The Trap of Cultural Christianity - Acts 8:4-24

If you would turn to the the. Book of Acts chapter 8.

Acts 8 · chapter mention

We're going to get right back into our study in the book of

Acts that we've entitled. The power of the Church.

And as you're turning there, this is a great time in our

study. To look at what we've.

Seen so far in the. History of the 1st.

Church you can think of the book of.

Acts as the book of firsts the the book of Acts records for us

all of these first. Time events that the church

experiences then that we still experience now.

Acts Chapter. One we saw our.

First disciple, apostle, leadership moment after the

ascension they take. On the leadership of the Church

by Acts Chapter 2, we see the 1st.

Acts 2 · chapter mention

Pouring out of the Spirit on all flesh.

And our first evangelistic message.

Our first. Baptism of the Church The first

church service by Acts chapter 3 we see the 1st.

Acts 3 · chapter mention

Miracle a lame man. Walks and by acts chapter 4 we

Acts 4 · chapter mention

see some the first. Initial push back.

As the apostles are arrested in Acts chapter 5, you'll.

Acts 5 · chapter mention

Remember Ananias and. Sapphire we saw the 1st.

Judgement, the cleansing of the church happening very early on.

And by Acts chapter 6 we saw the 1st.

Acts 6 · chapter mention

Complaint arise. The widows tables were divided.

And some of the widows were being neglected.

But in Acts chapter 6 we see. Our first church council meeting

Acts 6 · chapter mention

come up with the the resolution and we we were introduced to the

first team of servants or deacons and last week one of

those deacons became the first martyr in Acts Chapter 7.

Acts 7 · chapter mention

That we saw the the. Preaching in the power of

Stephen unto death. And now we will.

Pick up right where that left off.

And today in Acts chapter. 8. We're going to see the.

First, outsiders of Jerusalem. Come into the church, you'll

remember acts chapter one, verse 8 Jesus gave them the the

mission of the church they're going to be they're going to

receive power to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and

the ends of the earth and. Today Acts chapter 8 is the

Acts 8 · chapter mention

picture of. Outsiders of this initial

movement coming in, and that's something that we should still

be experiencing. To this day, and so throughout

this chapter, it's one story of outsiders.

Coming in after the other and we're going to zoom in on one

specific outsider and he gives us a very important picture of

what may even be happening this morning, as some of you may be.

Outsiders that are. Visiting or you're coming in and

you're listening and you're interested and you're.

Close but Acts chapter. 8 is the story of an outsider that comes

in, and he's not all the way in. He's.

Close, but he's not in it. Reminds me.

Of a story. You've probably heard it.

It's a story. Of a man who's going to get

baptized and as he's approaching the baptismal waters.

He realizes that he left. His wallet in his pocket and he

stops and the the pastor who's leading me says real quick, let

me put my wallet somewhere. And the pastor said to the man,

if I don't baptize you and your wallet, I won't baptize you at

all because there's a temptation to leave certain parts.

Of our life. A lot of times it is the wallet.

Outside of the full. Immersion into following Jesus,

which baptism represents and there are some of you no doubt

in in an audience of. This size that are.

In, but not all the way in, and your version of that story might

be as you. Get close to the.

Baptismal waters, you realize your phone's in your pocket and

you think to. Yourself.

I just got to. Make sure that my phone and all

that it represents my social feeds and my my social networks

and all of the the things. That you just like to.

Hold onto on the side. Let's keep that out of the

water. Some of you may keep.

Your. Imagine you're going to the

water and then inside your pocket you remember your planner

is in there. You can't get the planner wet

because you got great plans for your life and it's got all your

hopes and your dreams and your five year vision for the next 10

years. And you think before I go under,

let me keep. That out of the water.

And here is the message that we're going to see in this one.

Specific outsider story unless you go all.

In you're not in and that's just true of life unless you go all

in in your academic studies, in your relationships that are most

important to you in the call of God on your life until.

You're all the way. Immersed.

You're not all the way in and I I find the entire book.

Of acts to be very. Helpful for understanding the

times we live in and. Especially this story.

