Fire and Sword (8 page)

“Look at them all,” sneered Kara. “Such devotion to one another is sickening.”

Kara was joined by Pellecus and Rugio. They were waiting for Lucifer. The three of them watched as the apostles gave a widow some much needed money to buy food. She thanked them profusely, and they sent her on her way. The fledgling Church had established itself in several houses or small inns owned by sympathizers in Jerusalem. At one such inn they were now distributing goods and money to people in need.

“I always thought that the Most High’s tendency to give it all away would get the better of His people,” said Kara. “He gave away Heaven; now He gives away earth!”

“These people are seduced by His Spirit,” agreed Rugio. “Forgive them, Father; they know not what they do!” he said mockingly.

They all laughed.

“Unfortunately they
do
know what they are doing,” said Pellecus. “And it is dangerous to us.”

“How so?” asked Rugio, whose thinking up to now had been how he might bring the building down upon the leaders and kill them at once. “Let them give away their bits of food. It is Peter and John that I hunger for!”

“Don’t we all?” Kara asked wryly.

Laughter.

“Don’t you understand, Rugio?” asked Pellecus. “Do you see what is happening down there? They are growing in numbers; they are adding to their disgraceful group. And worst of all they are doing so in the power and authority of the name of Jesus.”

Kara made a face. “I hate that name!” he said.

“I’m afraid that it is a name they are taking to more and more,” said Pellecus, looking at an old man being given a bundle of clothing. “When spoken casually it means nothing; but when spoken with the force of belief…”

“It means everything,” came the voice of Lucifer.

Kara shot a glance at Lucifer and then glanced about nervously.

“Your hatred is well placed, Kara,” said Lucifer, glancing down at the community of believers. “But hatred alone will not serve us.”

They moved down to the street level, where people rushed by to talk with this or that apostle, or to give to the cause, or to receive goods as needed. Many angels who kept watch on the young Church shifted their attention to Lucifer and his leaders. As other holy angels began arriving, it was apparent that they had sent for reinforcements just in case Lucifer might try something. Lucifer noticed the increasing number of angels filtering in and laughed.

“Do they really think I am in position to do something at this moment?” he asked incredulously. “Stupid angels. Come; let’s talk.”

The angels who made up Lucifer’s leadership core moved to a position overlooking the city. They could still see angels streaming in and out of the area. Lucifer paced, silently mulling the situation over in his mind.

“Was it not from here that Jesus lamented over the city?” he asked.

“Yes, my prince,” said Pellecus. “He would rather take them under His wings like a mother hen and her chicks—or so He said.”

“Some chicks,” sneered Kara. “They certainly turned on the mother hen!”

“And so they shall again,” said Lucifer.

They all looked at him. He scanned the horizon in the direction of Jerusalem, hundreds of yards away.

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem,” he began, mocking Jesus. “You who kill the prophets…” He laughed and added, “And churches.”

“What do you mean?” asked Pellecus, curious as to what Lucifer might be thinking.

“Community is the key to humans,” he began. “It always has been. When the Most High first created humans, His plan was for them to live in community with each other and to worship Him. Remember how the Lord would actually fellowship with Adam? How He consorted with Abraham? How He spoke with Moses? How He loved David? How He affirmed even Peter who denied Him?”

“Yes, lord, and…?” prompted Pellecus.

“It occurs to me that there are two major characteristics that these humans have,” Lucifer continued. “They need community with God and each other, and they love to stray from that community—especially with some encouragement on our part.”

Rugio laughed heartily.

“Consider the types of people the Most High finds value in,” Lucifer said. “I mean, of the people I just mentioned, one will find murderers, rebels, and faithless failures. Adam disobeyed him; Abraham failed him many times; Moses and David murdered; the list goes on and on. All of them have certain appetites that mislead them.”

“This is not new to us,” said Kara. “Humans have always strayed.”

“And so they shall again,” said Lucifer.

He indicated a married couple who was leaving the area and heading back to their own home. They were obviously people of some means, though not lavishly wealthy. Still they enjoyed giving to the church and were frequent in their visits to the place of collection. The angels watched as the pair bade farewell and disappeared into the crowded street.

“Those two, for instance, have a certain appetite that is wanting exploitation,” said Lucifer. “I have had them watched closely.”

“What, Ananias and Sapphira?” asked Kara. “They are two of the most generous givers in the church.”

“They give,” agreed Lucifer. “But their hearts are vulnerable to greed.”

