Weekly Sermons

If Something’s Not Right, Get It Right!          Acts 8:9-25

God’s Power is _____________________ than Satan’s Power                V. 9-13

Remember that the word believe does not always mean saving faith in the New Testament (John 2:23-25; James 2:19). Apparently Simon was caught up in the excitement of the moment. Having recognized that Philip’s miracles were considerably greater than his own, he followed the evangelist around to learn some new tricks.       -Ken Gangel, 123

Places experiencing Revival need good __________________ before and after baptism                                                                                                         V. 14-17

We need to make sure things are right ______________________________-

Explain Narrative and Doctrinal Portions of scripture

There is a basic difference between Narrative and doctrinal literature in the Bible! Narrative tells you what happened; Doctrinal tells you what to believe and do! Beware of those that build doctrines around narrative literature, especially when their doctrinal novelty is not _____________ by the doctrinal portions of Scripture!

John 7:38-39                       Eph. 1:13-14                       2 Cor. 1:21-22

We need to make sure things are right ______________________________-

This verse does not support the false notion that Christians receive the Holy Spirit subsequent to salvation. This was a transitional period in which confirmation by the apostles was necessary to verify the inclusion of a new group of people into the church. Because of the animosity that existed between Jews and Samaritans, it was essential for the Samaritans to receive the Spirit, in the presence of the leaders of the Jerusalem church, for the purpose of maintaining a unified church. The delay also revealed the Samaritans’ need to come under apostolic authority. The same transitional event occurred when the Gentiles were added to the church (11:44-46; 15:6-12; 19:6).                                             -John MacArthur

This moment was as much for the ________________ as it was for the Samaritans!

We need to make sure things are right _______________________________-

Matthew 28:18-20

Simon the Sorcerer’s _________________________ faith                      V. 18-24

It is a basic principle in Scripture that wherever God sows His true believers, Satan will eventually sow his counterfeits (Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43).   -Warren Wiersbe, 348

Simon’s sorcery was energized by Satan and was used to magnify himself, while Philip’s miracles were empowered by God and used to glorify Christ.             -W. W., 348

The church must learn from Simon’s mistake and stand on the side of Peter, refusing to be compromised by money.   -African Bible Commentary, 1314

Baptism, communion, membership, office holding, and any other kind of external recognition mean nothing to God who looks directly at the heart condition.                                                                                    -Ken Gangel, 124

Simon claimed to be united to God. The early church fathers claimed he was one of the founders of Gnosticism, which asserted there were a series of divine emanations reaching up to God. They were called “powers,” and the people believed he was at the top of the ladder.                          -John MacArthur

This episode only shows how close a person can come to salvation and still not be converted. Simon heard the gospel, saw the miracles, gave a profession of faith in Christ, and was baptized, and yet he was never born again. He was one of Satan’s clever counterfeits, and, had Peter not exposed the wickedness of his heart, Simon would have been accepted as a member of the Samaritan congregation!                                                                 -Warren Wiersbe, 349