So start. With me in our journey.

Through Acts Chapter 8. And I'm going to, we're going to

Acts 8 · chapter mention

get through a lot. I'm going to cover this in a, in

a bit of a fly over again. And I want to pick up in verse

4. And I'll just tell you the first

3 verses are essentially right. Where we left off last week says

that Saul has the the. First Martyr Stephen has died

and the whole church is just mourning his death.

And they don't have much time to to mourn because immediately

there's a man named Saul. Hold on to that name.

We're in for a surprise next week of who he becomes.

There's a man named Saul who's wreaking havoc on the church.

So they literally go. From the funeral of Stephen to

fleeing Jerusalem for their safety and in verse.

Four, it says, therefore those who were scattered.

Went everywhere preaching and I just, we're not going to

emphasize what this is saying this morning, but just think

about this moment. Saul is wreaking havoc on these

early believers. He's trying to persecute them so

that the message would stop and what happens?

As they're scattered, they go. Preaching as the mission is is

being met with opposition, the opposition turns into

opportunity. And isn't that just?

True of your life, you. Don't know how God is going to

get his way in your life, but often times it comes very

unexpected. And now we're going to meet

someone we were introduced to in the serving of the table.

He's on the Deacon team, it says in verse 5.

Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached

Christ to them, and verse 6 and the multitudes with one.

Accord heeded. This thing spoken by Philip,

hearing and seeing the miracles. Which he did.

This whole chapter is a story of outsiders.

Coming in, but also insiders going out.

Those who were. Persecuted flee Jerusalem and

everywhere they go they have one mission to preach the gospel,

and so much so that one of the. The table.

Servants Philip, who was working the Ministry of Jerusalem.

He decides to. Go on the first ever regional

mission trip and goes into Samaria and preaches the gospel

to tell them of the Messiah. The resurrected Jesus has come

and is alive and is forgiving sins and giving newness of life.

And as he's preaching that it is in a very important detail.

It's in Samaria, Samaria, just so we know the backdrop.

This is. Why we can, rightfully.

Say this is our first. Moment in the.

Story of the first church where outsiders.

Are coming in because Samaritans are outsiders now.

They're still. Jewish people.

And this is not the full extent of.

The Lord's. Promise that they're going to go

to the end of the earth, but Samaritans were not considered.

Fully Jewish. You remember that after

Solomon's reign, the Kingdom of Israel got split into a north

and the South, and the north gets ransacked by the Assyrians,

and the Assyrians essentially go in and intermarry with all the

people living there, and Samaria becomes kind of a mixed.

Culture, it's still part. Jewish, but now it's part Pagan

and they have a different temple that they worshipped at.

They had a different Canon of scripture, only adhering to the

first five books of Moses. They had different customs and

they were thought of as second class.

And this is a reminder to us. That the gospel is.

Going out with no regard. For our social orders.

This is the same Samaria that as Jesus approached the Samaritan

woman at the well, she said, Why are you talking to me?

I'm a Samaritan. This is the same Samaria.

That as they they rejected the disciples.

Preparing the way for. Jesus, they asked.

Jesus. Do you want us to send fire on

these people and just annihilate them?

Jesus said. No, that's not the mission.

And now that the resurrection has happened, the gospel is

going out to bring even the Samaritans in.

Not a. Big deal for you, probably.

But a big. Deal for the Jewish people.

And as they're doing that, Philip is just the chosen

evangelist. And it says in verse 9, or

excuse me, as we go through that, we're going to.

Get like a a little. Mini revival.

It's not really a revival because they never had the

gospel, but they're going to have an outbreak.

Where all sorts of people. Are going to receive.

The words of Philip. And it's going to end by saying

and there is great joy in Samaria leading to our

introduction of. The specific outsider that the

the. The book of Acts wants us to

meet. His name is Simon, it says in

verse 9. But there was a.

Certain man called Simon who? Previously practiced sorcery in

the. City and astonished the people

of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great verse 10 to whom?

They all gave heed from the. Least to the greatest saying

this man is the. Great power of God.