He looked intently at Kara.

“I suggest you put Servius on it,” Lucifer said. “His avaricious spirit is quite adept at fanning into flames latent and craven appetites.”

Kara smiled and nodded. “I’ll see to it at once.”

Kara vanished.

“It will be interesting, my friends, to see how the Church deals with disturbances from within,” Lucifer said. “As always—whether Eve or Judas—the disturbances that have the greatest impact come from within.”

The trio agreed and disappeared.

Ananias’ house had several rooms—and included a small courtyard where he and his wife enjoyed the cool of the evenings. Since joining the new group of believers they had enjoyed the prospect of giving to the ministry. Ananias’ wealth was derived from some properties he had inherited, and they took pleasure not only in giving away money, but in increasing it whenever possible. This evening as they sat and drank some local wine, Ananias mentioned the sale of a piece of property that they had been trying to dispose of for some time.

Unknown to them, Servius, who had been sent by Kara, was watching the couple and listening to their conversation. Servius’ appearance had taken on a bloated, drooling countenance, as one who is always hungry and never satisfied. Having given himself over to greed since his departure from Heaven, he had become one of Lucifer’s favorites for disseminating a spirit of avarice among humans. He smiled to himself as he listened to Ananias speak. Clearly this man’s heart was not altogether generous. He listened and waited…

“You know, my dear, we have given a good deal to the Lord’s work,” Ananias said, as he sipped the wine. “Such an honor.”

Sapphira nodded in pleasant agreement, looking up at the evening sky.

They both were dressed in soft evening robes, and the cool night air felt very good after a very warm day. Sapphira’s ring clunked against a serving dish as she reached for a piece of fruit. She laughed and held up her hand.

“Do you remember giving me this, my love?” she asked.

“Of course,” Ananias answered. “That was two years ago. I bought it from that Cretan fellow after we sold my father’s land. Beautiful stone.”

“And costly,” she added, tossing a grape into her mouth.

“Very costly,”
came a voice in Ananias’ mind. It was Servius.

Ananias sat up a moment.

“To think that so many people are benefiting from your generosity … people who never worked nor really deserved it…”

“We are doing much good with our ministry, are we not?” Ananias asked.

“What?” Sapphira responded. “You mean giving to the poor?”

Ananias stood up. “Well yes, I mean, is it really helping, do you suppose?”

“People who don’t even appreciate the hard work it takes to make money…”

Ananias shifted on his feet uncomfortably. “I mean, do these people—these strangers—really appreciate our efforts?”

Sapphira looked perplexed. “Does that really matter?” she asked. She set down her glass and walked over to her husband. “What is troubling you, my love?” she asked.

Ananias looked at his wife and smiled at her, caressing her cheek.
How could she understand what is really in my heart?
he thought.
And yet…

“Why should a husband deny his wife the things he has worked for? Does not your love for your wife come first…”

Ananias looked about nervously, as if making sure they were quite alone. Sapphira leaned in, curious as to her husband’s strange behavior.

“Listen to me, dearest,” he began, taking her hand. “I desire more than anything to honor the Lord with our giving. And we have grown quite important to the others. But is it foolish to give away so much to so many who might otherwise work for their food?”

He held up his hand to stop Sapphira from interrupting.

“Please, hear me out,” he said. “This land I have just sold and pledged to the church. I think we need to hold back a portion of it and give the rest away. I mean, that would be fair, would it not? We will simply report to them another figure. They will never know, and we will still be giving to the Lord.”

“But my love, why should we do this?”

“I fear troubled days may be ahead,” he said. “What with Rome’s dictates and the unrest in the streets. We need to protect ourselves. Perhaps later on we can give to the church in full measure once more. But for now…”

He looked at Sapphira pleadingly. She placed her fingers on his lips to hush him.

“No more talk,” she said soothingly. “We shall do as you say.”

She looked about her. “And I have so been wanting to expand this courtyard. That will require extra money. Yes. I believe this is the right thing to do.”

“But we must never tell a soul,” Ananias said, lifting his glass once more.

“I shall take this to the grave,” Sapphira said.

Servius laughed. His poison had really taken hold in Ananias’ mind.

“If I know the Most High, you may indeed take it to the grave!” he sneered, walking to the table. Ananias turned around as Servius vanished.

“What a strange chill,” Ananias said, feeling the air with his hand.

“A chill?” Sapphira asked. “Out here?”

“It’s gone now,” he said.