Dangers Within

Introduction

The Church, whether local or universal, is always in danger. We often forget that we are on the frontlines of a war between God and Satan. While there is always spiritual dimension to the war and, therefore, invisible to us, it is also, much of the time, visible if we have eyes to see it. Maybe you’ve been keeping track, but maybe not; so far, in the seven chapters of Acts that we’ve finished, there have been six issues that could have sabotaged the church.

In chapter one, we see that Judas needed replacing. His apostasy has left a hole in the apostolic leadership. a problem inside the church. In chapter two Peter and John were arrested and threatened; a danger from outside the church. In chapter four, they were arrested again and beaten, again an issue outside the church. In chapter five there was greed and dishonesty on the part of Ananias and Sapphira; an internal problem. Chapter six demonstrates how prejudicial Christians can be; neglecting the most vulnerable brings about disunity, a problem from the inside. By chapter seven, full-blown persecution has erupted. Stephen becomes the first martyr; people outside the church are trying to stop the gospel. Finally, in chapter eight, Saul was going on a rampage, hoping to destroy the church completely, an outside issue.

As we saw last week, Tertullian rightly stated that “the blood of martyrs is the seed of the church.” Jesus himself said that the gates of hades will not prevail against us, and so we see that the church, when threatened and persecuted stormed the gates and freed the captive souls.

So if we stop and think about it, this truth ought to lead us to the conclusion that while there are certainly dangers outside the church, there are much more subtle dangers inside it, and it’s to our detriment if we pretend otherwise. These inner problems are much more dangerous to the health of churches and the growth of the kingdom.

Prejudice, neglect, deception, greed, and a lack of leadership can slowly poison the body of Christ. As can pride and jealousy, as we will see this morning.

In this next portion of Acts 8, I want to make three observations that should elicit some caution in the church. The first observation is the New Delight in the Signs. The second is the Old Delight in Sorcery. The last observation is the Constant Delight in Simon.

The New Delight in Signs

The Old Delight in Sorcery

The Constant Delight in Simon

The New Delight in Signs

The first observation that I want us to make is how the Samaritans had developed a new delight in the signs that Philip was performing.

Acts 8:5–8 ESV

Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 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. 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. So there was much joy in that city.

Now in and of themselves, there is nothing wrong with signs. Jesus performed signs, the apostles performed signs, and now we see that even two of the deacons have performed signs. Signs had a specific job; they were to attract the people’s attention to the message that was proclaimed.

That’s exactly what was happening with Philip and the Samaritans. It’s right there in verse six.

Acts 8:6 ESV

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.

Initially, everything seems to be going according to plan. Yet that last verse that we read in which there was much joy in that city gives me pause. Was the joy in the message or the miracles?

If you’ve ever been the recipient of one of God’s gracious blessings (and all believers have been), then you probably know the old adage that we must not love the gift more than the giver. There is a caution there. We are always susceptible to forgetting the gracious Giver in lieu of the gracious gift.

But I don’t think this is the case of the Samaritans. I think they were simply enamored by the signs that they saw. It caused them great delight—joy, Luke tells us. Who wouldn’t be joyous to see loved ones healed from paralysis or demons?

But is it joy in what God can do, or is it joy in what Philip can do? Or even more bluntly, is it joy in what the church can do?

Many people walk into a church looking for what the church can offer them in way of children, music, youth, and other ministries. What causes them to fall in love with the church is not the people or the message, or even Jesus; it’s the ministries offered.

Still others are looking for doctrine they can agree with, preaching that is moving, or application that works in the real world.

And I’m not saying there is anything wrong with these ministries or messages.

Like signs, our ministries, fellowships, and teaching are not ends in themselves; they are meant to point to someone much greater. They are meant to point to Jesus.

And pastors and leaders are just as susceptible to the siren call of ministries and perfect sermons. We can just as easily lose sight of Christ even while preaching and teaching about Christ!

So if there is more joy in the ministry and message, more joy in the expression of Jesus’s love than of Jesus himself, there is a problem within the church.

Brothers and sisters, we need to search our hearts and ask, if the church ceased to do my favorite ministry, would I still be as excited to go because Jesus is there? If I love my church because of something it does rather than Christ, I need to do a spiritual-wellness check on my heart.

