Simon Says

Simon Says!

I assume everyone here at one time or another has played the game Simons say. One person calls out the commands but unless you add the phrase, “Simon Says” to it, you are not to do it. It was the jumping on one foot that always got me. My grandbabies love to play it with me. Today we are going to look at another Simon. But this time we are not to follow his command to be the winner.

Background

Acts chapter 8 picks up right after the stoning of Steven. Steven was not one of the Disciples Jesus chose, but is considered to be the first Saint. He was stoned to death becoming a martyr for spreading the news of Jesus after his death. And like Jesus, with his last breath, he was praying for the very people who were killing him. Saul, who we all know as Paul, saw that it pleased the Jews and so he began his own warpath on his own to destroy Christianity.

Acts 8:1-3 Saul approved of putting Stephen to death. On that day widespread persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem. Most believers, except the apostles, were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 Devout men buried Stephen as they mourned loudly for him. 3 Saul tried to destroy the church. He dragged men and women out of one home after another and threw them into prison.

Can you imagine if something like that would happen in your world? You just finished your dinner and you are watching the tube and there’s a knock on your door and when you answer it the police are arresting you for being a Christian. Don’t think it’s too farfetched, maybe not in the country, but in China this very thing has happened. Like I have asked you before. If it was against the law to be a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

Acts 8:4-8 The believers who were scattered went from place to place, where they spread the word. 5 Philip went to the city of Samaria and told people about the Messiah. 6 The crowds paid close attention to what Philip said. They listened to him and saw the miracles that he performed. 7 Evil spirits screamed as they came out of the many people they had possessed. Many paralyzed and lame people were cured. 8 As a result, that city was extremely happy.

When I read this it reminded me of the song, “I’m going to see a victory”; “What the enemy meant for evil, and you turned it for good”. By Saul persecuting the Christians, ended up furthering the spread of the Gospel. We know that Samaria was considered a land of half breads. Half Jew and Half Gentile. To get from Jerusalem to Galilee, it was a strait shot though Samaria, but the Jews would often walk the long way around to avoid the Samaritans. We remember when Jesus meet the woman at the well, it was in Samaria. She was even an outcast among her own people. Jesus being a Jew, was not to have any dealings with the Samaritans, and it would not be considered proper for him to even talk to a woman. But Jesus sought her out and gave her the living water. You see, God’s desire was for all to be saved and come to repentance. And because of the persecution of the church, it provided the furtherance of the Gospel. Philip was spreading the Gospel to the Samaritans. Our text reads that the evil spirits were screaming while being cast out. People were being healed. The city was extremely happy. But Satan always seems to send a counter attack when things are not going his way. I can speak from experience, when God is on the move, the Devil is going to be on the counter attack.

In James 1:2-4 My brothers and sisters, be very happy when you are tested in different ways. 3 You know that such testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 Endure until your testing is over. Then you will be mature and complete, and you won’t need anything.

If you are not being tested, then maybe you should ask yourself if you are doing anything that would cause Satan to have to text you.

The counter attack we see that he used in our text was with a man names Simon that we will read about now.

Acts 8:9-13 A man named Simon lived in that city. He amazed the people of Samaria with his practice of magic. He claimed that he was great. 10 Everyone from children to adults paid attention to him. They said, “This man is the power of God, and that power is called great.” 11 They paid attention to Simon because he had amazed them for a long time with his practice of magic. 12 However, when Philip spread the Good News about God’s kingdom and the one named Jesus Christ, men and women believed him and were baptized. 13 Even Simon believed, and after he was baptized, he became devoted to Philip. Simon was amazed to see the miracles and impressive things that were happening.