no servant can serve two masters. 412s
For either he will hate the one and love the other, 417s
or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. 419s
You cannot serve God and money. 422s
Verse 3, but Peter said, 427s
Anne and Ias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit? 429s
And to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land, 434s
while it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? 437s
And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? 442s
Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? 446s
You have not lied to man, but to God. 450s
Anne and Ias tried to serve both God and his greed. 454s
It's really important to note as Peter points out that the church community 458s
did not compel Anne and Ias to sell the property. 461s
There was no one holding him to a standard of giving all his wealth. 465s
We saw earlier in the text, those who were united in belief united in the spirit 471s
were giving freely and with joy. 476s
The idea of giving out of love was nothing that stopped there. 480s
It was nothing that stops today. 485s
Paul wrote to the church in Corinth. 487s
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly, 489s
or under compulsion for God's love's a cheerful giver. 494s
No one expected Anne and Ias in Sapphire to give what they had, 499s
and even after they sold that field, this couple could have kept that money to do with it what they chose. 503s
So this begs the question. 509s
Did God smite them for wanting to keep their money? 511s
No. 517s
No, of course not. 518s
They were judged because they lied. 520s
Okay, I know this is kind of scary because I guarantee you, 525s
not a person in here, including myself. 529s
I just told you about a time I lied. 531s
We've all lied. 533s
We've all lied and yet we're still here. 534s
There are people that lie every single day and get away with it. 538s
So why would Anne and Ias and Sapphire be struck down? 542s
While other people get away with lying every single day. 546s
They weren't under judgment for wanting to keep their money. 552s
Their sin was that they opened themselves to Satan. 555s
They allowed him to fill their hearts and they conspired against the church 560s
and against the Holy Spirit for their own game. 565s
Listen to Peter's accusation again. 571s
Why has Satan filled your heart? 573s
Why has Satan filled your heart? 579s
This is a major juxtaposition to be filled with Satan 584s
than what the early church had been experiencing. 588s
Acts two and they were filled with the Holy Spirit 592s
and began to speak in other tongues as a spirit gave them utterance. 595s
Acts four and when they had prayed the place in which they were gathered together 599s
was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit 602s
and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. 605s
Acts 13 and the disciples were filled with joy 609s
and with the Holy Spirit. 612s
Account after account reports of the early believers being filled with this Holy Spirit. 616s
And here we have Ananias who has been filled with Satan. 622s
And under the influence of Satan, he premeditated to seat and lied for praise. 627s
He did not act with the spirit of God but in direct opposition to God and to God's community. 637s
Satan continually tried and tried to undermine the church. 646s
Throughout Acts, we see examples of this. 652s
There was an attempt to silence Peter and John as they preached to the people 656s
and they were dragged before the Sanhedrin. 660s
Satan tried to distract the teachers and church leaders from proclaiming God's word 662s
with little incidentals like how to deal with food distribution. 667s
There was martyrdom and increased attacks upon the believers. 672s
You know, if the church were just a bunch of people meeting up every so often 677s
to do nice things or have some time to hang out together, 681s
that wouldn't threaten the devil and he wouldn't give two thoughts or two shakes at it. 686s
Because there's nothing of consequence happening. 690s
But the church isn't just a bunch of people hanging out. 693s
God was and is very active in his community of the church. 697s
Jesus is the head of the church. 702s
Not only does God care about the happenings within the community, 705s
but he builds and moves the community of believers forward. 708s
In the explanation of the third article of The Apostles Creed, 714s
Martin Luther wrote, 719s
I believe I cannot, by my own reason or strength, 720s
believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him, 723s
but the Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel. 726s
In lightened me with His gifts, sanctified me and kept me in the true faith, 730s
God has called the church together. 735s
And he is woven so deeply throughout the church 738s
that the unity of God with the church together is absolutely essential. 742s