The Old Delight in Sorcery

You may be wondering why I’m making a big deal out of the Samaritans being so joyous, and it’s because Luke ties their new delight in signs with their old delight in sorcery. So, this takes us to the second observation that ought to give us a sense of caution.

Acts 8:9–11 ESV

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. They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic.

Notice that the same language that Luke used with Simon the sorcerer was used for Philip. In both instances they “paid attention” because of either the signs or the sorcery. In fact, Luke points it out twice when it came to Simon, both in verse 10 and 11. And noticed that they were amazed; again, he says it twice and shows it through their words as well. Which tells us that we need to be careful about holding too tightly to a person’s initial response our evangelism efforts.

You see their focus had changed from Simon to Philip, but had it been set on Christ? Their amazement changed to joy, but what was the foundation of that joy? The miracles or the Master?

We used to see this during those old-time revivals, but we see it even more during youth and children’s camps, during Vacation Bible School, or during mission trips. It’s not that these events are wrong; we just need to be cautious as to whether the affections for Jesus are deeper than their affections for the attraction, whatever that may be.

Attraction doesn’t equal conversion. While the church must have favor with all the people as Luke points out in Acts 2, that doesn’t mean that the church ought to attract the world by christianizing their pagan practices. Initially, the people thought they just had a newer and better Simon on their hands, but it didn’t take away the marvel for Simon or his ways. And if Philip only offered them a Christian magic in place of secular magic, then it would not be long before the joy of the people would wilt.

Remember that Jesus told the parable of the four soils, and remember that the rocky soil is said to have received the word immediately with joy, but when persecution came, they fall away. Indicating that people can receive the gospel with joy, but not actually believe it whole-heartedly. We certainly want people to receive the gospel with joy; we just can’t put all our trust in their feelings at that moment.

Now, you’ll notice that the people did eventually believe because Philip wasn’t pointing to the attraction of miracles. He wasn’t allowing the signs to be his destination. Both Philip and the signs were pointing to Christ and redemption. And when the Samaritans finally did believe, they were baptized, but you’ll also notice that the Holy Spirit had not come upon them as is the normal pattern. Certainly,

John 3:8 ESV

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.”

The Holy Spirit can act any way he wishes, but it should cause us to stop and wonder why he didn’t baptize the Samaritans. And I think the answer is unity. The Spirit had fallen upon the church at Pentecost when the Jews had gathered together for the festival. Now that same Holy Spirit had not yet fallen on the Samaritans until Peter and John, a delegation from the apostles, show up, pray, and lay hands upon them. When the Spirit does baptize these new believers, the apostles were able to bear witness of a united church empowered by the Holy Spirit. We see something similar, though not exactly the same, when Cornelius is converted from the Gentiles.

Ephesians 4:4–6 ESV

There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

The Constant Delight in Simon

Yet even with the apostles’ bearing witness to the Church’s unity, there was a danger of disunity still in their midst because there was this Constant Delight in Simon, but it was not from the people. It was from Simon. Simon delighted in Simon. Another way to put it was that he was full of himself, prideful and envious.

Acts 8:13 ESV

Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.

He followed him like a little puppy, not because he wanted to know Master more, but because he was amazed by the miracles. It’s almost as if he wanted to figure out the trick so he could do it himself. What we call magic is often just slight of hand.

If you’ve ever seen Penn and Teller’s Fool Us, you know that illusionists are not looking to simply enjoy the show, though they do. They’re looking closely to figure out how the “magic” is done. Sometimes they get it; sometimes they don’t.

And we see that this may be what Simon is doing here. He’s wanting to hone in on all the amazing feats. The people used to be amazed by him. Now they are amazed by Philip and have received his message and have been baptized. Simon follows suit, but only because he thinks it’ll be good for his name. His spotlight has been stolen, and he wants it back. So if he can steal the slight of hand or some magical incantation, he will.

Yet when he can’t figure out how Philip is doing what he’s doing, and Peter comes down and lays hands on the people so they receive the Holy Spirit, he takes it to the next level.

