【双语灵修】警醒的时刻A SOBERING MOMENT

使徒行传 5:1-11 8月23日

有一个人名叫亚拿尼亚，同他的妻子撒非喇卖了田产， 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。 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？ 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！” 亚拿尼亚听见这话，就仆倒，断了气。听见的人都甚惧怕。 有些少年人起来，把他包裹，抬出去埋葬了。

约过了三小时，他的妻子进来，还不知道这事。 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。” 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。” 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。 全教会和听见这事的人都甚惧怕。

警醒的时刻

“彼得说：‘你们为甚么同心试探主的灵呢？’” -徒 5:9

中国有句谚语：“杀鸡儆猴”。换句话说，让人害怕惩罚，他们就不会违反规则。这就是这段关于亚拿尼亚和撒非喇令人不安的故事中，彼得所做的事吗？

在《使徒行传》的前几章，作者路加记录了早期教会的成长和特征。在《使徒行传》第四章末尾，我们读到信徒“一心一意”和“凡物公用”，还读到巴拿巴的慷慨奉献，他卖了一些田地，把价银全部交给了教会。

然而，亚拿尼亚和撒非喇的故事却显露出一张欺骗的罗网。这对夫妇卖了一些田地，私自留下部分价银，却假装将全部交给了教会。彼得严厉地谴责了他们，不是因为他们留下部分价银，而是因为他们撒谎，以为可以欺哄圣灵。

我们应该如何理解这个故事？难道彼得是在用这对夫妇的欺骗行为来“杀鸡儆猴”？其实，这故事主要不是关于彼得。住在我们里面并运行在教会当中的圣灵，正在执行耶稣的救赎计划。亚拿尼亚和撒非喇的故事提醒了我们，应当单单依靠圣灵来成长和蒙福，绝不要忘记圣灵是全能的主。

祷告

主耶稣，感谢祢赐下圣灵的应许和同在，成为我们的保惠师。请帮助我们在凡事上信靠并尊荣圣灵。阿们。

Acts 5:1-11

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23

A SOBERING MOMENT

Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord?” —Acts 5:9

“Kill the chicken to scare the monkey,” says a Chinese proverb. In other words, put the fear of punishment into people, and they will not break the rules. Is that what Peter does in this unnerving story about Ananias and Sapphira?

In the early chapters of Acts, the writer Luke includes progress reports on the growth and character of the early church. At the end of Acts 4 we read that the believers were “one in heart and mind” and “shared everything they had.” We also read of a generous donation by Barnabas, who sold some land and gave all the money to the church.

The story of Ananias and Sapphira, however, reveals a web of deceit. The couple sold some land and kept some money for themselves while pretending to give all the proceeds to the church. Peter harshly condemned them—not for keeping some of the profit but for lying and thinking they could deceive the Holy Spirit.

What should we make of this story? Is Peter making an example of this deceitful couple? Well, this story isn’t mainly about Peter. The Holy Spirit, who lives and moves within us and the church, is carrying out Jesus’ plans for redemption. Ananias and Sapphira’s story reminds us that we should rely only on the Spirit for growth and blessing—and we should never forget that the Spirit is the Lord Almighty.

Lord Jesus, thank you for the promise and presence of the Holy Spirit, our comforter. Help us to trust and honor the Spirit in all things. Amen.