Acts 8 - You Can't Buy Or Sell the Holy Spirit!
Simon the Sorcerer
9 Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10 and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.” 11 They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. 12 But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw. 14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”
There are two "Philip's" in the bible. Philip, the Evangelist and Philip, the Apostle. Philip, the Evangelist is the one we are talking about today. In addition to Stephen, he was another deacon chosen by the apostles. Note the deacons did not just do administrative and practical work but preached and did signs and wonders. Remember when they chose and set aside these deacons, it says they were "known to be filled with the Holy Spirit".
What does this mean? It means though we can't see the Holy Spirit, we can see evidence of the Holy Spirit in a true believer's life.
They called the Philip, the Evangelist, because of what we see him doing in this chapter. First of all, we see him doing all the things Jesus told his disciples they would do. Philip went from Jerusalem down to Samaria. You will probably remember that the Jews didn't like the Samaritans, because they considered them a mixed breed. Many Jews who were exiled intermarried with Gentiles. But we see Jesus ministered to the Samaritans, most notably the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4.
Importantly Philip not only preached the gospel, but he did great signs and wonders. He cast out demons, as they shrieked when they came out. He also healed many who were sick and diseased. Though Simon was thought to have power as a sorcerer, he knew real power when he saw it. The evil one worked through Simon and he fooled the people into thinking he had magical powers. So, it was a big deal when Simon became a believer and was baptized.
Yet, there was still a part of Simon which loved sorcery. When Simon saw the believers receiving the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands by Peter and John, he reverts back to his days of sorcery. Instead of realizing the Holy Spirit as a gift of God and an assurance of salvation, he sees it as a money making opportunity. So he asks Peter if he too could have ability to lay hands on people for the Holy Spirit.
Peter sees right through it. He harshly rebukes him for thinking he could buy the gift of the laying on hands on people to receive the Holy Spirit. Apparently he had money, probably as a result of his sorcery business, which is roundly condemned as pagan all throughout the bible. Peter wards him to turn from his deceitful way in no uncertain terms and warns him to do so "or else".
In the Ten Commandments, God commanded the Israelties to not use "His name in vain". If ever there was a case of using God's name in vain, this was it. It seems as though Peter's message gets through to Simon as he says, "Pray to the Lord that nothing you have said to me may happen!"
This is the last word we hear about Simon in the bible. His name Simon is where we get the term "simony". What does this word mean?
Simony is the buying or selling of ecclesiastical offices, sacraments, or spiritual things. - Google AI
Results are mixed in the annals of Church history whether Simon was a true believer or not. In the passage it says he "believed and was baptized". If this was the case he was saved. Some would argue that he was not saved, because he tried to buy the ability to lay hands of people for the Holy Spirit. But I am encouraged by the fact that he asks Peter to pray for him not to receive God's wrath.
Maybe there is in all of us a desire to use the things of God, like the Holy Spirit, or Jesus, to sell to benefit ourselves. After all, our hearts are deceitful above all else. If nothing else maybe we sell our good deeds to receive a good reputation. Or, we love the affirmation of people who say, "You are such a Spirit filled person" based on how we pray or worship God publicly.
Do you ever try to buy things from God, or seek gifts from the Holy Spirit to bring glory to yourself?
Do use the gifts of God for personal gain?
Would people say you are, "Filled with the Holy Spirit?" How would you know? I think there is an internal way and an external way to know if you are filled with the Holy Spirit.
Internal
1. You have peace about your salvation? Do you have assurance that you are going to heaven from the Holy Spirit?" Ephesians 1:13-14 says,
"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory."
External
2. Is the Fruit of the Spirit demonstrated in your daily live. Galatians 5:22-23 says the fruit of the Holy Spirit is,
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
Remember the Holy Spirit is a gift from God, which He gives us when we come to faith in Jesus. Let's use the Holy Spirit for God's glory not ours!
Come Holy Spirit! Fill us with your power, presence, and peace. Thank you Jesus that you gave us your Holy Spirit after You rose from the dead. May we build the church like Peter, James, and Philip did, by relying on and operating in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment