MONEY CANNOT BUY THE GIFTS OF GOD

Proclamation:

“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 to 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!’”  Acts 8:18-20 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by Luke, the physician, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Luke records that on the day that Stephen was stoned to death, a great persecution of believers began in Jerusalem.  Saul began to destroy the church putting believers in prison. (Acts 8:1-3)  The disciples, except for the twelve apostles, scattered throughout Judea and Samaria but they preached the gospel wherever they went. (Acts 8:4-7)  In Samaria a man named Simon, who practiced sorcery, heard the gospel, believed, was baptized, and began to follow Philip wherever he went. (Acts 8:9-13)  When Simon saw that the apostles could lay their hands on people and give them The Holy Spirit, he offered them money to give him that ability.  Peter told him that he had no part in their ministry because his heart was not right. (Acts 8:18-23)

Application:

Simon did not want the ability to heal others, he wanted the power to give others the ability to heal.  This causes his motives to be questioned.  The gifts of God cannot be bought nor earned.  The Lord God gives them to us, or to whomever He chooses, based upon our ability to handle them. (Matthew 25:15)  Unfortunately there are people in the church today who are like Simon, they claim to believe and have been baptized but their heart is not right.  Some people think that they can get whatever they want with money.  These kind of people hurt the church from the inside.  The love of money can control and ruin a person. (1 Timothy 6:10)  Remember, Judas was an insider when he betrayed Jesus, The Christ, for money. (Matthew 27:3)  We need to make sure that our service for The Lord God is not for personal or financial gain, but is for the love of God and for His glory.