A Christian creationist locked up for 10 years for tax-fraud. The company of a famous Christian artist ordered to pay close to a million dollars for defrauding people on business deals. The tragic list goes on. The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Unreported income. Under the table cash. Failure to pay taxes. Extravagant spending resulting in exorbitant debt. Underpaying employees. Casino gambling. Online gaming for money. Pride. Fraud. Fudging the books. Hidden schemes that aren’t disclosed to the unsuspecting customer. Inflating prices or ripping off an easy customer. Failure to be generous to those in need. Greed and selfishness. Arrogance. Marriage breakups. Crooked deals. Lack of total commitment to the things of God and to the local assembly.

Loving money is the underlying cause of many evils in our lives, our homes and assemblies and in the world at large.

The very first scandal that rocked Israel after they crossed the Jordan to take over their new land of Canaan was a money scandal. Their lack of power in conquering little Ai was a total embarrassment. What caused the defeat and shame? Achan stole some gold and other things from the ruins of Jericho. He thought his love of money was tightly hidden in his tent and would never be exposed. Secretly he’d be able to enjoy his little stash. But be sure your sin will find you out! He was exposed, shamed and punished severely, as was his family. The first scandal in Canaan was a money scandal.

The first scandal in the Christian church was – guess what? Did the story in Acts 5 unfold something like this?

Sapphira: “Dear, we should do something. Others are donating their possessions to the Lord and His work. We look like we’re doing nothing. We look like we’re selfish.”

Ananias: “Look at what people are saying about Joseph Barnabas and his gift! We should sell off that land. Liquidate our assets. The developers want it anyway! Wouldn’t people be wowed by our gift?!”

Narrator: And that’s exactly what they did. They sold their land and now they’re talking in the kitchen:

Ananias: “So honey, we got the money. A lot of the people were asking about the property. Some of the Christians were wondering why I was selling it. I told them, I wanted to give the proceeds to the Lord. He deserves it all.

But, even if we just give a half of it and keep the other half for ourselves – who would know? It would still be a big amount. They would think we gave it all. We would still have enough to do what we want. A Mediterranean cruise sounds nice.”

Sapphira: “Dear I’m with you on this one. It sounds like a plan!”

Ananias: “Peter’s jaws will drop when he counts the money we bring to him. If he thought Joseph Barnabas’ gift was big – ours will knock the socks of him. It’ll blow him away.”

But it wasn’t Peter’s jaws that dropped. It was Ananias who dropped. In fact, he dropped down dead. A direct intervention from the Lord to let Christians know right at the outset of the Church that sin is extremely serious. Sin must be dealt with.

Money is a huge temptation for most people. Not one of us should think we are ‘safe’ from ever committing a money sin. That sin can be committed in many different ways – but no matter what way we go about it, its serious.

To flirt with money is to flirt with danger and disaster. Flirting leads to love and love leads to action which can pave the way to a scandal. Think of the shame a scandal brings. It’s dishonoring to the Lord; it breeds cynicism in those who are not saved; it brings shame on the local assembly of believers; shame upon your family and a slam against your name. May we cry to the Lord daily to be preserved from dishonoring His lovely and Holy Name.