Love lifted me. Song 173. Song 173.
I'm a sinking deep in sin, Far from the peaceful shore,
Buried deeply, strangling in, Seeking to rise no more.
I'm the best fruit of the sea, Where mine is barren and dry.
Come, the waters lifted me, Now safe am I.
Love lifted me. Love lifted me.
When nothing else could help, Love lifted me.
Love lifted me. Love lifted me.
When nothing else could help, Love lifted me.
All my heart to him I give, Ever to him I'll cling.
In his blessing, presence lived, Ever his praises sing.
Love so mighty and so true, Where is my soul to his songs?
Thankful loving service to him belongs.
Love lifted me. Love lifted me.
When nothing else could help, Love lifted me.
Love lifted me. Love lifted me.
When nothing else could help, Love lifted me.
Souls in danger look above, Jesus completely saves.
He will lift you by his love, Out of the angry waves.
He's the best fruit of the sea, Those who fell away.
May your savior once again be saved today.
Love lifted me. Love lifted me.
When nothing else could help, Love lifted me.
Love lifted me. Love lifted me.
When nothing else could help, Love lifted me.
Father in heaven, thank you for this church and thank you for your word.
Lord, we just ask that you bless this singing tonight and bless Pastor Anderson as he preaches your word.
And in Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
I am so glad that our Father in heaven, Tells of his love in the book he has given.
Wonderful things in the Bible I see, This is the dearest that Jesus loves me.
I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me.
I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves even me.
Though I forgive him and wander away, Still he doth love me wherever I stray.
Back to his dear loving arms would I flee, When I remember that Jesus loves me.
I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me.
I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves even me.
Oh, if there's only one song I can sing, When in his beauty I see the great King,
This shall my song in eternity be.
Oh, what a wonder that Jesus loves me, I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me.
I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves even me.
All right, this time we'll go through our announcements together.
If you don't have a bulletin, slip up your hand nice and high. We'll get to you with one.
On the inside we have our service time. Sunday mornings at 1030 is our preaching service.
Sunday nights at 6. Wednesday nights at 7 is our Bible study.
This week we will be in Psalm 66.
We've got the soul-winning times listed there below, as well as salvations and baptisms.
Across the page is the Bible memory passage for now Isaiah 40, 21 through 31.
We're just wrapping that up.
And then below that we've got the note about the donuts and coffee next Sunday morning at 10 a.m.
The shuttle to Tucson starts up again this Thursday.
No more singing class for a while. We're taking a break from that.
On the back, thanks to everyone who helped me move.
And there's a big field trip coming up to the Wildlife World Zoo Aquarium and Safari Park.
It is located about 45 minutes away, so make sure that you get there on time.
You've got to be there by 930 a.m., and late arrivals will not be admitted with the group.
Make sure that you RSVP with Suzanne Forte by email, and the email address is given there.
And so make sure that you follow all of that to a T as far as the fact that if there are over five children, both parents can come.
Otherwise, we ask only one parent to come per group of children.
And then below that we've got the annual chili cook-off coming up on October 31st from 4.30 to 7.30.
You've got to have your chili entered by 5 o'clock in order for it to be able to compete.
And that's about it for announcements.
Let's go ahead and count up the sole winning for the past few days.
Anything from Thursday, Thursday the 24th.
All right, what about Friday? Anything from Friday?
Okay, gotcha, gotcha.
Okay, yep, see you and there.
Okay, is that a two?
All right, anything else from Friday?
All right, and then how about Saturday?
Anything from Saturday?
Okay, gotcha.
Okay, got it.
Anything else from Saturday?
What about today, Sunday?
Brother Scott?
Seven for the main group with Brother Scott.
What about other groups?
Four for Far North Phoenix.
All right, we got one.
What else have we got for today? Anything else?
All right, very good.
Keep up the great work on sole winning.
With that, let's sing our next song. Come lead us.
We're going to start our next song, song 424.
O come all ye faithful.
Song 424.
O come all ye faithful.
Joyful and triumphant.
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him.
Born the King of Angels.
O come let us adore Him.
Christ the Lord.
Sing choirs of angels.
Sing in exultation.
O sing, O ye brightly close up heaven above.
Glory to God all.
Glory in the highest.
O come let us adore Him.
Christ the Lord.
Yea, Lord, we greet Thee.
Born this happy morning.
Jesus, to Thee be all glory given.
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.
O come let us adore Him.
Christ the Lord.
All right, let's do one more song, 166.
I will praise Him.
Song 166.
When I saw the cleansing mountain
Open wide for all my sin.
I obey the Spirit's ruling.
When He said, Well, thou be clean.
I will praise Him.
Praise the land where sinners sleep.
Give Him glory on our people.
For His blood can wash away each tape.
Though the waves seem straight and narrow,
All our claim was struck away.
My ambitions, claims, and wishes
At my feet and ashes claim.
I will praise Him.
Praise the land where sinners sleep.
Give Him glory on our people.
For His blood can wash away each tape.
Then God's fire upon the altar
Of my heart was set aflame.
I shall never cease to praise Him.
Glory, glory to His name.
I will praise Him.
Praise the land where sinners sleep.
Give Him glory on our people.
For His blood can wash away each tape.
Blessed be the name of Jesus.
I'm so glad He took me in.
He's forgiven my transgressions.
He has helped my heart from sin.
I will praise Him.
Praise the land where sinners sleep.
Give Him glory on our people.
For His blood can wash away each tape.
Glory, glory to the Father.
Glory, glory to the Son.
Glory, glory to the Spirit.
Glory to the Great One.
I will praise Him.
Praise the land where sinners sleep.
Give Him glory on our people.
For His blood can wash away each tape.
Alright, this time we'll pass our offering plates around.
As the plates go around, let's turn our Bibles to Acts chapter 8.
Acts chapter 8, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.
Acts chapter number 8.
As we always do, we'll read the entire chapter beginning in verse number 1.
Follow along silently with brother Nick as he reads Acts chapter 8, starting in verse number 1.
Acts chapter 8.
And Saul was consenting unto his death,
and at that time there was a great persecution against the church,
which is at Jerusalem, and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria,
except the apostles, and devout men carried Stephen to his burial,
and made great lamentation over him.
As for Saul, he made havoc of the church,
entering into every house, and hailing men and women committed them to prison.
Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word.
Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ unto them.
And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake,
hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice,
came out of many that were possessed with them,
and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
And there was great joy in that city.
But there was a certain man called Simon, which before time in the same city used sorcery,
and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one,
to whom they all gave heed from the least to the greatest,
saying, This man is the great power of God.
And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
But when they believed Philip, preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God,
and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
Then Simon himself believed also, and when he was baptized,
he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God,
they sent unto them Peter and John, who when they were come down,
prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost.
For as yet he was fallen upon none of them, only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
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,
he offered them money, saying, Give me also this power,
that on whomsoever I lay hands he may receive the Holy Ghost.
