Acts 5: Integrity Over Illusion

From the very beginning, the church was threatened not only by persecution from the outside, but by hypocrisy from within. In Acts of the Apostles 2–5, the early church is revealed as the new meeting place of God and humanity—a people marked by worship, generosity, justice, and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Yet the story of Ananias and Sapphira shows how dangerous it is when people pursue the appearance of godliness instead of true surrender to God. This sermon explores how pride, image management, and spiritual performance threaten the church from within, and why God desires honesty and integrity more than polished religious appearances.