Acts 08_09-25 Heart Trouble

Read Acts 8:9-25 – Simon was the Houdini of his time. He “practiced magic” (μαγεία) with strong religious overtones. Some may have been real miracles – Satanically inspired. II Thess 2:9 describes the end-time rule: “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders.” Satan can do miracles, and Simon was either a shyster or Satan’s pawn. It appears that both he and the people thought he was from God. Since the Samaritans had a theology of a Messianic forerunner, he may have even thought he was the guy. The signs are that he was genuine in his false belief.

That’s the point of this passage. Later in the chapter we’ll see the genuine faith of a new convert – the Ethiopian eunuch. Here, by contrast, is a man of false faith – fooling even himself. Peter clearly sees him as unbeliever: v. 20: “May your silver perish with you.” Believers don’t perish, Beloved. Jn 3:16: “whoever believes in him shall not perish.” Simon exemplifies those who truly believe they are saved, but are not. He was a professor, but not a possessor.

Simon is thus a warning. Paul advises in II Cor 13:5: “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.” The point is not to raise doubts in the minds of those who are truly in Christ. In fact, any such false doubt would be dispelled by the HS. Rom 8:16: “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.” But it is always healthy to ask, “Am I sure? Do I have the witness of the Spirit within? Or is it possible that I have a false faith – that I’m not a true believer at all?” That’s our question as we look at the elements of Simon’s self-deception.

I. The Profession

False faith looks real. 13) “Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip.” He believed, was baptized, interested and involved. Checked all the boxes. He came, walked the aisle, signed the card, and joined the church. We’d have said, “Wow, we’re lucky to have him. A famous magician – a man of great influence with the whole community.” Simon’s profession looked as real as a profession can look. And I don’t think he was putting anyone on. He fooled even himself.

This warns us, you can go through all the motions, pass all the rituals, check off all the boxes, and still be lost. You can say the right words, pray the right prayer, join the right church and still be lost. This is the fear of every genuine pastor – that someone hears the message week after week, looking for all the world like the genuine article and yet outside of Christ. Lloyd Ogilvie, former chaplain to the Senate says, “People have a capacity to let down the moat bridge of their carefully castled minds and hearts to take Christ into their lives as one more trophy, but not as the Lord of the castle.”

Paul wrote for letters from prison in Rome. In 2 of them, Col and Philemon he sends greetings from his fellow-workers, including Demas. He’s right up there with Luke. But 2 years on, Paul writes: II Tim 4:9-10: “Do your best to come to me soon. 10) For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica.” He looked good so long – was right in the thick of it, but now -- gone. False faith makes a profession, but the life tells the tale.

There was a brilliant young man in my seminary class -- zipped thru a 3-year course in 2-1/2 and went on to work on a doctorate. He told me once he had read everything ever written on demonology – in German as well as English. Brilliant. But a few years later I went to visit my mentor, Dr. Saucy, and I asked about this young man. Sadly Dr. Saucy told me he had renounced the faith. His public confession and brilliant work covered a faith that was never real. John knew some such. He writes in I Jn 2:19: “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.” They were in for a time – even fooled themselves – but in the end their faith was false, their confession negated, their profession meaningless.

II. The Problem

Simon made a convincing profession and thought he meant it. So, what was the problem? Well, Simon had a heart problem. 21) “You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.” Simon’s mind was engaged, but his heart was not in it. He wanted Jesus for what he could get from him, but He didn’t love Jesus. Like the rich, young ruler who wanted Jesus with one hand and his money with the other; Simon wanted Jesus with one hand and magic powers with the other. To him, Jesus was only the means to an end, not the end itself. And Jesus will never be that. He won’t be used to further our agenda. He must be loved for Himself, not for His blessings.

Simon had a heart problem. You say, “But wait. He’s confused, but surely he was saved. After all, he believed, was baptized and kept close to Philip. He was all in, wasn’t he?” Yes – he was all in – for himself, but not for Christ.

His life shows it’s possible to believe and not be saved? Did you know that? It’s true – even tho it may go against all you’ve been taught all your life.

The word “believe” is πιστευω, and it can mean mere intellectual assent. Do you believe Dr. Kennedy can pull your tooth? Yes, I do. Great. Intellectual assent. But there is no commitment til you let him do it. Mere assent doesn’t change my life; it just is. The demons believe in that sense! Jas 2:19) “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe (πιστευω) —and shudder!” They believe that fact, but it doesn’t change their existence; their direction; their evil agenda. It just intellectual assent. That’s all Simon had, nothing more. Jesus was a curiosity to him, but not Lord and Savior.

Thousands have believed in Jesus this way starting in His own time. John 2:23: “Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed (πιστευω) in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24) But Jesus on his part did not entrust (πιστευω) himself to them, because he knew all people.” They believed in Him, but He didn’t believe in them because He saw thru them. They wanted miracles, not Him – just like Simon. So is your faith genuine? Do you want Jesus, or just what you think He can give you?

The flaw in Simon’s heart is in vv. 18-19: “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.’” This bares his heart. He didn’t care about knowing Jesus; he cared about getting the divine powers Philip had. He didn’t want a new Simon; he just wanted a more powerful old Simon. He wanted more Simon, not more Jesus. He thought he could buy God. This is the first instance of a practice called “simony” – the buying of ecclesiastical favor. But while Simon was the first to try this, believe me, he is not the last.

