Last Night:

Damon Thompson "good, God, good, God, good, God, Ananias and Sapphira, God"
Zack "mom, why is everyone laughing?"
Me "well because everyone wants a good God, but God killed annanias and saphira."
Zack  " Well then he is bad"
Me  "No, God is not bad, Ananias and Sapphira choose to sin against God."  
Zack "Why mom?"
Me  "Zack, lets keep listening and then we will talk about it later."

Well, true to form, we both forgot about the questions ate a snack and then went to sleep.  In my pre awake awareness, I began to think about it.  How do you explain to a (almost) 7yr old that God killed Ananias and Sapphira?  

Well as I thought about this in my pre awake awareness I thought of a things I could give to Zack.  

We learned 1. They decided in their hearts to lie to God (choose).  For me I wonder why, were they afraid of economic times?  Where they thinking if this "God thing" didn't go as they planned they could leave?  Did they think all the disciples wanted was their money?   For Zack, he really doesn't care, he wants quick and easy answer.  

2.  They agreed to lie.  They didn't talk about it with the disciples and say they wanted to keep some back, they just decided it was easier to say one thing and leave the rest alone. Was it a law that said you must give everything you sell to the community?  Was no one allowed to keep anything back?

To me it brings up the question, is God bad?  Would God not allow them to keep anything?  Would God not allow them freedom or space?   Which leads right back to last nights sermon.  Did they even know God? Did they know Jesus, who would have led them to the Father?  I can't imagine, that they knew Him or had a relationship to Him, or else this never would have been a problem.  My 'guess' is they tried to go from religion to  discipleship, from a dead law to another dead law.  Never knowing what God had for them.  What God has is always so multifaceted.  He wants to use us to bring others to Him, while using life to bring us closer to Him, while loving us, while correcting us, while teaching us and using us to teach others, while ..... well you get my point.

I LOVE my Papa, who is living, loving, righteous, whole, amazing, wonderful, full, and so FAR Above me, that I lean on Him for everything.  
You can find the sermon I am refrencing at this website under media, fall ramp 2011 friday night service.