And once again, it says they heeded him, Simon, because he'd

astonished them with his sorceries for a long time.

This in a sense as far as 1st century history.

Goes is the closest. You're going to get to a local

regional. Celebrity says everybody loved

this guy they loved. Him because he had some sort.

Of sorcery, that was. In effect, winning their hearts

and minds. To the power that he possessed.

Other translations say that he he had magic and I want you to

think less, you know, America's Got Talent card show and more

Harry Potter. This is the the the power of

potentially the dark forces astronomy, some sort of of of

magic display that helps people understand.

That this guy had power. And as Philip comes in and

preaches. The power of the Gospel.

You'll find what happens in Samaria and what happens

anywhere where Christ is preached and accepted.

That the real power displaces the old power.

That the real movement of God when it and it.

Captures the. Hearts and minds of.

People will lay to waste. Any of the previous.

Spirituality. And that is what's happening in

Samaria that the people who loved Simon the Sorcerer have

now committed to Philip and and have essentially traded

allegiance from Simon to Jesus, it says in verse 12.

But when they believe Philip. As he preached.

The things concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of

Jesus Christ, both men and women.

Were baptized if acts chapter 8 is a story of.

Acts 8 · chapter mention

Outsiders coming in it's. The story is told through.

Baptism. Just like Acts chapter 2.

Acts 2 · chapter mention

Pentecost falls, Peter says. You got to get baptized.

Baptism is the very clearest and oldest historical way for.

Christians to declare that they're in and these people once

they heard the things concerning the Kingdom.

Of God, they heard Philip preach.

They get baptized as a way to shift.

Allegiance into the Kingdom of God.

And I'll say this today, the very best way.

For you to know that you're on the inside is not raising your

hand or coming to an altar call or having a quiet moment where

someone prays. Over you, all of those.

Things are. Good, but the best way.

Is for you to identify with the symbolism of baptism.

Baptism is you going into the water identifying.

Death to your old self. Coming out of the water,

identifying, walking in the newness of life if you've never

been. Baptized, but you're here today.

You need to go all in. You need to go all in with the

representation of being completely submerged in water

and now. As all of this is.

Happening Acts is giving us this.

Beautiful story. The Gospels.

Gone out to Samaria people are trading allegiance from.

The old sorcery. To the new power of God and.

We hear the story of. Simon once again, then Simon

himself, even Simon the Great. That the.

Celebrity of Samaria also believed and when he was

baptized he continued with Philip and was amazed seeing the

miracles and signs which were done.

If the story ended here, we would think to ourselves.

Wow, the gospel is. Spreading the movement is moving

from Jerusalem to beyond, and even celebrities are coming in.

I mean, who doesn't love? A good celebrity got saved

story. I remember when I was a kid, I

was, you know, I thought celebrities were in a world of

their own and Christians were over here.

And then I found out Mike Seaver from Growing Pains was a

Christian I couldn't believe Kirk Cameron gave his life to.

Jesus, I thought. We're winning, you know, and I'm

sure you've all. Had your favorite athlete or.

Favorite you know, you know. Movie.

Celebrity speech and and you. Realize they were a celebrity.

That loved Jesus and you're like, we're winning.

That's not where the story ends. The story is actually.

Giving us a picture of someone who is so.

Close look at what he has described.

It says that even Simon. Believed.

He's got belief. In what is being preached, it

says that Simon was baptized, he has made the public declaration

of his belief, and then it says he continued with Philip.

And if we're looking for modern day parallels?

Of where this story would. Would reach our time.

Philip is like, you know, if you ever.

Heard about those churches who just have on fire pastors that

are just. Doing great things, they said.

Philip was working miracles and he was preaching and people were

saved and people were falling around.

He's fallen. A great Christian leader.

I mean, who wouldn't put that in their list of things that you

should? Probably.

Do once you get in and he's even amazed at.

What he saw, he saw. Mighty miracles at Philip and he

says he's amazed by them it's almost with reverence he's

looking at all this and yet the story doesn't stop there and

the. Story is so worth our.

Time, because the story doesn't stop here.