But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee,
because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter,
for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God,
if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.
Then answered Simon and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me,
that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.
And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord,
returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise,
and go toward the south under the way that goeth down from Jerusalem under Geza,
which is desert. And he arose and went.
And behold, a man of Ethiopia, and eunuch of great authority under Candace,
queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure,
and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, was returning,
and sitting in his chariot read, Asias the prophet.
Then the spirit said unto Philip, Go near and join thyself to his chariot.
And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Asias, and said,
Understandest thou what thou readest?
And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me?
And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
The place of the scripture which he read was this.
He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb dumb before his shearer,
so opened he not his mouth. In his humiliation his judgment was taken away.
And who shall declare his generation? For his life is taken from the earth.
And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee,
of whom speaketh the prophet this, of himself, or of some other man?
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture,
and preached unto him Jesus.
And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water,
and the eunuch said, See, here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized?
And Philip said, If thou believeth with all thine heart, thou mayest.
And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
And he commanded the chariot to stand still, and they went down both into the water,
both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.
And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord called away Philip,
that the eunuch saw him no more, and he went on his way rejoicing.
But Philip was found at Azotus, and passing through,
he preached in all the cities till he came to see Syria.
Dear Lord, we just thank you for this opportunity to be here tonight,
and to be in your house, and hear your word preached, Lord.
And we just pray that you bless Pastor Anderson,
and fill him with your Holy Spirit, Lord, as he preaches your word.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Amen. Right before I got up here to preach,
I was asked what the title of the sermon was, and I said,
the sermon's called Simon the Sorcerer.
But just as I was walking up here, I got to thinking about the fact
that I don't think that's a good title for this sermon,
because I don't think that this guy should still be known as the sorcerer anymore,
even though that's what he's commonly referred to as Simon the Sorcerer,
because he stopped being a sorcerer.
So why don't we call the sermon Simon the Former Sorcerer?
How about that?
Because if you actually look at what the word of God says here,
what the narrator of the Bible is telling us,
look what it says in verse 9,
But there was a certain man called Simon,
which before time in the same city used sorcery.
Isn't it interesting that right away, the author is telling us,
this guy used sorcery in the past, this is something that he did before,
and obviously it's making a point that this is not something that he's doing anymore.
Obviously, Luke knows more about this story than what he wrote down,
because obviously you can never put all the details down.
Just like the Bible says at the end of the book of John,
if everything about the life of Jesus were written,
the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.
And so we have to trust what the Bible's telling us here.
Luke, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost here,
is telling us that Simon before time used sorcery.
And in a moment, the Bible's going to tell us that Simon believed on Jesus Christ.
And so I believe those things.
So I think that Simon gets a bad rap,
so I'm going to call the sermon Simon the Former Sorcerer.
The Bible says in verse 9,
But there was a certain man called Simon,
which before time in the same city used sorcery,
and bewitched the people of Samaria,
giving out that himself was some great one,
to whom they all gave heed from the least to the greatest,
saying, This man is the great power of God.
And to him they had regard,
because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
But when they believed, talking about the people of Samaria,
Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God
and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
Then Simon himself believed also
and when he was baptized he continued with Philip
and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
And I've heard many people question and say,
I don't think he really got saved,
but yet if the Bible tells us he believed, he believed.
It's that simple.
And if he believed that he saved,
because the Bible says that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish but have eternal life.
The Bible says believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.
So this is Simon getting saved.
And it says when he was baptized he continued with Philip
and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
Now there are already several things that we can learn from this story right away.
So Simon, when he was a sorcerer, he has a huge following.
And the Bible says all of the Samaritans give heed to him,
saying, This man is the great power of God.
Now that right there shows you that it's possible for a preacher
or a religious figure to be extremely popular
and for people to verify the miracles that they've seen
or the power that this man has and for him still to be a fraud.
Obviously at this point Simon was using dark arts and enchantments.
He's not a man of God.
And yet they said, This man's the great power of God.
Now why were the people of Samaria small and great, least to greatest,
why were they deceived by this guy?
Well if you remember a little bit earlier in the book of John,
Jesus Christ comes across that woman at the well who's a Samaritan.
And he tells her, he said, You worship, you know not what.
And he's referring to the Samaritans.
We know what we worship.
And we know that the Samaritans had a false religion according to what Jesus said.
He said that the religion of the Jews at that time,
the religion that accepted the entire Old Testament as scripture,
was the truth and that the Samaritan religion,
which rejected every book except for Genesis through Deuteronomy,
was a false religion.
The Samaritan religion, we see the roots of it back in 2 Kings,
when they brought in people from other countries
to come and live in the northern kingdom of Israel
because most of the ten tribes were taken captive
and then they brought in a bunch of foreigners
and what we see there is that they mixed the worship of the Lord
with the pagan worship of all the different people that came in.
And then of course we have the issue of the Samaritans rejecting
most of the Old Testament and only accepting the first five books
as being the only thing actually divinely inspired.
And so all that to say this,
even though the people in Samaria are claiming to worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
even though they're claiming to worship the God of the Bible,
yet Jesus said,
you worship you know not what.
So they're not worshiping the true God,
they're part of a false religion.
So because they're part of a false religion,
it shouldn't surprise us that Simon the sorcerer was able to dupe them
and get them to believe in his false teachings and his miracles and so forth.
So the first thing that we see here is a very popular false teacher that everybody likes.
Now the next major lesson that I want us to take from this
is that just because someone is super wicked,
it doesn't mean that they're necessarily a reprobate.
Okay, now if you would, I want you to turn back to 2 Chronicles chapter 33
because we're going to look at another man in the Bible who used sorcery
and yet ended up later getting saved.
Now we've preached a lot in this church about reprobates
and most people in this church are pretty up on that reprobate doctrine
because it's something that I've taught on a lot, that we've talked about a lot.
Most people who've been at our church any length of time or listen to my preaching online,
they've heard those sermons from Romans chapter 1 explaining the reprobate doctrine.
But what we don't want to do is get a wrong idea that says,
oh, if someone's really, really sinful, that means they're a reprobate.
That's not what the Bible teaches
because we see examples of people in the Bible that are extremely sinful,
yet they end up getting saved.
Now what is the difference?
The reprobate, according to scripture,
and I'm not going to make this a big Romans 1 sermon because I've done plenty of those,
but just a little refresher for those of you who hopefully are up on this doctrine,
otherwise you can go study it and read Romans 1 and you could listen to sermons on that.
But here's the thing.
When you look at Romans 1,
the key characteristic of the reprobate is that he doesn't want to retain God in his knowledge.
He hates the Lord.
And the Bible says even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge,
God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient.
And of course there's that key sin that it talks about them being given over to,
which is men with men, women with women.
And that is the explanation of where homosexuality comes from.
