Some Things are Just Not for Sale
Ballard Assembly Pastor Bob Briggs Acts 8:9-24 Lesson 20
I. How do you view Yourself?
Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boosted that he was someone great, and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is the divine power known as the Great Power. They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. Acts 8:9-12
Here we encounter Simon the magician, a sorcerer who seems to really be into himself, boasting he is someone great. This is someone with an ego who had a hold on the people of the community, getting them to agree to his greatness. In postapostolic writings, Simon is considered the leading heretic of his day. Justin Martyr who died in A.D. 165 said that nearly all the Samaritans regarded Simon as the highest god. Irenaeus speaks of him as being the father of Gnosticism.
When people are too much into themselves, they open the door for the devil to come in an begin to deceive. Simon was so deceived he thought himself to be the great power of God and no doubt was so duped as to actually believe his own press. Cults get started this way. And most cult leaders are found to believe themselves to be sincere in their elevated deity, except they are sincerely wrong.
Jim Grady has been witnessing to a couple of Mormans. He and Julie have been meeting with them for several weeks and Jim told me the sad part for these folks is they actually believe very sincerely what they have been indoctrinated with and even when the falsehood is shown through the Scriptures, they have changed the biblical interpretations to fit their own deception.
Self-sufficient people are the hardest to bring to Christ. People need to first see they have a need before that need can be filled. If you believe you can take care of all your needs, then you have no need for a Savior.
Several years ago the news was asking famous people at Thanksgiving what they had to be thankful for. Kevin Costner said he was thankful for himself and went on to elaborate how he can take a nobody and turn them into a somebody. I thought as I watched the interview, how prideful, how much into himself is this guy.
A. Pride Blinds the eyes of the sinful.
First pride, then the crash—the bigger the ego, the harder the fall. Proverbs 16:18 (The Message)
Pride is also listed in Proverbs 6:16-19 as one of the seven deadly sins and Simon was caught in its web of deceit. Pride blinds the eye to truly seeing where one stands in comparison to the world around them.
Paul wrote in Galatians 6:3 If anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. James writes how God is opposed to the proud. And pride is such an easy sin to indulge oneself in.
B. Proud People Cannot be Saved.
Jesus told a parable in Luke 18:9-14 concerning the proud. To some who are confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, robbers, evil doers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God have mercy on me, a sinner.’ I tell you that this man rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
When you recognize your standing, a sinner saved by grace, this allows room for God to work in your life. When you elevate yourself above your standing, God either has to humble you, or if you will not be humbled, then you determine your lack of standing with God. We all have to make a choice as to whom we will serve, the god of this world, Jesus Christ, or ourselves. Only serving Christ will bring us eternal reward and habitation in heaven. Simon was far from making the correct choice.
Sadly, when someone is headed down the slippery slope of destruction they don’t make the journey by themselves. Simon had deceived the people around him and they looked to Simon and his magic and attributed divinity toward him instead toward God. Whether it is Joseph Smith and Brigham Young leading their followers to hell through a cult claiming to be Christian, or Marilyn Manson leading a group of young people that way through his music, the truth is, they never head that way without followers. People who don’t want to admit their need for a Savior and instead elevate themselves to savior status cannot be saved.
II. Most People when exposed to Truth will recognize it.
But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized both men and women. Vs. 12
When Moses went before Pharaoh and said, “Let my people go.” He performed many signs and wonders among the Egyptian court which were countered by the Pharaoh’s own sorcerer’s. But they could not out perform God.
A. Simon loses His following.
People are fickle. They hang around when you can keep them happy, but when something better comes along, they jettison for the better thing. Simon soon discovered this. The best had come. Jesus Christ and when you have the best you don’t need the rest. Philip, empowered by the Holy Spirit, brought revival to the city preaching the name of Jesus Christ. When people truly listen to the gospel and the deception of the devil is stripped away, the church will be filled with new converts. The Bible says truth sets people free and the greatest truth is Jesus Christ. People were accepting the truth here in this passage, men and women, and leaving the old teaching of Simon, embracing the truth of Christ. Most people will do this, and my heart breaks for those who do not.
B. Simon seizes on the Opportunity to regain his status.
Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw. Vs. 13
This must have been a celebration day when Simon made the profession of faith and was baptized. Later down we are going to see the flip side to his profession. This points out the real need for discipleship in the body of Christ. We can be left to debate the fact if Simon was truly converted or not. Calvinists will say definitely not because it encroaches on the doctrine of once saved always saved, so Simon never truly repented but used the baptism to seize on the opportunity to regain the following he lost.