Wouldn't we say today would? Be a great thing of the list of

accomplishments that the Christians in this room have

presented before the public viewing.

You came and listened to a sermon, although a little late,

you came and you. Worship Jesus.

You came and you've heard. Of a guy.

Preach and you're like. OK, I like this guy.

You're singing songs. You may even take communion.

And yet there's something that is being presented us in this

story that is given to us not as a celebration, but as a warning

that he was in all of the. Ways that are visible.

To man he looked like an insider, and yet he's not we

continue now when the apostles verse 14 who are at Jerusalem,

heard that that Samaria had received the.

Word of God, they're like. What?

This is great news. They sent Peter and John to

them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they

might. Receive the Holy Spirit.

For as yet he had fallen upon none of them.

They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Then they laid hands on them and.

Received the Holy Spirit. We're going to pause.

Here this is about to. Transition into a moment between

Simon and the apostles that are coming from Jerusalem.

But you'll notice. That this is a very.

Unique pouring out of the. Spirit.

This is different than how? It is.

You would expect it to. Happen now if you believe in the

Lord Jesus. Christ if you are.

Born again, you've got the spirit, and yet these people

don't. And the reason for that we can

see in the big picture. Of the book of Acts, there are

at least three. Times where the Spirit is.

Poured out for the. Outsiders in such a unique way

that the apostles are there to confirm it You'll.

You saw that the whole. Point of Pentecost was that

everyone would be there. The Spirit was delayed until

Pentecost so that everyone was there to see it and confirm it.

We'll see in just a couple chapters.

Another great outsider coming in, representing the untold

Gentile world. Cornelius and once again.

Peter has to be there. Peter is sent on special

marching orders into the House of Cornelius, the first Gentile

convert, so that Peter can witness the spirit being poured

out and once again the. Spirit is delayed for the.

Samaritan so that Peter and John can come and play.

Witness literally lay hands. This is not prescriptive of our

time. This is descriptive of their

time because something very important is happening.

Had the apostles not been there, what most likely would have

happened? Was that you have the.

Samaritan Christian Church and the Jerusalem Christian Church.

You have the holy. Spirit being poured out in

Jerusalem on Pentecost, and then sometime later it happened in

Samaria and the divide still continues.

And that is not the way of the Kingdom.

There is one Holy Spirit, there is one baptism, there is one

global. Church with lots of different.

You know, tribes and family living rooms, and it starts with

this theological moment. That the Holy Spirit was.

Poured out upon the arrival of Peter and John so they could

give report. They're one of us as this

happens, as they're laying hands on people to receive the the

Holy Spirit. Uniquely to that time, Simon is

watching. Imagine what Simon is thinking

as someone who. Used to have great crowds.

See his power on display now he's watching Peter lay hands

and see the power given out to people and this turns into a

moment of revelation for this person of Simon Says in verse

18. And when Simon saw that through

the lane on the on the apostles hands the holy.

Spirit was. Given he offered them money

saying give me this. Power also that.

Anyone whom I lay hands on May. Receive the Holy Spirit.

He has the Holy Spirit. Is a means to an alternative

gain for his life. He also doesn't have great

discernment because he asked the wrong apostle.

He asked Peter this, and if you know the person of Peter, you

know he's pretty bold and courageous.

Look at. Peter's response and Peter said

to him, Your money perish with you.

Because you thought that the gift of God could be.

Purchased with money, some translators say, and cover your

ears. For the light of heart.

Some people equate that word. Perish to.

Everlasting perishing. And they say Peter is

essentially saying you can take your money and go to hell.

You're perishing and so is your money.

You are not born again if you think that you have some sort of

transactional buying power that you can offer me or God.

To receive the power of God. You're in a dead state of mind,

he says in verse 21. You have neither part nor

portion in this matter. For your.

Heart is not right in the sight of God.

Verse 22 Peter says repent. Therefore of of this your.

Wickedness and. Pray God if perhaps the thought

of your. Heart may be forgiven you.

For I. See that you were poisoned by

bitterness and bound by iniquity.

An outsider is coming in, and yet he's not in.

