Trying To Bottle The Holy Spirit Series

TRYING TO BOTTLE THE HOLY SPIRIT

Text: Acts 8:9-25

Introduction

1. Illustration: Dr. John Maxwell said, “Manipulation is moving together for my advantage. Motivation is moving together for mutual advantage.”

2. The Holy Spirit was given to the Church for the benefit of the Church, not the individual.

3. Unfortunately, some people try to bottle the Holy Spirit to use for their own advantage.

4. A classic Biblical illustration of this principal is the story of Simon the Sorcerer. Read Acts 8:9-25

Proposition: The Holy Spirit cannot be bottled, but he will go where he is welcomed.

Transition: In the story of Simon the Sorcerer we see…

I. God’s Power is Greater (9-13).

A. But Now

1. Maybe you heard or read stories of missionaries who have entered areas that were filled with evil spirits and evil people.

2. Sometimes they even deal with witchdoctors who have the people controlled and under their power.

3. Luke tells us that Philip had a similar issue. In vv. 9-11 he writes, “A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great. 10 Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One—the Power of God.” 11 They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.”

a. Luke introduces us to Simon, who he characterizes as a sketchy character. He was a sorcerer and had quite a following.

b. Back during the days of the early church, sorcerers and magicians were plentiful and were usually people of great influence.

c. “They worked wonders, performed healings and exorcisms, and practiced astrology, but they utilized the power of Satan” (Bruce Barton et al., Life Application New Testament Commentary, 501).

d. Simon was no exception in that regard, and he had the people under his spell, and they spoke of him as someone great, even calling him “the great one - the power of God.”

4. But the power of Satan cannot compete with the power of God. In vv. 12-13 Luke tells us, “But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many men and women were baptized. 13 Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed.”

a. The phrase “But now,” indicates that there was a change taking place.

b. Simon may have been a person of influence before, but he could not compare with the power of the Holy Spirit that was operating in Philip.

c. Because of Philip’s preaching and ministry among the people, they began to believe in Philip’s message about the Good News and in Jesus Christ. As a result, many of them were baptized.

d. In fact, Philip’s ministry was so powerful that even Simon believed and was baptized.

e. Simon was so impressed with Philip that he followed him around like a puppy dog and was amazed at the great signs and miracles that Philip performed.

f. Even he could see that the power of God was far superior to the power of the devil.

B. It Is the Power of God

1. Illustration: It was quite astonishing to the lumberjacks when the chainsaw was first introduced. The amount of work that several muscled men (with their long razor-sharp timber saws) can finish in a day can be accomplished by a chainsaw in several minutes. One day a lumberjack, in his mid-fifties, who was totally enthralled by the chainsaw’s performance, approached one chainsaw salesman who was demonstrating his merchandise in a forest. He asked the salesman, "The blades of my saw are much bigger and sharper than the blades of this thing; but what makes it cut a log better and faster than my saw?" The salesman replied, "It’s not the blade sir, it’s the power of its machine that runs it!"

2. Nothing compares with the power of the Good News of Jesus Christ!

a. “ For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.” (Rom. 1:16).

b. The devil tries to convince people that he is all powerful.

c. He tries to convince people that he can give them whatever their heart desires.

d. But there is no power in the universe like the power of the cross of Jesus Christ!

e. With it, Christ bought our redemption and defeated the power of the devil.

f. It is the power of the Good News that changes lives and transforms the spiritually dead to spiritually alive.

g. No power in all the universe can stop it or defeat it.