THE ANATOMY OF A COUNTERFEIT BELIEVER
Acts 8:9-20
My brothers and my sisters it is not by accident that we find nestled in the middle of this chapter a person with the makeup of Simon. I’m not surprise because opposites do attract. The good attracts the bad, the beautiful attracts the ugly, the rich attracts the poor, Sister Hart attracts Pastor Hart, and in the last two chapters real men of God attracts a counterfeit. Stephen and Philip are considered as the real deal of the faith. While on the other hand Simon will be seen as an imposter. You see we will see a man that looks like a Christian, possibly goes through the motions of a Christian, but as time goes on, what is in his heart will surface and reveal to us who he truly is. It reminds me of a guy I played football with in school. To see him, he looked as if he could be an all world football player, especially as a linebacker or a tailback. He was built for the position. But when it came to producing on the field, he couldn’t catch a pass and couldn’t run very well, and if you put him on defense, he was not able to cover nor tackle anyone. It was this young man that Coach Bull Johnson said to him before he was cut from the team, “Son there are people out there that you could probably tackle, but you can’t catch. And as for the ones you can catch, you probably couldn’t tackle.” I tell you he looked the part, but he just couldn’t play.
On last week we talked about Philip, the Powerful Missionary of Jesus Christ. We saw what could happen when a man is filled with the Holy Ghost and power. He preached so until the people were all on one accord and taking heed to the words that he spoke. They observed his miracles, and unclean spirits came out of many that was possessed, also many that had palsies and was lame were healed. I tell you that Philip was just what Samaria needed because verse 8 said that “there was great joy in that city.” The makeup of Samaria was that it was a place of idol worshipers and sorcerers. They had a dire need to experience a move of God.
In this lesson we’ll go deeper into Samaria’s religious heart. We will find a certain man named Simon who practiced sorcery and as verse 9 said bewitched the people of Samaria. He even told the people that he was some great one. But The Bible Knowledge Commentary said that many traditions revolve around Simon the sorcerer. It is alleged: (1) that he was the founder of the Gnostic heresies, (2) that he went to Rome and perverted the Christian doctrine there, and (3) that he became involved in a miracle contest with Peter and lost. At any rate, this Simon of Samaria did practice sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. Because of his “sorcery,” he had the ability to exercise control over nature and the people by means of demonic power. And because of this the people viewed him as a Great Power of God. At any rate Simon boast also that he was someone great, and the people of Samaria believed him. He graciously accepted their praise.
So let’s take a look at this self acclaimed great man and see THE ANATOMY OF A COUNTERFEIT BELIEVER.
First of all verse 13 let’s us see...
1. THAT HE WAS MOVED BY THEIR MIRACLES AND NOT THEIR WORDS. (v.13)
“Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.”
One way that we can tell if a counterfeit is among us is by noting what really impresses them. Simon saw the masses being converted by the words Philip spoke concerning the kingdom of God and the power that is associated with the name of Jesus who is the Christ. Because of this he to believed and was baptized. But the things that the text allowed us to see is that what really influenced him was not the gospel message that Philip spoke, but he was impressed with the signs and miracles that Philip had done. Verse 13 said about Simon, “he continued with Philip, and wondered ,beholding the miracles and signs which were done.” Simon was not interested in the words of salvation that Philip spoke as much as he was impressed with the power that he exhibited. The N.I.V. said that he [Simon] was astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw. So he was not excited about the Word of God, but he was astounded by the signs and miracles that Philip did.
Secondly in verses 18,19...
2. SIMON THOUGHT THAT HE COULD BUY WHAT ONLY THE HOLY SPIRIT COULD PROVIDE (v. 18, 19)
“And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, 19. Saying, give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.”
In verse 14 we see the apostles in Jerusalem hearing of the good news coming out of Samaria. The Samaritan had received the word of God, and the apostles sent Peter and John down to them according to verse 15 to pray for them, that they may receive the Holy Ghost.
Now a very important point is found in verse 16. It said (for as yet he (referring to the Holy Ghost) was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) This text is letting us know that although they believed and were baptized, they were not fully equipped. They had still needed to be empowered by the Holy Spirit. So, verse 17 implied after the laying on of hands by the apostles they received the Holy Ghost. Now Simon seeing this was really amazed and instead of asking them to lay their hands on him so he could receive, he offered them money for the power they had. Simon fell to realize that some things cannot be bought, especially when it comes to the divine power of God. You see he probably had been paying his way all along, picking up a trick or two from other sorcerers peddling their trade. But the power that he wanted could not be bought nor sold, it can only be obtained through the giving of one’ life to Jesus Christ. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 6 chapter 20th verse “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
Finally, lest I hold you long, verse 20, 21 shows us that...
3. AN IMPOSTER CANNOT STAND FOR LONG IN THE PRESENCE OF A TRUE BELIEVER OF CHRIST. (v.20,21)
“But Peter said unto him, thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. 21. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.”
Thinking back to the illustration I gave you at the beginning. Simon like the ballplayer that came out for the team was soon uncovered, and both were apparently cut from the team. It was evident that the guy on the team could not play once we started to hit, and as for Simon he could not get past his greed for the miraculous, particularly in what Philip and the apostles were doing as far as miracles and signs were concerned. It appeared that he could not wait for the Holy Spirit to use him in the way that He would. Besides the Holy Spirit in many cases does not duplicate the same gift in the same place that a particular gift is operating. That is why to the church He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelist; and some, pastors; and some, teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry.
So Simon elected to offer money to the apostles for their gift.
We must understand what is in a person, will truly come out of them. All you have to do is wait, and you will see the motive that drives that person. Many around Simon might have believed that he was converted simply because he believed and was baptized. But, What did Simon believe? Many of us misread what we have seen and jump to the conclusion that someone is born again because of what he had done outwardly. But if you would’ve noticed the reason for the apostles coming to town, it might get you to understand that believing and being baptized is just part of the work of salvation. Besides James 2:19 reads and I quote “Thou believes that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. Look at the apostles reasons for going to Samaria in verse 15, so that those who were in Samaria could receive the Holy Spirit.
Well, I have to take my seat. But before I do that let me share this thought.
In Mark Atteberry’s book “The Ten Dumbest Things Christians Do.” He said that the second dumbest move a Christian make is that we are Winning People To the Church and Not To the Lord. When we witness we very rarely tell them that the true reason of joining the church is Jesus Christ Himself. But instead we tell them about our Church, our ministries, our choirs, even our preachers, but we rarely say something about our Savior. That is why the church is like a revolving door, because many of the things we brag about the church might not be like we said. And as for those that stay, many of them might be counterfeit.
We need the Church, but the church is not the way, but Jesus said in John 14:6; I am the way, the truth, and the life.
• So the people need to know that Jesus, not the church is the way;
• they need to know that Jesus, not the church is the truth;
• and we also need to let them know the Jesus, not the church is the life.
