“No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24).
I recently watched a ‘Stop World Control’ presentation on the United Nations; the thrust of the presentation was that the UN is run by billionaire oligarchs who are drunk on the wealth of the nations and exist to extract more and more from the world’s population. In essence, the proposition of this whistleblower was that money drives evil. Without knowing the whole picture, I can’t comment on to what extent this is true. But money and greed are frequently at the base of much wrongdoing, as we can see in Scripture.
What I find interesting is that there is not only a strong correlation between money and wrongdoing right through the Bible, but also one of letting go of wealth and blessing.
Kingdom living
In Acts 4, we read of the nature of the early church, and it is incredible. Indeed, Acts 4 could be understood as Deuteronomy 15 brought to life. Deuteronomy 15:1-18 is where God describes what life will be like in His kingdom. It describes the Sabbath Year reset and the stricture to ensure there is no poverty or want within the community. Can you imagine being a nation adjoining an Israel where there is no poverty, where everyone looks after each other? Who wouldn’t want to join? Yet this is the environment described in Acts 4. It is into this environment that Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, is introduced.
“The multitude of believers was one in heart and soul. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they owned. With great power the apostles continued to give their testimony about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And abundant grace was upon them all. There were no needy ones among them, because those who owned lands or houses would sell their property, bring the proceeds from the sales, and lay them at the apostles’ feet for distribution to anyone as he had need. Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (meaning Son of Encouragement), sold a field he owned, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” Acts 4:32-37
In doing this, it is quite possible that Joseph had staked his entire living on God’s faithfulness.
We are told that Joseph was given a nickname, Son of Encouragement or Barnabas, and indeed encouragement was the story of his life. Yet here he has sold a field and given the money to the community. We don’t really know too much about Joseph, but in a society where the vast majority of the population lived at a subsistence level, owning a field was a bit special. But it is likely, although not certain, that it would be the only field that he owned. So in doing this, it is quite possible that Joseph had staked his entire living on God’s faithfulness. In taking this step, Joseph must have been a great exemplar, living out his faith for all to see, and as such, very much earning the nickname which was given to him.
Greed and status
I find it intriguing that this account of community living, of transparent goodness, then runs directly into the tale of Ananias and Sapphira. This is a tale that carries many parallels with the account of Achan in the book of Joshua and how he held back loot that had caught his eye (Jos 7:19-23). The direction of the Holy Spirit is evident in identifying the issue, the sheer lust of the act (and by lust I mean the desire to hide it away, keep it secret). This lust is reminiscent of Gollum’s ‘My precious’ in Tolkein’s The Lord of the Rings.
“Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds for himself, but brought a portion and laid it at the apostles’ feet. Then Peter said, ‘Ananias, how is it that Satan has filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and withhold some of the proceeds from the land? Did it not belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How could you conceive such a deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God!’ On hearing these words, Ananias fell down and died. And great fear came over all who heard what had happened. Then the young men stepped forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him. About three hours later his wife also came in, unaware of what had happened. ‘Tell me,’ said Peter, ‘is this the price you and your husband got for the land?’ ‘Yes,’ she answered, ‘that is the price.’ ‘How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?’ Peter replied. ‘Look, the feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.’ At that instant 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. And great fear came over the whole church and all who heard about these events.” (Acts 5:1-11)
The contrasts with Barnabas are compelling. Barnabas lays the money from his field at Peter’s feet. Ananias and Sapphira fall dead at his feet. Through all of this, there is no suggestion of Peter being anything other than a vehicle of the spirit. It was not his doing. No wonder “great fear fell over all the church and all who heard”. Well did Peter say later, in 1 Peter 4:17, that judgement begins with the house of God.
Integrity and unity
What was it that impelled Ananias and Sapphira? It was their money – they could have given 50%, told the world, and it would have been great. But no, they wanted both the kudos of super generous giving as well as the comfort of having a little something as a lifebelt. Personally, I find the idea breath-taking that this is how precious the Spirit considers the community of God – that anything that jeopardises the integrity of that community has to go. Indeed, the Greek suggests that Sapphira simply lost breath.
