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. People like that 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. Our service should
be done because we love of God and want to glorify Him.
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