An outsider is showing all the signs and the Marks and the

checklist of someone who's in. And yet it says his heart is

completely off. So I want to share with you for

our time because no doubt. This is a.

Story that I can't help but see all of the cultural Christianity

people. That like the idea of God and

like the idea. Of receiving and yet have not

fully been immersed into the. Discipleship of Jesus.

I I preached to myself for some of this.

And I share this with. Some of you.

That are here at church. But you're not.

Here with God 3. Things that Simon is showing in

his. Heart that have.

A competing power with the power.

Of the Holy Spirit, the 1st is the power of the praise of

people. I mean the praise of.

People, if you just look. Around at what?

Fuels. Our world and our culture and

human history. There is something so empowering

about the praise that you can receive.

From people. So I read it to you.

Again, what? What?

The. Author of Acts wants us to know

he. Says that.

Simon in verse 9 was claiming that he was someone great that

his whole trick, his whole sorcery magic book.

Was. So that he could proclaim his

own greatness to people. And then it says in the next

verse, verse 10, the. People.

Responded by saying this man. As they watched him perform all

of his tricks, they said this man.

Is the great power of God. They didn't say he had.

The power of God, they said. He is the power of God.

Not only did he consider himself great, but he got the acclaim of

people and everything shifts in the next verse when it said when

Philip. Showed up, the people believed.

And his entire audience, it seems, changed the channel and

no Doubt and I and I think the best way to.

Start the the. Danger and the temptation that

somehow journeying into the Kingdom, coming very close, but

not all the way in that there's a temptation.

To have this whole. Operation be the praise of.

Of of people. I can't help but start with the

temptation that befalls pastors and worship leaders and those

serving from this. Elevated.

Platform of a stage. It is one of the cancers of our

time that we have mixed up the praise and the.

Worship of Jesus with the praise and the worship of.

Man, and it is. As old as the first.

Century that someone from the outside.

Looked at what was. Happening and said if I.

Get to the right source. I can reposition my brand from

Simon the sorcerer to Simon the preacher.

I can reposition my esteem for people from Simon, the person

who had esteem as a Samaritan, to Simon, a person who had

esteem as a Christian. And no doubt the church,

starting with the household of God in leadership.

We need to be cleansed from people looking so close, being

on the inside and actually being here as some sort of transfer

from popularity of the world. To popularity of the church to

grow a crowd. To build a brand, to find some

esteem in how people. Respect you for your Bible.

Knowledge and your your your righteous.

Pursuits. There is such.

A danger that any of. This is about.

Making a name for ourselves and not a name for God.

When I was in Italy. So if you didn't know, I was

just in Italy with our missions. Pastor Noah.

It was such a great. Trip and if you want to know

more about it come Wednesday we're going to talk all about it

we're going to talk about missions and I was.

Just so blessed to. Be there and just to be sitting

in some of the greatest art rooms that the world has ever

known and they're all essentially pointing to Jesus as

I walked into the Sistine Chapel that.

The tour guide said. You're about to walk in.

To the greatest illustrated Bible.

Ever. And it really is you.

Just see all. These Bible scenes and my

favorite scene. Was the very the very back wall

is the last. Judgment.

It's the scene that we're all getting ready for when we meet.

Christ face to face. And he separates the saved from

the damned. And my favorite little tiny

moment of theology was in this moment, Christ is receiving all

of those who gave their life to him and and Peter is there and

he's handing back the keys to the Kingdom.

There's this thought that. Especially in their tradition

that. That Peter the Church holds the

authority of. God on earth to welcome people

in and forgive sins and and to lead and to preach, and you have

the power. Of the Holy Spirit to.

Be his witness, which comes with authority.

But there's coming a day when we get to give.

All of the authority. And say, Lord, you'd entrusted

me to stand before people and preach.

You entrusted me. To be a.

Father and a husband to lead a family.

You entrusted me to have ministry and to have any kind of

influence. He's entrusted you, and someday

you get to say. Lord, it was always all yours.

And that requires a baptism of your heart and mind from this

cultures #1 economic. Resource which is.

