Jeremy is a high school head football coach who uses an unusual approach to punish his players. The performance-enhancing exercise wheel, or “PIE” wheel for short, is a creative way to discipline his players. Whenever a player is tardy at school, swears, or is guilty of other minor infractions that call for discipline, Jeremy makes them spin the wheel. By using the PIE wheel, it’s the wheel—not the coach—that becomes the bad guy. The concept is passing the harsh parts of punishment from the coaches to the inanimate object, the wheel.

Acts 5 – The Cost of Hypocrisy

Not all coaches would agree to use the PIE wheel, but it is certainly creative. Luke’s account of Ananias and Sapphira in chapter five is much more creative and severe than the PIE wheel.

No Christian should conclude that taking someone’s life today is a fitting punishment for hypocrisy. However, we also shouldn’t set this passage aside without understanding several vital lessons. Outright sin in the church or on a team needs to be addressed. In the context here, the action God took was meant to impress upon the early church the seriousness of the sins of believers.

Ananias and Sapphira lied about their freewill gift of money to the church. Their hypocrisy cost them their lives, which had a purifying effect on the church. One benefit of church discipline is that it deters others from sinning.

The Kingdom Coach and Athlete don’t overlook outright sinful behavior on their team but hold their players accountable. The Kingdom Coach and Athlete are not soft on open rebellion but also examine their own heart before acting (Psalm 139:23-224) and (Psalm 51:10).

Journaling helps you understand and respond to the Bible. As you journal, use the acronym HEAR to Highlight, Explain, Apply, and Respond to what you have read in the reading plan.

Bible Memory Verse – So the word of God spread. And the word of God kept on spreading, and the number of the disciples continued to multiply greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.” Acts 6:7 (LSB)

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