you remember the story of ananas and Safara they brought money to the apostles having sold a field and said it was what they had received and it wasn't and both of them dropped dead and it struck me as possible that Peter would have had a hard time with this there in lonely field unsold the graves were only hours old where ananas and his wife lay dead because the Breath of Life once freely given by their God as freely ceased and thus the rod of Wrath and Justice fell upon their sad deceit the light of dawn
had not yet lit the Dismal field nor any crowing revealed the imminence of day beside the simple Graves where he had cried through half the night there on a stone sat Peter staring numb alone all night the scene ran through his head again and then again The Dread look on his face an awful sound as ananas hit the ground and died at once because he lied to man and God for what some pride some suicidal passion for a little cash a little more to spend on what now from the grave oh ananas why why crave
what you already owned all night the scene filled Peter's mind and fight against it as he might he came again it came again we sold a field and claim now in the presence of our Christ this is the son some now sacrificed for love of Jesus and the poor take this we pray and make it cure some sickness of the flesh or soul but even while he spoke the whole deceit was opened to the mind of Peter by the Lord I find your liberality smells more of Hell than our sweet Christ before you sold this
field was it not yours and afterward the same how lures this money then your soul to lie to man and God what will you buy with money you have got by such a foolish scheme however much in all the world will it recoup will it recoup the cost of making God a dupe before he could say anymore the man collapsed and on the floor the cunning seller of his land lay dead his money in his hand and Peter stood as speechless as a corpse before The God Who has the right to take and give the
breath of life and set the time for death this was not his design nor did he know what nor did he know that God so Swift would rid the Church of such a sin and while he trembled there with Brazen Gile saf ananas wife appeared and Peter thought this life as well oh Lord will you require she smiled and said it's my desire just like my husbands that the sum which by the grace of God has come into our hands by selling one of our large Fields be given and none of it be kept for
us praise be to God who is for us the key to wealth and happiness the look on Peter's face perplexed and shook Safara for an instant then she smiled as Peter asked and when you sold this field was it for such a price as you bring here she said precise and to the penny like our love for Christ and what We're Dreaming of as you take this and bless the poor we trust you people it is sure a man of God does not deceive she wondered at his tears I grieve he said to ask why
this Accord to test the spirit of the Lord between you and your husband when the world would have been yours or can you buy eternal life un pric when you have made a fool of Christ the feet of those who bear married your accomplice come and it is sure as you were one in lying breath God says you will be one in death one Mercy now remains how brief today your widowhood and grief all through the night again and then again he cringed and saw the men first carry ananas to the grave and then Safara
through the fading light of day like two limp flowers cut from where they grew and tossed away but then as day began to break and night gave way to early morning gray a sound pierced Peter's mind and turned around the way he saw the world a bird a crowing and and when he heard the voice of his old friend the night came back to him when he in spite of all his boasts fell like a leaf before a breeze and his belief denied I do not know the man he said oh yes you're from his
clan the Servants of the priest declared we've seen you with him you're just scared to tell the truth I do not know the man he said again you show that you're From Galilee by how you speak and so he took a vow and with a curse said one more time I do not know this man the crime that he committed in those lies now Rose before his weary eyes a thousand times more heinous than safar's lies or of the man who put her to it Peter sat there trembling stunned now at the difference Lord why
he cried my sin is worse three times I lied while you were suffering for me I do not know why this should be that they should die and I should live or how you wrath and mercy give he lifted up his hands and said oh Lord why did I not drop dead and then the Lord replied it's true my friend your sin was worse and you deserve the countenance of Wrath far more than these two here your path LED Straight to Hell and if I would have let you go no power could have kept you
from the Flames I did not owe you this nor is it hid from open sight that you my friend are saved by grace and in the end are chosen unconstrained by good or evil Deeds that would or could be made the root of my decrees in heaven and on Earth I please the counsel of my wisdom first for centuries my name has burst the chains laid on my will by man when he presumes to shape my plan around his self-defining will a feudal thing for I fulfilled the purposes I formed before the world was made
do not make war against my freedom Peter all that I have ever done to call or carry you is free receive this gift and tremble as you grieve beside these Graves if it were not for Grace this would have been your lot they fell before your feet depraved that you might know how you were saved then speechless Peter Rose and set his face to follow Christ and let each breath and trace of Faith display the way that Sovereign Grace holds Sway and now as we light candle 2 May Christ illumin me and you to see
that we deserve no good from him and Sovereign Justice would be served if all of us fell dead at jesus' feet but if instead we live and stand before this Throne let thanks be given for grace alone and let the one who doubts say this it is my Everlasting Bliss to know that God elects not by our works but his decree and I dare not use my iniquity to prove that he rejected me oh precious promise sweet command trust Christ and you will stand amen
