#Bible study on simon the sorcerer full
#Bible study on simon the sorcerer free

Full forgiveness of sins, full acceptance into the kingdom of God, through one man – the God-man, Jesus Christ. Simon could do a lot of things, but he could not do this. All the power that Simon conjured up with his black magic and his arts could not compete with the power of the Holy Spirit working through Philip to transform human lives.

This is the day when light conquered darkness.

This is the day the gospel triumphed over magic.

God grants salvation to the people in Samaria. The Samaritans believe, repent and are baptized. Philip turns up and he starts proclaiming “the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.” He’s telling them salvation and forgiveness of sins is now available through Jesus – God’s anointed King. They say in verse 10 – “This man is called the Great Power of God.” And in verse 11, “They were attentive to him because he had amazed them with his sorceries for a long time.” From the Samaritan baker and bricklayer to the statesman and lawyer – they were all hooked. “They all paid attention to him, from the least of them to the greatest” (verse 10). The KJV uses the word “bewitched.” They were dazzled, enchanted and enthralled with him. Luke tells us he “amazed the Samaritan people” (verse 9). This is the real deal – the working of magic with the aid of evil supernatural forces. This is not the magician who pulls a rabbit out of a hat or makes things disappear. This is not Mickey Mouse in The Magician’s Apprentice, dancing around wearing a big blue pointy hat with stars on it and waving his fingers at a broom. They all paid attention to him, from the least of them to the greatest, and they said, “This man is called the Great Power of God.” (verses 9–10) “A man named Simon had previously practiced sorcery in that city and amazed the Samaritan people, while claiming to be somebody great. You might still be penniless, but you will have joy. You may still be stuck in a bad relationship, but you will have joy. It might not immediately change your circumstances it will fill you with joy.

#Bible study on simon the sorcerer free

It sets people free and fills them with joy. So there was great joy in that city.” (verses 6-8) For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralyzed, and lame were healed. “The crowds were all paying attention to what Philip said, as they listened and saw the signs he was performing. Philip proclaims Jesus to them and how did they respond? God intended the gospel to go to all peoples, even those we formerly despised. One of these individuals was Philip, who went to Samaria. Christians scattered and as they did so, the gospel scattered with them. Parents are dragged off to jail their children orphaned. The word is mega in Greek: extreme, very aggressive persecution. “On that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the land of Judea and Samaria.” (Acts 8:1) The method God used to do this was persecution: Now that Jerusalem had been saturated with the gospel it was time to move out. God’s intention was never for it to remain there. Up until this point in the book of Acts the centre of action for gospel proclamation has been Jerusalem, the church’s centre. Salvation and sorcery, the gospel and magic, the power of God and the power of Satan are contrasted in this intriguing passage. But alongside that we also have the story of the salvation of the Samaritans, who are the first to receive the Holy Spirit outside of Jerusalem. In the book of Acts, Luke presents us with the story of Simon the Sorcerer – a man well versed in the power of magic who is drawn to a greater power – that of the One true God. Our recent Matariki (see my post on that here) holiday in New Zealand is a case in point. The resurging interest in Te Reo and Māori culture (which has been commendable) in our country has brought with it an interest in Māori mythology and spirituality, which merges nicely with New Age beliefs. New Age beliefs such as the presence of spiritual energy in physical objects are becoming more and more common. Interest in the magic arts – clairvoyancy, palm reading, mediums and psychics, astrology, witchcraft and the occult are all on the rise. Do you believe in magic? Some consider it superstitious nonsense, but others take it very seriously.