教会里的问题
田地已卖了，价银也被带到教会了，众人都称许说：“巴拿巴，谢谢你！你是我们很大的激励！”
接着，亚拿尼亚和妻子撒非喇定了一个计划，他们也卖了田产，可是他们受了撒但微声的提示，他们只把部份的价银拿来交给使徒，却在神面前宣称他们已把全部的价银献给教会了。
他们为什么要这样说谎呢？难道他们想得到别人给与巴拿巴的称许吗？难道嫉妒缠绕了他们的心？难道贪婪促使他们为向己留下几分价银？
这个故事结束了，它留下两个死了的人和一间恐惧的教会。表面上教会一切事情都进展得很好，但其中仍然有人在罪中挣扎，例如嫉妒和贪婪，和很多其他的例子。我们都需要打开心门接受神的恩典。
彼得指责这对夫妇时，我相信他一定是非常伤心的，他明白辜负神和令耶稣失望是怎么一回事（路加福音22:54-62）。
我们不必让撒但的微声充满我们的心，我们可以选择另一个做法。
亲爱的神，虽然我们不想承认，但我们其实很像亚拿尼亚和撒非喇。求祢帮助我们，打开心门认罪，好叫我们能藉着祢的灵去过丰盛的生命。奉耶稣的名祈求，阿们。
使徒行传 4:36-5:11
36 有一个利未人，生在塞浦路斯，名叫约瑟，使徒称他为巴拿巴（“巴拿巴”翻出来就是“劝慰子”）。
37 他有田地，也卖了，把价银拿来放在使徒脚前。
1 有一个人名叫亚拿尼亚，同他的妻子撒非喇卖了田产，
2 把价银私自留下几份，他的妻子也知道，其余的几份拿来放在使徒脚前。
3 彼得说：“亚拿尼亚，为什么撒旦充满了你的心，叫你欺哄圣灵，把田地的价银私自留下几份呢？
4 田地还没有卖，不是你自己的吗？既卖了，价银不是你做主吗？你怎么心里起这意念呢？你不是欺哄人，是欺哄神了！”
5 亚拿尼亚听见这话，就仆倒，断了气。听见的人都甚惧怕。
6 有些少年人起来，把他包裹，抬出去埋葬了。
7 约过了三小时，他的妻子进来，还不知道这事。
8 彼得对她说：“你告诉我，你们卖田地的价银就是这些吗？”她说：“就是这些。”
9 彼得说：“你们为什么同心试探主的灵呢？埋葬你丈夫之人的脚已到门口，他们也要把你抬出去。”
10 妇人立刻仆倒在彼得脚前，断了气。那些少年人进来，见她已经死了，就抬出去，埋在她丈夫旁边。
11 全教会和听见这事的人都甚惧怕。
Trouble In The Church
Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?” — Acts 5:3
Land was sold. The money from the sale was brought to the church. People celebrated: “Thank you, Barnabas! What an encouragement you are!”
Then Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, crafted a plan. They would also sell some land. Prompted by the whispers of Satan, they planned to bring some of the proceeds to the apostles and then declare before God and his people that they gave all of the money to the church.
Why would they make up such a lie? Did they want the same acclaim that was given to Barnabas? Did jealousy entangle their hearts? Did greed convince them that they should keep some of the money for themselves?
At the end of this story there are two dead bodies and a fearful church. Though everything seemed to be going well, the church includes people who still struggle with sins, such as jealousy and greed—and so much more. What we all need are hearts open to grace from God.
As Peter confronted the couple, I am sure he did it with great sadness. He knew what it was like to let God down and to disappoint Jesus (Luke 22:54-62).
We don’t have to have a heart filled with Satan’s whispers. There is another way.
Dear God, we are more like Ananias and Sapphira then we care to admit. Help us to open our hearts to you in confession so that we may live fully by your Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
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