4/26/26 10:30 || Acts - The True Treasure

Apr 26, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: When Silver Meets Spirit

Simon amazed Samaria with magic, claiming greatness. The crowds called him “the power of God” as he performed tricks rooted in darkness. But Philip arrived preaching Christ—the true power—and even Simon believed, getting baptized. Yet his heart still craved control. [40:33]

The Samaritans traded idols for sorcery, then sorcery for baptism—but only Jesus transforms. Simon’s counterfeit power mirrored Pharaoh’s magicians: impressive, but empty. True power comes through surrender, not spectacle.

You face shiny distractions daily—success, trends, quick fixes. Jesus offers deeper freedom. What counterfeit “power” have you settled for? Name it. How will you turn your eyes to Christ’s enduring truth today?

“But there was a man named Simon who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, ‘This man is the power of God that is called Great.’”
(Acts 8:9-10, ESV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to expose any counterfeit power you’ve trusted more than His Spirit.
Challenge: Write down one area where you seek control. Pray over it for 3 minutes.

Day 2: Baptized But Not Transformed

Simon stood in the baptismal waters, mimicking the Samaritans’ faith. He followed Philip, marveling at miracles—yet his heart remained unbroken. The apostles laid hands on believers, releasing the Spirit’s fire. Simon saw currency, not communion. [49:24]

Baptism without repentance is a wet lie. The Holy Spirit isn’t a party trick; He’s the seal of salvation. Simon wanted effects, not transformation. Jesus demands all—heart, mind, strength.

Many claim belief but cling to hidden agendas. Does your faith cost you comfort? When have you sought God’s gifts more than His face?

“Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.”
(Acts 8:13, ESV)

Prayer: Confess areas where you’ve treated faith as a transaction.
Challenge: Read Matthew 7:21-23 aloud. Underline “I never knew you.”

Day 3: Hands Laid, Heart Revealed

Peter stared down Simon’s offer: “Give me this power.” The sorcerer’s wallet gaped open, but his heart stayed shut. Silver couldn’t buy the Spirit—only repentance could. Peter declared, “Your heart isn’t right.” [01:00:56]

God’s grace isn’t for sale. Simon preferred shortcuts over surrender, mirrors over mercy. The Spirit points to Jesus, not our agendas.

What spiritual “shortcut” have you tried? Tithes to ease guilt? Service to mask sin? Would you let Peter rebuke you today?

“May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.”
(Acts 8:20-21, ESV)

Prayer: Beg God to wreck any greed hiding in your worship.
Challenge: Donate $5 anonymously today—not as duty, but delight.

Day 4: Gall of Bitterness

Simon begged, “Pray I escape consequences”—not “Pray I meet Jesus.” Peter named his bondage: “gall of bitterness.” Repentance requires tears, not tactics. The sorcerer preferred painless pardon over heart surgery. [01:06:59]

Worldly grief fears exposure; godly grief craves cleansing. Simon’s story ends unresolved—a warning. Peter knew failure but chose brokenness over blame.

When caught in sin, do you manage fallout or seek forgiveness? What bitterness still chains you?

“For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.”
(2 Corinthians 7:10, ESV)

Prayer: Weep over one specific sin. Ask for godly grief.
Challenge: Call a believer today and say, “Hold me accountable to repent.”

Day 5: The Surpassing Worth

Paul called everything loss compared to knowing Christ. Simon clutched silver; saints clutch crosses. The Samaritans gained the Spirit through surrender—not cash or cunning. Jesus alone satisfies. [01:10:08]

Blessings fade. Miracles cease. But Christ remains. He’s the treasure, not the trinkets we chase.

If God stripped away every gift but Himself, would He be enough? What false “mansion” have you built in your heart?

“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”
(Philippians 3:8, ESV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for being enough—no additions needed.
Challenge: Spend 10 minutes in silence, repeating: “You are my treasure.”

