不可欺哄神
使徒行傳五章1至11節
1有一個人，名叫亞拿尼亞，同他的妻子撒非喇賣了田產，
2把價銀私自留下幾分，他的妻子也知道，其餘的幾分拿來放在使徒腳前。
3彼得說：亞拿尼亞！為甚麼撒但充滿了你的心，叫你欺哄聖靈，把田地的價銀私自留下幾分呢？
4田地還沒有賣，不是你自己的麼？既賣了，價銀不是你作主麼？你怎麼心裡起這意念呢？你不是欺哄人，是欺哄神了。
5亞拿尼亞聽見這話，就仆倒，斷了氣；聽見的人都甚懼怕。
6有些少年人起來，把他包裹，抬出去埋葬了。
7約過了三小時，他的妻子進來，還不知道這事。
8彼得對他說：你告訴我，你們賣田地的價銀就是這些麼？他說：就是這些。
9彼得說：你們為甚麼同心試探主的靈呢？埋葬你丈夫之人的腳已到門口，他們也要把你抬出去。
10婦人立刻仆倒在彼得腳前，斷了氣。那些少年人進來，見他已經死了，就抬出去，埋在他丈夫旁邊。
11全教會和聽見這事的人都甚懼怕。
信息分享
這正是初期教會要面對的挑戰。神大大地祝福使徒的工作，使許多人決志信主，加入教會。撒但便立即伺機攻擊教會。他要用誰來破壞教會呢？他留意到一對夫婦，男的叫亞拿尼亞，女的叫撒非喇，他們正決定了要變賣田產，把所得的價銀悉數交到使徒手中，獻予教會。
他們原以為自己心意已決，殊不知到他們把田產賣出，價銀放在他們手中，他們看清楚數目之後，才面對真正的考驗。此刻，試探來到了。是誰提議他們把部分價銀收起來的呢？是丈夫？抑或是妻子？我們不知道。但我們相信，背後一定是撒但的詭計，他要利用他們來終止神對教會的祝福。
倘若他們當中一人堅持說「不」，強調「我們不可以做這事！」，那麼，整個故事便要完全改寫了。然而，他們不單沒有彼此提醒，沒有鼓勵對方要忠於先前在主面前的立志；反之，卻是互相慫恿去欺哄神。你的家庭又是怎樣的呢？你與家人之間能否在忠於基督的事情上互相鼓勵、彼此提醒？抑或互相慫恿去犯罪？
亞拿尼亞和撒非喇究竟犯了甚麼罪？他們誇張了事實和說了謊話。他們並非把全部價銀交給使徒，而是交出一部分，可是，他們卻說自己已把全數交出。
神沒有原諒他們；神沒有說：「嗯，你們只是初信者，將來便慢慢學會。」不，神要立即對付罪。當罪被清除之後，神的祝福便再臨到教會；第11至16節顯示了教會在神祝福下的美好發展。
這原則同樣應用在今天。我們的生命若有罪，神便會收回祂的祝福。唯有我們向神認罪悔改，神才會再次傾福予我們，我們的生命才會再次在神的手中成為可用之材。能夠被神使用，豈不是我們的心願嗎？
BEING HONEST WITH GOD
Acts 5: 1 – 11
1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession.
2 And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part 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 keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?
4 While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”
5 Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things.
6 And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.
7 Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
8 And Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?”
She said, “Yes, for so much.”
9 Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”
10 Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband.
11 So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.
Message
That is what happened in the early church. God was blessing them and people were being converted. Then Satan hit back. Who could he use? He found a husband and wife named Ananias and Sapphira. They had a block of land which they decided to sell and give all the money to the apostles.
What they didn’t realize was that the real test would not come until they had the money in their hands and saw how much it was. Now the temptation began. Who suggested they hold back some of the money? Was it the husband or the wife? We don’t know. Behind it all was Satan trying to use them to stop blessing in the church.
If only one of them had said, ‘No, let’s not do it’ their story may have been different. But instead of helping each other to stand true to their early plan for Christ’s sake, they helped each other to sin. What about your family? Which way are you really helping them? To stand true to Christ or to sin?
What was it that Ananias and his wife really did? They stretched the truth and told a lie. They didn’t have to give all the money, but they gave some of it and said they were giving all of it.
God did not excuse them. He didn’t say, ‘Well they are only young Christians, they’ll learn’. Sin had to be dealt with and when it was, blessing came again into the church. Read verses 11 to 16 and see just how wonderful it all was.
It is still true today. If there is sin in our lives, it will hold up blessing. But when we confess it and put it away, God pours out his blessing and our lives become useful again in his hand. Isn’t that what we really want?