Because today the world's perplexed.
Why are certain people attracted to the same gender?
Of course the worldly crowd will tell us they're born that way.
There's no science to back that up.
They've tried, oh believe me, they've tried.
A lot of effort has been expended to find that gay gene
and to try to get some scientific backing for the sodomites being born that way,
and it never has panned out.
Anybody who's up on science will tell you that and will know that.
That's what always blows my mind.
Isn't it funny how these atheists claim to be so into science?
Some atheist Bozo just did a video attacking me a couple days ago,
and he puts up this video.
He's like, oh Pastor Anderson, I don't even think he even understands what science is.
It's just so embarrassing how he just doesn't even know anything about science.
And he was taking clips from my video where I was preaching about that signage that said,
you know, science is real, black lives matter, love is love, kindness is everything.
What am I missing?
Water is life.
What is that?
And there's something else too, right?
I already said that.
Pay attention.
No, I'm just kidding.
But anyway, you know, they're listening to these things.
And the point that I made, the point that I made was that if science is real,
then why is this a pro-homo signage?
Because it's a rainbow sign that says love is love.
And we know what love is love means.
They're saying that homo love is like normal love.
That's what they're saying.
We know that that's what that means.
Okay, so here's what's so funny is that this guy, he makes this video criticizing me,
oh, so embarrassing, Pastor Anderson doesn't know science.
But here's the thing, he literally cut out, he plays the whole video except for every
point that I made from science.
So he cuts all the science that I gave out of the video and just puts up this video,
Pastor Anderson doesn't understand science.
Well, let me give you what he cut out.
He cut out the part where I said, okay, so do you libtards accept the scientific definition
of male and female?
You go to a biologist and ask them what male and female is and that's how you decide?
Because after all, science is real.
And let me ask you this, will you accept the scientific data that's presented on credible
websites like cdc.gov and aids.gov that show that if you're a homo male, you're 50 times
more likely to contract AIDS this year?
You accept that science?
Because those are scientific studies and data.
Will you accept that?
Or how about this, will you accept the scientific definition of what life is?
That life begins at conception.
Because any scientist would tell you that the child developing in its mother's womb
is a living human being.
It's a living human organism.
That's what science will tell you.
And he said, well, you know, science, we just accept the truth no matter what, even
if it conflicts with what we believe.
Really?
That's funny because when it conflicts with being a homo, you reject science.
When it conflicts with your so-called pro-choice agenda, you reject science.
When it tells you what male and female are biologically, you reject science.
And so we as Christians believe science is real.
We accept science.
We just reject your science falsely so-called and they want to say, oh, it's a gay gene.
Really?
Show me the science on that, buddy, because it doesn't exist.
It does not exist.
Science will tell you that that death style is going to shave years off your life and
fill your body with disease.
That's what science will tell you.
And I've got all the data to back that up.
So put it in your pipe and smoke it.
All right?
So we see that, what does that have to do with the sermon?
Is what I'd like to know.
You know, you've got Romans 1 talking about reprobates and then we talked about that particular
reprobate.
Oh yeah, where do homos come from?
Where do they come from?
So these bogus worldly people, they'll lie and say they're born that way.
And then here's what the liberal Christians will say, or let's just put it this way, mainstream
Christianity.
They'll just say, oh, they're just like everybody else.
What?
Because guess what?
Everybody else doesn't feel that way about other dudes.
Everybody else isn't attracted to the same gender.
Most people are repelled by that.
Most people are disgusted and repulsed by that.
The average person, I don't care if they're Hindu or Buddhist or Christian or agnostic,
just your average Joe Blow Joe six-pack is disgusted by that.
Okay, so the question is how did they get that way?
Well, Romans 1 explains that through rejecting God and hating God, they are given over to
that vile affection.
And here's the thing, I believe that every single sodomite is a reprobate.
And here's why I believe that, because of the fact that that's a sin that's against
nature.
It's not normal.
You know, all the other sins that we're taken with are common to man.
The Bible says there's no sin that had taken you that is not common to man.
So, you know, we've all been tempted with the things that we've all been tempted with,
but that's not a temptation for 90 some percent of people.
Okay, so there has to be some explanation for how they would get these strange and vile
affections that make no sense.
They're not convenient.
They're not normal.
They're against even a sinful nature.
They're just weird.
Well, you know what, the Bible has the answer.
It's called the reprobate mind.
It's called a punishment from God being given over to that vile affection.
Okay, so that's what a reprobate is.
A reprobate is someone who hates God and doesn't want to retain God in their knowledge.
You know, I've talked to some people who get paranoid about their salvation, like even
though they've believed on Christ and received Christ's favor, they get paranoid that they're
not saved or they doubt their salvation for no logical reason.
And I've had people tell me, you know, well, I'm just afraid that I'm a reprobate.
You know, yeah, I prayed to the Lord and asked him to save me and I believed on Christ, but
I'm just afraid he wouldn't take me because I'm a reprobate.
But here's what I always ask that person, so do you not want to retain God in your knowledge?
Do you just, do you hate the Lord and not want to even remember that he exists?
No, of course, but then you're not a reprobate.
Here's a little self-check on whether you're a reprobate.
Do you hate God and wish that he didn't exist?
If you love the Lord, if you want to do what's right, if you want to be saved, if you want
to go to heaven and you actually love the God of the Bible, how could you be a reprobate?
That makes no sense, does it?
And by the way, the Bible says the reprobate could not believe.
In John chapter 12 verse 40, it talks about, or verses 38 through 41, you know, their minds
are darkened, they could not believe, their hearts are hardened.
And so, you know, a lot of people get mixed up on this doctrine.
The reprobate is someone who has rejected God, hates God, and God has given that person
over, and then that person will go into very horrific sins and even things that defy logic,
strange things, things that are unmentionable, things I wouldn't even bring up that they
would go into just every bizarre thing in the world, including being a sodomite, which
is bizarre and weird.
I don't care what the world tells you, anyone who is a sodomite is a freak.
They're a weirdo, they're not normal, and they are to be put to death according to scripture.
That was God's punishment for them.
Now, here's what we see in the story of Manasseh.
We see an extremely sinful man, but that doesn't mean that he's reprobate.
It's possible to commit a lot of sin and be a really sinful person without being given
over to the reprobate mind because our flesh is capable of serious sin.
Without any help even from the devil or without any help even from God giving someone over,
they can commit some pretty serious sins just from the flesh.
So the Bible says in 2 Chronicles chapter 33 verse 1, it says,
Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign.
Okay, there's your first problem right there.
You put a twelve-year-old on the throne as a king and you know what?
Bad things are going to happen.
This kid's not going to be a good kid.
I mean, it'd be shocking if he turned out to be a good kid.
I mean, it could happen, it's possible, but that would be the exception, not the rule.
You put a twelve-year-old in this position, he's not ready for it.