Sermon Summary

Acts 8 traces the gospel moving into Samaria and exposes how faith looks when tested. A magician named Simon once amazed the city with counterfeit power, and the Samaritans worshipped the spectacle until Philip arrived preaching Jesus and the kingdom. Many believed, were baptized, and experienced signs and miracles, showing the gospel’s ability to transform people from idolatry into repentance and new life. The narrative distinguishes three kinds of belief: intellectual assent, experience-driven attraction, and saving faith that trusts and surrenders to Christ. The text warns that the first two can mimic true conversion without producing lasting fruit.

The Spirit’s work receives careful attention. The Holy Spirit arrives as a gift tied to hearing and believing, not as something to be purchased or manipulated. Laying on of hands accompanies the apostles’ affirmation in this moment, but the Spirit’s presence remains a person to be revered and a witness who points to Jesus, not an object to command. Simon’s response exposes his motives when he offers money to buy this spiritual authority, revealing a heart settled on gain rather than on God. That attempt to commodify divine grace becomes the focal point for a sharp rebuke: money cannot buy what God gives.

Peter’s rebuke calls for true repentance and diagnoses a soul bound by bitterness and iniquity. The proper response requires brokenness, a turning from sin that seeks relationship over reward. The narrative contrasts shallow profession with genuine transformation and presses the reader with a direct question: if everything were taken away, would Christ remain the supreme treasure? The gospel continues to spread despite human failure, and the account closes by challenging readers to examine motives, repent where needed, and pursue the Savior as the ultimate treasure rather than as a source of advantage.

Key Takeaways

1. Counterfeit power deceives crowds The Samaritans mistook spectacular displays for the hand of God, showing how wonder can obscure truth. Spectacle can stir awe without producing repentance, and discernment requires testing experiences against Scripture and the character of Christ. Spiritual amazement that centers on a person or performance often points to deception, not to the Spirit. [37:51]
2. Gospel changes idolaters into worshipers Philip’s preaching led Samaritans from polytheism to baptism and new community, proving the gospel’s transforming power. Conversion reshapes loyalties, uproots false gods, and redirects the heart toward Jesus as treasure. True change shows itself in repentance and new public identity, not merely in fascination. [42:20]
3. Spirit is given, not bought The Holy Spirit arrives as a gift in response to faith and cannot be obtained by transaction or manipulation. Treating the Spirit as a commodity reduces grace to a marketable item and reveals a heart of worldly gain. Reverence for the Spirit means seeking relationship with Christ, not miraculous dividends. [55:30]
4. Motives reveal saving faith Simon’s offer to pay for spiritual power exposed desire for reward rather than repentance, proving that outward acts can mask inner aims. God judges the intention of the heart, and true faith produces godly grief and a willingness to be known by Christ. Repentance pursues relationship; regret pursues relief from consequences. [60:35]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[31:08] - Worship and prayer
[34:54] - Acts context and commission
[37:06] - Samaria and Simon introduced
[37:51] - Counterfeit power exposed
[42:20] - Philip’s gospel in Samaria
[49:45] - Three kinds of belief
[55:30] - Spirit given, not gained
[60:35] - Simony and motives revealed
[61:58] - Peter’s rebuke and call
[67:42] - Closing call and altar invitation

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Acts 8:9-24 (NIV)
Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV)
2 Corinthians 7:10 (NIV)

Observation Questions

What three types of belief were contrasted in the story of Simon and the Samaritans? [49:45]
How did Simon respond when he saw the apostles laying hands on people to receive the Holy Spirit? [01:00:35]
What did Peter identify as the root issue in Simon’s heart during his rebuke?
According to Matthew 7:21-23, what does Jesus say to those who claim spiritual accomplishments but lack relationship with Him?

Interpretation Questions

Why might Simon have offered money for the ability to impart the Holy Spirit, and what does this reveal about his understanding of God’s grace?
How does Peter’s rebuke of Simon distinguish between repentance and mere regret over consequences? [01:06:20]
In 2 Corinthians 7:10, “godly grief” leads to salvation, while “worldly grief” leads to death. How does Simon’s response to Peter’s rebuke exemplify worldly grief?
Why is the Holy Spirit described as a gift tied to faith, rather than a transactional commodity? [55:30]

