Project 119: Acts 8:4-25
| Project 119 | Tim Sanderlin
So many times in the Word of God we see people come such a long way from their old self to their new self, just to be weighed down by the ways of the world again. We see people with genuine conversions to faith, but they do not fully understand how this grace thing works right away. Here, in Acts 8:9-25, we see another example of this.
After the stoning of Stephen, Christians are scattered amongst all the tribes and nations because they know the good news must be told. Philip has been sent out to proclaim Christ in Samaria. This is a tricky area to preach in because of the history between the Jews and the Samaritans, but we see early on in this chapter that the Lord is doing working miracles and changing the hearts of the people. Among those saved is a man named Simon, formerly known as “Simon the Sorcerer.” Peter and John heard about all of the new believers, came to them, laid hands on them, and prayed that they would receive the Holy Spirit.
If you read verse 13, we can know that Simon, who was recently in complete opposition of the Lord, has had a genuine revelation of Christ! Praise the Lord that every heart can be changed! But after Simon saw how lives are being changed when they received the Holy Spirit, he said he wants some of what they were having, and he offered to purchase it (Acts 8:18-19). Simon had an encounter with the Lord, yes. But the ways of this world that he was so very comfortable with continued to be his bartering system. Although he accepted with his heart that the grace of Christ is the thing that allows us to experience His goodness and blessing, his head still thought he had to buy the favor of the Lord. We are sorely mistaken if we think we can purchase the presence of the Lord, or the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
We so often times let our “old self,” as Paul describes it in Romans, creep back in and convince us that the approval of the Lord is something that can be earn, bought, or secured through our works. Nothing but the blood of Jesus has paid our ransom and made us sons and daughters of the King.
Lord, when our old self, the ones of this world, creeps back in and deceives us, please comfort us and renew our minds. May we preach gospel back to ourselves daily to remind us that You are the only way, truth, and life. Amen.
Acts 8:4-25 (ESV):
4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.6 And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was much joy in that city.
9 But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. 10 They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” 11 And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.
14 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” 24 And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”
25 Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.