Simon Says

Simon would have been like David Copperfield in his time. Everyone likes a good magic show. Jesus throughout his ministry often said how people followed him because they wanted to see all the miracles. In verse 9, Simon says, “He claimed he was great”. Sounds like he had an ego problem as well. He like the attention and this was how he made his living as well. But when we get to verse 12 we have a “However”. The NIV says we have a “But”. Anytime we see that it the Bible. Pay close attention to what follows. Things were good for Simon, BUT when Philip came to town and started spreading the gospel and doing the miracles in Jesus name, not for his fame, but for the furtherance of the gospel, Simon started losing his following.

The people it says were amazed with his magic. While Phillip was doing it in the name of Jesus, Simon was the one who claimed to be great. So one Philip hit the scene, the Samaritans listen to Philips messages, believe in Jesus Christ, were born again and were baptized.

But in verse 13 we read that “even Simon believed, and after he was baptized”. It may sound like he too became a Christian, but I don’t believe so and here is why. His faith was not based on the word of God but on the miracles that he saw Philip do. It also says that he was devoted to Philip, not to God. There are other reasons that I will point out latter. But what I wanted to point out now, it’s more than just believing. James 2:19 You believe there is one God, That’s fine. The demons also believe that, and they tremble with fear.

There is a difference between believing and receiving. And as far as being baptized, I have shared before about my sister making three different professions of faith, and she was baptized three times as well. I thought she was competing with Dunkin Donuts, Dunkin Lori. But it was not till the last one that she didn’t just say the words, she received the words and I was the one to baptize her, and we got it right this time. Now she is baptizing others.

Simon continued with Philip, not to hear about Jesus, but to witness the miracles and perhaps learn how they were done. I can relate to that. As a young boy I was infatuated with Magic. I can remember getting a job when I was in the 9th grade, and that’s where most of my money would go. I would practice for hours and I had a live rabbit, named Black Magic that I could pull out of a hat. I still do some magic with kids every now and then.

But I lost interest when the internet came out and you have these magicians who break the code of never revealing the secret and tell everyone with a search engine how the illusion is done. Rant over.

Simon didn’t have the internet then, but I know that I can figure out most magic tricks because I know that basics and know what to look for. Simon must have been trying to figure out how Philip was able to do the things he was able to do.

Acts 8:14-19 14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had accepted God’s word, they sent Peter and John to them. 15 Peter and John went to Samaria and prayed that the Samaritans would receive the Holy Spirit. 16 (Before this the Holy Spirit had not come to any of the Samaritans. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and the Samaritans received the Holy Spirit. 18 Simon saw that the Spirit was given to the Samaritans when the apostles placed their hands on them. So he offered Peter and John money 19 and said, “Give me this power so that anyone I place my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit.”