Even adults can't handle being king, which is why you see the kings in the Bible going
off the deep end so many times.
So, he's twelve years old when he began to reign.
He reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem, but did that which was evil in the sight of
the Lord, like unto the abominations of the heathen whom the Lord had cast out before
the children of Israel.
We're in 2 Chronicles 33, 3.
For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared
up altars for Baalim, Baalim is just the plural of Baal, and made groves and worshipped all
the host of heaven and served them.
The host of heaven would be the so-called pantheon of gods and goddesses.
You know, the Greeks and the Romans had their gods and goddesses.
Well, so did the Canaanites, so did the Babylonians, so did the Scandinavians.
It's just pagan religion is what we see here.
And so he worships the host of heaven and serves them.
Verse 4, also he built altars in the house of the Lord, whereof the Lord had said, In
Jerusalem shall my name be forever.
He built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord,
and he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom.
Also, he observed times and used enchantments and used witchcraft and dealt with a familiar
spirit and with wizards.
He wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger.
So let's stop and just take an inventory of this guy's sins.
He's involved in some very serious sin.
First of all, he builds altars to false gods.
He's building shrines unto false gods.
Even though his father had broken down a lot of these shrines and tried to eradicate that
false religion from Israel, well, Manasseh decides to bring it back.
He's going to be different than dad and bring back all the false religion.
Also, he ends up aborting his children.
And you say, well, no, this is worse because he caused them to pass through the fire.
Why is that any worse than what goes on in Planned Parenthood every day?
Because murdering a baby is murdering a baby, period.
So it doesn't matter whether you burn them with a salt solution or whether you burn them
in the fire unto Molech or burn them in the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom, this
is an abortion that's going on.
It's infanticide.
And it's happened all throughout history.
There's nothing new under the sun.
It's been going on for thousands of years.
And in America, it's still going on in huge numbers.
And so he basically is participating in abortion, infanticide, worshipping false gods, idolatry.
Also, he observed times and used enchantments and used witchcraft.
So he's into the occult, right?
So he's into all kinds of horoscopes and using enchantments.
So he's casting spells and just everything that is demonic in nature.
And he dealt with a familiar spirit.
I mean, that's consorting with devils.
So he's got the Ouija board and he's doing a seance and he's doing channeling and all
these different things.
And with wizards.
So again, what's a wizard or a sorcerer?
These are people that are casting spells.
They're a lot like what Simon used to do in the New Testament.
And so it's a big similarity here between these two people that they both were involved
in witchcraft, the occult, sorcery, wizardry, all these different things.
And he did these things and he provoked the Lord to anger.
Obviously, these things made God very mad.
He set a carved image in the house of God.
He puts an idol right in the temple.
And it says in verse 9, let's just jump down for the sake of time, it says,
So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to Ur, Ur means to commit an
error, and to do worse than the heathen whom the Lord had destroyed before the children
of Israel.
So not only is he personally committing these sins where he murders a few of his own babies
and he ends up doing idolatry and witchcraft and seances and stuff like that.
And I'm not going to ask for a raise of hands to embarrass anyone, but I guarantee if I
asked you, hey, is there anybody in here who's ever been a part of a seance or witchcraft
or anything, you know, a lot of people would probably admit that they played with something
like that or fooled around with something like that before they got saved a long time
ago or something.
Hopefully not, but I'm sure that there probably would be because of the fact that
that is something that's out there.
And so he not only did these things himself, but the problem is because he's the king
of Judah, he ends up causing all of Judah to do worse things.
You know, when the leadership is doing these kind of things, well, everybody else is going
to do it and some people are going to take it even farther than the leadership will go.
They're going to even do worse than what he's doing.
I mean, can you imagine if the president of the United States is just getting his wife
pregnant and then just telling the country, hey, she aborted this one, you know, and he's
just having multiple abortions happen in his household just publicly and everybody
knows that.
You know, what kind of impact is that going to have on the morality of a nation when that's
the leadership, when that's who people are looking for?
Or you could even think about celebrities, you know, who would just openly talk about
having abortions and then people would think, well, you know, if so and so is doing it,
I could do that too.
And then sin is just this downward spiral that always just takes you further and deeper
and it's worse than you think.
And so he caused them to do worse than the heathen and the Lord spake to Manasseh, verse
10, and to his people but they would not hearken.
So God is trying to reach Manasseh by sending preachers to him, he sends prophets to Manasseh,
he sends prophets to the nation and they don't listen.
Manasseh doesn't listen, they don't listen.
Now, here's the next thing that we see.
Just because somebody doesn't respond the first time they hear the word of God preached
or just because someone doesn't respond the first time they hear the gospel, that doesn't
mean they're a reprobate either.
So first of all, someone can commit really bad sins, even demonic stuff, and still not
be a reprobate.
Somebody can also hear the word of God preached, hear the gospel, and blow it off and reject
it and still not be a reprobate.
Look what the Bible says in verse 11,
Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which
took Manasseh among the thorns and bound him with fetters and carried him to Babylon.
And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly
before the God of his fathers and prayed unto him, watch this, and he was entreated of him
and heard his supplication and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom.
Then Manasseh knew that the Lord, he was God.
Now after this, he built a wall without the city of David on the west side of Gihon in
the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, encompassed about Ophel, and raised
it up a very great height and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah.
And he took away the strange gods and the idol out of the house of the Lord and all
the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord and in Jerusalem
and cast them out of the city.
And he repaired the altar of the Lord and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank
offerings and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel.
Nevertheless, the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the Lord their
God only.
Now to the rest of the acts of the, now the rest of the acts of Manasseh and his prayer
unto his God and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the Lord God of
Israel.
So, you know, the preaching that he heard.
Behold, they're written in the book of the kings of Israel.
His prayer also and how God was entreated of him and all his sins and his trespass and
the places wherein he built high places and set up groves and graven images before he
was humbled.
Behold, they are written among the sayings of the seers.
So Manasseh slept with his fathers and they buried him in his own house and Ammon his
son reigned in his stead.
Now, here's what's going on with this guy.
This guy was super wicked and did all these horrible things and just blew off the preaching
of God's word, but there's an explanation why.
We can understand very easily why he did that.
Because of the fact that he's born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he's king at age
12, and he's never suffered or gone through any adversity and so he doesn't understand
the way the world actually works.
He doesn't understand that God is real and that God punishes sin.
And so once he's confronted with the wrath of God, once he's confronted with punishment
from God and he ends up being chained up and tortured and brought to a jail cell in a distant
country, you know when that stuff happens to him, then he gets humbled.
See before that he's all prideful and arrogant, but here's the thing, you can see why he's
prideful and arrogant because he's a 12-year-old who has everything handed to him and he's
ruling and he has all the money and the wealth and the power and nobody's telling him no.
He's a spoiled brat so you can understand why this little spoiled brat, even though
he had a godly father, ends up being wicked because he's a spoiled brat.
