It’s Not Too Late

Yesterday, the story of Ananias and Sapphira crept into my thoughts during my swim. 

Ananias and Sapphira were among the early Christians who sold their land and gave the money to the church. When confronted by Peter, they claimed to have given all the proceeds, when in fact, they did not. Dead! (Acts 4:32-5:11)

In the narrative many of us were taught, the early church was a band of folks who were outcasts and persecuted for their beliefs, so they formed communes and took care of one another while they awaited the return of Jesus. But…maybe that’s not completely accurate.

As I swam and mediated on this story, another story came to mind, the American Revolution and the last line of the Declaration of Independence:

“And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”

I don’t think Ananias and Sapphira were struck down by God because they didn’t fully commit to the cult or because they didn’t give their full tithe to the church, or even because they lied.

Everyone else had pledged their lives, their fortunes and their honor, but Ananias and Sapphira held back and when confronted, they chose to deceive.

They were traitors.  

The early Church movement wasn’t a bunch of hippie Jesus freaks, they were revolutionaries committed to nonviolence, but we’ve taken our own image of what that looks like and projected it onto them.

The early Christians stood in opposition to both the religious establishment in Jerusalem and to Roman exploitation and oppression. They were an underground resistance movement mounting a different kind of revolution.

Their leader had been executed and they lived in hiding. They weren’t persecuted for asking if people if they had a personal relationship with Jesus.

Following Jesus meant embracing those considered unclean, speaking out against injustice, welcoming strangers, and making sacrifices to feed and care for the poor. That is righteousness. That’s what faith in Jesus looks like.

Christ followers lost friends, they were banished from their communities, they gave up their property to fund the movement, family members didn’t speak to them, and many lost their lives.

Today, it is the Christians who persecute and demonize the followers of Jesus.

We have been deceived into believing that righteousness means holding onto our wealth. We defend Ananias and Sapphira for their wisdom. We lift them up as role models.

We have betrayed the messiah for thirty pieces of silver. It’s not too late to embrace those considered unclean, to speak out against injustice, to welcome the strangers, to make sacrifices to feed and care for the poor.

There will come a time when it is too late. We are on a path for which we will be judged.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.