All through the Bible, we learn that the Spirit is drawn to unity.
All through the Bible, we learn that the Spirit is drawn to unity. I always find it telling that in Genesis, from the moment Joseph goes missing, the text refers to his father as Jacob, right up until their reunion, when his name becomes Israel once again. Jacob was so broken by the loss of unity in his family with Joseph gone that it is like the Spirit withdrew. Yet it is just that unity that was nurtured by those who contributed to the common purse – those who let go of title, wealth, career etc., to go with God in the first Jesus community.
Betrayal
Contrast this with the experience of Judas. Judas is an interesting man. He walked with Jesus and the disciples. He was present for the healings, the teaching, the Pharisaic and Sadducean challenges; yet, despite all of that, when push came to shove in Matthew 26, all he could say was, “Not, I Rabbi?”.
“When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.’ They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, ‘Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?’ Jesus replied, ‘The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.’ Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, ‘Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?’ Jesus answered, ‘You have said so.’” (Matthew 26: 20-25)
At the last supper, a Passover meal, when Jesus declared that it would be one of His disciples that betrayed Him, it feels to me that each one of the inner group feel felt there was something they could have done which fitted that bill. One by one, they asked, “is it me, Lord?” Finally they got to Judas, and the best he could manage was ‘Rabbi’. Notwithstanding all the miracles and teaching that he had been a first-hand witness of, the best he could imagine was Jesus as a smart teacher, a purveyor of wisdom. Somehow that revelation that Peter experienced – ‘Attar mashiach El’ or ‘You are the God Messiah’ – had evaded him. Little wonder then that money was the root via which Satan entered his heart. Thirty pieces of silver. And thirty pieces of silver that, once he realised the magnitude of his betrayal, he couldn’t throw away quickly enough. I believe it is also instructive to reflect that it was the destructive power of love of money and evil that led Judas to hang himself.
Wealth distorts
It was a similar story with Simon Magus. He was a sorcerer, a practitioner of the occult, of great repute within the Greco-Roman pantheon. He was lauded by the people who fed his ego, and no doubt his wallet. Yet when he came into contact with Philip, he recognised the redemptive power of God and was baptised. So, Simon Magus came into the Kingdom. But then Peter and John arrived and they brought a new thing: Samaritan believers being baptised in the Holy Spirit. Simon witnessed this and was blown away. He wanted this power and the ability to pass it on to people. The ability to dispense power of this nature would generate wealth, significant wealth, so much wealth that he was prepared to offer money for it. Peter’s response cut to the chase and left no room for misunderstanding. “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.” (Acts 8:9-24)
Trust in God
The minute anyone starts thinking that a gift of God is a vehicle for making money then there is something adrift. The Kingdom is not for sale, and neither is it a route to wealth. God’s gifts are freely given and should be freely shared. In that freedom is a dependence upon God which is the mark of spiritual authenticity. I remember encountering the ‘Evangelical Sisters of Mary’ back in the 1980s. Rarely have I encountered such spiritual purity and power. They relied upon God for everything. I’m involved with Prayer for Israel, and this is a model we also seek to follow. We do not publicise our financial needs, simply look to God’s provision – and He is generous.
God’s gifts are freely given and should be freely shared.
The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Tim 6:10), and I think this is because money removes us from total dependence upon God. That does not mean that we should eschew money, simply put it in its true place, submitted to the Lord. For a similar reason, I would suggest that we should never settle for the comfortable spirituality of a tithe. This is why I appreciate the mezuzah God had me put on our house. I don’t notice it that often, but when I do it is a stark reminder that our house is not ours, but God’s; we are simply stewards of His provision. Wear money lightly, brothers and sisters; do not trust in it, rather trust in the Living God.