Acts 8:18–19 ESV

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.”

You may have heard of simony, the buying and/or selling of sacred things. That word comes from this episode in Acts; it’s name comes from Simon. Notice how Simon phrased his request. “Give me this power also.” Here was the man that everyone said was the Great Power of God, and yet he had no ability to lay hands on people in order to give out the Spirit of God. So, he was asking for, not only the power to perform miracles like Philip, but also the power to give the Holy Spirit like Peter. This wasn’t over-exuberance on Simon’s part; it was greed.

Simon was more interested in building up himself. He wanted the power. He coveted what Peter and Philip had. And Paul tells us covetousness is idolatry. Discontentment with what God has given to me and a desire to have what he has given to others is an indictment against God, and makes a god out of the gift itself.

And here’s the problem: we may not want to buy the Holy Spirit off of an apostle, and we may not want to perform miracles like Philip, but we can relate to the idea of wishing we had greater prominence within the church, a spiritual gift that we were not given, the ability to teach like that person teaches, preach like that man over there, or minister like this wonderful sister in Christ here.

Beloved, when we, in the church, envy another’s position, gifts, finances, or anything else, the church is facing a danger greater than we may realize. A spirit of discontentment, pride, jealousy, competition, can quickly spread among the people. Rather than unity, it tears the church apart. Rather than loving one another, we make war with one another.

John warned Gaius about this in his third letter.

3 John 9–10 ESV

I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.

When a spirit of envy or pride enters the church and is not put to death, the church will soon find it refuses to receive the Word of God or his witnesses.

Neither John nor Peter had a problem calling out this sin when they saw it.

Acts 8:20–23 ESV

But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.”

Peter not only called Simon out for his greed and pride, he did so with clarity. There is no doubt where Peter stood on the issue. He was not wishy-washy. He wasn’t conflicted about whether or not to say anything because Simon had a lot of clout with the new believers. He didn’t mince words or beat around the bush. He called out the sin, but he also called on Simon to repent.

Simon Peter gave a great gift of love to Simon the Sorcerer. We live in time where love means acceptance and confrontation means hate; that’s backwards from what Jesus taught. As Brian Croft wrote, “Allowing a person to live in open rebellion against God without warning them is not loving. So Jesus calls us to confront them in love to win them back.”

Sadly, Simon, full of himself, never repented. Instead, he asked Peter to intercede for him.

Acts 8:24 ESV

And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”

The way to be sure the curse that Peter invoked wouldn’t happen would have been for Simon to turn away from himself, away from covetousness and greed, and turn to Jesus. But he never does.

Though Luke never mentions Simon again, tradition tells us that Simon continued on in his sorcery.

For Luke, Simon was no longer in the picture. But the faithfulness of the Spirit-empowered witness was.

Acts 8:25 ESV

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.

Conclusion

As we close this portion of Acts 8, we’ve seen many dangers that faced the church. There was the new delight in signs, a temptation to consumerism—to love seek the church’s ministries and messages, rather than the church’s Master. The second was the old delight in sorcery, a temptation to syncretism, conflating secular arts with Christian acts. Finally, we saw the constant delight in Simon, a temptation to selfism, putting our our wants and desires, our pride and egos, first. All of these are dangers we face every single day.

Brothers and sisters, outside threats usually pose themselves in obvious ways. They are easily seen many times. The threats within are much more subtle. They disguise themselves with the appearances of joy, amazement, and even exuberance. We want people to have the joy of the Lord. We want them to stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene. We want them to be exuberant for the Spirit. But that doesn’t mean that we turn a blind eye to what lies beneath the emotions.

Jesus died and rose again to redeem us—all of us—including our minds, bodies, wills, and emotions. We were at one time totally depraved, meaning every part of us was is affected by the fall. But if we are in Christ every part of us is being totally restored through his redemption—not that we are perfect, but that Christ’s redemption affects every part of us—to the glory of God.

And the depraved part and the redeemed part are at odds, and so we must always be vigilant and always at war whenever that depravity rears its head. It’s not just for our personal holiness, but the church’s holiness is at stake as well. It’s not just about you…or me. It’s about you and me. It’s about us, the body of Christ.