Popularity and esteem of people in the church.

We esteem Christ and Christ alone.

I love this verse. In First Corinthians chapter.

Three, Paul says. Who is?

Paul who's Apollos but ministers?

Through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to.

Each one I planted. Apollos water, but God, God.

Gave the increase so that neither he who plants is

anything, nor he who waters anything.

But God gives the increase. If you've ever come and been

blessed. By a preacher.

Or a worship song. Or a fellow brother or sister

that prayed for you? How good is God?

Amen. The second competing power.

Is the idea. That Simon could.

Purchase the power. Simon Saul in verse 18 the lane

on hands and the Holy Spirit was given and he offered them money.

This is where he gets his rebuke from Peter.

You know the. The the easiest ways to.

See, this is the danger of any kind of transactional economic

offering to God that he would then somehow give you something

in return. Simon is representing literal a

money exchange so that he could have.

The power. That was on display through the

laying on his hands, and church history views this moment as

something that comes into. The threat of church history.

All the time. It's actually a verb in church

history called Simon Re when there was an opportunity to take

a a a new church, a new a new pulpit, a new place for.

You to pastor or Bishop? In the medieval days, they would

raise money and they would offer money to the Pope to get the.

Preferred spots which was called.

Simonry, it's actually. Part of what?

Martin Luther would protest against in his great 95 theses

that people were paying to have position and that of.

Course is also. Just dragged into the church

from the world. That's just how the world works.

You pay to play you. Exchange what you have.

For the goods. That you want, and we obviously

have a temptation to make this whole thing transactional in the

the list of good and righteous things you have done today,

there may be a temptation in your heart to be presenting them

before. God so that he would bless you.

That you're offering would somehow equal a blessing, and

there's horrible evils. Of our day that.

Preach that that you're offering of time and listening ears and

service to the church and sacrifice of your life.

That all. Of that would be given in a

sense transactionally. That God.

Would owe you and Peter says it's it's a perishing thought.

This is the great. Gospel moment in Samaria and

now. That the Holy Spirit is poured

out. Freely on anyone who asks.

That God gives his blessing. And God gives his provision, and

God gives salvation and redemption and forgiveness of

sins. And the entire gospel message is

not for sale, and you can't buy it 'cause you could never afford

it. Mindful of the importance of

this one little teaching moment by Jesus.

He says as you go. Preach saying the Kingdom of

heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, Cleanse the.

Lepers Raise the Dead cast. Out demons.

Freely you receive. All of those things Jesus came

onto the scene and did all of those things.

He preached, he cast out demons, he healed.

He never charged a dollar and he said if you've.

Received it freely, Give it freely.

This is why it's more than just a theological point.

If you think you're here transactionally, you will leave

and treat others transactionally.

You receive the goodness. Of God today as a gift, because

He loves you. And the bigger issue in Simon's

heart is that he was treating the holy.

Spirit as a power. Instead of a person, he said

give me this. Power the Holy Spirit.

Is not a. Force the Holy Spirit.

Is not an electrical outlet that you need to plug your soul into.

The Holy Spirit. Is not the ticket to a healed

marriage and you know, free from addiction, the Holy Spirit

empowers you. As the third.

Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit is God himself who wants

to animate your life to become more like Christ.

So it's not about what you can do to get the power, it's about

how much the person of the Holy Spirit can get a hold of.

You. The Holy Spirit is not a

commodity. The Holy Spirit is God.

Indwelling your heart in your life in the final competing

power. It says an 8IN in Acts 8 verse

Acts 8:20

20. Three, Peter says.

I see that you are. Poisoned by bitterness and bound

by iniquity. I love this biblical moment

where where bitterness is directly equated to poison,

because that is my favorite quote for bitterness I've ever

heard. It's the best way I can ever

warn you against it. Bitterness is like drinking

poison and expecting someone else to die.

Simon has something inside of his.

Heart that has yet to. Have been cleansed.

By the power of God. In James he describes bitterness

this way. He.

Says if you have bitter. And envy and self seeking in

your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.

