Last week, we: were introduced to Philip and learned of his ministry to the people of Samaria. understood that, through persecution, the church was now expanding beyond both regional and ethnic boundaries and was being shaped by these realities. learned that the arrival of the gospel in Samaria was accompanied by great joy and we were led to question whether we experience this same joy individually and corporately.

“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, and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.” They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. 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.”

“Simon himself believed and was baptized “Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw. When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria.” When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

“Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God.”

“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. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.” Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”  After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.”

A Principle: the good news of Jesus Christ, when proclaimed in an area where previously un- or under-known, always provides a direct challenge to the power of someone or something else. The Samaritans, who were loosely connected with the worship of the God of Israel, saw Simon as manifesting or embodying God’s power and Simon allowed them to believe that he possessed the power of God. Philip’s message will immediately cause the Samaritans to evaluate who is it that is truly “the Great Power of God”.

Christian history records his name as Simon the Magician, Simon the Sorcerer or Simon Magus. When Philip enters Samaria, the wonders and signs he is performing catch the attention of Simon, a man whose use of occultic arts was heavily steeped in religious garb. As men and women come to faith in Jesus through the teaching and witness of Philip and they are baptized in the name of Jesus, so too does Simon believe and was baptized.

This is the first acknowledgement of an assembly of Christian believers outside of Jerusalem in Scripture. This is the first “church” outside of the initial gathering of believers in Jerusalem … and it’s made up of Samaritans! For centuries, the Samaritan people had been kept at arms-length from inclusion in God’s people because of their rebellion against Israel and the incorporation of pagan practices in their worship of God.

Philip’s baptism of Samaritan believers says that Samaritans, through faith in Jesus, can be on equal footing with Jews in this newly developing thing called the church. Suddenly, those once excluded from God’s people can now be included through faith in Jesus. Ethnicity and birthright are unimportant within the church. The effectiveness of Philip’s preaching and teaching and the news of Samaritans being baptized in Christ’s name reaches the ears of the church leaders in Jerusalem, so they dispatch Peter and John to go check things out.

Though they have accepted the gospel and have been baptized in Jesus’ name, the Samaritan believers have yet to have received the Holy Spirit. Receiving the Holy Spirit would: firmly assure the Samaritans of their salvation and place in this newly forming thing called the church. serve to convince the Jewish Christian community of the plausibility of the Samaritan mission. An incredible reality – Israel, which had been divided since the time of Solomon was now being reunified under Jesus. Peter and John lay hands on the Samaritan believers, pray that they receive the Holy Spirt and the Samaritan believers receive the Holy Spirit.

Simon “offered them money and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:19). Attempting to acquire religious power or position through financial means is called simony. Peter points to three realities in Simon’s life: Simon’s heart is not right before God. Simon is “full of bitterness”; his request is rooted in bitter jealousy or envy. Simon is “captive to sin”; he shows a sinful pattern of thought.

Simon “believes”, but his belief is clearly superficial and inadequate. Faith or belief as a result of signs alone is often an incomplete faith, resulting in believing in the signs rather than in the one to whom the signs point. The miraculous points to the God behind the miracle. Unfortunately, there are some who cannot see beyond the miracle, which produces inadequate and superficial faith. Could Simon’s faith progress to a deeper, fuller expression of faith? Certainly, but Simon would have to repent and draw closer to God.

Some Questions How is your heart “set” this morning? It is “well-placed” before God? Simon’s example ought to show us that one can claim faith in Christ without truly believing in Him; we can follow Christ, but for all of the wrong intentions. It is only by immersing oneself fully in Jesus, by fully submitting to Him, by experiencing Him as the source of life that one’s faith is made complete and authentic.

Has your faith moved past the superficial and inadequate Has your faith moved past the superficial and inadequate? Is there a depth to your faith in Jesus? Do you follow because Jesus is the source and goal of your life, or do you follow because of a belief that Christ can perform some miraculous parlour tricks that are of benefit to you?