And then once he actually suffered and went through pain and sorrow, then he ended up
actually believing on the Lord, getting saved, and being a good guy.
That actually makes sense, doesn't it?
So we can understand how this happened.
Go if you would to Acts chapter 8 now.
I just wanted to show you that Old Testament story just to show you another example of
somebody who's into witchcraft or sorcery or demonic things, somebody who does very
bad sins, somebody who rejects the Word of God but is not a reprobate.
So we don't want to just assume that someone's a reprobate.
Let's say we're out soul winning or something and you see a really rough looking person
or even you see someone who you know is involved deep in horrific sin.
You don't want to jump to the conclusion that that person's a reprobate or just people that
you know in your life or at your job.
You don't want to look at people at your job and say, oh man, that guy's super wicked.
He's never going to get saved.
Well, you know what?
If Manasseh can get saved, some really wicked people can get saved.
And so don't blow people off like that.
I can remember times when I was out soul winning when I almost didn't want to witness to
somebody that I was walking by because I just thought, this guy doesn't want to hear the
Gospel.
This guy's going to just get mad.
And my flesh is just saying, just skip this guy.
This guy's not even worth the time.
And I'm sure we've all had thoughts like that.
But then I said to myself, you know what?
No, I need to talk to this guy.
And I've walked up to a guy that I thought for sure this guy is not going to be interested
and had that guy just, oh great, yeah, can you, and just super receptive, listen to the
Gospel and get saved.
You never know.
So don't just judge a book by its cover.
Now again, people will often tend to just go to extremes instead of actually studying
what the Bible teaches.
Look, if someone is an out and proud sodomite, don't cast your pearls before swine.
That person is a reprobate.
Okay, that's what Scripture teaches.
But don't just, you don't want to just carry that over to, well everybody who's super wicked
is a reprobate.
Everybody who commits lots of sins is a reprobate.
Or everyone who has heard the Gospel.
I mean, I've literally seen people where, you know, well I gave them the Gospel and
he rejected it so now I think he's a reprobate.
Well, you know what?
Sometimes people have to hear the Gospel three, four, five times or they might have
to hear the Gospel now and then God humbles them and then later they'll be in a different
frame of mind.
You know, people right now that would laugh and scoff at the Gospel, when they go through
pain and sorrow in their life, they might be ready to hear the Gospel after that.
Think about that.
And sometimes God will use things like that to bring people to Christ and they'll go through
horrible, painful, sorrowful events in order to put them in a place where they're ready
to receive the Gospel.
And that's what happened to Manasseh.
God put him through that suffering so that he would be humble and ready to get saved.
So back in Acts chapter 8 here, we see that Simon is a man who before time had used sorcery
and bewitched the people.
So he's not even as bad as Manasseh.
You know, we don't see any instances of him murdering people or anything like that.
But he's definitely doing some really demonic stuff and he's leading a lot of people astray
and he's being a very bad influence.
He's definitely been a wicked person.
But the Bible says in verse 13, then Simon himself believed also.
And if you understand the Gospel, you know that that means that he got saved.
Just that sentence right there alone is enough to prove that he got saved.
Well, I don't know, I mean, yeah, he believed, but did he repent of all his sins?
Well, I don't know, did you repent of all your sins?
Did I repent of all my sins?
Because last time I checked, we still sin.
So we know that he repented of sorcery.
We know that he repented of witchcraft because that's stuff that he did before time.
He's not doing that stuff anymore.
But that had nothing to do with his salvation.
What has to do with salvation is faith.
By grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God,
not of works lest any man should boast.
And the Bible says that him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly,
his faith is counted for righteousness.
So when the Bible says that Simon believed, that's a case closed right there.
He believed.
If the narrator says it, it's Gospel.
Now, when you're reading historical books like the book of Acts,
you have to understand that what the characters say is not always necessarily right.
You know, for example, Mary says to Jesus,
you know, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
Is that accurate?
No, because then he corrects her and says, well, how is it that you sought me?
Wist you not that I must be about my father's business?
Because God is his father and the narrator is careful to say Joseph and his mother.
Whereas Mary erroneously calls Joseph Jesus' father.
So we can always trust the narrator when we're reading scripture.
We can always trust what the Bible itself is telling us,
but what characters say is sometimes right, sometimes wrong.
It has to be judged based on clear statements from scripture.
Obviously, unless Jesus is talking, we know that's all true.
And if the narrator, and when I say narrator,
if Paul's writing the epistle to the Corinthians,
he's the narrator and everything he's saying is right.
If Paul's writing to the Romans, he's the narrator, everything he's saying is right.
Luke is being, is pinning down the book of Acts.
Everything Luke tells us here is correct
because he's being led by the Holy Ghost.
He's speaking as he's moved by the Holy Ghost.
So the narrator tells us Simon believed.
When he was baptized, he continued with Philip.
So not only did this guy believe, he also got baptized.
Not only did he get baptized, he continues with Philip.
So this guy's off to a good start in his Christian life, am I right?
He's doing all the right things.
He gets saved, he gets baptized, and he starts to follow Philip.
And it says in verse 14,
Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God,
they sent unto them Peter and John,
who when they were come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost.
For as yet he was fallen upon none of them,
only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus,
then laid they their hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost.
Now what's going on here?
What is this laying on of hands and receiving the Holy Ghost?
Well, what we have to understand is that there are two distinct phenomena
in the New Testament regarding the Holy Ghost.
There's the indwelling of the Holy Ghost,
and then there is the fullness of the Holy Ghost or the Holy Ghost upon you.
And these are two different things.
Now in the Old Testament, you'll have one phenomenon.
In the Old Testament, you have the Holy Ghost coming upon people.
Okay.
But you don't have the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
In the New Testament, God did not replace the Old Testament phenomenon
of the Holy Spirit with the permanent indwelling, but he added it.
So now there's both.
So in the Old Testament, you just have the Holy Spirit temporarily coming upon a preacher,
coming upon a warrior, coming upon a prophet.
Spirit of the Lord comes upon him and he goes and fights the enemy.
Spirit of the Lord comes upon him and he prophesies God's word.
That still exists in the New Testament.
That didn't go away.
But what you've added in the New Testament is the indwelling.
Jesus talked about the fact that he's going to send the Comforter.
He said it's expedient for you that I go away.
He said if I go not away, then you're not going to get the Comforter.
I have to go away and then the Father is going to send the Comforter
and it's going to be the Spirit of Truth.
He's going to indwell you.
He's been with you.
He shall be in you.
And the Bible says in John chapter 7 that the Holy Ghost had not been yet given
because that Jesus was not yet glorified.
So after the resurrection, Jesus breathes on them and says,
Receive ye the Holy Ghost.
Remember that in the upper room?
Receive ye the Holy Ghost.
But here's the thing.