As the church grew in numbers and unwarranted organizational structure, it became common practice in the Middle Ages to buy a bishop’s office, an archbishop’s title or even a cardinal’s hat. You could buy indulgences – special merits of grace to get loved ones out of purgatory. That money was used to build St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome. One monk thought that was way over the top. Martin Luther protested and the rest is history.

We can easily have the same heart problem Simon did – a heart that is all for me and not for God. One pastor, house-hunting, found one he liked and made an offer. The sellers said, “We’d like to give you the house.” Since the buyers were in ministry, the sellers thought they could ensure a place in heaven by giving them the property. The pastor and his wife explained it doesn’t work that way, led them to faith in Christ, and they gave them the house anyway.

That’s an extreme example, but we must how is our hear? Have you come to Christ because you want Him, or because of what you can get from Him? Is it a negotiation for you? I go to church, get baptized, give to the building fund, and now God has to let me in. Is that you? Then, Beloved, you have a heart problem just like Simon. Faith that only seeks God’s gifts is powerless to save. Coming to Christ is entering a relationship, not passing through a checklist. Relationship, not ritual. That’s the real thing.

III. The Peril

So, Simon believed, was baptized and went to church. Surely he was saved! But, of course, he wasn’t. His heart never engaged. He was a professor; but he was never a possessor. He didn’t say, “Give me Jesus.” He said, “Give me this power.” That’s what he wanted. Philip’s power was greater than his. He wanted some of that, not some of Christ. It was a false faith; a self-serving faith; a self-deceiving faith. He’d have become a member in good standing in the church at Samaria – except that Peter, by the Spirit’s power, saw right thru him. And he pulled no punches in telling Simon of the peril of his false faith.

He says, “Simon, ‘you have neither part nor lot in this matter.’” You have no stake in Christ or His great work. You’re on the outside looking in. Why? “For your heart is not right before God” (21b). Trying to buy God is “wickedness” (22). Peter’s borrowing from the language of Psa 36:1) “Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes.” Simon wanted God’s blessing without having God’s person. And he was therefore in great peril. 20) “Peter said to him, ‘May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!’”

“To perish” is to experience eternal ruin after death. Jesus warned, Mt 7:13: “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way easy that leads to destruction.” J. B. Phillip’s translates “To hell with you and your money.” R. C. Sproul – “You and your money go to hell.” Fake faith is no small thing. It’s not getting in by the skin of your teeth. The peril of false faith is that it leads to eternal destruction. This is why it is so important that we examine our hearts and lives once in awhile. Is our faith real, or have we made a profession merely to get a ticket to heaven? Is salvation merely an escape clause for us? Or do we really know and treasure the Christ who made it all possible?

Peter goes on 23) “For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” “Gall” is the bile secreted by the liver. Gall of bitterness depicts the result of being captive to selfish interest as was Simon. Prov 5:22) warns, “The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin.” This is never more true than of those who profess faith, but whose heart is set on personal interests. Jesus described the bitter end of false faith in Mt 7:22) On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23) And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” Imagine the bitterness when those who have made a false profession are exposed for the frauds they were – professing Xns whose heart was never right before God. The peril is great,.

IV. The Possibility

But thank God there is an answer. 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.” Repent – acknowledge your heart problem. It is in wicked rebellion against God because you value God’s gifts above God Himself. The intent of Simon’s heart was to get God’s gifts by personal merit (money), and for personal advancement. That imperiled his soul if he would not repent. to

Jim Carrey did a movie, The Truman Show, where he was unwittingly the star of a reality show. Everything in Truman’s world revolved around Truman. The film led to docs labeling a psychosis “The Truman Show Delusion” in which patients believe they are actors in a 24/7 reality show. One said, “I realized I am the focus of attention for millions of people. [I’m an actor] in a script whose entire purpose is to make me the focus of the world’s attention.” Simon would never have said it that way – nor would we. But the essence of sin is the desire to star in our own production – where we write the script, direct the action and determine the outcome. That’s all Simon wanted.

But Peter says that selfish intent of the heart is great wickedness. Why? Because it puts me in God’s place. It makes me the focus, not Him. To repent is to confess our pride, get off the throne, and give it to its rightful owner – the LJ. It is to come to the cross, to see the only one who had the right to insist on His own way, dying instead for my sin. That was Simon’s possibility.

Simon never took it. Rather than repent himself as Peter advised, he asked Peter to pray that he might escape the consequences of his actions. But there was no change of heart. No repentance. No focus on God – only sinking deeper into the self-centeredness that characterized his whole existence.

Conc – Remember the rich young ruler who came to Jesus claiming he’d kept all the commandments and wondering what else he needed to inherit eternal life. Jesus told him in essence, “So you’ve kept them all, including he first, ‘You shall have no other gods before me.’ So it will be no problem for you to sell all you have and give to the poor, showing you have no other gods.” But, of course, he couldn’t do that. Lu 18:23: “But when he heard these things he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.” He wanted what he had more than he wanted Jesus. Just like Simon wanted to keep on being the biggest man in town – loving self more than Jesus. Heart trouble. A fatal condition.

So, even if you’ve been in church all your life, like that rich young man, now’s the time to do this. II Cor 13:5: “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.” How’s your heart this morning? Does it belong to Jesus? If not, wouldn’t you like it to? Then right where you sit, you can do what Peter says: “Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.” Jesus died to give you a new heart. No time like now to ask for mercy. Let’s pray.

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