I'll Buy That

I’ll Buy That

Acts 8:18-25

I heard a story about a man who went into an antique shop in San Francisco, and on the floor, he noticed what appeared to be an ancient Chinese vase.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a priceless relic from the Ming dynasty. He thought, “The owner has no idea about the value of this vase, because a cat was drinking milk out of it.”

The man was hoping to buy the vase for a fraction of its value.

Instead of asking about the vase, he said to the owner, "That's an extraordinary cat you have. How much would you sell her for?"

"Oh, the cat's not really for sale," said the owner. "She keeps the store free of mice."

The man replied, "I really want her". "I tell you what--I'll give you a hundred dollars for her." The owner said, "She's not really worth it, but if you want her that badly, she's yours."

The man said, "I need something to feed her from as well. Let me add ten extra dollars for that saucer she's drinking from.”

"Oh, I could never do that. That saucer is actually an ancient Chinese vase from the Ming dynasty, and it’s priceless. Funny thing, though; since we've had it, I've sold 17 cats."

As Christ-followers, we can easily deceive ourselves, living for selfish pursuits while believing we are actually serving the Lord.

The motives and intents of the heart regarding the choices we make must be understood, so we must examine ourselves and ask why we do what we do.

Please open your Bibles to Acts 8

Last time, we learned that Saul persecuted the early Christians, causing them to flee, and to go out and preach the Gospel!

Philip, one of the original deacons mentioned in Acts 6, fled Jerusalem due to persecution and eventually settled in Samaria.

Philip was able to cast out evil spirits and heal people of many different illnesses. Philip presented the Gospel, with signs and wonders, so there was great joy in that city.

Then we met one of the most notable people from Samaria, a man named Simon, a sorcerer who had bewitched the city, declaring himself to be someone great.

Philip preached the Gospel, and Simon professed to be a believer and was baptized. Peter and John went from Jerusalem to Samaria to pray for the believers to receive the Holy Spirit.

This scattering of believers led to the spread of the Gospel and Christianity to other areas of the world.

As we make our plans, we need to be sure and seek the LORD and His will, so we are obedient to the call He has for our lives.

I. A self-serving request.

Read Acts 8:18-19

The magician Simon noticed the extraordinary power of Peter and John, which was given to them by the Holy Spirit, and he began thinking of ways he could selfishly use those gifts.

Simon thought that the power of the Holy Spirit was similar to his magic and that it could be bought or sold for personal gain.

The LORD’s power and grace are not things to be bought or earned; even the Old Testament prophets realized that.

Isaiah 55:1 "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. NKJV

Simon was afraid he had lost his Super Star status, but then the opportunity to gain power and position presented itself, and he jumped at the chance.

Notice what Simon wants as he says, “Give me this power.”

Simon was one of the first power brokers in the early church; he even offered to buy his way into the position.

When a person is given a position for any other reason than the call of God upon their lives, it will not go well for the church.

Early in the history of the Roman Catholic Church, there was something known as penance, which was supposed to be an act of contrition or a public display of remorse to atone for sin.

Before the Reformation, the Roman Catholic Church offered indulgences, basically pardon for sin, in exchange for donations.

Ironically, the dictionary defines the word Simony as the buying or selling of ecclesiastical privileges, like pardons.

Simony can refer to the inappropriate exchange of temporal (material) things for spiritual benefits, which is practiced in some churches today that employ a give-to-get mentality.

But Paul teaches in Titus 3:4, But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,

Titus 3:5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, NKJV