I. The Gospel 8:5-8
A. For All People 8:5
1. Jesus had visited Samaria in John 4. A woman there had received Jesus as her savior, and many people heard about Jesus in Samaria.
2. Philip’s travel to Samaria was uncharacteristic for a Jew, for Jews normally had nothing to do with Samaritans. God led Philip to go to “undesirable” people.
3. Fulfillment of Jesus’ words in Acts 1:8
4. John 3:14,15 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
5. 1 Corinthians 1:26-31. Offer of salvation through faith in Jesus is for all people.
B. The Power Of The Gospel
1. Hearing The Truth
a. Philip preached Christ to them. The Gospel is about Jesus.
b. The gospel message is about man’s need for Jesus Christ.
c. Gospel not about self improvement, obeying rules, or trying harder.
d. Gospel- man has sinned and is guilty before God.
Jesus paid for man’s sin on the cross, so that man can be forgiven.
e. Man’s needed response– Acknowledge sin before God, be willing to repent, ask forgiveness, receive Christ by faith, follow Christ.
f. Power of gospel heard manifested through preaching. See- 1 Cor. 2:4,5
2. Seeing The Truth
a. 1 John 3:8b For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
b. Power of Gospel manifested through the miraculous.
c. Miracles- no guarantee that people will be saved. John 2:23-25; 12:37
C. Receiving Christ
1. They heeded what Philip said
2. They followed Philip’s exhortation and invitation to accept Christ
D. Result Of Receiving Christ-Joy
1. Joy for the immediate relief Jesus brings.
2. Joy regarding eternal life.
3. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is…not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
4. God’s desire for Napa- repentance, salvation, joy.
5. World pursues joy via acquisition, self-promotion, self-healing; not repentance.
II. False Religion 8:9-25
A. Simon The Sorcerer
1. Sorcery- mageuo {mag-yoo’-o}- magical arts.
2. Astonished; bewitched (KJV)- to throw out of position, to throw into wonderment.
3. Magical arts and sorcery are real. See- Exodus 7:10-13
4. Satan is a counterfeiter- Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
5. False gospel- Galatians 1:6-10; 3:14
6. Galatians 5:20- sorcery forbidden by God
B. Characteristics Of False Religion
1. False religion and false gospels appeal to the carnal nature of man.
2. An unhealthy curiosity with supernatural and unexplainable phenomena.
3. That which leads man to think he can rule himself, others, nature.
4. Leads man to think that he can save himself-legalism, self-help, etc.
5. Worships the creation instead of the Creator.
6. Leads man to think he is God or can be God.
7. Philip preached Christ, Simon preached himself. Acts 8:9, 10
False religion exalts people, nature, organizations, or demonic powers; not God.
8. Can produce supernatural phenomena to deceive people.
9. Often is highly interpretive and personal, and lacks any absolute truth.
10. It deceives people into believing lies about God instead of the truth.
11. False miracles and lying signs and wonders are energized by Satan. 2 Thess. 2
III. False Faith-Simon
A. External Show Of Faith
1. Believed- some kind of verbal confession and agreement
2. Baptized- willing to make some outward display of allegiance to Christ
3. Continued with them- willing to be seen with Philip
4. Recognized and amazed at God’s work- but it was a carnal fascination.
B. Internally Unchanged
1. Desired “spirituality” for personal gain and recognition. Verses 18, 19
2. No changed life. Salvation is a matter of the heart, not only the head. Vs. 21, 22
3. Poisoned by bitterness, bound by iniquity. No evidence of hunger for holiness.
4. His faith was based on seeing miracles, not on repentance & sorrow over sin.
5. Head knowledge, but no heart knowledge.
6. Perish- utter destruction. Phillips- “To hell with you and your money.”
7. Simon asked Peter to pray for him to escape judgment.
8. Still focused on man instead of upon Christ.