We do know a seed was planted. In John 2:23-25 we read, During the time he (meaning Jesus) was in Jerusalem, those days of the Passover feast, many people noticed the signs he was displaying and, seeing they pointed straight to God, entrusted their lives to him. But Jesus didn’t entrust his life to them. He knew them inside and out, knew how untrustworthy they were. He didn’t need any help in seeing right through them. Just because someone says Lord, lord, it does not mean they are saved. Salvation is a matter of the heart. Remember, God said man looks at the outward, but He looks at the heart. How do you know your heart condition? Some people profess Christ as if He is an add on, that He comes and blesses their sinful lifestyles, paying no attention because they have said with their lips he is their lord, but their hearts are far from him.
I know of people who have confessed their allegiance to Christ in order to date and eventually marry a Christian. Only after the wedding does the deception become revealed and the aftermath of the deception lived out.
C. The Holy Spirit comes to those who are truthful.
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. Vs. 14-17
The Samaritans had believed in Jesus and were baptized in water as a symbol of their new found faith but they had not yet been baptized in the Holy Spirit. The baptism in the Spirit was not for salvation when Peter and John came, but was the baptism in the Spirit which had occurred on the day of Pentecost, equipping them for power of service.
Some have taught the Samaritans had not received saving faith but that would not be reasonable to believe since that is exactly what Philip was preaching. How could someone full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom according to Acts 6:3-5, baptize, heal and drive out demons and yet have people accept Christ and not have that acceptance be genuine to salvation?
What this passage shows is this. We know from Scripture when someone accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior the Holy Spirit comes on that day. Jesus said to His disciples when he went away that He would send a comforter, the Holy Spirit. Pentecost is the fulfillment of that word. When people accept Christ, the Holy Spirit comes, but there is also the endowment of power which we see here, they were saved and when the apostles laid hands on them they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, empowering them for their life mission.
D. Simon exposes his heart condition.
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles hands, he offered them money and said, ‘Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’ Peter answered: ‘May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.’ Then Simon answered, ‘Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.’ When they had testified and proclaimed the word of the Lord, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages. Vs. 18-25
Simon offered to pay for the gift of the Holy Spirit only to find out there are some things which are just not for sale. The Holy Spirit being one. We have a world full of Simon’s today who believe they can buy a ticket to heaven by the good works they perform, walking past the free pass God offers to those who believe on His Son, Jesus Christ.
Peter was incensed with Simons attempt to purchase the gift of the Holy Spirit and responded so. The Philips translation puts his response this way, “To hell with you and your money!” Strong words but Simon betrayed his condition, a heart not after God but a heart still consumed with selfish motivation and desire.
What people would do then, what people will do today to remain in the limelight, to hold onto those few seconds of fame, even if it is by wrong gain.
Peter tells Simon to repent, to turn away from his wrong thoughts, motivation and heart condition and turn to God, but Simon is unshaken by the harshness of Peter’s words. Rather than praying to God, he asks them to pray for him that he will escape the consequences of his sin.
You can go to all the priests, pastors and lay ministers you want and have them pray that God will remove the sentence of sin from your life, but until you are willing to pray a prayer of repentance, and change the actions of your life and the condition of your heart, those prayers will be ineffective. You alone hold the prayer to your salvation and true repentance is more than just forgive me, I got caught, it is a repentance of the heart. Most criminals are not sorry for their crimes until they have been caught and the sentence given. Most people will not be sorry for their sins until they come to the judgment seat of God.
Some Things are Just Not for Sale
Ballard Assembly Pastor Bob Briggs Acts 8:9-24 Lesson 20
I. How do you view _________________________?
Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boosted that he was someone great, and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is the divine power known as the Great Power. They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. Acts 8:9-12
A. Pride ______________ the eyes of the ____________________.
First pride, then the crash—the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.
Proverbs 16:18 (The Message)
If anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Galatians 6:3
B. Proud People ___________________ be Saved.
To some who are confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, robbers, evil doers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God have mercy on me, a sinner.’ I tell you that this man rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Luke 18:9-14
II. Most People when ______________ to Truth will __________________ it.
But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized both men and women. Vs. 12
C. Simon __________________ His following.
D. Simon seizes on the Opportunity to ________________ his status.
Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw. Vs. 13
During the time he (meaning Jesus) was in Jerusalem, those days of the Passover feast, many people noticed the signs he was displaying and, seeing they pointed straight to God, entrusted their lives to him. But Jesus didn’t entrust his life to them. He knew them inside and out, knew how untrustworthy they were. He didn’t need any help in seeing right through them. John 2:23-25
C. The Holy Spirit comes to those who are _______________________.
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Vs. 14-17
D. Simon exposes his __________________ condition.
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles hands, he offered them money and said, ‘Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’ Peter answered: ‘May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.’ Then Simon answered, ‘Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.’ When they had testified and proclaimed the word of the Lord, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages. Vs. 18-25
