Bible Studies

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A man named
Ananias with
his wife Sapphira
sold a piece of
property,
and with his
wife's knowledge
he kept back some
of the proceeds
and brought only
a part and laid it
at the apostles' feet.
[Acts 5:1-2]
***********************
"I don't understand this
story, Lord."

"Why,
child."

(Puzzled squint.)
"Why WHAT?"

[PATIENT SILENCE.]

"Oh, You mean:
WHY I don't UNDERSTAND
it?"

[PATIENT FROWN.]

"Or......
(Sassy smile!)
why I think it's kind of
a silly STORY?"

[WISE NOD.]

"I can't get nothin'
past You.....HUH?"

[SHAKE HEAD.]

"WELL?
I'm SORRY!
But.....I just don't UNDERSTAND
why these guys were so BAD?"

"Because,
child."

"SO?
(Squint up at ceiling.)
They were a bunch'a
SHEISTERS!"

[PATIENT SILENCE.]

"So WHAT?"
(Puzzled squint.)
"By the way,
I LOVE her name!
SAPPHIRA!
WOW!
THAT would be a great
name.....for a CAT!"

[PATIENT SILENCE.]
[GAZE AT SOME SNOW
ON THE FROZEN TUNDRA.]

"WHAT was the big DEAL,
anyway?"

"Cuz."

"WHY?"

[PATIENT VOICE.]
"Read My Word,
child."

"Yeah, sure:

But Peter
said,
Ananias, why
has Satan filled
your heart to lie
to the Holy Spirit
and to keep back
part of the
proceeds.........
How is it that you
have contrived
this deed in
your heart?
[Acts 5:3-4]


(Shrug.)
SO?"

[SOFT RUMBLE.]

"Well....yeah.
(Shrug.)
They were bein'
a couple of sheisters,
but.....so WHAT?"

[SLIGHTLY LOUDER RUMBLE.]

"Ya know, a good Jewish
lawyer could've really
made a case for these
guys."
(Smile!)
It's not like they were
HURTIN' anybody!"

"They were
hurting Me,
child."

"Yeah, well............it
wasn't like, one 'a
the MAJOR sins.......
(Philosophical shrug.)
....it wasn't exactly
KOSHER*, but......."

[RUMBLE.]

"What about all this
OTHER stuff....
that people DO?"

[NOD.]
"Yes?"

"Well.....what
about THAT?"

[NOD.]
"Nothing gets past
Me, child."

(Squirm.)
(Grimmace!)
"Uh, oh."
(Squint.)
"But.....how can somebody
LIE to You, ANYWAY,
LORD? Wouldn't Ya,
like....already KNOW
about it?"

"Hm, hm."

"Then..........it's not
really LYING,
IS it?"

"Are we arguing,
My precious?"

(Big smile!)
"SURE!"

[GENTLE CHUCKLE.]
[WATCH A SPIDER
MAKING A LITTLE
WEB IN THE BASEMENT
OF SOMEBODY'S HOUSE
IN COLORADO.]

"The thing is,
(Squint thoughtfully.)
us humans can all
RATIONALIZE about
stuff.......to
eh..........YOU,
but............"

[PATIENT SIGH.]
[LISTEN TO A DOG
BARK OUTSIDE
IN SOMEBODY'S
BACKYARD.]

"But......how can we
LIE to You? It doesn't
make any SENSE!"

"It does to Me,
child."

"Well......I just don't
AGREE, that's all......"

[PATIENT NOD.]
[WATCH SOMEBODY
ON THE SPACE STATION
BRUSHING HIS TEETH.]

"So.....
(Sigh.)
I guess we'll have
to agree to DISAGREE,
HUH?"

[CALM GAZE.]
"No."

"Why NOT?"

"Cuz.
I said so."

"I still don't think
it was like, a major
SIN, or anything."

[SILENCE.]

"It wasn't even, like....
in the major TEN!"

[SILENCE.]
[RUMBLE OFF IN THE DISTANCE.]

"We're not GETTIN'
anywhere, here....
ARE we, LORD?"

"No,
My precious."

"Well.......then,
I think I'm gonna
go brush my teeth
and go to bed."

"Good, child."

"Maybe, the Holy Spirit
was just in a bad mood
that day."

"Go brush your
teeth,
child."

"Yeah;
those dental co-pays
are killin' me. Talk
about SHEISTERS.........."

[GENTLE GAZE ON
CRANKY CHILD.]

"You're not gonna
let me WIN this
one, ARE Ya?"

"Uh uh."

"Nite, LORD!"

[SMILE!]
"Goodnight,
Mein kinder'lah."
**************************
You have not lied
to men
but to God.....
When Ananias heard
these words,
he fell down
and died....
after ...three hours
his wife came in....
Peter said to her
How is it
that you have agreed
together to tempt
the Spirit of the Lord?
....Immediately,
she fell down
at his feet
and died.
[Acts 5:4-10]


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*I keep forgetting that
some people are gonna
read this, who aren't
from northwest Philly:
'Kosher' in this context,
refers to something that
isn't exactly....eh,
morally CORRECT. Here,
it has nothing to do with
food.

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