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you were drawn to a spiritual experience (e.g., a conference, answered prayer, or emotional worship). How did you discern whether your focus was on Christ or the experience itself? [41:50]
Simon’s motives were exposed when tested. What practical steps could help you examine your own motives in serving God or participating in church? [01:00:35]
The sermon asked, “If everything were taken away, would Christ remain your supreme treasure?” What tangible habits or choices could deepen your satisfaction in Jesus above all else?
How can you cultivate “godly grief” over sin in your life instead of merely avoiding consequences? [01:06:59]
The Holy Spirit points to Jesus, not to Himself. How might this truth reshape your prayers or expectations when seeking spiritual growth? [58:53]
Simon wanted relief from consequences, not reconciliation with God. When facing sin, do you tend to seek forgiveness for relationship or just to avoid fallout? What would repentance look like in that situation?

Sermon Clips

36s

#TruthOverSigns

“Am I drawn to what is true? Is the bible the source and standard of truth? Am I holding up my experiences up to the bible and knowing this thing is true? I've seen people go and chase awakenings and outpourings and things because things were happening. And when when some, yeah, doctrine and other things and sinful lifestyles get exposed and things, but they're like, but but there were these signs. Okay. But are you drawn to that or are you drawn to what is true? What's the source? What's the standard?”

45s

#KnowJesusPersonally

“But but the good news is great news because Jesus didn't leave it there. He came and lived a perfect life on this earth that we could never live. He died a death and paid a price we could never pay. And he was raised from the dead, defeating sin and death to offer us forgiveness of sins and salvation. But let me tell you this. He wasn't just offering forgiveness. He's offering himself. He's offering a relationship for you to come and to intimately, personally know the creator of the universe.”

35s

#RepentantHeart

“Second Corinthians seven ten says this, godly grief produces repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. Do we hate our sin or do we just hate the consequences of our sin? Do you hate the sin in your life or do you just hate when you have to pay the piper? When it when it's time that your con that your sin has consequences, is that what you hate, or do we actually hate our sin before a holy God?”

33s

#RelationshipNotReward

“Simon couldn't even enter a relationship enough to go and pray to God himself. He wanted the reward without the relationship. The question is, do you know him? Do you know him? And then look at what he wanted from the prayer, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me. He didn't want reconciliation with God. He wanted freedom from his consequences. That's all he wanted. That's where we see the fruit of his belief and his response.”

37s

#MoreThanReligion

“Because it's very sobering to read Matthew seven that there are people who are gonna say the right things, do the right things, maybe get baptized. They look like believers, but Jesus says, I never knew you. Because it's not about all the stuff. It's about a relationship that he's inviting you to. It's more. There's so much. The blessings, they're they're good things, but it's not the same as knowing him. Do we know him?”

25s

#BrokenAndContrite

“Sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart, oh God, you will not despise. But that's not Simon's response. Simon's response is, hey, you pray for me. There's reward that he's seeking, but not relationship because he can't even go to God himself and say, God, forgive me. I repent. No. He tells them, you go pray for me.”

36s

#GraceRemembers

“So we'd be so quick to judge the Samaritans and the Sauls and forget that such were some of us. We forget the grace and the mercy that God showed on us. We forget what he saved us out of. And Paul says, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the spirit of God. Such were some of you, but man, God washed you. And so we need to be careful with how we judge.”

31s

#TrueRepentance

“So Peter's been on the other end of this. But the response that falls short, not Peter's, Simon's, because Peter's response is this. He submits to Jesus for the washing, saying, wash all of me. I'm really filthy. I'm a terror person. Wash all of me. And then when the rooster crows after his denial, what does he do? It says he wept bitterly. This shows a heart of repentance, brokenness. Do we see this with Simon? Nope.”

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West Rome Baptist Church This sermon · AI assistant

What distinguishes saving faith from mere belief

Can spiritual power be counterfeit and deceptive

How does simony reveal an unrepentant heart

4/26/26 10:30 || Acts - The True Treasure

Devotional

Day 1: When Silver Meets Spirit

Day 2: Baptized But Not Transformed

Day 3: Hands Laid, Heart Revealed

Day 4: Gall of Bitterness

Day 5: The Surpassing Worth

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

4/26/26 10:30 || Acts - The True Treasure

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