FEBRUARY 8, 2026 SERMON NOTES

Acts: The Day Fear Came upon the Church

Acts 5:1-11

1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” 5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. 7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you[a] sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

Why is Sin Serious? 

I. Sin is Deceptive (Acts 5:1-2)
1. A Family Conference 
2. A Forgotten Reality

II. Sin is Destructive (Acts 5:3-6)
1. Our Reputation
2. Our Relationships

III. Sin is Declarative (Acts 5:7-11)
1. Fear the Lord
2. Embrace the Gospel
3. Obey the Call

FEBRUARY 8, 2026 STUDY GUIDE

Acts: The Day Fear Came upon the Church

Acts 5:1-11

Fear is a common reality in life. Many people fear snakes, spiders, darkness, loneliness, commitment, and public speaking. Techniques are available that help those people overcome their fears. 

Do you know what it means to fear the Lord? That doesn't mean you're afraid of Him. Fearing the Lord means you stand in awe of Him. You exalt His name. You reverence His holiness, greatness, power, and glory. Will you take a moment and pray? Will you exalt His name, fear His attributes, and honor His presence? 

Fear came upon the church in Acts 5. Take a few minutes and read this chapter in God's Word. In this chapter, you see sin, funerals, and fear. What do you know about Ananias and Sapphira? How did their generosity go wrong? What caused this couple to lie? What were the consequences to their sin? Why is sin serious? 

Here are three biblical and relevant insights about sin from Acts 5: 

1. Sin is Deceptive (Acts 5:1-2). The Lord moved greatly in the church. When God moves, the enemy rears his ugly head. What do you know about the enemy? Read these three verses: John 10:10; John  8:44; and 1 Peter 5:8. Even in the most Spirit-filled churches, the evil one is still at work. Why does the enemy want to destroy God's servants? How does he deceive God's people? 

2. Sin is Destructive (Acts 5:3-6). Is sin really that serious? Read these two verses: Romans 3:23; James 1:14-15. Sin always has consequences. You reap what you sow (Galatians 6:7-8). As you discuss Ananias and Sapphira, what did sin cost them? Looking back over your life, what has sin cost you? Your health? Your marriage and family? Your friends? Your future? 

3. Sin is Declarative (Acts 5:7-11). The sins and deaths of Ananias and Sapphira declared a strong warning among the church family. It stated that God takes sin seriously (holiness). As you personalize God's Word (Acts 5), what do you need to do today? Among your group, discuss these three questions: Are you fearing the Lord? Have you embraced the gospel? Do you need to repent? 

This was a unique moment in the early church. It reveals how seriously God sees deception and hypocrisy, especially from the fellowship of His people. Today, God offers grace and forgiveness for those who confess their sins and repent. Do you need to confess your sins and repent?          

As you wrap up this week's study, take the time to pray together. God loves for His people to pray. Do you need to ask Him to teach you how to pray (Luke 11:1)? You can pray for the following spiritual needs:    

• Leadership: Your pastor, ministry team, lay leaders, and church family.

• Victory: You'll defeat the schemes of the devil and live victoriously in Christ.

• Repentance: You'll turn from any sin and seek the Lord's grace and forgiveness. 

You're being prayed for at FBC Clarksville. We welcome you to study God's Word and worship with us in person or online. 

May the Lord move in your life, your group, and among His people!  

Grace and Peace!    

View all of the "Acts" Sermon Series Study Guides at fbct.org/acts.

GROWTH GROUPS

NEW Wednesday night Growth Groups as well as the Sunday night GriefShare Support Group begin in January and we’d love for you to get connected! Check out all of the new 2026 Growth Groups and sign up today at fbct.org/growthgroups.

DNOW WEEKEND - STUDENTS

DNOW is a local weekend retreat, hosted in the homes of our church members and a local church facility. This year it is being hosted right here at First Baptist Clarksville, and we are expecting hundreds of students from local churches to come and encounter Jesus. The cost this year is $55, which includes all meals for the weekend, as well as curriculum, and a t-shirt.

For: Students 6th-12th Grade
Date: February 13-15, 2026
Location: First Baptist Church Clarksville
Cost: $55 (through January 20) $85 (January 21-February 13)

Your student must have a completed Code of Conduct & Medical Release completed by registration to participate in this event.

FIRST STEPS CLASS

UPCOMING CLASS: April 8, 2026

DINNER: 4:30-5:40PM FELLOWSHIP HALL

CLASS: 6:00PM Grace BUILDING, 3rd Floor Steeple Landing

Our First Steps class is designed for new members and guests. We invite you to join our Senior Pastor, Dr. Ronny Raines, and our ministry team for our next membership class. We'll treat you to a delicious meal in the Laida Fellowship Hall, and then help you discover how God wants to use you at First Baptist Church. As you attend the class, we'll cover the following subjects:

• A personal relationship with Jesus Christ

• Meaning of church membership

• Biblical baptism

• The Lord's Supper

• The church's beliefs and vision

• Opportunities to give

• Ways to serve in the church

• Ministries at First Baptist Church 

• Meet our ministry team

• Time for Q&A

• Tour our church facilities

We hope you'll join us for our next First Steps class. You can register by filling out the online form at fbct.org/firststeps or by contacting Dana in the pastor's office at 931.245.0000 or dana.abee@fbct.org.

FIRST BAPTIST MUSIC

Check out all of the First Baptist Worship Team videos from our online worship services at fbct.org/music.

THE VOICE - MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

Stay up to date with all that is going with our monthly newsletter, the Voice! Visit fbct.org/voice!

MEMBERSHIP AND GIVING TOOLS

Fellowship, Worship and Discipleship are fundamental to an obedient life in Christ. First Baptist Church maintains several tools to help us stay connected, share and offer the sacrifice of praise, and grow together. Scroll to the bottom of the home page at fbct.org and click on "app" to see options for adding these tools to your phone or other device. You can use these tools to stay connected to your discipleship group, contact the church, watch past worship services and sermons, as well as support the FBC financially as the Lord directs for you and your family. There are even instructions for how to access these tools using your web browser.

Using these apps, updating your profile information to share with the church is easy. When changes occur in your family life such as a move to a new home, change in email address, etc. you can update your information to be sure that our communication with you is efficient. You can even add a picture to make it easier for your church family to put a name with a face!

Information about any groups that might be of interest to you, such as Connect Groups, teams, committees, etc will be available as well.  Group Leaders can use the tools to take attendance online and access other features.  You can contact the church through the app, read messages from group members/leaders and browse the church directory.

Check out fbct.org/app  for instructions on how to get the app and reach the membership and giving website.

LOVE the time of worship through song today? You can follow us on Spotify and listen to our playlist each week! Follow us on Spotify “First Clarksville” and sing along!