Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction
Jesus, within His Sermon on the Mount, preaches some hardest words for me to read.
He states:
He calls his disciple and the crowds to know that works will not save.
That one can make a profession without making a confession.
They can cry physically but not be broken spiritually.
He lets them know that there is only way to heaven and that is through the will of the Father.
He would later state what that will is:
How many of us are believing a lie?
How many of believe we are saved through our actions?
How many of us believe that we are saved because we made a profession, have been water baptized, and our name is on a church roster.
I would submit to you that just because your name is on a church membership roster, it does not mean that it is written down in the Lambs Book of Life.
Focus Passage: Ac 8:9-25
Opening Passage: Ac 8:9-13
Outline
The Truth Meets Deception (vv.9-12)
The counterfeit messenger v. the true messenger
Satan will always have counterfeits resisting and fighting the truth.
More times than not, the counterfeits have been in place long before the true messengers get there.
This was the case when Philip arrived in Samaria.
Simon was there before he got there
Simon was a clever deceiver and had caused the people of Samaria to believe a lie
Simon had treat influence over the people
However, God’s sends his messengers at the right time to the right people to bring them the right message
When Philip went to Samaria we find that the mission of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was being accomplished.
As Jesus testified of Himself:
Satan comes to still, kill, and destroy, but God comes to give life and life more abundant.
Satan has been a deceiver from the beginning
Satan walks around a like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour
He does this through lies and deception.
The freedom of truth v. the bondage of deception
Simon had brought them into his bonds, his lies.
He tricked them, deceived them, and caused them to be a part of his cult.
He promised freedom but could not deliver.
Philip promised freedom through the Lord and the Holy Spirit delivered
A decision was required then and today
When the people gave heed to Simon, they found deception (vv.10-11)
When the people gave heed to Philip, they found truth (v.12)
May we understand, that when one hears the good news of Jesus Christ, they brought to a crisis of decision.
One will not leave an invitation of the gospel and not make a decision.
You will either make a positive decision (accept Christ) or make a negative decision (reject Christ)
As stated, any time the gospel is presented a decision is to be made.
That decision will follow one of five responses found within the Scripture and drawn out through Jesus’ parable of the sower.
One will flat reject the gospel (Seed that fell on the road)
One will hear the gospel but not commit to the gospel (Seed that fell on the road)
One will hear the gospel and make an apparent acceptance of Christ but no true conversion will be had (Seed that falls in the shallow soil, i.e. no root)
One will will hear the gospel and make an apparent acceptance of the gospel, but they will have a fruitless ministry (Seed that falls in the thorny ground)
One will hear the gospel and make a genuine confession through repentance and faith in Christ (Seed that falls on the fertile ground)
Which describes your condition today?
Have you flat rejected the gospel?
Have you entertained the idea of placing your faith in Christ, but made no commitment?
Have you made a decision for Christ but there’s been difference in you than was before your decision to accept Christ?
Have you made a decision for Christ but have no fruit that shows growth and salvation?
Have you made a decision for Christ that is genuine and the fruit of your life bears evidence?
As Jesus told His disciples:
Let us be a fruit inspector of our own relationship with the Lord and make sure our salvation.
As Peter writes:
As we look toward this apparent confession of Simon, we find quickly what he is...
The clever deceiver deceived himself (v.13)
Simon believed but was not saved - ‘...Then Simon himself believed also...’
You can believe in God and not have salvation in Christ
Simon made a public profession but was not saved - ‘…when he was baptized...’
Simon was ever coming to the knowledge of Christ but was not saved - ‘…he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done...’
Simon not only followed Philip, which caused him to be amazed, he was really interested in the appearance of Peter and John and the baptism of the Holy Spirit that fell upon the people by the laying on of hands.
As Luke writes, Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given…(Act 8:17-18a).
Simon bears the testimony of those Paul wrote to Timothy about, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth (2 Ti 3:7 NASB).
Simon was interested in the benefits of salvation but not salvation itself.
Simon was willing to pay but not surrender to be saved
Simon offered money for that which cannot be bought with silver and gold
Simon wanted to receive all glory rather than God receiving the glory
Simon was more afraid of physical pain than spiritual death
The clever deceiver needed what we need, true repentance (Ac 8:20-24)
Simon needed to understand salvation comes through repentant faith - ‘…Repent therefore of this thy wickedness...’
Simon needed to understand salvation is a gift not a reward - ‘…Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money… Repent therefore of this thy wickedness...’
Simon needed understand that he alone needed to repent of his sin and call upon Christ to be his Savior
Simon was more fearful of his physical condition than he was his spiritual condition.
Brothers and sisters we need to be more worried about our spiritual condition than we need to be of our physical condition.
Conclusion
Let us not be confused by what we read in the text.
We find that the Peter and John comes from the Jerusalem church to assist Philip with the ministry at Samaria.
We find that they come and see that while people had made a profession of faith and received water baptism, they Holy Spirit had not yet indwelt them.
Why is this?
Is this proof that one needs the laying on of hands to be baptized with the Holy Spirit and genuinely saved?
Do they have to speak in tongues or do some other sign to be saved?
The short answer is no.
However, a few truths need to be brought to light through this text.
A transitional church (Ac 8:14-17, Ac 8:25)
The church of God found unity among brothers for the spread of the gospel (vv.14-17)
The church found herself in a time of transition from a Jew centered gospel (Ac 1-10) to a Gentile centered gospel (Ac 11-28)
The church realized that the work of ministry was to continue beyond Judea (v.25)
As we look at our text, we are called to action.
We are called to put our faith in Lord and not ourselves.
We are called to share the gospel no matter where God may send us.
We called to understand that God’s word is a transcending word.
It transcends time.
It transcends cultures.
It transcends socioeconomic statuses.
It is a transcending, life changing, soul saving word.
How will you respond tonight?
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