Even though they've received the indwelling of the Holy Ghost,
even though they've got the Comforter,
he still tells them to tarry at Jerusalem, wait at Jerusalem,
until you be endued with power from on high.
So the moment that you believed on Christ, the moment that you got saved,
you were indwelled by the Holy Spirit.
The Bible says if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he's none of his.
So if you today believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior,
if you're saved, you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you
and he will never leave you nor forsake you.
You are sealed by the Holy Ghost until the day of redemption.
The Holy Ghost is in you, period.
He's not going anywhere.
But does that mean that you're filled with the Holy Spirit?
Does that mean that you've been endued with power from on high?
Does that mean that you have the Holy Ghost resting upon you?
The Bible says be not drunk with wine were in his excess,
but be filled with the Spirit.
If it was automatic, God wouldn't have to command us to do it.
If we were just automatically filled with the Spirit.
No, he's commanding us, be filled with the Spirit.
And so we see that the Holy Ghost dwelling upon someone in mighty power
is different from just being saved and having the Holy Spirit inside you.
At the day of Pentecost, the Bible says they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.
In Acts chapter 4 verse 31, the same people,
it says, when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken
and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost
and they spake the word of God with boldness in Acts 4.31.
So you see them being filled with the Holy Spirit in Acts 2
and then being filled again with the Holy Spirit in Acts 4.31.
This is not a one-time deal.
This is something that could come and go.
This is something where if you're backslidden and you're not reading the Bible,
you're not singing hymns, you're not praying, you're not going to church,
you're not going to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
But then you could become filled with the Spirit once again.
So this is something that's temporary like in the Old Testament,
whereas the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is permanent.
Does everybody see the difference between those two things?
Very distinct things.
So what we see here is the apostles are laying hands on people
and these people are receiving the Holy Ghost with power.
This is the reception of the Holy Ghost like in Acts chapter 2.
This is an Acts chapter 4 type of Holy Ghost upon them.
This is an Acts chapter 10 type of Holy Ghost upon them
where they're actually being filled with power, a transformative power.
What is the fullness of the Holy Spirit?
Transformative power of God that will allow you to preach the word of God with boldness,
that will allow you to do great works for God.
That's the fullness of the Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost upon you.
And by the way, those two things are used synonymously.
It's easy to show from the Bible that the Holy Ghost upon you
and filled with the Holy Ghost are two synonyms for the same thing.
They're both talking about that which is temporary,
whereas the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is something that's permanent for every believer.
And so the apostles, they come down to Samaria and they pray and lay hands.
They're apostles. They have great power.
They're doing miracles and everything else.
They had the power where they could lay hands on these people and pray for them
and those people would be filled with the Holy Spirit.
And what a blessing that would be if we could just go to an apostle
and just say, hey, fill her up.
And just basically be filled with the Holy Spirit in that way.
Now look, we could be filled with the Holy Spirit too.
It's not necessarily going to be as easy as just seeking out Peter
and having him pray and lay hands on us.
You know, the Bible says that we can let the word of Christ dwell in us richly with all wisdom.
We can sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.
The Bible says that we should pray for the Holy Ghost and pray for the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
And so we can have that transformative power as well.
But this is a power that the apostles had who are working all kinds of miracles
and they can lay hands on people and boom, they're filled with the Holy Spirit.
So when Simon sees this, he has a wrong reaction to this.
It says in verse 18,
And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given,
he offered them money, saying, Give me also this power,
that on whomsoever I lay hands he may receive the Holy Ghost.
Now look, I'm not going to make any excuses for what Simon does here.
Simon's way off base here.
Simon is completely wrong.
But here's the thing.
Should we really be shocked that Simon makes this grave error considering his background?
Think about his background.
This guy's been a charlatan.
This guy's been a false teacher.
This guy's been a televangelist for a long time.
And old habits die hard.
And let me tell you something.
You say, Well, I can't imagine ever doing something like that or saying something like that
or thinking something like that.
That's because you've never been a televangelist.
And what you have to understand is that everybody has different temptations that are more strong
for them than others.
And the sins that you have to worry about the most are the sins that you used to do.
Now, like I mentioned earlier in the sermon, there's no temptation taking you but such
as this common demand.
You know, the temptations that we all go through, they're all common demand.
Everybody deals with things in those categories, similar things, sins like those.
But here's what you have to understand.
The ones that you need to be the most aware of and that you need to be the most worried
about are the ones that you used to do.
Because let's face it.
As we get older, we typically don't get into new things very often.
It's very rare for older people to just get into something totally new.
I'm not even talking about sin.
I'm not even talking about spiritual things.
I'm just saying in general.
I mean, don't we pretty much revert back to the things that we got into when we were a
kid, when we were a teenager, when we were in our 20s.
You know, that's typically who we are.
And that's why it's so important when you're a teen or in your 20s how you live your life
because you're determining what the rest of your life's going to be like.
You're building your character for life.
So if you stop and think about it, if someone used to be a drunkard, that's something that
they have to watch out because they're very likely to go back to that.
Whereas someone who gets to be 30, 40, 50 years old without ever touching alcohol, do
you really think they're going to start drinking at this late date?
It's very unlikely.
Now look, is the temptation there?
Sure, but it's extremely unlikely that you're going to get into sins late in life.
But you know what?
All the sins that you did, just stop and think for a minute about sins that have been
a struggle for you in the past and just realize, you know what?
Those are the things I need to watch out for going forward.
Because if you used to be a drinker, if you get backslidden, that's probably what you're
going to go back to.
You know, if you used to look at porno, well, you know what?
If you get backslidden, that's probably where you're going.
If you used to take drugs, if you get backslidden, that's probably where, maybe it's gambling.
If you used to be a big gambler, watch out.
When you get backslidden, that's probably where you're going.
And we could go down the list if you used to be a thief or if you used to be a cheat
or a liar.
You know, those are the type of things that you're going to be likely to take up again
if you get backslidden.
Now someone else might say, well, I just can't even imagine.
And you know, our sins are never as bad as other people's sins.
It's like, well, sure, I've done some bad stuff, but I wouldn't ever do what he did.
It's like, yeah, I've done some bad stuff, but it's not like I ever snorted cocaine.
You know, we can always find something that we didn't do.
We can always point to something that is horrendous and say, well, that's worse.
But here's the thing, and I've heard people say, well, I just don't think that person
saved who's committing that sin because of the fact that, you know, I would never do
that.
I would never do that.
But here's the thing, just because you would never do it doesn't mean that a saved person
wouldn't do it.
Just you wouldn't do it because you have other sins that you do that other people would look
at your sins and say, well, I'd never do that.
We all have our certain besetting sins that we would continually go back to.
Right?
And again, and people will say, well, what about sodomites?
That's not normal.
That's something that's not even a desire.
There's no good that could even come of that in the sense of there's no pleasure there
for a normal person.
It's horrific.
Okay?
But I'm talking about normal sins that people would actually be tempted to do.