There's all sorts of. Ways that you can grow bitter

against the power of God and the plan of God and going all in for

trusting God with your life. But in Simon's case, directed or

or completely parallel to James, it says that bitter and envy and

self seeking are all in the same heart condition.

There's a lot of things that Simon could be envious of.

Philip showed up on the scene and he lost his his identity and

his income seemingly overnight. He might be very bitter at

Philip. He might be.

Bitter at the people. Who once praised him and are now

praising Jesus. He might be bitter at Peter who

wasn't willing to sell him the new power on the block.

And whatever it is, he's got issues in his heart that are

looking at people and he's holding A hardness of heart

against them that is preventing him to becoming a free born

again. Power of the Holy Spirit

believer. And no doubt these are.

The. 3 great dangers of any one of our lives When we get so

close but we're not willing to get immersed we can be worried

about our reputation, our popularity, we can be hungry for

power and not God, and no doubt we can go into the baptismal

waters and our whole body can get wet, but it has nothing to

do with our hearts and we come into.

Church with hearts that are full.

Of bitter from a past life and past hurt and past pain.

It's for this reason I think that from Acts Chapter 7 to Acts

Acts 7 · chapter mention Acts 8 · chapter mention

chapter 8 we can rightfully quote Stephen when he says you

stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears.

You resist the Holy Spirit. When you go all in for Jesus,

you are going all in with the pain and the hurt and the broken

relationships of your heart. And God wants to baptize your

heart, not just your body. And For these reasons, we now

come to Peter's great solution, that is for.

All of the outsiders to. Come all the way in.

It is for any outsider here that maybe is in love.

With the old life you liked, your old reputation you liked.

Your influence and power and you're holding on to some of the

stuff in your heart. And here's.

What Peter will say to you. Repent verse 22, therefore, of

this wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thoughts of your

heart may be forgiven you. This is a refrain, a common

scene throughout. Our study of this first.

Movement of the First Church. The gospel goes out with.

Power and people who are going to get in, have one job.

Repent. Stop being stiff necked.

Stop living life how you want to live it.

Stop trying to build your own identity.

Stop trying to get in for the the sake of some alternative

ends. That is not the end of worship

and praise of God. Stop holding on to your hurt and

your pain. Repent.

Turn from those things and come to God and say, Lord, you can

now have all of me, from my identity to my influence to the

inner parts of my heart. You have.

All of me. If you're an outsider, you come

all the way in. We don't know what happened to

Simon, but I can give all of you a warning for this morning, it

says in verse 25. Then Simon answered and said.

Pray to the Lord. For me, that none of these

things which you have spoken have come upon me.

And so when they testified? And preached the word of the.

Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel

in million villages of the Samaritans.

Church history says. Simon became someone that

eventually. Would drift fully.

Away. And I think the warning to all

of us is that you can be. Very.

Close and not all the way in. You can have all of the marks,

but you can laugh, you can miss the main mark which is

repentance before God to give him your whole life.

And what Simon said was pray for me.

Here's what I'll say. To you I can't repent for you I

can pray that God would soften your heart and open.

Your ears, but you have. One job to go all in for.

Jesus, you pray, you ask God to take all of these.

Temptations and to put them under the water for good to hold

nothing back from full immersion for Christ and have a moment

which we're going to afford to you right now or you realize

that any outsider can come in. Simon's great failure was not.

That he was a sorcerer. It was not that he was once

popular. It was not that he.

Had. All sorts of mixed ideas about

the whole operation work his only.

Failure was his failure to. Repent.

Anybody can come in. Nobody.

'S too far. Nobody in this room right now is

not being welcomed by the power. Of the Holy.

Spirit to have a real relationship with God and the

promise of all of that. Is that it's a gift it's.

A free gift that we remember that was unlocked on the cross

of. Christ that it was declared the.

Resurrection of Christ and it was freely given on Pentecost.

As the Spirit poured out for those of you.

Who are in this is story of insiders going out.

Go all the way out. Find your neighbors and your

friends and the people in your life that need to hear a message

of repentance and remember where the gift comes from, the cross

of Christ. Thanks for joining us today.

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