The church is an expression of God's love and intentions 749s
for creation and Himself in unity, 755s
by filling their hearts Satan used Ananias and Sephirah 760s
to undercut the generosity of the community. 764s
He used them to show contempt for the church's community 768s
and the purpose of commitment to others. 771s
Ananias did not merely defraud some of his buddies, 776s
he attempted to defraud the very spirit of God. 779s
Any sin we commit is a sin against God. 784s
for I know my transgressions, 792s
and my sin is ever before me. 794s
Against you, you only have I sin and done what is evil in your sight. 796s
Such a beautiful confession of David's. 804s
But Ananias didn't repent 808s
and he didn't confess. 810s
He had contrived evil in his heart 812s
and he received immediate and instant judgment. 815s
Vers5 in Acts 5. 822s
When Ananias heard these words, 824s
he fell down and breathed his last 826s
and great fear came upon all who heard of it. 828s
Yes? Yes, we read this today, 837s
and great fear still comes upon us. 845s
That's scary. 848s
Ananias heard of his sin and breathed his last. 849s
That is serious. 854s
Serious business. 856s
But it shows us how serious God took his church. 857s
And how he continues to take his church very seriously. 862s
It's referred to as his bride. 866s
He treasures his church. 869s
And he cares for his church. 871s
He has taken every measure possible to form his church. 874s
It's formed and founded upon the blood of Jesus Christ. 881s
The second person of that triumd God. 886s
And if death of Jesus and his resurrection, 888s
and the full forgiveness of sin and victory over death 894s
wasn't enough, the third person of the triumd God, 897s
the Holy Spirit calls us into the church. 902s
The truth of Jesus' death and resurrection 906s
is made known to us by the spirit in the church. 909s
He calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies 912s
the whole Christian church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ 917s
In this Christian church, he daily and richly forgives all our sins 925s
and the sins of all believers on the last day 931s
who will raise us up and give eternal life to us 934s
and all believers in Christ. 937s
So his church is not just a place that we show up every week. 939s
Remember if the church is just a bunch of people meeting up so often 945s
or every so often to do nice things or have some time together, 949s
it wouldn't threaten the devil. 953s
But the church does threaten the devil 955s
because the very promise that God delivers through it. 958s
We are in bondage to sin. 963s
And we cannot free ourselves but the word of God. 966s
The body and the blood of our Lord Jesus in the supper that we share 972s
the waters of baptism. 977s
These break the bonds of our sin and they set us free 981s
to be the people of God. 985s
In this Christian church, he daily 989s
and richly forgives all our sins and the sins of all believers. 992s
This is the threat to the devil 997s
because as the church sets sinners free, 1001s
transforming us into new creations, he loses his dominion. 1005s
When one thinks about the formation of the church 1012s
and every ounce of love that God pours into the church, 1015s
his own perfect righteousness, 1020s
his own blood shed, is it any wonder 1022s
that he would protect it and bring judgment upon those 1027s
who try to thwart it from the start? 1032s
Immediate judgment is very unusual 1035s
but it has happened before in Leviticus. 1039s
When God had brought his people, 1044s
the Israelites out of slavery from Egypt 1045s
and he had set them apart and he was beginning to form 1048s
the community of holy believers but they were not fully established. 1052s
He was just forming that community. 1057s
He was learning how to be God's people. 1059s
We read about Nadeb and Abihu. 1063s
They're the sons of Aaron and it says each took his censor 1065s
and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire 1068s
before the Lord which he had not commanded them 1073s
and fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them 1076s
and they died before the Lord. 1080s
Instant and immediate judgment 1085s
because they were doing what was unauthorized. 1088s
He had not commanded them. 1093s
It was at the start. 1097s
It was just forming his holy people 1098s
and they were thwarting it. 1101s
Generally God is slow to anger. 1104s
He's abounding instead fast love. 1107s
Second Peter. 1110s
Chapter 3, Peter wrote the Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise 1112s
as some count's loan is but his patient toward you. 1116s
Not wishing that any should perish but that all should reach repentance. 1121s
God wants his people with him. 1125s
Nadeb and Abihu were acting outside of God's command 1128s
directly disobeying him and Nadeb and Sapphira were out for selfish gain and glory. 1132s
Both narratives tell of a threat to the full community 1140s
