1 / 16

From Sorcery to Salvation

From Sorcery to Salvation. Lessons from the Conversion of Simon the Sorcerer Acts 8:4-24. Conversions in the Book of Acts. The book of the Acts is the historical record of the Apostle’s commission (Mt. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15-16; Lk. 24:47; Jn. 20:23)

jacob
Télécharger la présentation

From Sorcery to Salvation

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. From Sorcery to Salvation Lessons from the Conversion of Simon the Sorcerer Acts 8:4-24

  2. Conversions in the Book of Acts • The book of the Acts is the historical record of the Apostle’s commission (Mt. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15-16; Lk. 24:47; Jn. 20:23) • The book follows the outline found in Acts 1:8 … Jerusalem (Acts 1-7), Judaea and Samaria (Acts 8-12), the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 13-28)

  3. Turn Bad to Good (8:4) • Persecution is the immediate background to this account of conversion (Acts 8:1-3) • These early Christians did not let persecution stop the progress of the gospel (Acts 11:19) • What will you do with your troubles and problems (Rom. 5:3-4)?

  4. The Gospel is For All (8:5) • Philip preached to the Samaritans who did not mix with Jews (2 K. 17:24-41; Ezra 4:1-5; Neh. 2:10-19; 4:1-3; Jn. 4:9) • God is not prejudice, and neither should we be (Acts 10:34-35)

  5. A Servant’s Heart (8:5) • Philip was a servant (Acts 6:5) before he was a evangelist (Acts 21:8) • Ministering / serving Christians are needed (Mt. 20:26; Rom. 16:1; Eph. 4:12; 1 Pet. 4:10-11)

  6. Preaching the Word (8:5,12) • Philip preached the word (gospel) which saves (Rom. 1:16; Jas. 1:21) • Preaching the word involves preaching Jesus as the Christ (1 Jn. 2:22; 5:1), preaching the kingdom of God (Jn. 3:3-5; 1 Cor. 6:9-10), and preaching the name of Jesus Christ (Phil. 2:10)

  7. Truth and Counterfeit (8:6-11) • Simon was amazing • Simon made great claims • Simon had a large following • Simon received moving testimonials • Simon was a long-time, influential resident

  8. Truth and Counterfeit (8:6-11) • Sorcerers used potions, drugs, spells, curses, etc. (Gr. φαρμακεία, see Gal. 5:20) • Sorcerers used magic, charms, amulets, etc. ( Gr. μαγείαις, see also Acts 13:6-8) • Sorcerers tried to foretell the future, summon dead spirits, harm others, or benefit themselves

  9. Truth and Counterfeit (8:6-11) • Sorcery was a serious business; it was not the harmless, entertaining and fun magic that we know today • Sorcery is condemned in the OT (Ex. 22:18; Deut. 18:9-12; Lev. 19:26, 31; Isa. 47:9, 12; Jer. 27:9-10; 1 Sam. 28:9-14) • Sorcery is condemned in the NT (Gal. 5:20; Rev. 9:21; 18:23; 21:8; 22:15)

  10. Truth and Counterfeit (8:6-11) • The people were amazed (deceived) by Simon’s trickery, magic, and sorcery (Acts 7:36); but then, they saw Philip’s genuine miracles which confirmed his preaching (Mk. 16:20; Heb. 2:4) • Honest people can tell the difference between truth and a counterfeit

  11. Belief and Baptism (8:12-13) • Simon believe and was baptized • Belief goes hand-in-hand with baptism in the gospel plan of salvation (Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 18:8) • Baptism was not delayed or eliminated all together: “when (an adverb of time, at the time) they believed … they were baptized”

  12. The Need for Growth (8:18-19) • Simon was saved, but he had some wrong thinking that he needed to get rid of • Christians need to put to death the old man (Eph. 5; Col. 3); they need to grow (2 Pet. 1)

  13. You Can’t Buy Everything (8:20) • Simon learned that the gift of God (receiving the H.S. through the Apostle’s hands) could not be bought with money. “Simony” is the act of buying a church office with money. • Money can’t buy everything (1 Pet. 1:18) • Some things we do not have authority to do

  14. Possibility of Apostasy (8:21-22) • Simon fell away soon after he was baptized; he was in sin; he needed forgiveness • The NT teaches the possibility of apostasy (Gal. 6:4-5; Heb. 3:12)

  15. The Damnation of Sin (8:23) • Simon was in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity; he was going to perish • Sin is no trivial matter (Isa. 59:1-2; Rom. 6:23); iniquity will keep us out of heaven (Lk. 13:27)

  16. True Nature Repentance (8:22) • Simon was told to repent and pray • True repentance will stop the sin (Mt. 3:8; 2 Cor. 7:9-11); true prayer will confess the sin (Jas. 5:16; 1 Jn. 1:9) • Forgiveness is conditioned upon repentance (Lk. 17:3; 23:34 with Acts 2:38) • Simon believed his judgment

More Related