Acts 8:5-25 Simon the Sorcerer

 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there.  When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said.  For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.  So there was great joy in that city.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. 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.

One of the big challenges about being a Christian is to fully realize that life is not about us, it is about God.  Who were the Jews to think that they were dearer to the heart of Christ than the Samaritans.  God showed his love for them with the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit on the Samaritans and the Jews alike.  Although the deacons were not apostles, the Holy Spirit bestowed spiritual gifts on them as they were followers of Jesus and introducing the Kingdom of Heaven and the New Covenant.  But Simon, a sorcerer,  coveted these gifts and asked not that they be given to him, a follower of Jesus Christ, but instead offered to pay for them.  Peter rebuked him because he did not understand the simple truth that gifts of the Spirit are indeed gifts and are not for sale.  Peter diagnosed the fowl in his heart and spoke to him about repentance. 

Daily Prayer:  Lord God, the truth of the matter is this, "Hallowed by Your name.  Thy kingdom come and thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  May the glory be to Your holy name Amen.