Children of Acts - The Pallbearer

CHILDREN OF ACTS

The Pallbearer

By Robert Allen

A monolog for a teen-age boy.

Acts 5:6, 10b

“Then the young men came forward, wrapped up his body,

and carried him out and buried him.”

“Then the young men came in and finding her dead carried her out,

and buried her beside her husband.”

                Did you see the headline in today’s paper?  “Peter suspected in double homicide.”  Well, don’t believe it.   It’s just not true.  I saw the whole thing with my own eyes.  In fact, I was one of the pallbearers at the funerals for Ananias and Sapphira.  So if you really want to know what happened—listen close.

            The last few weeks have been exciting times here in Jerusalem.  Ever since the Day of Pentecost the Followers of the Way have increased a hundred-fold.  Thousands like me have heard the gospel concerning Jesus and placed our faith in His promise of salvation to all who will believe.  Our lives have been changed completely.  Former enemies have become friends.  We have learned to care for one another in ways that would have been completely impossible without the presence of Jesus Christ in our lives.

            Take Barnabas, for example.  He comes from the island of Cyprus so there is really no reason at all why he should care about widows and orphans here in Jerusalem.  But when he saw the needs among the followers of the Way he never hesitated.  He sold his property and gave the money to the apostles so they could feed those who needed help.  What a guy.

            And that’s where Ananias and Sapphira came in.  People knew about them long before the events of today.  Common knowledge said that they wanted to have the same praise that had been given to Barnabas.  So they sold a piece of land also and let everyone know that they were going to give the money to feed the poor just like Barnabas had.  But they didn’t do it.  How do I know that?  Well, it just so happens that Ananias is my uncle.  My folks know exactly how much the land brought and they know how much Uncle Ananias and Aunt Sapphira brought to the apostles.  But my parents didn’t tell Peter.  They just figured that was up to my uncle and aunt.   That’s where the story really gets interesting.

            We were sitting in Solomon’s Porch at the temple listening to Peter preach when Ananias came in with the gift.  He didn’t even wait until the sermon was over.  Instead he marched right up to where Peter and the other apostles stood and made a great show of handing them the pouch of money, jingling it to show the contents of the bag.  

            Instead of accepting the gift Peter stared at him like he could see right into the man’s heart.  Then he said in a quiet voice so that we really had to strain to hear him, “Ananias you have not lied to men, you have lied to God.”  When he said that, Ananias just collapsed right where he was standing.  Peter never even touched him.

            I knew he was dead, but I had even more evidence when Peter called on several of us to wrap up the body and bury it.  When we came back from that task Sapphira lay dead at the feet of Peter and we had another funeral on our hands. 

            Guess what?  I was afraid.  Oh, not of Peter.  I know Peter well and he would never hurt anyone in any way.  I know he had a reputation for having a violent temper, but that was before the resurrection.  Peter is not the man he used to be.  I wasn’t afraid of Peter and neither were the rest of the followers of the Way.  We were afraid of lying to God.  We were afraid because we love Him. 

            I know.  I know.  That sounds strange, but listen to me.  When you love someone, when you really love someone, you are afraid of doing anything that would hurt them.  Peter has told all of us how it grieved his heart to see the way he hurt Jesus by denying Him three times.  He loves Him so much now that he would never do that.  He fears hurting Jesus because of his love for Him.

            I know some people who have heard about Ananias and Sapphira have refused to come to Christ because they are afraid God will do the same thing to them.  But coming to Jesus doesn’t result in that kind of fear.  Perfect love casts out that kind of fear.  Christ’s love in our hearts produces a love for God which only causes us to fear displeasing Him.  That’s the part of the story which they completely missed in the news today.  Those who don’t really fear God want to arrest Peter.  They may claim to fear God, but they don’t really because they have never learned to love Him.  And that’s the real story of the events here in Jerusalem.  I really appreciate your attention.  I hope you have the right kind of fear.