Acts 7 tells the story of the stoning to death of Stephen the martyr and ‘on that day a great Persecution broke out against the Church in Jerusalem resulting in the scattering of the believers throughout Judea and Samaria’. The stoning to death of a powerful man of God and the scattering of the believers were meant to weaken or destroy the fledgling Church. It had the opposite affect, the Gospel was now preached powerfully in areas outside Jerusalem
Acts 8, Philip went to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there, with miraculous signs following.
The text continues with the mention of Simon the Sorcerer(wizard), who amazed people with his witchcraft. ‘But when they believed Philip as he preached…and they were baptised, both men and women. Simon himself believed and was baptised’.
Peter and John were then sent to the new believers in Samaria, where they prayed that they might receive the Holy Spirit. It was likely a trek of fifty miles plus from Jerusalem to Samaria(going by my Bible maps), but these two chief apostles made the journey to pray for them to receive the Holy Spirit. The gift today has become somewhat commonplace , but these senior Church leaders sacrificed to ensure those new believers were filled with the Spirit. It’s still as important today for those who want to receive Him!
Simon wanted the gift of laying on of hands for this Baptism and was willing to pay for it(apparently the act of simony, paying for position and influence in the Church, is named after Simon). He’d had influence and standing as a sorcerer and thought he could carry it through with him into his new life. Peter answered, “May your money perish with you(remember what happened when he spoke thus to Ananias and Sapphira, also about money)… you’ve no part in this ministry. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord…. for I see that you are full of bitterness and ‘captive’ to sin”.
Peter and John travelled a long way to get the new believers filled with the Spirit, it’s still as necessary today.
Simon, despite believing and being baptised had wrong heart motives and heart condition. He’d been influential and wanted to keep his standing, now as a believer. How many believers today have serious issues in our own hearts and still want to minister and hold lead positions? Better by far to seek God regarding our own hearts than minister to others with mixed motives.
God bless you and keep you this day.