Look, we don't have to teach kids to steal, do we?
It's just there, the tendency to steal.
We don't have to teach kids to hate people who do them wrong.
You know, they're going to fantasize about killing them on their own without any help.
They're going to think wicked thoughts.
They're going to steal, lie, gambling has its allure or there wouldn't be all these
casinos all over Arizona just packed with people, just jam-packed seven days a week.
There must be some allure in gambling.
Don't tell me alcohol is not common to man because of the fact that it's everywhere.
Everywhere.
Drugs abound.
And you know what, drugs are just like alcohol.
It's just another subset of that same category of sin.
Drugs and alcohol, I'd put those in the same category.
And so we see that other people might commit different sins than us, but we all have sin.
We're all sinners and the stuff that we're going to be likely to do is the stuff that
we did in the past.
So when we look at a guy like Simon, it's easy to just jump all over him and say, well,
this guy is obviously a fraud.
He didn't get saved.
He's not really saved because he's trying to purchase the ability to lay hands on people
and transfer the Holy Ghost.
That's a pretty bad understanding of spiritual things, thinking that the gift of God could
be purchased with money.
But what we have to understand, though, is that given his background, that makes sense
for him because his background is abusing religious power.
And so that's the sin that he is prone to.
Now, do you expect a new believer to be perfect?
Do you expect him to never make a mistake?
No.
Here's what you expect is that when somebody sins and gets rebuked, that they would accept
the correction.
And you know what, that's exactly what we see Simon do here.
The Bible says in verse 19,
Now, Peter just rips his head off.
I mean, Peter could have just said, well, no, Simon, that's not how this works.
I think this is the televangelist background that you have coming through.
But here's the thing about it is that Peter may not even know his background.
Because who's the one who won Simon to the Lord?
Philip.
Philip's the one that got him saved.
Philip's the one who got him baptized.
Philip's the one who's been discipling this guy.
All of a sudden, Peter pops up out of nowhere and we already know that Peter and John already
have a bias against the Samaritans, period.
Because, you know, what we see in the book of Acts is first we see a lot of Jews getting
saved, then in chapter 8 we see the Samaritans getting saved, and then in chapter 10 we see
Peter being taught by God that he has a plan for the Gentiles to be saved.
And Peter and his buddies are just like shocked about, wow, God has even given the Gentiles
repentance unto faith.
And wow, isn't this amazing that even the Gentiles are being filled with the Holy Spirit.
That's still a shock to them in chapter 10.
So, what do you think their attitude is in chapter 8 toward the Samaritans?
Probably less than great, because they're still super negative toward the Gentiles in
chapters 10 and 11.
So, it shouldn't surprise us in chapter 8 if they have ill feelings toward the Samaritans.
But they're obviously thinking, well, okay, the Samaritans are sort of half-Jews, so
that's why they got saved and got filled with the Spirit.
That's probably what they're thinking.
Because they still haven't come all the way over to realize that the Gentiles can get
filled with the Holy Spirit too.
So, that's what we have to also keep that context in mind, that Peter and John are coming
in skeptical, in a sense, they're coming in with a bad attitude toward Samaritans because
they have a bad attitude toward Gentiles.
So, it's the same thing.
Because look, in John chapter 4 it says that the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
And we know that when Jesus is telling them to go to the house of Israel, he says, into
any city of the Samaritans, enter ye not.
So, we know that Samaritans are in a similar category with the Gentiles, in the mind of
the Jews at that time.
And so, we see here that Peter just rips his head off.
And I'm not necessarily faulting Peter or saying that he's wrong, but he rips his head
off and rebukes him hard.
And just because he says, thy money perish with thee, that doesn't make him unsaved.
See, Peter doesn't have the power to reprobate this guy.
You know, just because Peter says, your money perish with you, that doesn't suddenly make
him unsaved.
Because Peter doesn't even know this guy.
This is Philip's convert, Philip reached him, Philip baptized him, Philip discipled him.
This guy says one stupid thing, and then Peter rips his head off and assumes that he's unsaved.
By saying that, okay.
And here's the thing, maybe he didn't even mean that he's unsaved.
Maybe that's even jumping to a conclusion, because when he says, your money perish with
you, he could be talking about physical death.
You know, or he could just be using a figure of speech.
It doesn't necessarily mean that this is a pronouncement, I don't believe you're saved.
Now what he does say though, he says, your money perish with you because you thought
that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
Thou is neither part nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is not right in the sight of
God.
So again, not explicitly accusing him of being unsaved, just saying, your heart's not right
with God, you don't have any part or lot in this matter.
And then he says, repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the
thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee, for I perceive that thou art in the gall of
bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.
You know what, still not explicitly accusing him of being unsaved.
Because of the fact that being in the bond of iniquity is something that saved people
can do, because the Bible says, whosoever committed sin is the servant of sin.
And we have the power to be loosed from the chains of sin in our everyday lives.
But let me ask you this, if a Christian becomes addicted to alcohol, if a Christian becomes
addicted to gambling, if a Christian becomes addicted to drugs, is that person walking
in liberty or is that person in the bond of iniquity?
Think about it.
If they commit sin, they're the servant of sin, if they can't stop drinking, can't stop
doing it, it doesn't mean they're not saved.
It just means they're giving in to the flesh.
It means that they're walking in the flesh.
It means that they're giving in to temptation.
The Bible says the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.
And so it's possible to be in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.
And let me tell you something, the sinful life is a bitter life.
It's a bitter life, it's not fun, it's not where you want to live.
You want to have a joyful Christian life, you know, you want to live a life that's pleasing
to God, not a life filled with sin where you're in bondage to sin.
Now obviously getting saved gives us freedom from sin, but you know what, we can choose
to walk in that liberty or we can choose to go back under the bond of iniquity by getting
back into the drugs and alcohol and gambling and whatever because those things are all
addictive and they're going to rule over you.
So what's Simon's reaction to getting his head ripped off by Peter?
It says in verse number 24,
"'Then answered Simon and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me that none of these things
which ye have spoken come upon me.'"
And there's been much criticism of what Simon says here, that somehow, well this shows that
Simon's heart isn't right.
I've rebuked a lot of people over the years, I've reproved people, I've corrected people,
and you know what, I would be happy with this answer.
If I corrected someone about sin and they gave me this answer, I think this would be
a pretty good answer.
If I said, repent of your wickedness, pray to God if perhaps the thought of thine heart
may be forgiven thee, if that person turned around and said to me, would you pray for
me that none of these things that you've spoken would come upon me?
Isn't that a right reaction?
I mean, to me, that's a humble person.
First of all, he's thinking, well you know what, Peter's prayer is going to do more than
my prayer, let's get Peter praying for me.
I don't think there's anything wrong with that.
People have looked at this and said, well he's refusing to pray for himself.
But isn't that reading something into the text that isn't there?