and the formation of God's holy people and both narratives 1144s
show us how serious God is in protecting his holy ones. 1148s
Acts 5 verse 7, 1156s
After an interval of about three hours his wife came in not knowing what had happened 1158s
and Peter said to her, 1163s
tell me whether you sold the land for so much. 1165s
And she said, yes, for so much. 1167s
She was given an out. 1172s
She was given the chance to repent and confess. 1173s
She could have taken this moment to mess up and say, 1178s
Peter, I gotta be honest with you. 1182s
We were planning on keeping some of this money for ourselves. 1184s
We were cheating the church for our own glory, 1187s
but she stuck to the story that she and Ananias 1190s
has conspired on in the beginning and she was judged for it. 1193s
But Peter said to her, how is it that you have agreed together to test the spirit of the Lord? 1199s
Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband or at the door 1205s
and they will carry you out. 1208s
Immediately she fell down to his feet and breathed her last. 1211s
When the young men came in they found her dead 1214s
and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 1216s
And great fear came upon the whole church 1220s
and upon all who heard of these things. 1222s
Are you still whispered for the early church? 1227s
This story kind of squashes those warm fuzzy feelings that we have for the early church. 1231s
And we find ourselves in that same great fear 1236s
as those who witnessed and heard about the judgment of Ananias and Safira. 1240s
But don't fear. 1245s
Don't fear. 1247s
We don't need to throw up our hands and say, I quit. 1248s
I don't know what to do. 1251s
There's no hope for the church 1253s
because keep in mind that God chose us. 1256s
God chose all of those who are called and gathered 1261s
and enlightened to be a part of his church. 1267s
God specifically chose imperfect beings 1271s
as the vessels in which to bring his perfect word 1274s
of forgiveness to all the ends of the earth. 1279s
And I think it's because of the power of the testimony. 1284s
Satan made an attempt to inject hypocrisy and deceit and greed 1290s
into the early church, which would hurt the testimony of the gospel. 1295s
But he failed. 1300s
He did not succeed in that. 1301s
And by not hiding the sin of the church, 1304s
but by using imperfect people to deliver the perfect word, 1307s
imperfect people to deliver the perfect word, 1311s
God's word of forgiveness shines even brighter. 1314s
Think of how God took a filthy and mangled mess of a sinner-like soul 1318s
and transformed him into a new creation, 1324s
a champion of faith as the apostle Paul. 1329s
There is real power. 1335s
And if God can do that with Saul, 1340s
he certainly can do that with you and I. 1343s
So is there such a thing as a perfect church? 1348s
Yeah, there is. 1353s
We are promised the perfected church when Jesus comes again. 1354s
In Revelation 21, John wrote, 1361s
and I saw the Holy City, 1365s
New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, 1367s
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, 1370s
and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 1373s
behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. 1375s
He will dwell with them, 1380s
and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 1381s
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, 1386s
and death shall be no more. 1389s
Neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore 1391s
for the former things have passed away. 1394s
Then came one of the seven angels who spoke to me saying, 1397s
come, I will show you the bride, 1401s
the wife of the lamb, 1404s
and he carried me away in the spirit to a great high mountain, 1406s
and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, 1409s
having the glory of God, 1414s
it's radiance like a most rare jewel, 1415s
like a Jasper, clear as crystal. 1418s
And I saw no temple in the city, 1421s
for its temple is the Lord, 1423s
God, the Almighty, 1426s
and the lamb, 1428s
and the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it 1429s
for the glory of God gives it light, 1432s
and its lamp is the lamb, 1434s
by its light, 1436s
well the nations walk, 1437s
and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 1438s
and its gate will never be shut by day, 1441s
and there will be no night there. 1444s
They will bring into it the glory 1447s
and the honor of the nations. 1448s
You, my brothers and sisters, 1453s
we are called into this perfect church. 1456s
We are called to bring the perfect word 1463s
of forgiveness of sin through Jesus, 1467s
death and resurrection in order that the Holy Spirit 1471s
can use us as imperfect vessels 1476s
to bring about that perfect word 1479s
to care for the lost, 1483s
to pull them in, 1485s
so that they too can be with God, 1487s
in his perfect church forever. 1491s
Amen. 1497s