Acts 8:9-25 - Simon the Magician

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Children (and grownups too!) can follow along with this week’s sermon with this visual outline:

Acts 8 4-25.png

This week’s passage highlighted a number of elements like the priesthood of all believers. We saw this as we looked to Philip, a humble “table server” (from chapter 6) and all the rest of the unnamed Christians preaching the gospel around the region.

But our main focus, as we looked to the account of Simon the magician, was: What are you here for?

What captured Simon’s attention? What was he amazed at? Was he amazed that Jesus conquered death for him? Was he amazed that he could be forgiven of all his sins? Was he amazed, like the crowds v6, “and the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip”?

No.

When the crowds “saw the signs” v6, they listened to his message.
When Simon “saw the signs” v13, he was amazed at the signs.
And then we see, v18, he reveals his heart:

Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

What captured his attention? It wasn’t Jesus.
What kept him hanging around the church? It wasn’t Jesus.
What was he ultimately after? He's still concentrating on supernatural signs. He's still after power for himself.

So we see what Simon was here for, and this passage causes us to ask: What am I here for?

  • Prosperity gospel - Sometimes people come to church with an underlying idea of the prosperity gospel. If I’m good enough God will give me what I want.

  • Disaster-proof gospel - Or perhaps the opposite. Some come to church because they think, if they don’t… God will smite them.

  • Are you here for someone else? How many men have gone to church because of a pretty girl?

  • Are you here to earn your place with God? As if your attendance got you "God points"?

  • Are you here to appease someone else?

  • Are you here for friends? The Church is a wonderful community. But that’s not what it’s first about.

  • To feel useful? Are you here to use your gifts?

In verses five and 12 we see that Phillips message is a person: Jesus Christ. That is what the crowds listen to. That is who Philip proclaimed:

  • Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.

  • they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.

They didn’t embrace a system or a philosophy. They embraced a person. Jesus Christ.

Paul calls the gospel, “the message of reconciliation,” that is, what we get in our salvation chiefly is God himself as our Father. One of my favorite evangelists ends one of his gospel presentations with, “So… do you want Jesus?”

Over and over the Scriptures point to this: The Lord is my portion. He is my inheritance.

So, what are you here for?