He's not refusing, he's just saying, I want you to pray for me, that none of these things.
And then other people have read into the text, well he's just not wanting punishments to
come upon him that aren't even mentioned.
Because notice what he says, pray to the Lord for me that none of these things which he
have spoken come upon me.
And people have looked at the text and said, people, they didn't bring up anything.
So what's he talking about when he says that none of these things that you've spoken come
upon me?
What's he talking about?
He's just, and I've seen people say, you know, he's just jumping to a conclusion, oh God's
going to punish me, and all he cares about is just not getting punished.
Again that's reading something into the text that isn't there.
What does the Bible actually say?
What the Bible actually tells us is that Simon says, pray ye the Lord for me that none
of these things which you've spoken come upon me.
There were some things that Peter spoke that Simon doesn't want to come upon him.
You know what he doesn't want to come upon him?
He doesn't want to be in the gall of bitterness, and he doesn't want to be in the bond of iniquity.
He doesn't want to be a slave to sin.
He doesn't want to do that.
And so I don't think that he's just referring to something that wasn't said.
I mean that's a little bit of a stretch, isn't it?
When he says, well, would you pray that none of the stuff you brought up comes upon me?
To interpret that as, well he's talking about stuff that wasn't brought up.
You know, no, I think he's talking about stuff that was brought up.
Isn't that a more reasonable way to read this?
You know, that the stuff that he doesn't want to come upon him is being in the gall of bitterness
and being in the bond of iniquity.
And you say, well, that stuff's already upon him.
Well, not necessarily.
That's just what Peter thinks.
That's Peter's assessment.
But you know what, apparently this guy still has a tender heart because when he gets rebuked,
he accepts it.
Now, of course, there's all kinds of Roman Catholic folklore about Simon Magus and all
of his wild adventures in Alexandria, Egypt, and how he became the arch-heretic.
But you know what?
Those are fables and fairy tales that have no basis in reality.
Those were written, all the Roman Catholic stories about Simon the sorcerer, about how
he went on to a life of heresy and became the arch-heretic, you know what, those are
all written long after Simon was dead.
Those are written way later and they're written by people with very fruitful imaginations
that are just making things up.
So we don't accept these kind of apocryphal fairy tales and fables and lives of saints
and other fairy tales about Simon the sorcerer or whatever.
And that's why I don't even think he should be called Simon the sorcerer because the first
thing out of the narrator's mouth is, this guy used to do that.
And here's the thing about that.
If Luke is writing this and the guy is still some weird sorcerer, why would he write the
story this way and start out by saying, well he used to do this stuff and then he believed
and then he made this mistake and he got rebuked and here's how he responded and then move
on?
You know, wouldn't he tell us that or something?
So to me this is a classic example of when we read the Bible, we should go by what the
Bible actually says and not add things that aren't there or speculate about things.
It's better just to kind of base what we believe on what's actually said.
What are the facts?
What do we know?
Let's start with what we know and then figure out what we don't know.
What we know is that he used to be a sorcerer and that he's not anymore.
What we know is that he believed on Jesus.
What we know is that he got baptized and was being discipled by Philip.
We know he said something really stupid and had one of his old televangelist tendencies
come back.
And we know that he got rebuked very harshly and we know that he accepted the rebuke and
took the correction and said pray for me.
I don't want that.
I don't want to go down that road.
Notice what he doesn't do.
He doesn't make any excuses for himself.
You know you see a lot of people in the Bible when they get corrected and they start making
excuses and well you know it was the people and you don't understand it was this.
You know what?
He just says pray for me that these things don't happen to me.
So I believe that he took the correction.
I believe that we're going to see him in heaven and I believe that he is a good example of
someone in the Bible receiving correction.
So that's the good example here, how to receive correction humbly and take a rebuke even if
maybe the rebuke's a little bit over the top.
I don't know if it was or not.
You know I'm not there on the ground.
All I know is that even if it were a little bit over the top, Simon received it.
And then we can also learn from this story that just because someone's super wicked doesn't
mean they're a reprobate so we shouldn't jump to that conclusion.
Unless you see them doing the telltale signs of a reprobate, unless you see them actually
doing those reprobate distinctives of men with men and women with women, those sins
that are unique to reprobates that are not part of the normal population, don't jump
to that conclusion about people and assume that they're a reprobate unless they are shown
to be a reprobate of being someone who's pretending and they actually hate the Lord and they're
actually perverted and things like that.
So just because someone lives a very sinful, debauched life, don't assume they're not going
to get saved.
And you know what, I'll bet there's some of you that work with somebody that you should
witness to but you haven't because you just thought, oh, they won't get saved, right?
Think about it.
I bet if you thought about your job, there have been people where you thought, oh, this
guy, he'll never get saved.
Well, if Manasseh could get saved, if Simon could get saved, you could get that person
saved.
And so don't just assume that or give up on people.
And then the third lesson is that when you get backslidden or when you're in the flesh,
the sins that you do are going to be related to the stuff you did before you were saved
or the stuff that you did when you were younger.
So if you're an ex-drinker, you better stay a million miles away from that because that
is going to be the thing that takes you down.
Now look, alcohol is never going to be the sin that destroys my life because I've never
drunk and at age 39, I really doubt I'm going to get into it.
But you know what, drinking might be the sin that takes you down and ruins your life.
It's ruined many people's lives before and you could be next.
But you know what, there are other sins that could ruin my life.
Whatever sins, and you say, what are those sins?
Well, you know, I'm going to go confess it in a booth afterward.
I'm not going to do it out here in front of everybody.
You know, whatever sins I've been prone to, whatever sins I've done as a teenager and
in my twenties or whatever, that's going to be the stuff that I would revert back to
if I got back slimmed.
That's going to be where, you know, and here's the thing, we all have our own pet sins and
they're not going to be the same for everybody.
The temptations are the same for everybody, but the ones that we indulge in or the ones
that we give into or the ones that we have a tendency toward are going to be different
for everybody.
So don't just judge other people's sins super harshly while excusing your own.
Understand the fact that, you know what, we all have different backgrounds that lead us
to have different sinful tendencies.
Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer.
Father, we thank you for this example, Lord, from the Bible of Simon.
And Lord, we can learn some good things from him, we can learn some bad things from him,
but Lord, just help us to live a godly life and Lord, help us to witness to people, even
people that are far from Christ.
Because we don't know who's going to get saved and sometimes the people today that reject
the gospel, after they've been through the car accident, after they've been through the
disease, after they've been through divorce, or after they've been through other horrible
events in their life, you know, they may be humble enough to get saved, Lord.
And so help us not to get overboard on that reprobate doctrine and start applying it to
the wrong people, Lord.
Help us to love the lost, love sinners, preach the gospel, win people to Christ, and live
a godly life.
In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
Let's do one more song.
Turn in your song books to song 167.
All hail the power of Jesus' name.
Song 167.
167.
170.