Be Careful Before You Give to the Church

Acts 8 places Philip in Samaria after persecution scatters the church, and God brings great joy to a place marked by hostility between Jews and Samaritans. Philip, a deacon rather than an apostle, preaches the good news of Jesus, performs signs and wonders, and sees men and women believe and be baptized. Simon the sorcerer enters the scene as a famous man who had amazed the city and convinced people that he was “someone great.” Simon believes, gets baptized, follows Philip, and is amazed by what God is doing.

The text then shows Peter and John coming from Jerusalem to pray for the Samaritan believers to receive the Holy Spirit. Scripture teaches that believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit when they hear the gospel and believe, yet Acts also records unique moments when the Spirit moves in remarkable, visible ways. The Holy Spirit is God, and God cannot be put in a box. Churches should not require tongues, miracles, or a second blessing as proof of salvation, but neither should they dismiss every extraordinary work of God with skepticism.

Simon sees the Spirit given through the apostles’ laying on of hands and immediately treats that power like a transaction. Simon offers money because he wants access to the power, the status, and the ability to do what Peter and John are doing. Peter sees past Simon’s outward profession and confronts the issue underneath it: “your heart is not right before God.” Simon does not merely have a money problem. Simon has a heart problem filled with bitterness, iniquity, and a desire to use God for earthly gain.

The gift of God cannot be bought, earned, or obtained by standing near people who seem spiritually powerful. Giving money, serving in church, working hard, leading a family, forgiving someone, or living morally can all become attempts to make a deal with God. Beggars at a wedding feast do not demand payment for their service. Beggars at a wedding feast are simply grateful to have a seat at the table.

Peter’s rebuke calls for genuine faith, repentance, and forgiveness. The Spirit-filled disciple does not worship, give, serve, or obey in order to gain extra access to God. Faith responds to grace with humility, gratitude, and surrender. The Holy Spirit convicts, saves, encourages, and moves according to God’s will, while believers remain poor beggars invited into the wedding feast of salvation.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. God’s gift cannot be purchased [43:23] Simon saw the Holy Spirit’s power and immediately reached for his wallet. His mistake was not generosity but treating God’s gift as something available through the right transaction. Grace destroys every effort to leverage money, service, sacrifice, or religious activity into a claim on God. [43:23]
• 2. Amazement is not transformation [52:01] Simon was amazed by miracles, yet amazement did not prove that his heart had been made new. A person can enjoy powerful worship, hear compelling preaching, and be around genuine spiritual activity without personally surrendering to Christ. Faith is more than being impressed by God’s power. [52:01]
• 3. The Holy Spirit is not manufactured [34:19] The Holy Spirit does whatever He wants because He is God. Scripture calls believers to expect His real work, but it does not give churches a formula for producing His presence on demand. Passion in worship should rise from love for God, not from an attempt to conjure a spiritual experience. [34:19]
• 4. Beggars worship without bargaining [45:39] The image of the beggar at the wedding feast exposes transactional faith. Gratitude says, “How can I serve?” while self-righteousness says, “Look at all I have done.” Salvation gives a seat at the table before any act of service is offered. [45:39]
• 5. Repentance reaches the heart [48:55] Peter does not merely tell Simon to adjust his behavior. Peter calls Simon to repent because his heart is not right before God. Real repentance turns from using God for personal gain and begins a different life marked by faith, humility, love, and the fruit of the Spirit.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [25:41] - Be Careful Before You Give
• [26:35] - Philip Brings the Gospel to Samaria
• [28:01] - Simon the Sorcerer
• [29:33] - Simon Believes and Is Baptized
• [31:22] - Receiving the Holy Spirit
• [34:19] - The Spirit Cannot Be Put in a Box
• [38:51] - Worship Without Manufacturing God’s Presence
• [42:37] - Simon Attempts to Buy Spiritual Power
• [44:29] - Giving Cannot Earn God’s Favor
• [47:56] - Peter Rebukes Simon’s Heart
• [48:55] - Faith, Repentance, and Forgiveness
• [52:01] - Amazement Versus Transformation
• [56:01] - Beggars at the Wedding Feast
• [58:04] - A Call Beyond Superficial Faith

Bible Reading

Acts 8:9-24
“Now 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 someone 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.” And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed. Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “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. Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.” [28:14]

Ephesians 1:13-14
“In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” [32:41]

Galatians 5:22-23
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” [35:45]

Observation questions

1. What details in Acts 8:9–13 show Simon’s influence and reputation in Samaria before Philip arrived? [28:14]
2. What did Simon do after he saw the apostles lay hands on the Samaritan believers, and what did he ask Peter and John to give him? [42:37]
3. What words does Peter use to describe Simon’s spiritual condition and the condition of his heart? [48:03]
4. According to Ephesians 1:13–14 and Galatians 5:22–23, what are two different ways the Bible describes the Holy Spirit’s work in believers? [35:30]

Interpretation questions

1. Why does Simon’s request to purchase the ability to give the Holy Spirit reveal more than a problem with money? What does it reveal about what he wanted from God? [49:00]
2. Acts 8 describes an unusual and visible work of the Holy Spirit among the Samaritans, while Ephesians teaches that believers are sealed with the Spirit when they believe. How can both truths keep Christians from demanding a particular experience as proof of salvation?
3. Peter does not simply tell Simon to stop offering money; he calls him to repent because his heart is not right before God. Why is repentance deeper than changing one outward action? [49:37]
4. Simon was amazed by God’s power, but Peter’s rebuke raises questions about whether Simon had genuine faith. What is the difference between being impressed by spiritual activity and surrendering to Jesus in faith? [52:20]

Application questions

1. In what areas might a person quietly make a transaction with God—thinking, “Because I gave, served, forgave, prayed, or lived rightly, God should give me what I want”? Which of those temptations is most familiar in your own life? [44:29]
2. When disappointment comes—such as unanswered prayer, financial pressure, conflict, or a difficult season—what can reveal whether obedience has become a bargain with God?
3. The image of a beggar welcomed to a wedding feast is a picture of grace: a seat at the table is received before any service is offered. How would viewing yourself this way change the way you give, serve, worship, or care for others this week? [45:39]
4. Is there any part of your faith that has become mostly about being amazed by worship, preaching, miracles, or other people’s spiritual experiences? What would a deeper response of faith, repentance, and surrender look like? [52:55]
5. The Holy Spirit cannot be manufactured or controlled, yet believers should not dismiss His work with cynicism. What might it look like to seek the Spirit’s work with both expectancy and humility? [38:41]
6. Galatians 5 points to the fruit of the Spirit as evidence of His work. Which area of spiritual fruit do you most want God to grow in you, and what practical situation this week may give you an opportunity to walk in it? [35:45]