Acts 8:9-25

Introduction

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Any form of public influence, control, or fame can be a powerful thing. It can make us do crazy, wild, and just down right stupid things. A few years ago, one of my family members started a Tik Tok account that shared marriage, parenting, and biblical advice while that person was going through a divorce.

It is a good thing to want people to have good marriages, be good parents, and have biblical wisdom. However, these good things can often replace the main things and become prisons in themselves.

Need

Saints, we must not think that we are incapable of becoming prisoners to the need for praise, fame, glory. Instead, of needing our glory, we need to glory in the gospel.

We need to say with the Psalmist, “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory” Psalm 115

Referent

We are going to see how dangerous it is to seek out our own fame and glory in our text this morning. In Acts 8:9-25

Organization

Amazing Power (vs. 9-13)

Apostolic Proclamation (vs. 14-25)

Sermon in a sentence:

The gospel has amazing power.

Read Acts 8:9-25 (all of it) then come back.

This passage has been used to teach 2 key doctrines. 1.) Salvation 2.) Baptism with laying on hands.

1. Luke is not trying to address the veracity of Simon’s faith and the subsequent theology of “once saved, always saved” or the ability to lose one’s salvation. It’s funny how confident some commentators will say that Simon truly believed (Schnabel) and others will say it is clear that he didn’t have real faith (Stott, Witherington, Vickers).

The Message of Acts b. Simon Magus Professes Faith (8:9–13)

New Testament language does not always distinguish between believing and professing to believe.14

2. This is not a consistent pattern that Luke is seemingly drawing attention to it because it is not normal for the Spirit to be separated from faith.

The Acts of the Apostles: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary A. Surprise in Samaria (8:4–25)

Whatever conclusions one draws on the above matter, it must be recognized that here water baptism is administered prior to the Spirit “falling” on the Samaritans, whereas in

Amazing Powers (vs. 9-13)

Simon’s identity was wrapped in what he could do.

He practiced magic. This is becoming a growing practice in Christianity.

Deuteronomy 18:9–10 “9 “When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer”

He may have taken a divine title for himself. (v. 10 - “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God” NIV)

Simon was amazed by the great “powers” the apostles preformed. (vs. 13)

Simon was still focusing on the power/miracles of the gospel, but not the gospel itself.

Far too often, people follow the thing that “works” for them or what they know.

Holly and I went on a mission trip to Lesotho Africa years ago. This is a tiny landlocked country inside of South Africa. This country has a high percentage of lightning strikes per capita. This country, like many other African countries, is full of Sangoma (witchdoctors). They can bless you or put a cures on you. They sell talismans and trinkets to people for good luck and protection. One of the things these witchdoctors sell to protect the people from lightning strikes is a necklace with a brass key.

These witchdoctors make the entire village live in fear. I do not doubt that people can legitimately access things that humans are not supposed to access. We see that the magicians in Egypt don’t just appear to do miracles, the text describes them as real. The witch at Endor really spoke to Samuel after his death. But, these things only bring more pain and fear.

Apostolic Proclamation (vs. 14-25)

Notice that the apostolic proclamation does not focus on miracles.

These were used as confirmation of the gospel.

They were not central.

God used the apostles, the apostles did not use God. (John 3:8 “8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.””)

Peter and John are sent to confirm the ministry of Philip.

Even if the apostles are actively trying to minister to the Gentiles, God is using them to do so. Acts 1:8 “8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.””

John was willing to call down fire on Samaritan's during Jesus’ ministry. (Luke 9:51-56)

We don’t see Peter the Pope. At the same time, we don’t see totally isolated individuals ministering the gospel with no oversight at all.

Ultimately, the heart of the apostolic message was the “preaching of the gospel” that included “repent” (vs. 25 and 22)

Conclusion

“At the Movies”

We can do a lot of “amazing” “great” “powerful” things in ministry to attract crowds and get people’s attention. However, this isn’t the model given to us in Scripture. We are not called to amaze people or capture them with large spectacles. Instead, we need to focus on the amazing power of the gospel to change lives.

Application

Repent and Believe in Jesus Christ.

Reorient our focus on amazing power of the gospel.

Personally, in our evangelism and counseling.

Corporately, we need to be committed to the power of the gospel and not other things.